I'm going to free-write here, so you (my dear readers) are well-warned. Today I was very ambitious! I started a second job today! Yay- first days! I love first days. Initially on first days I always feel apprehensive, and I have big bad thoughts about all these things that could go wrong. Predictably, I felt that way today - being my first day and all. But there's something awesome about first days. One doesn't have to be afraid to fail. If one does fail, one can smile demurely and whisper, "Tis my first day. Do accept my pardons." That sounds wierd, but picture me saying it and it'll be okay.
My new job is at Potbelly (a Sandwich-with-the-works store). I worked all day today before I finally had my first official Potbelly Sandwich. It felt funny because I was garbed in this huge Potbelly t-shirt and had a Potbelly visor, but I didn't even know where to stand in line. The lady who helped me - my new coworker! - was amply-sized and had a no-nonsense face. She was one of the many new co-workers I was to meet. When I first saw her, I thought, "Oh dear, she's going to take an instant dislike to me." At first she ignored me and I felt quite non-existent. But then half-way through my day, she looked at me sharply and said, "Have you been checking the bathroom every 30 minutes?" I nodded responsibly and said, "12:00, 12:30 and we're just coming up on 1:00 here." She smiled and said, "I knew I was going to like you the minute I saw you." I felt pleased but did not venture to tell her what I had thought when I first saw her.
My boss warned me that "first days are never glamorous". I nodded, took that with a grain of salt, and set about my tasks with a shy fervor. Basically, after going through orientation and getting the 'official tour' of the place, I was assigned to keep people's tables clean, sweep the floors, sanitize baskets and trays, take peoples' trash, and check the bathrooms every 30 minutes for total toilet-paper efficiency. They called the position a 'fronter', and I was the 'fronter associate' of the day. When I told my friend Kim that, she said, "Oh, so you're like a bus-boy." Groan - but it made me laugh and I clarified, "I'm the best bus-woman around."
Anyways, so I now have two jobs. That's kinda cool. I was warned by my Potbelly boss that I was not allowed to take Potbelly secrets and share them with Grace at my other job. Hahaha, I wanted to laugh. I couldn't steal secrets even if I wanted to. I'm one of those who just knows good food when I taste it. And today, I had some mighty good sandwich food. My mom's a southern cook -- quite good, in fact. Grace is a Korean cook -- extremely good and in some cases just downright unique. Then, to top it all off, I'm a pretty good cook myself if I'm allowed to say so. I make a mean batch of Ramen noodles and baked potatoes. Watch out, future hubby.
It's funny because my boss thought I was married for the majority of my orientation. I thought it was wierd because he kept referring to my 'hubby' and my 'significant other' and then I realized that I would have to clarify my state of singleness or I would be introduced to my coworkers as "Mrs. Andria so-and-so..." La, that seems so laughable.
Anyways, so I was exhausted after that first five-hour shift, but it was a new experience for me! I love learning new things! I can now ask people for trash with the utmost efficiency, and I can clean off tables in a sort of mesmerizing dance-like fury. La I'm laughing at myself. All week I've been so tired and I've just wanted to go to bed, and then suddenly it's like... hey, I'm living. This is life. Whoo! See, you gotta make it happen. Don't expect it to all come crawling to you. Live, live, live.
More later. Expect it, dear readers of mine.
3 comments:
I remember my first day at culver's... what a wonderful thing it was, I started making shakes... now I do everything, I bet you'll be awesome at potbelly's too
Your friend Kim sounds really nice. I want to hear more about her :D hahahaha... andrea you are amazing at everything you do! and they seem to love you already. i'm surprised they thought you married tho... *grin*
danny, making shakes. Hah. I remember how we used to tease you at Culvers with your hat and name-tag. For some reason it seemed so hysterical that your tag said, 'Dan, serving you since 2005'. - lol. Now I can't remember why that was funny.
Anonymous, it's quite a common assumption to assume that I'm married, seeing as how it's enitirely plausible, although premature. lol - you actually threw a comment or two in there, though. much appreciated. ;) And I would get you my friends' number, but... no... I couldn't do that to her.
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