“What happened during last night’s shift was completely unacceptable.” The manager scolded you, as you cringed slightly behind the cash register.

You wanted to explain that it wasn’t your fault, but you did not dare to interrupt her. So you just stood there rigidly, hands at your side, trying to look as attentive as possible.

 

“From now on, I will not tolerate laziness. All of you are required to complete all the tasks on this checklist before the shift is over. If not, you will have to stay overtime until it is all complete.” She told you firmly.

 

You nodded and bowed slightly. “Yes Mrs. Lee” You replied back, as she the checklist in your hands and walked off to put on a smile for the café customers.

 

Turning around, you grumbled, as you scanned over the checklist.

1.       Wipe down the tables. Wipe the tops, sides, the legs, bottom of the table, and scrape off any gum

2.       Mop behind the register counter with hot water and bleach. Mop at beginning of the shift and end of the shift.

3.       Make two gallons of milk tea for the morning shift people

4.       Refill all the flavor bottles, twice.

5.       Make more iced coffee

6.       Boil new green tea and black tea, and let it cool. Place in large blue dispensers.

7.       Wash the dishes, utensils and cooks pots and pans

8.       Help HaeMi with her math homework

9.       Take out the trash

10.   Clean out garbage disposal

11.   Clean out ice shaver machine

12.   Fix broken lightbulb near entrance door

13.   Count money in register. Recount. Count again.

14.   Add up all the order pads at the end of shift. Calculate. Recalculate. And calculate again

15.   Clean the coffee machine

16.   Make outline for advertising the café.

17.   Warm up milk for HeeSu.

18.   Make new boba

19.   Go to storage and refill utensils, napkins, and disposal cups

20.   Lock up all the doors and turn off all the machines at end of shift.

Reminders: No eating at all during your five hour shift. We do not care if you are hungry. Eat before or after your shift. Be quick when needing a bathroom break.

 

--

 

   After reading all of this your face paled slightly. You were used to cleaning, but after someone had complained the morning earlier, everyone was now required to clean twice. And what was this about you having to warm milk for HeeSu? And help HaeMi with math homework?

 

The manager’s baby nephew and niece shouldn’t even be on that list, yet they threw that responsibility onto you as well. It was bad enough you were only getting paid $7 an hour, which wasn’t even minimum.

 

 

Sighing, you walked to the custodial closet, and grabbed the bucket and mop, trudging to the back kitchen and filling the bucket with hot water and a little bit of bleach.

 

 

You walked back to the front of the café, and squeegeed out as much water as you could and started mopping, flipping it over to the brush side occasionally, to scrub out as much debris as you could from the tile floors.

 

You scrubbed furiously, as your bangs starting to get in your face, as you exasperatedly blew them away from you. You were almost done with the floor, as you started backing up towards the register area, when you heard whistling and singing.  A customer was coming.

 

Quickly straightening up you put the mop and bucket aside, and washed your hands, and stood in front of the register, your face in a customer friendly smile.

 

 

“Lipstick chicken butter roll..” You heard someone singing to the tune of G.Na’s “Banana.” You tried not to chuckle at the misheard lyrics, but at least it helped make your smile more genuine.

 

What surprised you even more was the person that walked into the café. This guy looked to be around your age, maybe a year or two older, but he didn’t look Korean. His eyes looked very intense, and if not a bit intimidating. But once he smiled as he saw you, your perspective of him immediately changed.

 

“Hello. What can I get for you?” You asked, brightly. He looked at the menu in front of the register for a moment, in deep contemplation.

 

“Green tea milk tea with honey boba please.” He ordered, as you jotted this down.

“Okay. For here or to go?” You asked, glancing up again.

 

“For here.” He answered, and you jotted this down.

 

“Okay, can I get your name?” You asked. He looked surprised, you pointed at the name section on the order pad, and you was embarrassed thinking you just wanted to know his name out of curiousity.

 

 

“Tao. Or Zitao, whichever you prefer. Erm. Tao is fine” He replied back, clearing his throat.

 

 

“Tao. Hmm. Okay. I’ll get that drink ready right now, so sit anywhere you’d like.” You told him, and he nodded taking a seat at a hightable nearby.

 

Walking back behind the counter, you put half a cup of green tea into a glass tumblr, and added a half cup of pre-made milk tea. Pouring this into a cocktail shaker you shook the contents well, and poured it into a glass cup.

 

Going over to the boba bucket, you added a scoop of boba, and then topped it off with a boba straw. Grabbing a napkin, you carefully walked over to where Tao was sitting, and placed the drink on the table.

 

He smiled, thanking you with a nod. You smiled back, and started to turn around when you remembered the proper waitressing etiquette.

 

“Oh. Is there anything else you need while I’m still here?” You asked him. He shook his head, but then a lightbulb seemed to off in his head startling you.

 

 

“What’s your name by the way?” He asked you, taking a sip of the drink and seeming pleased.

 

 

You smiled a bit sheepishly, surprised.  “_______. Or _______(nickname) whichever you prefer.” You told him, echoing his reply earlier.

 

 

He laughed lightly, nodding. “Okay ________” He replied and you walked back behind the counter to wipe up after the drink you made.

 

 

  “No I want the panda boba today! But I want a chocolate shake!” You heard little kids arguing, and cringed.

 

It was without a doubt  KiHoon and MiHee, fraternal twins, that always argued and caused a commotion whenever they came into the café.

 

Their mother was with them and she looked exhausted, as her kids latched onto her from both sides.

 

She gave you a weary smile, and you smiled back in sympathy.

 

“Hi Mrs. Yi. How are you today?” You greeted her. “Fine thank you  ______ ah. Now kids, please stop arguing you can both get whatever drink you want okay? And please don’t change it at the last minute and make it hard for ______ to do her work okay?” She asked them gently.

 

Kihoon pouted at this, the mushroom haircut, sticking to his round face. “I want panda boba!

I want chocolate milkshake!” KiHoon and Mihee yelled.

 

You tried not to cringe, and kept smiling. Little did you know Tao was curiously watching this scene.

 

Mrs. Yi gave up and ordered for her kids.

 

“Okay so that’s one large panda boba, with extra yogurt pearls, extra sweet And one large chocolate milkshake with extra syrup and whip cream with caramel boba.” You repeated the order back to Mrs. Yi who nodded. She handed you a ten dollar bill as you counted out the change for her, handing it to her.

 

She pulled her kids to a far table As you closed the cash register, and washed your hands, starting on the drinks.

 

You carefully measured the sugar water, and boba and yogurt pearls, knowing how stingy the boss could get with ingredients.

 

Then you made the shake, carefully drizzling the syrup over the whip cream.

 

You taste tested both with a small spoon before capping, them to make sure they were okay.

 

With a nervous stomach, you walked over to the kids and Mrs. Yi and placed the drinks down on the table, as the kids quickly grabbed at them, whip cream and a little bit of milk tea spilling on the table.

 

Mrs. Yi sighed. “Sorry ____ah” She said, exasperated.

 

“It’s okay I’ll clean it right up.” You told her and grabbed a damp washcloth and washed the mess away.

 

She left with her kids right after, as they unfortunately dripped the drinks in a trail out of the café.

 

You grabbed the mop and started scrubbing away at the trail of stickiness.  And moved backwards to where it first started. Checking your work, you walked back behind the counter and put the mop to the side and washed your hands.

 

“Um _____?” You heard Tao call to you. You peeked up from behind the wall divider of the counter area.

 

“Yes? Did you need something?” You asked, wiping your hands on a clean washcloth.

 

He shook his head.

 

“No. Just, how do you stand all of that?” He asked you.

 

“All of what?” You asked him, as you refilled the flavor bottles.

 

He chewed at the boba in his drink for a moment, and then spoke after a moment.

“All the chaos of it all. I overheard someone yelling earlier, right before I came in.”  He explained.

 

You looked embarrassed that he had heard your manager.

 

You shrugged. “It’s a job. And it’s something I have to deal with. I have had thoughts about quitting but, this is the only place that’ll accept me right now.” You explained.

 

Tao pursed his lips a bit in contemplation. “You do deserve respect though. You know that right?” He reminded her.

 

You were taken aback. “Of course I do. But at least most of the customers respect me and I like making them feel comfortable here.” You told him.

 

Tao nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry for intruding.” He replied.

 

You shook your head. “No it’s okay.” You said with a small smile.

 

“__________________! It’s stick out in the entrance hallway! Get the mop!” Manager Lee called to you.

 

You cringed and excused yourself, and walked over with the mop and bucket to go clean up.

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Isabel Santos Copyright 2012.

All rights reserved.