New Job

I thought I had the skills. I thought my previous job at the Bedford Village Inn had prepared me to the point that a new waitressing position at the River Road Tavern would be easy, almost stupidly simple. But I was mistaken. When I walked out of my first day of training, I felt as if all my experience of carrying trays and filling waters at my last job came crashing down on my shoulders, crippling my spine. I was beat. 

As if memorizing 45 bottled beers wasn't enough to intimidate me, the pace of service at the Tavern immensely surpassed my level of comfort. Coming from the Bedford Village Inn, I was instilled with the knowledge that eating out was a special occasion and should not be rushed. I had been programmed with the idea that there was a substantial length of time between each course where it was perfectly appropriate to let people sit and converse with nothing on the table except a glass of wine. The Tavern played by a whole different rule book. The time between clearing the Buffalo chicken dip appetizer and dropping the Kobe burgers was non existent. A fresh beer needed to be placed on the table or at least offered when the contents dropped below half full. Time I previously spent sipping coffee was now spent making roll ups and turning tables at lightning speed. By the end of my first shift I thought I had made a huge mistake. What was I thinking leaving the Bedford Village Inn, my place of employment for two years where I could throw myself on autopilot to finish my shift and everything felt automatic. I had little hope that I would last more than a week.   

Two months later I continue to race from kitchen to table, trying to charm my way to 20%. While I'm still in the habit of steering people clear of beers with descriptions I’ve forgotten, I am much more comfortable with the pace and responsibilities of the Tavern. My progress within the few months gives me hope that I can eventually return to the calculated and collected state of mind I had at the Bedford Village Inn.