March 15: Wake Up!

All I can think about right now is falling asleep on my firm twin-sized mattress. How I managed to get through today's shift is a complete mystery to me. I've been riding my bicycle to work for the past week which isn't a bad ride at all, but when you ride 3.6 miles (according to Google Maps) just to run around fetching entrees and drinks it takes a lot out of a person. When the chaos ends and you think you can relax, you have to strap on the cleats and ride the 3.6 miles back home. It's exhausting beyond belief. Tack that to a 49-hour work week at $2.13 an hour and I'm barely left with any energy to keep my fingers on the home row.

When I woke up this morning, there wasn't any way in the world I could summon the strength to ride my bike to work. Because I had been riding all week, I left my apron in my handlebar bag which meant that I was without all of my pens for an entire shift. At least, I thought, I knew I wouldn't be scheduled to close the shift. The management is very stubborn about paying its employees time and a half of $2.13. To my surprise and extreme disappointment, I was in the one room that I didn't want to be in; the closing room.

Here I was, looking at a seven hour shift without the three pockets I was used to in my apron and without any pens to hand out for credit card slips. I was forced to "borrow" a pen from the office when the manager wasn't looking. I had to take most of orders using my exhausted memory when another table was using my one pen. That can get pretty tricky when three people all have orders involving multiple modifications, but I kept trucking.

All day, I felt like death. If given the opportunity, I could have easily fallen asleep in any position. I don't know how I did it. The entire day was just a blur and I think this is what it must feel like to work hung over. If that's the case, I don't think I will ever go out drinking the night before a morning shift.

Now that I have my daily post in, I can take a hot shower, slip into some cool pajamas and pull the clean sheets over my tired body. Until we meet again tomorrow, I bid you adieu and wish you all a pleasant evening's rest. Good night.



Listening to Otis Redding.