Saturday, June 11, 2005

Hot and sweaty in a bad way

The lady in the sky is mad at us. I'm not sure what we did, but she's steaming and mumbling and grumbling. Maybe she's sick. Has a fever. That would make anyone cranky. It's almost 90 degrees now and it's foggy. Yes, foggy. Like sitting in a steamroom outside. I've seen it get like this a couple times, usually after we've had time to wade slowly into the summer, toward the end of July. As I check the archives, last year on this date was rainy and in the 50's. I'm sure we were complaining about that too. The forest fires burning in the northern part of the province (due to lightning) are lending their smoke to the situation tinting the atmosphere orange and causing a smog alert. Also, with all the recent sprouting of vegetation, the air is full of pollens and flower parts, dandelion heads and the like. This gives you the ability to view the air as a liquid, and each little current, eddy and gust is visible to the naked eye. I love this. Happens about a week every year. Giant clumps of the airborn materials gather like snowdrifts at the bases of bushes and dead end alleys. They catch in your hair and tickle your ears as you walk down the street.

It is in this asthmatic's nightmare that I must work my final Friday night at the restaurant. Not only that, but after my annual cleaning at the dentist this morning (do they all go to the same torture class?) my mouth is all sore and tender. But no cavities at least. Serge went to the dentist Monday and is looking at a few thousand dollars of work, the least of which is his four cavities.

I just called for my section tonight. I have Himalaya. The reason for this name is that it is the farthest section from the kitchen. Sigh. I kind of wished I was having dental surgery instead. Ugh. Off I go, I'll finish this post up in the morning.

Well, it's morning now. Last night, let's see. I counted my glasses of water and consumed 22 during my shift. I did not pee. I had 12 tables going, full from about 5:45 to 11 when I was finally cut. I sold $2100 (I made a hair over 15% on tips). It was probably the most grueling thing I'll do the whole year. My entire uniform was soaked with sweat, and so must have everyone else's who was working. It was suffocating heat, the kind where you only wish to be "at rest", like the customers were. I tried not to hate them, but I failed much of the time. I got much nicer at the end of the night knowing it was almost over. At the beginning of the night, I might have had the following exchange with a customer, "...and We're in a hurry." "Oh, you're in a hurry, well I'm hot." with a big smile of course. I'm positive that I said at least 3 times, "Yes, but I only have two arms," again with the flashy charming smile of hatred. If they only knew. I think that my getting out now is wise, only one shift to go Sunday morning. Tomorrow.

3 comments:

r said...

(Who's Jack Grapes?)

Sounds horrific. I'm glad you made some tips, and I'm glad it was your last Saturday night.

The glasses of water and non-peeing...scary.

Anonymous said...

let's talk about the dentist-I need an "IMPLANT" =false tooth! or a bridge which sounds pretty archaic thiese days. Price $7000. (I have a few ideas on how to get the money and they are all funny!)

Anonymous said...

that last comment was me-Donna