Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Maybe I'm speaking another language...

So about 2 weeks ago I quit my waitressing job at a hotel restaurant…or at least I thought I did.  I said “I need to stop working.”  And my manager said “Ok I’ll try to have you out of here in a few weeks.”  I’m not sure that’s how quitting works.  April is a busy month for me – like many important things happening, not just a bunch of doctors appointments - so him saying I’ll be done by the end of the month was not really comforting.

So anyway, I was still working there last weekend.  Now, the weekend kitchen-bus boy dude is very creepy.  Every time I walk in his face lights up – not in an “I’m happy to see you” kinda way, but in a “I’m raping you with my eyes” kinda way.  It’s very unsettling.  I try to stay on my side of the kitchen door, but when he comes out, I make sure to send him on some kind of errand far, far away from me.  But this past Sunday I wasn’t thinking on my feet.  He snuck up behind me and said “¿Cansada bonita?”  Startled, I took a few steps to the side, but I was basically trapped behind the breakfast counter.  “Ha ha…sí, estoy cansada.”  So apparently “yes, I’m tired” translates to “please give me a massage” because that’s what he started to do.  He started rubbing his creepy little hands on my shoulders.  Thank the lord, a customer came in so I scampered away.  This never would have happened had quitting worked like I thought I was supposed to.
So I was also STILL working this morning.  And I was hit by the swinging kitchen door FOUR TIMES!  Back! Head! Arm! Other arm!  Then 10:30 AM finally rolled around and I could finally start closing up.  When a couple walked in...
Me: Oh, I’m sorry, we’re closed.
Couple: You make us bagel?
Me:  No, I’m sorry, we’re closed.
Couple:  Bagel?
Me:  *Sigh…I make you bagel. 
After making the bagel…and a hot chocolate…and a coffee, I finally got to go home. 
Working at this restaurant job has made me question how people understand the words that are coming out of my mouth.  I think I’m speaking English but…I guess people are hearing different things.

3 comments:

  1. "Back! Head! Arm! Other arm!" hahaha

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  2. oh that was sara.

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  3. haha, very well observed.. I always feel like I'm speaking a different language at the hotel- be it miming to foreign customers or using body language to tell Alex I would not like to be touched. (Hamna)

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