When I was a kid, my mom made me get a job in high school to have extra money.
I tried to get a job at BlockBuster Video b/c what kid didn't want to work in a place where he could watch movies his whole shift & talk about movies?!? I especially did since I knew I was going to be an actor (yes and waiter --- ba dum dum!). Well what happened...I didn't even hear back from them and wound up working where pray tell?!? MICKEY D'S!!!! WOOOOO!!!! I think Morgan Spurlock covered most of it with SUPER SIZE ME but I will say I had some weird managers for sure...
One time a busload of football players came in with 5 minutes left before we closed. EVERYTHING was shut off and done. He had us toast the meat in the BIG MAC BUN TOASTER...hey I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do..
So then I went off for the best 4 years of my life : COLLEGE
I trekked up from Long Island to Buffalo. A state school was in range even though I wanted to go to a school KNOWN for theatre such as a Northwestern or UCLA ...(well I wanted to go to one of these schools also b/c I had a HUGE crush on an older girl who went to one...but I digress..).
I had a good time and then it was over...time to come home and hit the pavement..the streets of NYC!
First Audition got me a callback for THEATRE OF THE NEW CITY but no job...although I would do a play there about 6 years later -- guess that's what they mean by "We'll Keep you in mind and on file!". I played a SQUIRREL:
Yea that's me.... Scurry the Squirrel! A PUPPET!
Well forget going all the way ahead to 2006...
It was around Late Winter or Early Spring of 2001 that I finally caved...did what I said I would never do --- lasted an entire year without doing so....but THE WAITER job happened.
Now I NEVER thought I'd be waiting tables there for more than a few months..but months turned into a year & a half.
This first place was a franchise that specializes in Pizza in Queens. It wasn't awful but it was NOT a moneymaker. I thought if I worked on a Saturday from 5pm-2am and made $120-$160...I was doing well. I realized that the place was just too cheap as far as the menu AND customers went. People tended to tip 15% normally -- many double the taxers at this place. It was worse when I first started & had to OPEN.
Between setting up the restaurant side stations myself and having to serve people this CHEAP lunches which had two or three courses ---- making salads/soups and desserts myself....
All for maybe..MAYBE a whopping $5 tip if I was lucky....
1 word = SCREAM OUT LOUD (or inside)
Funny thing was --- one of my managers from McDonald's from 5 years earlier came in for lunch one day with a group of guys. They looked all business-like and I remember this guy being 150% ANAL RETENTIVE. It seems there are a lot of MANAGERS out there like that. . .
They give you a HARD time, are VERY selfish and refuse to every pay you a kind word ever.
Scummy worms that just like having power & control over you --- to yell at you whenever they'd like! I don't forget faces but I happened to forget his name & where I knew him from.
I think he knew right away but I finally got it...and think he didn't want me to mention McDonald's...
So what did I do..."Hey, you were my manager at McDonald's! You still doing that? (which I knew he wasn't but whatever...payback/karma is a BIATCH)"
He looked at his co-workers and turned all red -- embarrassed and said "Yea that's right and no, no I'm not". I forget what the bill came out to or the tip...I think it was standard.
---I will say WOMEN seem to have been my weakness throughout my 20's... I fell for ones WAY TOO EASY..I guess it started way back with the NorthWestern Girl and I continued on a trend for awhile. I finally realized that whether you know the girl you're obsessed with or not...whether you are very close or barely talk --- Nobody deserves to be on a pedestal nor should anyone have to measure up to something you think they are.. -----
Currently I am still single and am focused on my career as an actor among other things!
Ahh to beginnings! As you may notice - I like to jump around and hit the next memory that pops into my head as I type. Que sera, sera . . .
Hmmm, got a very good feeling: I think I'm gonna like it here!
2 hours ago
