Feburary, 20th 2008
2:59P.M.-4:26P.M.
"Car 4"
Left side of page
"Observations" 8-11
-Things seem pillowed, I can barly hear.
-I can see the waitresses scurry about like mice in a maze.
-I can see people entering through the two glass door and a beam of light tries to escape.
-I can also see smoke creep through the door as it has a breeze enter through the door as well.
-I smell cigarettes all kinds not being able to tell what brand is what,except that one is "Black n Milds" and has a horrible smell to it.
-Right below me is where the kitchen is located, and I can still hear the faint echos of the cooks bickering about another pointless thing.
-I hear someone behind one of the cars where we keep all of our dry stock..they must be getting something.
-I yawn because this I know how boring this place is but I also think to myself that I shortly won't have to be here anymore after this essay.
-I notice that the car was infact a real car that drove on the road, which is pretty cool.
-I see that the radio still is intact and the wheels have been taken car of, the car is from the 50's that's all I really know for sure, other than that I'm clueless, I think I know more about planes then cars.
-I see from a distance that my friend Steff (not like everyone else that works there she's actually nice) I see her walking up the steps towards my car.
-She sits acorss from me in the car, I see her hands are full of silverware.
-Steff begins to rolls silverware and I observe how she places a fork and knife together on the corner of a napkin then slowly rolls
-We only roll silverware when we get bored...otherwise we just slap in on the table.
-She finished grabs everything and goes back downstairs, I decide to follow her because I'm not getting any action upstairs in the car.
-I sit on the bottom step because I know today is slow and they will not sit anyone upstairs...so I wont be in the way.
-I can see into the kitchen from here...I see the dishwasher.
-I see how people just throw there dishes at him without cleaning them off or seperating the silverware from the dishes.
-I see when they drop things and water splashes everywhere, he signs and shakes his head
-I imagine in his mind he is counting down the minutes till he can leave this horrible enviorment.
-I feel a breeze from the side down being open and shiver a little. I know it's about time for me to leave because I only become more depressed seeing things like this.
-I see waitresses take there bad tips out on the hostest because of something they have nothing to do with.
- As I walk out the door I turn around once more and shake my head at this awful place.
-The door slowly shuts behind me, and I hear the faint echos from the bar faid away.
-I get into my car and start it, sigh of relief...and drive away...smileing.
Right Side of Pages 8-11.
"Questions and Observations"
-The car covers you like a dome...older people prefer to sit in them because it blocks, some smoke and some noise the the bar heavenly pollutes. Personally, if you want a nice quite place, eat somewhere else.
-Sometimes I would hide up here for what seemed like hours, not wanting to come down and back into the rush.
-I remember when I worked mornings and after the sun hit a certain part where it shined threw like windows in a church they would make me shut them quickly...like we were vampires.
-I would wake up in the middle of the night because of all the smoke I enhaled during a long night at Pete's
-I never knew what "Black n Mild" were untill I was about 14 and I was waiting at my bus stop and some kid got a hold of them and was smoking them infront of all the children to show off...later that day I believe it made him sick...I don't remember everything.
-The kitchen is always so loud, I never understood why there so loud, can't customers here them...I think they should be much more quite.
-I remember long nights there and later on being asked to run upstairs and fetch a long list of stock...I would have to make several trips up and down the stairs because I am too small to lift everything at once...no one offered to help.
- I really do enjoy this class and research...I just know that I'm paying a price being here...but I want everyone to know how much I hate this place.
-So many customers come into this place wanting to dine in our cars. Mostly older couples or children, every now and then you get someone who travleled here from an hour away. Then there's the high school kids that think there just fun. I mean I admit the first time I came here I thought it was pretty cool.Cleaning the cars seem to take forever...and there is always something that the managers or owners find to bitch about. I atleast can never make them happy...atleast I wont have to anymore.
-Steff is pure, she likes working here...I think it's another case of being dumb means 95% of the time she's happy. That's why I like her so much...all she wants to do right now is party and make money. Wouldnt that be a nice life, her parents take care of everything else, she's not stuck up though...she great.
-I remember walking down these stairs once and slipping I got up looked around and thought that no one saw me and really...a lot of people did...customers came up and even asked if I was okay. I felt so stupid and all of my co-workers reminded me of it for the rest of the night.
-I can't treat anyone like I'm higher then them. I don't think I'm better then him...truth be told that when I was a hostest he prolly made more money then I did. I know he has a child that he loves very much and I know he loves pizza, I also know that against my thoughts he sells valume.(sp?) I know this because I have taken the time to talk to him...because I care.
-As I walk out I think of all the horrible things that have taken place here and all the things bad that will continue to happen here. I had a story of my life in this box...I wanted to share it with you because from one intellegent person to another, every story is worth telling, maybe my pain will be set free from letting another know what I have felt. Your words have healed me before, now maybe others will follow and do the same.
2 comments:
This is a great CRJ. Your observations can really paint a picture of whats going on in the restaurant. Those car booths...or whatever they are, sound really cool. I also like how your able to present questions and thoughts that will help your research but you also add in your own personal thoughts. They really make the observations your own. Great job, as always ;)
-Adam
Fascinating - simply fascinating. I love how you've really set the scene with all of the sense details (smell, hear, sight, touch). I love how you've combined your observations with insider knowledge (how interesting that employees only fold the silverware in napkins when they are bored). I loved your observations of the dishwasher - how he was being treated, his reactions, and your assumptions on how he must be feeling. I am so glad you are writing and researching this project so that maybe you can heal others with your words, even though it must be extremely difficult to keep hanging around this place, doing your observations, when you don't have to be there anymore. But I think that so many people will be able to relate to your experiences working in a less than perfect environment, and I think that hearing your voice, alone with your co-workers' voices, could provide a lot of comfort for people who are in similar situations. It's good to know we aren't alone in the world - that we aren't suffering in total isolation. Many people will be able to see parallels, at least, between their own work experiences and yours. In particular, I think you've really captured the way that employees "vent" and often take things out on each other, even when that person has nothing to do with what we are pissed about. Especially in this environment, it seems as though most people are so absorbed with their own issues and problems that they have no room to think about other people's feelings. I think that all three of your CRJs have done an excellent job showing this.
One thing that stuck out to me was your mention of how loud the people in the kitchen are. In my own working experience, I've noticed that lots of times employees get behind closed doors and start to get really loud, say awful things about the customers, even though people can hear through the door. I think it's a really interesting thing you noticed, and questioned why they would be so loud. I wonder if they think the customers can't hear them, or just don't care?
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