today, i'm supposed to be off, but it's black friday and the guy scheduled can't work, so i am supposed to be covering for him. at least i said i would. but that makes three weeks straight of one day off, and thirteen days straight leading up to the three week run. i'm just tired.
so, my boss and i agree, my days off have to be my days off. end of story. the thing about that is, i need the money, and if they will authorize overtime, so much the better. when i am pulled in from far for some bullshit shift, an hour or so, that's no good. but i figure it is paying my dues in some strange way.
but i need to say no over forty. the thing is, i've not gone far over forty in all this madness. that's the surprising bit.
i had the teacher gifts hanging over my head, and this morning sat down with my kid and organized them all. anything, any small thing, any miniscule thing that to a normal person would just be another easy thing, to me is nearly overwhelming. so, we sorted through it all and got them bagged and packed up for her to give to her teachers. transporting and delivering is still an issue, but one that will work itself out. at least i don't have to deal with that until december sometime. but i can push it out of my mind now. that's the thing.
there is so much going on in there, that i get lost in it sometime. and when i'm standing there contemplating life while perfectly foaming a venti dry cappucino, and the customer yells at me for not acknowledging them. i am irritated by that. people say i need a thicker skin, but i say, don't yell at baristas. period.
i'm tired of it. the thing about it is, i was making the drink the way he asked for it, he just felt compelled to stand there telling me how to make a drink i make perfectly anyway. so, after yelling at me he goes into the bathroom and yells at me again when coming out.
you just had to acknowledge me.
i was making your drink.
you see, i'm short, can't see over the machine. so to hear people, sometimes i have to lean toward them. and if the machine is going, forget it. plus, he was a lowtalker. doesn't help. i hate lowtalkers at work. they frustrate me because the acoustics of our store are so bad, i can be standing two feet from you and can't hear, but can hear crystal clear from the back of the store. must be some funnel the raised ceiling is making. i don't really understand it.
and if that cappucino was bullshit, and flat, that would be one thing. but i make a damn fine cappucino. creamy foam. the way it should be done. these drinks don't just fall from the sky.
and yesterday, my co-worker gave me a noogie because i left a part of the espresso machine in a pitcher. my bad. i was in the process of closing the bar, and it is standard to soak these things. well, she asked me what i was doing, and i had to just laugh because i was nearly delirious at that point.
so she walked over, put me in a headlock (she is much, much taller than me, so it was not too difficult for her to grab my head quickly), and gave me a noogie.
i laughed.
it hurt though. i hadn't been given a proper noogie since i was a kid. she was raised with many older siblings. i guess she was making a point. and, i got it.
oddly enough, besides the wanton unprofessionalism of doling out the noogie, it made me feel like i'm accessible. you know. only family does that shit. we did that kind of thing all the time in my family. i don't even remember how old i was when i got my last noogie. mind you, i would have clocked someone else attempting that maneuver, but from her, it was hilarious.
i proceeded to demonstrate the limpy, but one must have the height advantage, which i sadly lack. so. i let it go with a simple visual.
yesterday was wild. saw new moon. loved it.
and had an omlette for thanksgiving. with homefries and toast cut on the bias.
i love my toast cut on the bias, because the rectangles don't taste as good. my daughter looked at my plate and said,
ooh, the bias.
yes.
why don't you ask for it?
i feel pretentious.
no one, not i, especially, want to be a difficult customer any longer. i probably still am. but, i do what i can to not be a complete pain in the ass.
so when i get my toast cut on the bias, i am thrilled. it is one of the small fortuitious graces i am grateful for.
weird. i know. my daughter reminds me constantly.
we are fond of the salami on hand sandwich. i told her when she goes to her dad's and pulls that, he'll be mortified.
she laughed.
oh, it will be so strange when she's gone. so very strange to be alone again.
No comments:
Post a Comment