During the summer of 1989, I decided that I needed to keep myself busy. I already had my waitressing job at Larson’s Family Restaurant, but thought “Why not get another job?!” Apparently, I was a glutton for punishment.
I had to find something that wasn’t going to interfere with my “day” job, so it had to be something that I could do in the late evenings. At that time, there was a Country Kitchen in Beaver Dam and they were open 24 hours a day. It was perfect. I could work the graveyard shift there and still work at Larson’s during the day.
From 11:00 pm to 7:00 am, I would work at Country Kitchen. At the end of my shift, I would head over to Larson’s Restaurant and change into my next uniform, grab a little breakfast and take a quick nap in the booth, before starting my shift at 8:00 am. From 8:00 am till 4:30 pm, I would work at Larson’s. After that shift, I would head home to wash off the smell of french fries and go to sleep. I would sleep till around 10 pm, when mom would come to my room and reluctantly wake me to start the process all over again.
The differences between these two establishments was like night and day. Larson’s was a family owned restaurant fashioned after A&W. (It actually started out being an A&W). We waited on little old ladies that would tip $0.25 and families with messy kids.
At Country Kitchen, during the graveyard shift, we waited on the after bar drunken crowd. I had the opportunity to break up a few fights and even received a standing ovation from the restaurant after I yelled at a group of rowdy, drunk brawlers.
I somehow managed to survive the summer of 1989 and when the next summer came around, my Country Kitchen manager offered me a $0.75 raise if I would work for him again. My mind must’ve forgotten the pain and misery of the previous summer because I said “Sure – why not?!”
Click here to check out other Sidetracked opinions
Click here to listen to the Sidetracked Legacies podcast
Want to create your own legacy? Join the Sidetracked Sisters and start now!
Ever thought about working with a Life Coach? Are you creative or a writer who is frustrated with your inability to do the work you so desperately feel called to do? Check out Lisa Hoffman Coaching.
#sidetrackedsisters #sidetrackedchelle #sidetrackedlegacies #legacywriting #legacystories #writeyourownlegacy #LisaHoffmanCoaching #waitressing #summerjob #LarsonsFamilyRestaurant #CountryKitchen #punishment
