16

Write-of-passage Week 5 Challenge: Re-create for us your first job, your first “real” job, your last job.

But pick a day of your life in a significant, or completely insignificant, job and make us feel like we’re living it with you.

**********

It was a fast food joint that wasn’t so fast. We made the food to order, which was a little ahead of the times. We also sold homemade ice cream, which may or may not have been the main reason I worked there.

But I was one of the quick ones. I learned most of the stations just from osmosis. I made few mistakes and my drawer was never off. I was dependable.

It was just an ordinary day. I worked my shift at the drive-thru window without any  problems and was finishing my clean-up chores.

“I need you out in the dining room,” the manager said.

“OK,” I said, heading to the opening in the counter. “What’s up?”

Then I saw the mop bucket.

“I need you to go into ladies’ room and clean up a mess,” he said.

“What kind of mess?” I asked, already starting to get queasy.

“Someone got sick in there and we need to get it cleaned up ASAP.”

“Vomit?”

“Yes.”

“Ummm, I can’t go in there.”

“What do you mean ‘you can’t go in there’? It’s your job. You have to.”

Tears welled up in my eyes.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I can’t do it,” I said choking down sobs.

“I’m not asking you. I’m telling you.”

By this time a few other employees had started to gather. I knew what was coming next.

“I’m sorry. I will have to quit. I can’t go in there. I don’t want to quit. But I can’t go in there.”

Just then the other manager came up and asked what was going on. I was visibly upset. I blurted out something about quitting because I couldn’t clean up vomit. She sent me back to the kitchen. Running as fast as I could away from the bathroom hallway, I saw her pushing the mop bucket into the bathroom.

It was just an ordinary day. But one that I have never forgotten.

**********

Please click through to see the other entries.