work (I’m just word vomiting here. You don’t have to read. I just need this out it is very very very long. I’m sorry)
I’m just so tired and frustrated. I try my best not to make waves in the ocean of chaos that is a kitchen.
we’re two types of cafe’s in a school. Each of us in our own building.
a small grab and go snacks heavier on drinks (me)
a gourmet Wendy’s/McDonald’s vibe. Smash burgers fries etc (the boys side. let’s call them a b and c. There was a fourth we’ll call X. Because X no longer works here) there’s three of them. Plus occasionally they have a few students helpers. (It’s rare that I get student helpers.)
I open an hour earlier then they do, but close at the same time that they do. When I’m done in my building. I go to their building, to do behind the scene math stuff. Before I do that I always ask if they need help clean up closing type stuff.
I help out with trash, trucks, and walk throughs. If a see something wrong. I fix it, or let someone else know. (You know; like an adult)
so when I do the walkthroughs On the boys side before I leave, to help my boss and the boys out. Because by the time im done wirh the math stuff. The boys are done and gone for the day.
I’ve seen them leave soda tabs left inside the machine, deep fryers left on, empty candy wrappers
They now have syrup pump flavors for their sodas. They haven’t been wiping them down. (It’s a new thing so it’s a Habit they need to get into. Normally not a Big deal. They only have 3 bottles) but it was a bit much. Rings of sugar under the bottles and splashes on the wall. I wipe it down for them.
And I make mistakes. I’m Human too.
This Wednesday, I closed My side early, to go to the boys side. Two students called in. A boy was leaving early for an appointment, B boy called in. Leaving C boy to handle a catering event, lunch rush, and clean up Alone
I closed early to help with the register and clean up. (Which hurt me and my already poor sales. Summer semester is my slowest semester)
During clean up I told boy C “Hey youre close to stepping on cordboard. Im going to put it between these two tables. Let’s get them when we take trash out.”
About 15 minutes later im shutting down the washing machine. Wiping down the basket that catches the food. Boy C grabs the trash and tries to take off “Hey C, spot my like a minute cause this basket has trash in it”
(I Had to tell him THRee times. Because if he waited it makes 1 trip instead of two.)
well. I was more focused on catching up to him, I forgot about the cardboard.
Cut to The very next Morning. I came in half an hour early to set up a breakfast. (It was pretty much pre-set . All that needed done really was make juice and coffee. It was easier for me because I live closer, I volunteered)
So I get there and brew coffee. And maybe 10 Minutes later Boy C shows up. (IF YOU WERE SHOWING I UP EARLY WHY WOULDN’T YOU MAKE THE COFFEE? YOU DONT OPEN UP TILL 9:00am WHY ARE YOU HERE AT 7:15!!!!????!!)
Anyways. I get ready to Bring the coffee to the event room. I see boy C bent over. Spraying bug killer under the table (didnt know I left the cardboard there cause I forgot. Oh, Bug killer I had to pick up BTW!) and he was going to town on that trigger button too.
“Hey C, whatcha doing? You alright?”
the most Whiney voice you can imagine coming from a 23 or so year old man. “Oh. Yeah. You left this cardboard down here.”
“Oh, I Did. Sorry about that C” ( most of the time I leave it on the back table so I’m more likely to see it)
C says “Yeah, the seagull has already gotten on Us about leaving card board down here. So Now the ants are attracted to the cardboard And What’s between the cardboard” (during the summer they have an ant. Seagull being a mean nickname for our boss. I never heard them say that before and I asked him to find out. ) and C says this like two or Three time before saying. “Seagull says if it keeps happening we’ll have to mop everyday. Which I don’t have time for that. B doesnt. A doesnt, And you don’t have time for it.”
I was livid. After all the mistakes they make.
leaving fryers on, leaving the tip jar out after they leave, empty candy wrappers, sodas they leave on the cart they use to store personal belongings, sometimes food to-go boxes. And here C is. Rubbing it in my face. Like I’m a puppy who peed on the carpets. HE’S Always doing this. Disguising humor to insult and drag me through the mud to make him feel better. And you want to know the worst part? C HAS GOTTEN BETTER SINCE X LEFT!
they both used to glare at me. Like I was the six foot cockroach. Stop talking as I enter the room. There was one day I had to work with C and X in their building. Because my building had to shut down, Because all elevators were down and being worked on.
So I did trucks for them. In winter. In 3°degree weather. So of course. I’m just a wee bit cold. And they were slow. I did no cooking that day. So I kept my hoodie on why I scanned and emailed the invoice in.
“Why are you wearing your hoodie? That’s not allowed you know.” Says C, they man who brings his transformer toys into work.
I wasn’t by the ovens or fryers. The sinks or fridge. I was in the boss’s office doing computer work till they needed a hand.
Anyways. Back to the cardboard incident.
I tell him “Well, be lucky that youre mop is just in the room behind you, available almost any time. In my building the mop belong to the janitors. (6-8 people rhat share like two mop buckets) If the mop bucket isnt in that closet. Then I have to call 3 people or run around on 4 défirent levels of floors.
and I left. I. Was. Livid. I was so angry I thought I was going to vomit. I had to take my inhailer because I couldn’t breathe.
So I get to my building. Do my opening and I text my boss. “I would like to stay to do my floors and set up Friday’s breakfast event At the end of the day. I'm sure I'll calm down by then. But c had said some stuff that still has me livid. He wasn't wrong. But he has no real ground to talk either. But if he says one passive agressive comment, one snide remark, one stupid thing. I'll go off and it's clear that no one needa that.” (Normally I ask boss first incase im needed. And sometimes I have to wait half an hour before I am able to get a mop bucket anyways. I mop my floor once a week. Yes, yes, I know. I should do it more often. But yet again. Making 3-4 phone calls, or running around 4 flights of stairs or elevators to find or get one. May Get a bit…. Exhausting? After a while. Thursday’s Is the easier Day for me to do that)
Boss stops at my building before going to their building. Asks me what’s wrong, give him details. Etc. So I basically word vomit everything I said above to him. He understood and went to have a talk with C.
I’m in my building when this talk happened. So I don’t know what all was said. If C, A, and B where there.
I’m in my own Little world, selling coffee, deep cleaning.
Well, the room wasnt fully ready to set u the coffee cups, creamers, sugars, etc for Friday’s (now today’s) catering event. So I decided to go to the boy’s building first. Do my math thing, grab the open juice for the event. Before I do my floors. Because I can do it after I finish Setring up for the event, once that room was ready that it. Someone decided that room was perfect for a pizza party at the time.
I get the other building. I get to the door as I see Boy A has his back turned to me, and he’s mopping and I think.
Yay! boy A. He’s my fav. That’s why He’s boy A in this rant. He’s chill, and funny, and always nice to me! That’s my Boi!
and so I knock. He doesn’t turn.
Okay, boy A is a little deaf, and my knock was wimpy I will admit. So I knock a smidge louder.
he turns around and I smile. Because again. That’s my boi.
Boy A rolls his eyes at me. He doesn’t speak me. None of them really do. I gave them space, and do my math thing. Boss told me he talked to C. And C is no longer to treat me that way. That im not the problem of the ants and etc. Boss told Boy A that he could come in late on Friday. (the only Boy who works with me on Friday).
so cut to today (Friday) I’ve already been at work for about an hour and a half. helping taking care of the Catering event Before I work on my Grab and go snacks. Boy A Arrives, coming in the long way. (The normal door we use is locked from the outside. So we knock to let each other in.) So I think maybe I missed his knock because I was in the dish room etc.
Boy A hardly speaks to boss. I get barely a one word réponse. Okay. Boy A is stressed. He works two jobs so I know Thats ruff. Been there, done that
(random tangent a lot of produce here in America are having a Parasitic problem. So apparently Boss asked the boys to toss out all of the lettuce and spring mix on Thursday. Im here on Friday and I see the lettuce. Okay, I’ll throw it away. Not a big deal. I’m here to help. We’re supposed to help each other.) .
Boy A sees me with 3 boxes of lettuce and is visible upset about. Doesnt say a word to me, I don’t talk smack about them forgetting. I don’t make an expression. I try to be polite.
Boss offers to talk about it in private. Boy A refuses. Clearly shutting down drom stress. Boss says boy A can leave early if he wants. The day is almost done. Boss and myself can handle clean up.
I make no objections. I don’t say that boy a had last Friday off. All I say is “Have a nice weekened.” Like I always do when we leave.
boy a roughly grabs his coat and storms off without a word. Boss man wasnt having that and chases after boy A.
I don’t follow. I stay in the kitchen. Making lettuce-less chicken salad sliders.
I still don’t know what was said out there.
clean up goes smoothly. We mops floors, clean the sink. Boss lets me take home leftover food.
I’m just so frustrated. I think Boss is making them mop everyday (which we really should. We used to a very long time ago. I don’t know when they stoped that)
I hate that im getting the cold shoulder for standing up for myself after years of taking bullet after bullet for them. A year Ago boy A even said I should stop taking hits for them. I know A,B, C are stressed from home stuff. I get it. I honestly do! I have Bill issues. I owe so much money in car and roof, and medical payments. I’m so far behind. I have sibling and mother issues too. Problem is mother and sister don’t know it yet.
but I don’t act like that. I don’t bring in transformer toys during work hours. I’m just tired and disappointed. I’m glad my boss and hr have my back on this one.
thanks for letting me rant if you got this far.
