It all started Monday. I was hungover Sunday, but Monday was business as usual and all the staff at my restaurant were meeting our new boss. As I was getting dressed in my skinny jeans and my zippered hoodie (no sense trying to make a good first impression; he would know the truth sooner or later), I started to get really nervous. I have no idea why. I just have a really bad feeling about this change. I have worked for Mike and Francine on and off for the last 20 years... This new guy is from Peterborough and he owns a Chinese food restaurant there. How are things going to change and will it be for the better? It's just so... unsettling.
My nervous energy explains why I felt the need to make some nasty jokes before the meeting started. Poor Laura mentioned that she had been on her knees all morning (cleaning in the kitchen) and I pointed out that I'm sure it wasn't the first time she had spent some time on her knees. It wasn't my fault, though! She left that door open and I just walked right through. Anyway, it took the edge off 'cos everyone was feeling a little... unsettled.
My first impression of "George" was that he was an attractive and short Asian man. Probably younger than me. He introduced himself as Zhen Yu, but said we could just call him George. This doesn't make sense to me - if my name was Sherla and I moved to China, I would hope people would still call me Sherla (although a catchy Chinese nickname would be cool, too). If your name is Zhen Yu, I should call you Zhen Yu. I find it a bit disrepectful to anglicize (is that even a word?) someone's name and I don't care for that "melting pot" bullshit.
So, we all get quieted down and Zhen Yu introduces himself. Then, there is complete silence. --- It's that uncomfortable silence where we are all waiting for him to say something else and maybe he is waiting for us to say something, but nobody is saying anything. Eventually, he asks us if we have any questions. --- None of us have any questions. More uncomfortable silence. --- Francine, bless her heart, starts to speak for Zhen Yu by telling us that everything is staying status quo for now and that everyone will keep the same hours and follow the same rules as before. All the while, Zhen Yu nods his head frequently in affirmation. Then, complete silence. --- So, I say, "Do you want us to do introductions?" to which he replies, "What for?"
My second impression of Zhen Yu is that he speaks very little English and could use some help in the social niceties department. This is not intended as a criticism. I, myself, am a social nitwit with small talk skills appropriate to a four-year-old and the tact of someone raised by wolves. With as much humility as I could muster, I replied, "Weeeeellllll, that way, you will know our names."
I started the introductions, but somewhere along the way (after the third or fourth person), everyone just kind of started mumbling to each other and you couldn't hear what anyone was saying, nor did it appear that Zhen Yu really gave a shit. In his defence, intros were probably a bad idea since there was no way he was going to remember us all. However, at least it gave everyone a voice and they all started asking some questions, to which he responded to the best of his ability.
The big news is, we might be switching from Greek foods to Chinese foods after the summer is over.
This is potentially good news because Chinese food is very popular among the bourgeois majority in Prince Edward County. It means we could see an intitial boost in sales (which means boost in tips) in the fall when everyone is looking for something new to try. All I've got to do is keep my job and not make an asshole of myself for the next 8 months. Wish me luck.
Tuesday was a bad day for several reasons. First, I was bored because I had 3 days off in a row and nothing in my bank account. I had $350 in automatically debited bills coming out and only $250 in my savings account. That sucks. Plus, my co-workers and I decided it would be a good time to fight for an extra $1.35 on our hourly wages as a result of going from liquor servers to servers without a liquor license. This was seen as mutiny by our previous boss and, in her defence, it did seem a bit like a coup d'etat with all five of us screaming for our inalienable right to more cash. It didn't end well and, in typical highschool fashion, it turned into a texting nightmare of "he said, she said". Soon enough, we all thought the other one was mad at each other and we were no longer friends. This would be the "wtf" moment.
With everything harshing my mellow, I decided to go see a movie with Big Rod. I wanted to see The Green Hornet in 3D, but he wanted The King's Speech. Colin Firth had received a Golden Globe for it, so I thought it would be ok. As we backed out of the driveway, SMASH! Rod ran right into the front of my daughter's Cavalier and pushed it back at least a foot. She's never home anymore, so having her car in the driveway is rare and he didn't even think to look behind him when he put it in reverse. Car was fine. Not even a dent.
Got to the movies half an hour early which is perfect because Tuesday night is cheap night and it is always busy. We got my usual seats in the F row on the right aisle (so I can go pee halfway through without disturbing anyone). Unfortunately, the popcorn smelled a bit like booty sweat in my opinion and Rod said it tasted a bit like drain cleaner. Plus, they didn't give me my Superbowl pin with the combo. Not that I care much about the Superbowl or a dumb pin to commemorate it.
As we sat there watching the pre-show, it became abundantly clear that we were in the wrong demographic for this movie. Being in the aisle seat, we noticed a lot of white-haired seniors with canes and oxygen tanks piling in. About once every five minutes, and only that long because they walk incredibly slow, they would trip up the stairs right beside us. This put Rod into uncontrollable fits of laughter - not the first couple of times because it started out being sad - but after the fifth time it started getting beyond hilarious. We were giggling like teenagers with sudden urges to yell BINGO! and watch everyone's head turn in disgust.
Bitch behind me got her revenge though. Nasty old cunny kept kicking the back of my seat with her damn cane throughout the movie. Just when I would start to relax from the last jolt, she'd give me another good knock. At one point I turned around and looked her square in the face to say, "Are you KIDDING me?" But, she obviously didn't have her hearing aid turned up 'cos she just kept on watching King George stammer through yet another painful dialogue. The movie was very heartwarming and well-performed. I even laughed pretty hard a couple of times, especially when he used the word "willy". lol. I am soooooo 12-years-old mentally.
I left just before the credits rolled because, otherwise, I would have had ample time to cuss out the hag with the pushy walking-stick. Her and I might have come to blows. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know it's a bad idea to bring a bag of popcorn to a cane fight.
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| Me and Tairn playing Just Dance for Wii |
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