Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Can't Quit Now...

Soooo…

Last Monday, a guy dressed in his best Hawaiian shirt walks up to the counter at the café and asks to see the boss. It is my day off, so of course I am there. Guy says he’s got over twenty years cooking experience, owned his own café for five years, and wants to know if I’m hiring.

Hardly able to control my gleeful giggle, I say "I’m always hiring" and hand him an application.

He goes away and comes back with the ap all filled out. He has references. He has a consistent work history going back a decade. The last place he worked, he was at for over two years.

He is not 17 ½ years old.

And he really wants to work at my café.

I keep thinking he can’t be for real. I give myself monstrous bruises from pinching myself so much.

I try for five days to find time in a crazy busy week to interview this guy. I finally sit down with him on Saturday after closing. We talk for 2 ½ hours.

I finally ask him, "When can you start?"

"Tomorrow," says he.

"Okay. Tomorrow it is."

Sunday morning, my assistant cook—the only other cook on the payroll—calls in sick. New cook, on his first day, bails my ass out big time. This is a man who knows what a spatula is, and is not afraid to use it.

So now, in place of Flaky Cook, who never in her tenure with me managed a forty-hour week, did not want to work nights, and was not too keen on working weekends, I have a guy who is begging me for any and all hours I will give him. "Can you give me forty hours?" "Are you kidding?"

This, Wil, is why I have no intention of cutting my losses, getting out and retaining whatever little bit of sanity I still have lurking in the back of my mind. Every time I think I’ve reached the absolute extremity of my endurance, the Almighty throws me a bone.

How can I not hang in there to see what’s at the bottom of the next barrel?

 

15 comments:

  1. Truly amazing. Ask and ye shall receive.

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  2. That is wonderful news ~ and I am so glad the almighty has thrown you this bone ~ Ally x

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  3. ALL RIGHT!!!!  I am just thrilled for you and for your new cook!

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  4. Hey, hey, hey. Way to go! What a ride indeed. :-)

    Jackie

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  5. Could be an answer to prayers all your J-land friends said for you.
    Hope this works out well for both you and your new cook.

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  6. Yesssssssssssssssssssss!!!!  Lisa

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  7. Super! Now call that parole officer like I suggested and see if you can find a waitress or two...

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  8. FFFFFFFFAAAAAANNNTASTIC!  "Can you give me 40 hours?"  He sounds like a workaholic (a workaholic myself, I know 'em when I see 'em, or in this case, hear about 'em).

    This is REALLY terrific!

    :)

    Judi

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  9. Lisa, I've never seen an angel nor do I believe they exist but this entry just might change my mind.  Yay for you...I'm so happy for you!

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  10. LOL I hear ya... everytime I think no way are we gonna make it to the next month, God comes through.  And yes, sometimes it seems like just a bone.  I figure there is such a huge battle between good and evil the bones are taking a hard time getting through to us.  Hugs,
    Lisa

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  11. Ahhh you caught a rainbow!

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  12. This is such wonderful news and I have been smiling for you ever since I read it.  if he lives up to his billing, such a weight will drop from your shoulders.
    http://searchthesea.blogspot.com/

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  13. I'll add on to Alphawoman--seek and ye shall find.  It would be humorous for this guy to realize how many people all over the country are murmuring prayers of thanksgiving for him.
    *debbi*

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  14. I'm so glad the universe provided this guy.  I was starting to worry about you.

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  15. Mr Hawaiian better not disappoint.  

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