Taking Chances (Remember to Forget Sequel)

Chapter 10

I head inside and quietly walk into the back door of the restaurant. My manager told me to meet him in the kitchen, and he'd go through all the rules again. I look around the large kitchen and see him talking to who I assume is another waiter since they're wearing the same uniform as me.

My manager, Josh, notices me and waves me over.

"Hi, Luke! Welcome to your first day! Nervous?"

I smile. "A little."

"There's nothing to be nervous about!"

That's what everyone says but there's always something to be nervous about.

Josh walks me through the kitchen and shows me everything in more detail than he did in my interview. There's so many things to remember and so many health regulations, I don't think I'll be able to remember it all. There is also a ton of people running around the kitchen. My interview happened before the restaurant was open, so no one was there. But now there's so many people I can barely move without crashing into someone.

"Think you're ready?" Josh asks when he finishes.

I shrug. "I guess so, if I can remember all this."

Josh laughs. "Don't worry, we don't expect you to start perfectly on your first day. Oh, by the way, no jewelry allowed."

"Okay," I say confused. I don't remember wearing any jewelry. I look down at my hands to see if I'm wearing any rings, but I'm not.

"That includes facial piercings."

"Oh, right! Sorry," I say, quickly taking out my lip ring and putting it in my pocket. I totally forgot about that.

Josh brings me over to the waiter he was talking to earlier and says he'll be training me. His name is Aiden, and he looks a few years older than me. Josh leaves and I'm left alone with Aiden.

"Hey, nice to meet you, Luke!" Aiden says, shaking my hand.

"Nice to meet you, too."

"Where are you from?" he asks, tilting his head to the side. 

"Australia."

"That's so cool! Do you really have, like, kangaroos and koalas?"

I shrug. "I mean, there was a kangaroo in my yard once, but it's not a daily thing or anything."

Aiden laughs. "That's sick."

I have no idea what sick means, I'm guessing it means cool. I just nod awkwardly in agreement. "So do I just watch what you do today?" I ask, unsure.

"Yeah, for today. Then your next day, you'll start doing more. Then your third and fourth day I basically just watch you. You'll catch on pretty quickly. When's your next day?"

"Tuesday. I'm working Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays."

"Nice, I work Sundays and Thursdays, too, so I'll see you those days! Are you ready to go? Have any questions?"

I shake my head. "I think I'm good."

"Okay, then let's get started! We haven't gotten a table yet, so we can just hang here."

Aiden tells me he's been working here for four years, and he's in his third year of college. He introduces me to some other waiters, and everyone seems pretty nice. There are only a few people my age, the rest seem older. I don't recognize anyone, not that I even know that many people.

We get a table within five minutes, and I nervously follow Aiden as we walk over. He explains how the tables are set up and that I'll have a different section to serve every night, so I'll have to memorize the tables. He walks so quickly that I practically have to run to keep up.