Writers Workshop (very long... but please read anyway!)

The Prompt I chose...

6.) Write about the event that was the end of your childhood(writingfix.com).

***

I knew my childhood was over when... I got my first job. My first REAL job.

I was 16 1/2. I was tired of asking my parents for gas money, and thought I should earn some money of my own. My parents were catagorically AGAINST my having any type of job in High School, especially since I was on Dance Team and other clubs in school. So as a compromise, they allowed me to look for a job that would accomodate THEIR schedule they made up for me. Weekends only and an occasional weeknight if I was out of school for Spring Break or the summer.

So I set out looking for a waitressing job. I looked in the newspaper, and saw an opening

at a little restaurant one city over. I went on my interview, dressed all spiffy, typewritten

"resume", with the little work experience I had working the Snack Bar for my Mom at the

Little League Baseball Park, and a work experience gig for school at an Industrial Supply Co.

***

I was so nervous.

I walked into the restaurant, and it smelled yummy. The guy who greeted me

literally looked me up, and down... and up again. It was creepy. I swear I saw him lick his lips... ewwwwww!

***

He led me into the "break room", more like a closet...but okay... the break room and I waited, and waited and waited. The entire time...the guy... just stood across the room and stared at me in between trying to look busy "taking inventory". Did I mention he was creepy?

Finally, in walks the owner... Giorgio. Oh did I not mention it was an Italian Restaurant?

Come on... where else would I apply! Please!

He took my hand... kissed it, ewwwww! and asked me to "do a little turn" for him.

I stood there... refusing to budge.

He laughed it off, like it was a joke he was playing.

I sat down, and he apologized for the comment.

His first question was NOT my name, but "How old are you?"

I told him, and creepy guy said... "Awww man... you're JAILBAIT!"

That took me by surprise... I was mortified...

Mortified that that jerk even thought he had a snowballs chance in hell with me! Yikes!

So... Giorgio looks over my paper and tells me I am hired.

By this point... I don't want the job, and will be happy to leave asap.

In walks Lena. Giorgio's sister and business partner.

She takes my hand, leads me to a table, and sits down and tells me to

'nevermind' them, they don't hire or fire, and I would be working for her.

I was just about to excuse myself and thank her for her time, when she asked me to give her

a chance. She had been watching through a double sided mirror, and LOVED that I didn't do the twirl thing. She said I would be great at serving. She needed someone on the weekends and during holidays, when its busy, and she already had a steady server for weeknights who likes to party on the weekends. The only bad thing was my age... I couldn't serve any alcohol at all, you had to be 18 for that... but she said she would do it herself... she wanted me to work there.

Like a dummy... I say okay.

I started Friday night.

***

I took to it like a duck to water. My customers loved that I knew how to pronounce all the menu items and could speak Italian to most of the Italian family members they brought in.

I was having fun, and the tips were great!

On a good weekend, I would bring home $200 for 2 five hour shifts! I almost told them they could keep their measly $25 paychecks!

Well, the weeknight girl got wind of my tips and requested a change. This was a small, mom and pop restaurant, with 2 servers and bus boy, and the owner/chefs. I was in High School

and couldn't work weeknights. No way was I giving up my weekend shift.

But... the other girl... Amy, was sleeping with Lena's son, the bus boy, and they 'partied' together after work, and "she was there first", blah, blah, blah...

So, Lena gave her Friday night, and I got Saturday night and Sunday evening.

But Amy wasn't making the tips I was making. Customers were asking where I was.

They came in on my nights instead. It was great!

Until Amy threw another hissy fit. She lied and told Lena that I was serving Wine while being underaged. Lena knew she was lying, and told me so, but she wanted to keep Amy as her friend and future daughter in law, and had Amy and I work the same nights on the weekends

and told me I had to SPLIT MY TIPS WITH AMY!

I may have been 16, and a little wet behind the ears... but I was no dummy.

I said "No", that won't be happening. My tips are mine, and I will only share with her son, my bus boy (creepy guy).

Lena smiled... turned around and told Amy, I wouldn't budge.

Amy said... "Oh... she'll budge." and sweetly asked me to stay after work to talk

with Giorgio and Lena together. I called my Dad... and had him drive over to the restaurant and just wait in the parking lot after my shift was done. He did... and waited.

I went to the break room, and walked into a huge cloud of smoke. I coughed and spit and

knew they weren't smoking cigarettes.

They had mirrors out, and white powdery stuff, and huge glasses of alcohol, and a deck of cards. Amy asked me to play "quarters" for my shift. Lena, Giorgio, Creepy guy, Amy... all laughing and swaying to music, trying to 'get me on their side', so I would 'feel like part of the gang" as they put it.

They taunted me and said "Oh... she's Sandra Dee, she's a cheerleader... she doesn't do naughty things... she gets good grades, and Mommy and Daddy are perfect parents from the Ole' country"

They overheard me answering my customers questions.

I am 40 1/2 and to this day I have never smoked anything, or taken anything stronger than Tylenol 3. I won't let myself feel pressure to do things I don't want to now...and I didn't start then either. They were a bunch of druggies!!!

Jealous druggies!

Giorgio got out of his chair, and started taking his apron off and unbuttoning his shirt, while they all laughed. He said "Come here honey... let me make you a woman"

I kicked him square in the family jewels, he went straight down and out, they all laughed and spilled their drinks, I paid myself out of the cash register, and walked out.

I made sure not to give my Dad any indication I was upset...or I would have had to bail him out of jail that night, or worse... gone to his murder trial.

He asked if I was alright, and I told him my car was acting up, and wanted someone

to drive behind me.

***

I never heard from them again. I called the cops on them and informed the police that illicit drugs were on the premises and done and smoked nightly.

It occured to me just then, the reason they never had me close up, and wanted me to leave 1/2 hour before them. It was so they could "party".

***

After that... I feel like my childhood had left the building, never to return.

I learned a lot from that experience. I learned that adult are just as petty, jealous, and had low self esteem as do kids.

I learned why my parents were so protective of me, and I started to appreciate it from that day on. I learned I never wanted to be adults like the restaurant jerks.

I had NEVER seen any form of drugs in my entire life until then. I wish it could have been longer.

I learned I wasn't ready for most situations in the real world just yet... and I was thankful I had a safe, loving home to go home to.

I didn't have another job again, until after graduation.

The restaurant closed two months after I quit.

Giorgio died of an overdose.

What a sad life, and a sad way to go.