Day 88.

Removed from the excitement, err um horror, of going to the dentist in the morning, at 4:30 I donned old lady's style khaki shorts and a black polo whose bright pink logo I had previously sharpied black. I am an eager beaver who always arrives early for things when it is a first, so naturally I left home too early to drive to work and had to sit in the parking lot till I could no longer sit in the heat at 5:25. Tonight was to be a first, my first night as a servers assistant. I had foolishly  assumed that being a servers assistant meant you filled drinks and brought out food. Little did I know that the title "server's assistant" is a glorified way of saying restaurant slave aka busser. Thus, tonight wasn't a first in the way I though it would be because I have bussed once before. It was a horrible experience and I almost got into a fist fight with one of the servers. I am not a violent person--he just wasn't being very nice and I HATE being taken advantage of when I'm trying to be sweet and help someone. Work was busy when I got there so I just jumped amid the fray, shadowing the other busser, a 22yr girl named lacey, and doing what she was doing. I would like to say I had things figured out by the end of the night except for the fact that I have yet to master the task of timing when to ask people for the plates on their tables they no longer want. Me being the eager beaver I am apparently kept trying to take dishes people were still working on. ....I never realized how long it takes people to eat or how much food they actually waste. (Eating all the food that appears on my plate may be the leading cause of me not fitting into my jeans anymore, but at least I'm not being wasteful. I'd rather not be my desired shape than be so incredibly wasteful.) Someone once told me that people who work in restaurants are mean to each other while they are working, only because it is so rushed, and are nice afterward when things calm down. That person must not know the people who work at the Tin Top. Everyone was incredibly sweet and kind to me when we happened to be catching our breath at the same time. They also worked hard and worked to pull their own weight, which I admire. Lacey, the other busser, is incredibly smart, has two young kids, is a harder worker than I am, and knows her stuff. I may be younger and in college, but I have nothing on that incredible woman who after spending a couple hours with I can say is simply incredible. There are also two Kristens who work there. One really pretty Russian girl with braces. An old man who said he was the meanest, but seemed the kindest. A handsome twenty something who introduced himself to me and tried to shake my hand but settled for an elbow touch-thingy when he saw me panic momentarily at the gross stuff on my hands. He was cool. Two dishwashers that i cannot understand to save my life. They may be absolutely wonderful people, but they open their mouths and my ears cannot comprehend them. They're from here..... Last but not least, there is also a manager that has not gotten angry at me for telling her on my first day of work that I can't work one of the days she scheduled me for. ....I wonder if she will let me off work around the start of July so I can go to Atlanta? It was hard work. My feet and back hurt and I am tired and sweaty and gross. I'm not sure how long i'm going to want to do it, but I don't want to be a quitter just because it is hard. hmmm, I'll wait and see how much people decide to tip me out.