Much-Needed

Thursday: Secretary / Server

Friday (today): Secretary / *Off*

So, funny thing...I worked last night, but decided not to blog because it was pretty late by the time it was all said and done. I figured I'd have time this afternoon, since I wasn't scheduled and didn't really feel like picking up a shift--so sue me (I can't pay you anyway.) Back to the "funny thing." I should have blogged. I totally should have blogged. Focusing on this task has shown me its importance.

Thursday Night: Server
The night started out just fine. I was in a great mood, and my section buddy was Daisy, my BFF! Great way to start the night. We weren't scheduled on until 5:30, but the restaurant had started to fill, so we told Big D (the MOD) that we were ready. They immediately came back and pretty much flat-sat our sections. No problem. Apparently it had been dead during lunch, so I welcomed the business. My section was two "small tops" (max 4 people) and two big-tops (max 6 people). Great. Except for the fact that we didn't have any "small tops" on the wait. I asked if I could split up one of my big tops (to make 2 smalls...), which I was permitted and, therefore, had a 5-table section. Even better. Now, I had 4 small-tops and one big. My first big-top was sat with a family of four, but I was okay with that (at least I had a table!). They were a family: father, mother, older brother, younger sister, and it appeared that the father spoke very little English, and the mother did not speak English at all. When I was taking their drink order, the father was verifying English terms with his son. The father was interested in ordering a margarita. He asked "flavor?" So, I sold him on a strawberry margarita "on ice." The older brother ordered food for the table, and the younger sister ordered her own dish. I delivered their food and made sure they were okay. I went into the kitchen for some sour cream (for another table), and when I returned, it had appeared that something what happening. Tables in my section and tables in sections around me were focusing on the father from my table who appeared to be stumbling a bit as he got up from his table. He was walking down an isle of tables, toward the server station, which was where I was standing, having just come from the kitchen. He was headed in my direction with his son following closely behind. I was observing the fact that all eyes were on him, but I had no idea, really, about what was going on. In that split second, I turned back to look at the father--he was looking right at me, and at that moment, started to collapse. His son was not very fast-acting, and the father was headed for a smack on the hard-wood floor, so I stepped forward to stop/slow his fall--completely forgetting about the sour cream in my hands: it went down with him. As he fell, his eyes rolled back in his head, but by the time he was on the floor, he was trying to talk, so he did not lose consciousness. A woman from one of my tables was a nurse, and she immediately stepped in. Others were stepping in too. All five of my tables were involved, and one table from another section. The old man from my small-top was elevating the man's feet, there was the nurse, of course; another table of women had to stand because of all the bodies surrounding their table, and the family of four (mom, dad, older sister, little brother) helped by calling 9-1-1 and little brother timed the ambulance on his dad's phone. What a good Samaritan. I was totally freaked out, and totally overwhelmed. There were people asking for all kinds of things. Meanwhile, the father was trying to get up, the son was acting weirdly aloof, and the sister and mother were still sitting at the table. When the sister and mother finally got up to see what the fuck was going on, the sister was actually laughing. I had to walk away. I could not be around there. There was nothing I could do--I already softened the guy's fall. Quickly, the ambulance arrived and took the man out on a stretcher. I don't know if he was having a heart attack, that's what some were saying, but based on the behavior of the family, I'm wondering if he was shitfaced. It's just a thought. My other thought is that maybe he's on some kind of medicine that doesn't like being mixed with tequila. Maybe he's one of those people who think that the warning labels don't apply to them. Who knows? All I know is that he only had less than half a margarita on my watch. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell if he was slurring when he arrived because of his accent. He hardly spoke English enough to order a drink! I'm not worried about being liable, but with those ABC classes, you have to think about that kind of stuff! Totally freaky! The rest of the night is kinda blurry because of that whole thing. They hadn't taken one bite of their food. Of course we comped it, but still. Totally weird.

That was my much-needed post from last night, and I have a much-needed post from today at the office, but that will have to wait until after my dinner date (so, possibly tomorrow sometime).
:)