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Monday, February 25, 2008

MEMORY MONDAY - FIRST JOB


My first job was at a restaurant called The Galley, in Anchor Bay, California. I was either 12 or 13 and I got the be the dishwasher, which was before the time of automatic dishwashers. I worked on the weekends and occasionally after school when I was needed. I remember this large pair of black, rubber gloves and how they were so long I almost drown in them (oy). I think there were three sink basins and one sink was soapy water, one was the rinsing water and the third was a sanitizing rinse (I didn't know I remembered that - this is a good exercise in memory boosting - LOL). The water was extremely hot. Oh, and little by little I got to do food chores, like butter the toast, make milkshakes (while sneaking scoops of ice cream for myself) and some light prep work. Eventually I worked my way up to breakfast cook and did that for several years through high school. We had some real characters working there. I remember they always to shock me because I was the young and innocent one. They would come and tell me the dirtiest jokes, and being young an innocent, I blushed every time. I think that was the desired effect. It's funny now, but I used to hate them teasing me like that. We had this one waitress named Paula. She used to walk by me and say, "Drop your load on a giant toad." To this day, I don't know what she meant by that or why she said it to me, like, all the time, but I do remember she used to crack herself up each time. It was definitely an eye-opening, character-building experience and one that I would not trade for the world.

2 comments:

kecia deveney said...

thanks for playing! i really enjoyed reading that. my post is up now - so go take a peek. i got a good chuckle out of Paula's "drop your load on a toad". funny stuff!
xoxo kEcIa

Debra Johnson said...

Paula sounds like she might have had screw loose:) I can't think of 'anything' that would mean - haha! You were sooo brave to tackle the dishes!! I STILL hate the dishes...let alone for a whole restaurant - yikes!!
I think the 'innocent' are underappreciated!:)
Loved the picture too!!
Thanks for sharing:)
Debra