Today was one of THOSE days...

I just got off from work--THANK GOD.

You ever have one of THOSE days when it starts off bad & it just gets worse from there??

Today was one of THOSE days.

I woke up early enough. Scheduled to go in at 9:00 a.m. & work until 3:00 p.m.; check off the truck from 3:00 until 4:00 p.m. Had to get my uniform ready. (I work as a cashier at a buffet style restaurant.) Have a lot of pins to put on my apron--stuck myself at least three times. Then I couldn't get the dang-blasted tie to co-operate. What's so hard about a clip-on tie, for crying out loud?? FINALLY managed to get it situated. Okay--look good.

Then, before I left for work, I lit up a cigarette--yep. The wrong end...lit the danged filter. PHEW, whatta stink!!! As expensive as smokes are, can't afford to do that. (My twin sister thought it was funny. She was rolling around on the floor; "That's what you get for smoking in the first place!" is what she said to me. I cut her a look that made her hush. Don't MESS with my smoking...I know it's bad for me, but it's hard to quit.)

Okay. I walk to work (live about five minutes away). Get there, the danged truck is there! (It isn't supposed to be there until 3:00 in the afternoon...it's a little after 8:00 a.m. when I'm walking to work.) Is this a sign of things to come??

I get inside the restaurant; the manager is frantic; "YOU'RE LATE!!" he says to me. "No, I'm scheduled at 9:00..." I say. "Check the schedule." So, I do. Yep. Scheduled in at 8:00 a.m. He'd changed the danged schedule & "forgot" to tell me. I clock in & apologize (although I think HE'S the one who should be aplogizing to ME!).

The cashier area (we call it the "Line") is a mess. I clean it up (between customers). While cleaning off the serving trays, I go to load them in the holding area & throw the whole danged stack. Whatta noise!!! Not once, but TWICE I did this. I just rolled my eyes & said, "Is everyone awake yet?" What else could I do?? I got the trays, cleaned them off AGAIN, & safely load them. Okay--what's next. Sweep around the food bars, so no one slips & falls (with the luck I'm having, that would be bound to happen). Stock up the ice machine--drop the danged bucket of ice. Whatta mess. Clean THAT up. Try again, make it this time.

The manager comes out of his office (his favorite spot) & tells me to go check off the truck. Cool! (I can smoke when I'm doing that.) I'm sitting outside, clipboard in hand, waiting for the rest of the guys to come so they can unload & I can check the items off as they come off the truck. Light up a cigarette. Yep...wrong end again. DANG IT!!! I'm getting mad now.

Get the truck done (takes about an hour), come back inside, the manager's left the Line in a mess again. Get that cleaned up AGAIN, sweep around the food bars again. My help is supposed to come in at 10:00 a.m.; when she comes in, I get to take my break.

Only SHE'S a half-hour late. It seems the manager changed HER schedule, too, without telling her. The manager by this time has gone to the bank & to run some errands, so it's left to me to tell her she's late. She is NOT amused. (She'd already made some plans.)

We get the Line cleaned up & stocked. Put out the lunch food labels (which in a way I think is stupid...can't people use their eyes & tell what they're about to get?? A carrot is a carrot, corn is corn, white rice is white rice, etc., etc.). I go on break. Get a bite to eat, when I'm through, I go outside to have a cigarette. Yep...AGAIN. Wrong end. AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH...

The lunch crowd hits. It's a busy day. My helper & I are running each side--we get drinks & run down to the cash register & take the guest's orders. Where is our manager? We overhead page him, he ignores the page (maybe he didn't hear it, more likely, he's on the phone). Oh--there he is...in the office. CRAPAZOID!!! When the line goes out the door, he comes out (& then has the NERVE to ask, "Why didn't you call me?").

We get the rush through. (Took about two hours for the rush to die down.) Have to restock...& clean...& sweep again. My helper managed to drop the ice bucket this time...I looked at her & said, "Maybe it's catching." The manager looks at both of us like we're crazy. He tells me to go have a cigarette ("Hurry! Before I change my mind!!" is his favorite thing to say.) Cool! I'm not gonna complain!

Wheeee!!! Manage to light the RIGHT end this time!!! I hear a loud rumble of a diesel type engine. Oh, CRAPAZOID!!!!!!! A BUS has just pulled in! A track team from the town north of Burleson. So much for the smoke...

Get into the restaurant as fast as I can, my poor help is about to pull her hair out, I tell her, "You do drinks, I'll run the register." We manage to knock out the group of around 40 people in nothing flat.

The manager comes up to the register, hands me an envelope, & says, "Thank you for doing a great job. This is for you." I thank him, open the envelope--it's a gift certificate for a haircut & blow-dry at a local beauty salon! Nice!! It says to call for an appointment...but there's no phone number or name of the salon on the gift certificate!!!!

FINALLY, time for me to go home. Whoooo-hooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I glad this day's over!!!

Just hope tomorrow's better......