A memorable kick off

I worked my first real shift in a restaurant and now feel qualified to write VOLUMES on the amount that I didn't know prior to 4:45 today. My feet ache, my clothing smells like a dish-pit, I have bussed countless tables and wrapped at least 300 cultery rolls. I have met people with names like "Amigo" and "Miss Kitty", and burned my hands exactly 4 times on the tortilla machines while awkwardly trying to make my first torts. Yes, the learning curve is steep, but the dividends are pretty fabulous if I can hang in there. I get 100 new friends, free food all summer, great tips, a hell of a workout and a chance to flex my most patient people-skills. Case in point: I gave a lady my requisite speech about the new steak menu, to which she replied, "the steak here is terrible, so save your breath". I didn't really know what to say. Do I make the customer feel good? Do I defend the steaks that I've never even tried? I managed to mutter an "enjoy your meal" before escaping, but am now sure that I am going to be exposed to the FULL spectrum of human idiocy this summer.

My favorite first day memory: it was 7:45, the waiting time for a deuce (2-seater) was more than an hour, and a man (who had been waiting for his table for quite a while and had obviously taken the opportunity to get himself rightfully trashed) stumbled over to me and offered me 60 cents if I would give him the next table. After politely declining, he dug through his pockets and produced a golf tee. "Here," he said, "how about I TEE-ease you a little bit". He then slapped the behind of the server who was walking by, and stumbled back to his seat. I've got the golf tee in my pocket; a reminder, I guess, of everything I experienced on my first night, and everything I still have to learn.