Broken-Hearted FOOD Runner

Day 3 of server training - Food running.

Wow! That was fun. It was a super busy Saturday night. It was strange because the weather was supposed to be really crappy and rainy, so it was completely unexpected. I was afraid to run food because I thought it would be boring and honestly, I didn't know the floor plan very well. But I only made a couple of mistakes which were laughed off easily with the customer. And I learned a lot - fast.

I had forgotten how much I loved manual labor, or service work. There is always something to do whether it's re-stacking the dishes, getting more glasses, cutting bread, or whatever. I love to be busy and busy I was.

I'm pretty sure I have 2nd degree burns on my fingers from running hot plates. There were moments when I'd grab a plate knowing it was hot but it didn't have to go far so I took it anyway.  And then a large party would walk in front of me. It was like a test of my strength, "Just keep holding it, Sarah. You can't drop it. Feel the pain. Push through." And I definitely have some red, swollen hands now, but it was worth it.

I only regret that at this point I'm still only making minimum wage since I'm in training. That part really sucks. And after taking an hour long class today and working for four hours, I now have to do some menu studying and complete 3 quizzes (one for food, one for beverage, and one for service), before I have to be back at the restaurant tomorrow at 11 am for another follow shift, another class at 3, and my final follow shift at 5 before my validation on Tuesday. I feel like I've had more training for this waitressing job than I've had for any job, ever. Maybe that's why their servers are so good. They weed out the bad ones before they even get in front of a customer.

The highlight of my night was when I ran food to a table and recognized the family from little guys baseball team. What could have been embarrassing was simply acknowledged for what it is, "I'm consulting now," I said as I curtsied. The mother only laughed and said, "Yeah. Consulting is tough. You gotta do what you gotta do to pay the rent." I'm not proud. I think we've all realized that, so I agreed. "Damn straight!" I said with a smile. I made sure to check up on that table a couple more times before they left. They are good people.

Anyway, I'm certainly not saying that this is something I want to do long term. But for the short term, it sure is nice to be out of the house. I think I've read, written, and sketched enough for the next year. I've certainly enjoyed this time off, but I'm not built for it. It's time to find a J-O-B. And until that happens, this is good enough to fill my time (and hopefully my pockets).

So, as I sign off, know that I feel I have earned this very large glass of red wine. I've made it a point to not drink alone over the last week and a half, but tonight is special. I'm celebrating a victory and I'm enjoying the moment.

Life is good. I love where I am. I love where I'm going. And I have not forgotten where I've been.

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