Drinking On The Job

Drinking on the Job
Drinking on the job. I never had a job in a restaurant where somebody could drink while working until I got a job as a waitress at Sweetwater Grill and Tavern. Taking part in this activity at work is a sure-fire way to have a strange work experience. I, of course, was not drinking on the job since it was my first day waiting tables at Sweetwater Grill and Tavern, and I was underage (only 18 years old at the time). I had just gotten the job and couldn’t wait to work in a comfortable, laid back work environment, which I had never been accustomed to. At Sweetwater, the servers did not have to wear uniforms like most restaurants. Here, servers were allowed to wear cut-off jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and whatever type of shoe that we preferred. The bosses of the restaurant just sat at the bar all day long and caught up with what was going on with their new and old friends. Nobody came in expecting good quality service. As a matter of fact, Sweetwater was infamous for the worst service around in town. This restaurant was any server’s dream job. The freedoms were not limited to these, though. Oh no, since the tavern was pretty much an organized drunk fest for drinkers of all ages, the servers were also allowed to partake in the festivities, and drink and smoke as much as they pleased without letting it interfere in their work. So everyone got to have fun at work. Surely this would make the endless nights working go by much quicker and be more bearable. I could not have been more wrong in my life.
Since it was my first day on the job I arrived promptly at four o’clock that evening. I was very nervous about making new friends. At least I would be the first one out that night. To my surprise, the other two servers working the floor that night, Patrick and Lindsay, were very pleasant and talkative. They immediately informed me that Beef Jerky Time was the code for let’s party and that it would begin at 10:30 that evening. Great! I replied with what must have been the most frightened look upon my face. Drink on the job? Whatever. At least that left enough time for me to get the hang of things in the restaurant so that I would not have to rely on Patrick and Lindsay, the two alcohol-starved servers when we were amidst Beef Jerky Time. No problem. The night wore on so slowly as I ungraciously learned the ropes of Sweetwater. Drinks, drinks, food, food, blah, blah. It was all so confusing to me since I had no formal training to the menu. This was the Sweetwater way. Next thing I know I am feeling pretty uncomfortable with the job because Patrick and Lindsay are desperately asking me to help them out with their tables. Christina, can you please, PLEASE wait on this table for me? I am SO slammed! they said in their best-frustrated voice. Of course I complied since it was my first day on the job and I am always up for making more money. Eventually, I wound up taking on all but one of Patrick’s tables and all but two of Lindsay’s tables, bringing my grand total of tables I was waiting on up to fifteen. FIFTEEN TABLES! Needless to say I began to drown. I searched fervently for Patrick and Lindsay in order to plead for their help in serving the customers. Patrick, can you help me out here? I asked him. Patrick could not hear me, or see me for that matter, since all the Jagermeister shots had clouded his ability to use his senses. All of a sudden, I heard a voice from across the room yelling. Hey Christina! What are you doing? as he waved around his umpteenth shot in the air. Well Patrick, I am waiting on YOUR tables! I screamed. Oh. OH! I forgot about my tables. I wonder if they are still here, Patrick chuckled. This was my breaking point. Where is Lindsay? I asked as I tried to keep my cool.