Chapter 3: Day One
Happy Shout Outs!
~Rubix: Yay yay yay yay! Hehe, and coffee rocks!
~Fighter: Glad you're likin! Sorry you're not in this chapter…but you'll like it anyway!
~Blue Boxer: Thanks girl, you're always so encouraging! And don't worry, your character will show up soon enough!
~Air: Here ya go!
~Flit: Yes, stupid guys+helium=mucho fun!
~Frenchy: Oh yes, I suppose I should explain the relevance of the helium tanks…balloons for advertisement. Thanks for pointing that out!
~Stagey: Yes, you'll be in soon enough! And I'm back! Hehe….been back…anyway!
This chapter is a tad short, and not extremely hilarious, as I am expecting the future chapters to be! But it's some early "plot" development, which we can do away with eventually…haha…so, hope ya'll enjoy, and please review!
~*~*~
"I look stupid," I decided dejectedly as I examined my new uniformed self in the mirror. I felt like a white Steve Urkel. The pants came up to my belly button and shirt was about two sizes too big. I sighed and grabbed my car keys, figuring that everyone else looked just as dumb as I.
Once at work, I clocked in as David had shown me and headed to the back to find him. No sign of David, but I was greeted by Jack. "Heya Blink, ready for your first day?"
I watched as he pulled a basket of chicken nuggets out the oil and dumped them in to a large metal drawer. "Uh, yeah…what should I do?"
"Hey Lida." Jack looked up as a short redhead with a somewhat disinterested look on her face walked back through the door. "You're gonna be trainin the new guy on front bar tonight." Jack introduced us to each other. I was still getting used to being called Blink on a regular basis.
Lida Rose's expression brightened slightly, and she surreptitiously looked me up and down. "Alright, sounds good." Then to me, "Let's get started, shall we?"
"Uh, sure." I followed her as she walked to the back, apparently only to put down her purse before turning around and heading back towards the front. "Um, they want me up front? Like, takin orders and all?"
She turned around and looked at me a little amusedly. "Yeah, we figure we'll start you out up there and see how it goes." She paused at the sink to wash her hands and I followed suit. "Is that okay with you?" Her tone wasn't challenging--slightly annoyed if anything--but mainly kind and concerned.
"Oh, no, it's fine, no problem." I enjoyed working with people and all, but all the buttons on the cash register were slightly daunting. Seriously though, the thought of complete strangers putting their trust in me to "exceed customer expectations by providing quality service and impeccable food in a timely manner" every time was a tad unnerving. I was bound to get something wrong.
I had already had the majority of the training I needed to operate the cash register and such, so Lida just showed me around, where the sauces, cups, bags, and everything else were, how to keep the place clean, yadda yadda. I watched her take a few orders, she gave me a few fake orders to punch in, and I just about had the hang of it. Business was pretty slow that night, so the two of us made some small talk. She really seemed like a cool person, just like everyone else I had met.
I was in the middle of the inevitable explanation of my eye patch when a customer showed up.
"You wanna take this one?" she whispered with an encouraging smile.
"What? Already? I dunno…" I'm not sure why I was so nervous. My first customer…
"Come on, you can do it!" She pushed me up to the register as the guy on the other side walked up and leaned a little ways over the counter.
"Uhh, I'm not really sure what I want…"
Lida nodded at me and I proceeded to make suggestions, as I had been taught in the training videos. My first order went over without a hitch. "Way to go!" she congratulated after my first customer had left. "See, it wasn't so hard, was it?"
I smiled and chuckled slightly, inwardly shaking and rejoicing that I had gotten off to such a good start. "Yeah, nothin to it…"
For the next hour or so, everything went great. I took a few more orders, learned a few more things, and met Skittery, the tall, sarcastic yet friendly guy on back bar. But, as we know, all good things must come to an end…
Did I mention I have a slight anger problem? Nothing major, really. I just tend to get really ticked sometimes. Like when I see an injustice, or one of my friends--or, in this case, new acquaintances--is attacked, or challenged. So here's what happened. You see, Lida is a very curvy chick. Not fat, just not bone thin. Needless to say, she's…well-endowed. So anyway, this teenage chump came up and inevitably went to her register. I could tell that he was bothering her, so I edged closer to listen in.
"Hey, why don't you write your number on that cup?"
Her cheeks flushed red and she bared her teeth in a challenging smile. "No, that's alright, thanks."
He wouldn't take the drink. "Come on baby, I just want your number!"
"I said no, sir, now please take your food and have a nice day." I admire her self-control.
"Whatsamattah, baby? Ain't the customer always right?" Okay, that was too much.
"Hey buddy, I'd really appreciate it if you'd quit botherin my friend." Calm, just stay calm…
"Oh yeah?" His stupid, slightly glazed eyes turned to me and, thankfully, off of Lida's chest. "Well whatcha gonna do about it, Patchy?" He was quite amused with himself.
However, he quit laughing when I reached over the counter and grabbed him by the collar. "Try me," I snarled menaciningly, about to lose it when Jack appeared from the back. How convenient…
"Hey, what's goin on up here?" He pulled me back and dealt with the harasser as I walked up to Lida. "You alright?"
She raised her eyes slightly and bit her lip. If I didn't know better, I could've sworn she was trying not to laugh. "Yeah, it happens all the time."
Once the twerp was gone, Jack turned to me, also seemingly holding back a burst of laughter. "Wow, your first day and you're already beatin up the customers." He tried to sound stern.
"But Jack, he was botherin Lida." I started to become very embarrassed as the initial rage wore off.
"I know. That guy comes up all the time, always messin with the girls. I've threatened to call security on him so many times…surprised I haven't…But seriously, if there's a problem out here, come get me, don't get violent!"
I sighed and hung my head to avoid his exasperated glare. "I know, I'm sorry…I just got so mad…and sometimes, when I get mad…" I clenched my fists as Jack put an arm around me with a chuckle.
"Then maybe frontbar ain't the place for you. We get a lot of difficult customers, and I don't want us to get sued." I was fully expecting to be fired on the spot. But Jack seemed to think next to nothing of it. He even told me he wouldn't tell Kloppman; that is, if nothing of the sort ever happened again. "So why don't we try you out back here on boards with Skitts?"
"Boards? What?" I had thought it was called backbar…
"Boards, backbar, place we cook the food…whatever you wanna call it, it sucks." Skittery laughed at my confused look. "I'm just kidding, it ain't as bad as frontbar." As Skittery showed me the ropes, he also added in a few bits of advice that I would need to know if I wanted to survive happily at this store…
COMING NEXT CHAPTER!! WOOT WOOT, I HAVE SUSPENSE! Haha, I hope you enjoyed this chapter…a little short, I know…not too funny, I know…not much happened, I know…but I promise, next chapter will be better! Please review lovies!
Happy Shout Outs!
~Rubix: Yay yay yay yay! Hehe, and coffee rocks!
~Fighter: Glad you're likin! Sorry you're not in this chapter…but you'll like it anyway!
~Blue Boxer: Thanks girl, you're always so encouraging! And don't worry, your character will show up soon enough!
~Air: Here ya go!
~Flit: Yes, stupid guys+helium=mucho fun!
~Frenchy: Oh yes, I suppose I should explain the relevance of the helium tanks…balloons for advertisement. Thanks for pointing that out!
~Stagey: Yes, you'll be in soon enough! And I'm back! Hehe….been back…anyway!
This chapter is a tad short, and not extremely hilarious, as I am expecting the future chapters to be! But it's some early "plot" development, which we can do away with eventually…haha…so, hope ya'll enjoy, and please review!
~*~*~
"I look stupid," I decided dejectedly as I examined my new uniformed self in the mirror. I felt like a white Steve Urkel. The pants came up to my belly button and shirt was about two sizes too big. I sighed and grabbed my car keys, figuring that everyone else looked just as dumb as I.
Once at work, I clocked in as David had shown me and headed to the back to find him. No sign of David, but I was greeted by Jack. "Heya Blink, ready for your first day?"
I watched as he pulled a basket of chicken nuggets out the oil and dumped them in to a large metal drawer. "Uh, yeah…what should I do?"
"Hey Lida." Jack looked up as a short redhead with a somewhat disinterested look on her face walked back through the door. "You're gonna be trainin the new guy on front bar tonight." Jack introduced us to each other. I was still getting used to being called Blink on a regular basis.
Lida Rose's expression brightened slightly, and she surreptitiously looked me up and down. "Alright, sounds good." Then to me, "Let's get started, shall we?"
"Uh, sure." I followed her as she walked to the back, apparently only to put down her purse before turning around and heading back towards the front. "Um, they want me up front? Like, takin orders and all?"
She turned around and looked at me a little amusedly. "Yeah, we figure we'll start you out up there and see how it goes." She paused at the sink to wash her hands and I followed suit. "Is that okay with you?" Her tone wasn't challenging--slightly annoyed if anything--but mainly kind and concerned.
"Oh, no, it's fine, no problem." I enjoyed working with people and all, but all the buttons on the cash register were slightly daunting. Seriously though, the thought of complete strangers putting their trust in me to "exceed customer expectations by providing quality service and impeccable food in a timely manner" every time was a tad unnerving. I was bound to get something wrong.
I had already had the majority of the training I needed to operate the cash register and such, so Lida just showed me around, where the sauces, cups, bags, and everything else were, how to keep the place clean, yadda yadda. I watched her take a few orders, she gave me a few fake orders to punch in, and I just about had the hang of it. Business was pretty slow that night, so the two of us made some small talk. She really seemed like a cool person, just like everyone else I had met.
I was in the middle of the inevitable explanation of my eye patch when a customer showed up.
"You wanna take this one?" she whispered with an encouraging smile.
"What? Already? I dunno…" I'm not sure why I was so nervous. My first customer…
"Come on, you can do it!" She pushed me up to the register as the guy on the other side walked up and leaned a little ways over the counter.
"Uhh, I'm not really sure what I want…"
Lida nodded at me and I proceeded to make suggestions, as I had been taught in the training videos. My first order went over without a hitch. "Way to go!" she congratulated after my first customer had left. "See, it wasn't so hard, was it?"
I smiled and chuckled slightly, inwardly shaking and rejoicing that I had gotten off to such a good start. "Yeah, nothin to it…"
For the next hour or so, everything went great. I took a few more orders, learned a few more things, and met Skittery, the tall, sarcastic yet friendly guy on back bar. But, as we know, all good things must come to an end…
Did I mention I have a slight anger problem? Nothing major, really. I just tend to get really ticked sometimes. Like when I see an injustice, or one of my friends--or, in this case, new acquaintances--is attacked, or challenged. So here's what happened. You see, Lida is a very curvy chick. Not fat, just not bone thin. Needless to say, she's…well-endowed. So anyway, this teenage chump came up and inevitably went to her register. I could tell that he was bothering her, so I edged closer to listen in.
"Hey, why don't you write your number on that cup?"
Her cheeks flushed red and she bared her teeth in a challenging smile. "No, that's alright, thanks."
He wouldn't take the drink. "Come on baby, I just want your number!"
"I said no, sir, now please take your food and have a nice day." I admire her self-control.
"Whatsamattah, baby? Ain't the customer always right?" Okay, that was too much.
"Hey buddy, I'd really appreciate it if you'd quit botherin my friend." Calm, just stay calm…
"Oh yeah?" His stupid, slightly glazed eyes turned to me and, thankfully, off of Lida's chest. "Well whatcha gonna do about it, Patchy?" He was quite amused with himself.
However, he quit laughing when I reached over the counter and grabbed him by the collar. "Try me," I snarled menaciningly, about to lose it when Jack appeared from the back. How convenient…
"Hey, what's goin on up here?" He pulled me back and dealt with the harasser as I walked up to Lida. "You alright?"
She raised her eyes slightly and bit her lip. If I didn't know better, I could've sworn she was trying not to laugh. "Yeah, it happens all the time."
Once the twerp was gone, Jack turned to me, also seemingly holding back a burst of laughter. "Wow, your first day and you're already beatin up the customers." He tried to sound stern.
"But Jack, he was botherin Lida." I started to become very embarrassed as the initial rage wore off.
"I know. That guy comes up all the time, always messin with the girls. I've threatened to call security on him so many times…surprised I haven't…But seriously, if there's a problem out here, come get me, don't get violent!"
I sighed and hung my head to avoid his exasperated glare. "I know, I'm sorry…I just got so mad…and sometimes, when I get mad…" I clenched my fists as Jack put an arm around me with a chuckle.
"Then maybe frontbar ain't the place for you. We get a lot of difficult customers, and I don't want us to get sued." I was fully expecting to be fired on the spot. But Jack seemed to think next to nothing of it. He even told me he wouldn't tell Kloppman; that is, if nothing of the sort ever happened again. "So why don't we try you out back here on boards with Skitts?"
"Boards? What?" I had thought it was called backbar…
"Boards, backbar, place we cook the food…whatever you wanna call it, it sucks." Skittery laughed at my confused look. "I'm just kidding, it ain't as bad as frontbar." As Skittery showed me the ropes, he also added in a few bits of advice that I would need to know if I wanted to survive happily at this store…
COMING NEXT CHAPTER!! WOOT WOOT, I HAVE SUSPENSE! Haha, I hope you enjoyed this chapter…a little short, I know…not too funny, I know…not much happened, I know…but I promise, next chapter will be better! Please review lovies!