"Bitter...Party of One!...Bitter, Party of One!...You're Table is Now Available!"

Yup. It was that day. Again.

I can't lie--I hate waiting tables. I am good at it. But I hate it. I do it for necessity. It's the easiest and fastest way to make money--once you've waited tables you'll NEVER be unemployed (at least in my area). So whatever. Here's the gripe of the day...

Black Friday was anticipated to be an extremely busy day (we are close to shopping malls and the major interstate, so chances were good we'd have a decent crowd). So, all week, I went around asking ANYONE if they wanted me to work for them...no one would give it up. So fine. This morning I woke up and realized how filthy my house is (family was in for Thanksgiving and things always get crazy, and usually something gets broken), and thought it was kinda good that I didn't have to work tonight, I could get some shit done. This is the mentality I went into work with...pleased that I was simply closing lunch.

So this guy came up to me, maybe an hour or so into the shift, and asked me to work for him tonight. The day started off slower than normal, and I wasn't really feeling it, you know? I just wanted to make my 50 bucks and go home ($50 was my minimum goal for the day). So, I told him that, but I did hem and haw a little because I really did want the shift in the beginning of the week--and who doesn't need the extra money?? (It's just a little hard for me sometimes when I don't physically sign up for a shift in advance...I don't know...it's all mentality...it's all in my MIND...uh, sorry about that.)
Moving on...
So, he told me to think about it, and then I heard him telling a manager that he had one potential person to take his shift...that rubbed me the wrong way because I was irritable and annoyed that he didn't just let me take the shift when I asked him for it two days ago. Regardless, I thought about it for a bit, and the day wasn't getting any that much busier, but it was steady--well, no busier than an average Friday.
He came up to me again about 20 minutes later with wide eyes, "Well, whuduya say?"
I gave him a kind of pathetic look, "I don't know man, I'm just not feelin' it, I said that before. I think I'd just like to get out of here...and I'm closin' lunch, so I think I'm just gonna roll."
"Alright, well let me know." He walked away. I got back to work, and, it felt like three seconds later, that he was taking dishes for me, asking me if I had changed my mind.
I had to come up with something quick, "I really should get some shit done, and I think my sister needs me to take my niece." (Oh, yeah, I pulled the kid-card...what?)
He took my dishes, and said, "Well, did you want to call her?"
Who is this guy?
Fine. I needed to call her anyway because she has two kids and the youngest (10 mos.) had a 102 temp last night, so she took her in to the Children's hospital. I needed to check on her anyway. So fine.
So, I'm on the fucking phone and this jerk-off is standing right next to me, so I give him this "What the fuck are you doing?!" look, and he walked away.
(The baby is fine, she is just having a really tough time cutting teeth; they did a chest x-ray--the whole nine yards.)
I got off the phone and he was on me like a fly on shit--"Well?" he said hopefully.
"She needs me to take my niece, sorry man." After that, he left me alone, but then he put a price on the shift...I know money talks but tonight, I just wasn't hearin' it. Call me stupid. I worked soooooo much last week, I thought I was going to shoot myself. I need to clean my house and relax...maybe I'll sleep (I think I've gotten about 6 hours of sleep in the passed two nights).

Needless to say, mid-shift was steady. I was in my favorite section (three four-tops and a six-top). My food sales were $385, and I made $80 (after tip-out)...I'll take it....home.