| Sunday |
| a new beginning as an F&A attendant |
I make my way into the enormous stadium, feeling sluggish and drained after a long day with little sleep the night before. The adrenaline rush and my perfect sense of direction led me to the muster room where we had been told to meet on our first shift. After our induction evening where we were told that Delaware hires thousands of staff each year, I had anticipated the muster room to be relatively large with couches and coffee machines for employees to relish in during their breaks. I had been fooled.
The room was tiny with a round table and miniature lockers to put our belongings – I almost had to use two lockers, one for my bag and the other for my jacket – but ended up tossing my things on top of the lockers instead. I had brought with me a combination lock which I had forgotten the combination code for. The only splash of colour - and life - in the room, came from the girly magazines resting in the centre of the table. I introduced myself to two other girls also waiting for their shift to begin. With no chance of “get-to-know one another” small talk, they returned to burying their heads back into whatever they were reading. I did the same.
After the first shift, I understood why they hadn’t bothered trying to make friends. We each worked individually, allocated to a single room where the kitchen is just big enough to squeeze two people in and a mini bar set out in the dining room. The sole hallway leading to the suites is so goddamn long that getting to and from the suites is in itself a gym workout. Team leaders and supervisors stroll up and down the hallway with special gadgets hung around their necks, peering into the suites every now and again, as if they are waiting to catch us red handed nibbling on left over gourmet food or sneakily chatting on our mobile phones, so that they actually have something to do.
I was lucky enough to have been allocated with another lady – Brooke – for my first shift. She’s middle aged and had been working there for years. She knows the tricks of the trade. Several times, I caught her drinking soft drinks from the fridge and nibbling on plates of left over food and desserts. She would quickly scoff down the food and drink as I walk into the kitchen, and then throw whatever else that didn’t quite make it into her mouth out into the wastes bin.
I’m not sure whether it’s the smart thing to do, but I pretended not to notice each time. We were all specifically told that eating on the job is considered stealing and may result in instant dismissal. Brooke offered me platefuls of untouched left over food a couple of times, but I politely rejected. It’s certainly tempting, I admit, but didn’t see why I should risk being embarrassed on my first shift being caught red handed. She must’ve thought I was a goody-goody and was afraid that I would report to our head supervisor. Several times she apologised to me out of the blue for apparently being rude and for not teaching me enough. I thought she did her job fine.
That is the thing with starting a new job. Do you want to belong to the rest of the clan and cross over to the dark side? Or be seen as a studious type going by the rule book, who no one wants to work with ‘cause they can’t be sneaky with you around? I guess I need a couple of more shifts to figure out which side to take. Any suggestions?
This is embarrassing, but I might as well tell you it. I was left on my own in the suite of 20 corporate business men and women for almost an hour. I didn’t think it would be a challenge at all, but apparently, it’s not that simple. A customer requested for a glass of red wine and I had just finished pouring out the opened bottle. I had to open one myself. Scary stuff, I know. I had never opened a red with a wine opener before. I know the theory behind using the wine opener; poke, twist, push, lever and pull, but when it comes to doing it, it’s an absolute disaster.
I cunningly removed the bottle from the bar into the kitchen out of my customers’ sight and began poking and prodding at the cork, but with each successive try, the cork just seemed to go deeper into the bottle, rather than out. One more poke and the cork would’ve fallen into the red. I paused and stared at it. My customers were waiting and Brooke wasn’t due back for another half an hour. Perfect. Red and flustered, I put on a brave smile and walked back to my customer. Instead of admitting to the simple fact that I can’t bloody open a wine bottle, I let them know that the bottle opener had broke and I’m waiting for Brooke to bring back a new one. phew.
I really need to learn to use my friend before my next shift, but I freakin’ left him sitting on the bench and forgot to take him home with me. Grrr. |
posted by sciurine @ 11:51 PM   |
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| 5 Comments: |
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Good luck with the new job. I'm hoping to find work this Summer, but it's unlikely... I've already wasted half of it.
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hehe..thanks! I'm starting to get used to the new surroundings. It's certainly not a flashy jo though.
How's ur hols coming along? When do you get ur results?
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haha. your best paragraph was when you mentioned which clan to belong to - whether to abide by rules or go with the flow. very valid point indeed.
also i couldnt help but notice the change in style of writing. certainly different. :)
see ya around.
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My hols were fun, but I'm glad to be back. I still have to wait a month for my results... oh the torture...
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I need work, but I don't need money. However, some more wouldn't go amiss.
Wine bottles always get me - being the heavy drinker that I am. Thank God for screw-caps!
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Good luck with the new job. I'm hoping to find work this Summer, but it's unlikely... I've already wasted half of it.