Strange But True
So I was at work today and the coolest/strangest thing happened.
The kitchen I work in is an open line which means that we are all exposed to the customers while we cook; people can even sit on stools that wrap around our work space and, if we feel like it, we can carry on conversations with the people for whom we are cooking. This can been cool and this can really suck.
The things I hate about this arrangement are numerous. Sometimes I'll have people sit there and discuss my technique "My goodness she is putting a lot of salt on that!" or they will sit and stare open-mouthed at me like I am a monkey doing tricks. I also hate when people are positioned right in front of me and hash out their personal life with details I should never have to know about a person if I don't know their first AND last name. I've witnessed break-ups, bad fights, awkward first dates (DO NOT GET DRUNK ON THE FIRST DATE!), and all sorts of human frailty. I find it really uncomfortable; I've started to stand and stare at people when the conversation gets waaaaay too personal in hope that it embarrasses them enough to be discreet.
It can get worse than even that, but I didn't write this post to bitch about work.
Tonight was a busier than usual Monday evening. I'm totally thankful for this because my hours have been cut drastically. As we were cleaning out our mise en place and wiping down the equipment a couple walked in and sat at a high-top (a taller than usual table) right in front of Mike and I. I turned to Mike and said "Well, it's alright, it's an hour more on our paycheck."
They must have heard us. They ordered all of their food immediately and all at one time. I didn't really think about them until I heard them say they were finished and they asked for the check. They paid quickly and got up to leave. As I looked up I saw the man go up to Mike and hand him what I though was a business card. then he walked up to me and I put my hand out to shake his and take what I thought was a card for me.
It was a twenty dollar bill.
He said thank you quietly and I stood, like an idiot, with my mouth hanging open and watched him leave. I finally managed to call out a thank you as he and his wife walked out the door.
The kitchen I work in is an open line which means that we are all exposed to the customers while we cook; people can even sit on stools that wrap around our work space and, if we feel like it, we can carry on conversations with the people for whom we are cooking. This can been cool and this can really suck.
The things I hate about this arrangement are numerous. Sometimes I'll have people sit there and discuss my technique "My goodness she is putting a lot of salt on that!" or they will sit and stare open-mouthed at me like I am a monkey doing tricks. I also hate when people are positioned right in front of me and hash out their personal life with details I should never have to know about a person if I don't know their first AND last name. I've witnessed break-ups, bad fights, awkward first dates (DO NOT GET DRUNK ON THE FIRST DATE!), and all sorts of human frailty. I find it really uncomfortable; I've started to stand and stare at people when the conversation gets waaaaay too personal in hope that it embarrasses them enough to be discreet.
It can get worse than even that, but I didn't write this post to bitch about work.
Tonight was a busier than usual Monday evening. I'm totally thankful for this because my hours have been cut drastically. As we were cleaning out our mise en place and wiping down the equipment a couple walked in and sat at a high-top (a taller than usual table) right in front of Mike and I. I turned to Mike and said "Well, it's alright, it's an hour more on our paycheck."
They must have heard us. They ordered all of their food immediately and all at one time. I didn't really think about them until I heard them say they were finished and they asked for the check. They paid quickly and got up to leave. As I looked up I saw the man go up to Mike and hand him what I though was a business card. then he walked up to me and I put my hand out to shake his and take what I thought was a card for me.
It was a twenty dollar bill.
He said thank you quietly and I stood, like an idiot, with my mouth hanging open and watched him leave. I finally managed to call out a thank you as he and his wife walked out the door.