I had returned to Bub City after not having worked there in more than two decades and was assigned the last station at the very back of the restaurant on what was a busy Saturday night.
My first table was two women in their thirties who ordered a beer and a glass of wine with an extra glass filled with limes.
As I started my shift late, the service bar was already closed so I had to walk downstairs and then to the very front of the main dining room to the bar.
Renae was at the bar and took my order, but it took a long time as she had to get everything out of the walk-in as she had already began breaking down the bar.
I got my drinks and headed back upstairs but realized I had forgotten the limes so I had to go back to the bar where Renae was waiting with the wine glass filled with limes. She handed me the glass saying, "forget something?"
When I returned to serve the women their drinks, my station was suddenly filled with diners.
In the weeds, I quickly served the women their drinks and asked them what they wanted for dinner and they said they were just there for drinks.
Next, I took an order of a large party that seemed to be a group of men and women who all worked together.
Then I attended to a family who had a lot of questions about the menu items but I hadn't heard of many of them as I started late therefore missing the staff meeting where the chef ran through the day's menu items.
As it was late, I informed my last two tables that I thought it might be best that they go to another restaurant and that I would be happy to provide the transportation and even pay for their meals.
The two parties got on board a square, glass-enclosed transport vehicle that was pulled by a separate tractor-like vehicle.
Noticing it was late, I tapped the window to get the tractor driver's attention.
He pulled over to the side of the road and I bid farewell to the people then exited the vehicle telling the driver I needed to get back to the restaurant to close out for the night.
Once I got home, I was greeted by my neighbor and his son and their menagerie of dogs and cats.
I was awakened by the sound of rain in the middle of the night and heard water cascading only to notice a gaping hole in the ceiling through which I was able to see into my upstairs neighbor's apartment.
He looked through the hole and said good morning with a jovial tone, trying to make light of the disaster knowing there was nothing either of us could do about the predicament except take it with a bit of levity.
Just then, some of his dogs and cats jumped down through the hole in the ceiling and onto my bed and started playing with me.
I tried to shoo them away which they interpreted as my being playful and started jumping on me licking my face and playfully nibbling on my hands.
Then I woke up.
Comments