My older sister, Stephanie--"Steffi" to those who know her best--, is 16, and she has a job.
She has been working at this particular job for several months, and she is already being considered for a position as "Crew Leader" because she's picked up on what she's learned so quickly. She is very good at her job, and she is fast, consistent, accurate, and is just a generally good employee. Her bosses are absolutely AMAZED at her quick progress.
Steffi works at one of the local Golden Corral Steak and Buffet Restaurants here in Nashville, not far from where we live, and she is a cashier/line person. She is the one who rings up the customers and takes their orders, and handles the money; and she also takes customers' trays for them if they are in need of assistance (such as if they are on canes, crutches, or are in wheelchairs, or if they have their arms full of little kids, stuff like that), and takes them to the table the customers want, and then goes back to the line, where she also cleans the area every so often and makes sure there is enough cups, glasses, towels, and other supplies, and takes care of the tea and coffee and the soda machine. She has a lot of responsibility; and she has had to learn a lot; but there are 3 to 4 other people on the line besides her; and this lessens the load from her young shoulders a lot.
But there HAVE been days where she's been the only one on the line, and she's had to do everything by herself. And then she is working and running around like a chicken with its head cut off!!
Steffi wears a uniform to work: a teal-colored, short-sleeved blouse, a black tie, and a black apron over the blouse; black slacks, black socks, and black, rubber, non-skid shoes with no heels. She also wears a black scarf to keep her long orange hair back from her freckled face, and she wears very little makeup. She really looks nice whenever she is in her uniform; but at the end of the day she DOES end up looking a bit "wrinkled"!
Steffi's bosses are amazed at how professionally she does her job, and how reliable she is. She is never late, she is always there, and she will even work on her days off if she needs to, quite unlike most kids her age. (The ONLY complaint she DOES have? She hates Sundays because then she has to miss church!) She has never done anything to displease her employers, and she will help her co-workers in a New York minute, she's that good. Most kids her age are more concerned with things like partying with their friends, sleeping in, and the like, but not Steffi: she loves her job, and she loves the idea of making her own money to buy the things she needs or wants; and she also loves the satisfaction of knowing that she can pay her bills on time.
That is probably what gives her the biggest satisfaction--that, and the fact that she loves her job, even though it means that she has to be at work AT 6:00 A.M. on Saturday and Sunday mornings!
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Dedicated with **MUCH LOVE** to Karla, who KNOWS what it is like at the WILD AND WOOLY AND WONDERFUL Golden Corral (especially on the WEEKEND--NUTS!!!).
