11.23.2002
Just messing with my Blogspot.
11/23/2002 06:45:00 PM
Disappearing Act
I've been tired all week, as some of you may know. I just haven't had the energy to do anything. At work, I kept dropping receipts, money, garbling my words in front of customers...but I hoped that it'd all pass.
Well, yesterday, I nearly lost my job because of that. I think the only thing that saved me was my 2.5 year reputation of being the best ToGo in all of Garland (no joke).
What happened was this: the annual kindergarten kitchen tour happened yesterday (that was so funny to see Ron leading around little kids like a mother duck with her baby ducks, *giggle*), and ToGo seemed like it'd never start. Then, I start getting calls for orders, and they all want them at specific times. Add that to the servers that were helping me but quoting short times for other orders, and add WALKINS to that, and you get for a very slammed morning. Normally, I could handle that--but it seemed like all my special scenario people just had to show up. And my brain was working too slow to do anything.
When my regulars started to complain about me (which has NEVER happened before, honest), I had to get Ron involved--Ron, who had got up at 5:45am to catch up on his work stuff, be put behind by the tour, and so on. A server mistook an order, and the lady had paid with a credit card. Ron needed the ticket to fix it, and I couldn't find it. Meanwhile, I got another person waiting on me, and she's got a tax exemption form, ANOTHER thing for Ron to fix. I at least had THAT ticket, but he was still trying to find the first ticket in all the mess of the tickets I had (normally, I am very organized, but like I said, this week...). That's when he gets angry. And there are two levels I know about--loud profanity, and quiet but dangerous (which is much worse than loud profanity, IMO). He chose quiet and dangerous, and I was instantly sick at heart. This was NOT a good sign.
I was nearly in tears at this point--but I wouldn't let it show. I don't cry, and I especially don't cry in front of Ron--it's just not done. So I rushed to be wherever he wasn't, so I wouldn't fall anymore out of favor. He was on the warpath and I wasn't about to be trampled underneath.
The Friday ToGo shift from Hell finally let up about 1pm (funny, that whole mess only lasted one hour, but it seemed like an ETERNITY), and I quietly stocked and cleaned. Usually, by this point, everyone's cracking jokes and teasing each other as the stress of the day begins to let go. Wherever I went, it was dead silent--again, not good. The headsets crackle, announcing to our hostess to let so and so finish for the day--including me. I quietly go count out my money.
That's when the weirdest thing happens. I'm standing in the passout alone, counting out my money. And you know that sense you get when you can feel that someone is behind you? Yeah. Next thing I know, Ron's got me in a half hug.
"You all right, darlin'?" he asks, his voice genuinely full of concern.
My eyes prick hotly, and I pat his arm, just to kinda give myself some sort of leverage. I don't cry, I don't cry, I don't cry... "Not really."
"Listen, I'm uh...I'm sorry I was such a butthead earlier."
I blink, and turn to stare at him. Was this Ron? Apologizing?! For something he did?!?(Someone, check the Bible quick--sign of the Apocalypse, I bet!!!)
I shook my head in a "it's all right" manner. After all, if I had handled the situation better...well, in any case, my bad performance wasn't his fault. It helped to hear that he cared, though. (That also killed any idea that I was gonna get fired, thank God.)
"I just need the weekend, that's all...to recharge and stuff," I said.
Happy to see I was beginning to get better, Ron sauntered around the passout. "I usually toss back a few beers and stuff--hell, I'll be doing that after my shift today."
I bugeyed and giggled. "Not my way!" I grinned. He grinned back.
"Hurry up and get out of here so you can go home, 'k?"
I nod.
So what does this have to do with my title? Well, I'm trying to find out why I've been performing below par this week, and part of it is lack of sleep. Sadly, I'm going to cut down my online time to 10pm each night (sans Fridays and Saturdays). I'm also gonna change up a few other things that I really don't need to go into detail about. But online time includes AIM time, and I apologize deeply for the crimp this is gonna put on everyone. Let me try this for a few days--hopefully, lack of sleep isn't the culprit, but I need to find out what is and FAST, before I really do lose my job.
See ya laters, then!
11/23/2002 10:41:00 AM
11.21.2002
Random Moments:
Remember how I said that I had to take my car in for the brake light? Well, a few nights ago, after art class, I asked Jamal to check them for me. He stood behind the car and I tested them.
"Do they work?"
FLASH!
"Ack...blinded now..."
(Deer in the tail lights bit, ^^)
At work:
From my co-worker Janice to our favorite manager: "Ron, I'm so proud of you! You haven't lost you temper once today!"
"JANICE!" I shrieked. "You just jinxed us!"
Ron watched us with faint amusement, then pretended to have a fit.
Another Jamal thing:
We usually grab a snack before art class. I decided to get tater tots at the cafeteria, with a promise to share with Jamal. (Urk, I ate them all on him...) Anyways, he teases me about that in an AIM chat.
"All your tots are belong to me," he informs me. Except it wasn't "tots". (See your keyboard for details.)
Another Ron moment?
Well, he decided that he could be my dad if he wanted to. Whee! ^^;;;; He's teaching me how to be more bold and not let people take advantage of me, anyway. Encouraging me to yell and gripe and such...in moderation, mind, and never at him. He's still my boss, regardless. -_-;
11/21/2002 10:23:00 PM
11.19.2002
A Moment of Silence, Shed Tears
In memory of Robert Stevens.
Thank you for remembering me.
11/19/2002 03:25:00 PM
11.18.2002
EVIL AIM!
That's it--I give up! AIM has closed too many chats on me! And now it won't run at all--I keep getting error messages.
*thumps off to bed*
I'll try again tomorrow--G'night all!
11/18/2002 11:35:00 PM
Rondism for Today!!!
Yeesh, haven't had one of these in a while, sooooo....
Today's Rondoism: Be like Ron.
oO
I know. Very odd.
It all has to do with today's little episode. My car had its first towing. >.< Nice 2000 Saturn. A repo. The only time it ever gave me any trouble was with the electrical wiring for the brake lights. (I also got my first ticket with this car--for the brake lights, a faded temp license plate, and no insurance.) Today, it seemed fine.
Then, after a LOOONG, BORING shift, I leave, ready to go to the bank and school. I start my car, and notice I have no desposit slips. Well, that was ok--I could get some at the bank. Just put my car in reverse and--
It wouldn't go in reverse.
Or drive.
Or neutral.
Or ANYTHING non-Park wise.
I fiddled with the gear shift again and again, and it just would not move.
Finally, I called Mom. She came right over (well, after half an hour, during which I found out my fellow servers do NOT take care of ToGo customers when there is no ToGo person, but that is another Blog entry for another time), and tried to fiddle with the gearshift. Nothing.
So I call Saturn, and they agree to send a Tow truck and prepare for my car to come in (free advertising for Saturn--VERY nice company--they have yet to disappoint me. LOVE their people.). So Mom and I wait.
It's nearly 3pm at this point. I was supposed to already have been home, eating lunch, and getting ready for school over an hour ago. I'm starving, and in a bad mood at this point.
"Go get something to eat," Mom tells me. I'm hesitant--I'm terribly broke, the tow truck could appear at any moment, and I was just plain grouchy. But I go anyway.
I should mention that Mom and I are sitting on the curb at the Chili's parking lot. So it is only natural that I should scream as Ron's golden Ford Taurus nearly runs me down. (We were sitting on parking slot curbs.) He rolls down his window, nearly busting a gut having a fit of laughter. We exchange pleasantries, and he goes into the store to do something or other. Mom and I wait for the truck (during which the car alarm goes off for a full minute--that was awful).
Ron comes back out, getting ready to leave. "Well, off to enjoy the rest of my off day. Whatcha'll doing?"
"Waiting for a tow truck," I mutter. He noticed something off right away, 'cause I wasn't acting all nice and sweet like I normally do.
"Tow truck? Why?"
I explain, and naturally (why do people do this?!), he wants a shot at the gear shift. Now, I thought maybe, since he was a guy, he could fix it (most guys tend to be able to, but Mom could too, and she couldn't fix it, sooo....), but he admits right off he knows nothing about cars (which threw me for a loop. Ron? Not know about cars? That doesn't seem right.). Still, he gets in the car (instantly getting squishified by my pulled up seat (more paratheticals--I once drove his car for him, and I nearly slipped to the floor, because his seat was so far back and low--but then, I am much smaller than him)), and attempts whatever he can.
Still nothing.
I'm dissappointed. My "hero" *cough*sarcasm*cough* couldn't fix it. And now he's messed up my seat alignment. His solution? "You got a warranty, right? Fix it, and give 'em hell if they try to charge you. Don't be your sweet self. Be MEAN!"
I get caught up in the moment. "BE LIKE RON!"
He chuckles in a genuine manner. "There you go, darlin'. Don't worry, five more years working with me and you'll be able to do that naturally." (Five more years, eep! Heh, KIDDING--love ya, Ron. (*GAK!* Did I say that?! Ah well, he doesn't read this--there's no way...is there? *is fearful for tomorrow's shift now*)
Then, very Daddy like (my dad does this ALL the time), he goes into more detail about warranties and giving them hell if they try to charge--as he drove away, he kept saying, "Don't be you, be me for that one part! Be yourself again tomorrow."
No word on my car yet. But, if for some reason I don't feel up to being Ron-like, I guess I could always take him along for the bill paying, mmm? *grins at thought*
11/18/2002 10:36:00 PM
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