I want to take this time to talk about our servants. You may not be rolling in dough like Coke McDuck, but even you have servants. Your waitresses and waiters. Your Duane Reade, CVS, Rite Aide checkout persons. Your bank teller. All these people took jobs out of necessity or desire, consciously or unconsciously rooted in their ability to help people.
These troubled economic times are a challenge to many of us. Unemployment is touching 9.1% as of this Labor Day weekend writing. Almost 1 in every 10 people in the country is out of a job. Is that a lot? It sure sounds like it.
But challenges also represent opportunity. This economic stagnation is a thinly veiled blessing for many. I'm an optimist, so I assume even the most down-and-out American can find at least a kernel of growth from being put through the ringer as is. Being forced into idle time that must be filled with only productive action seems to me a fertile ground to plant new ideas. Finding new ways to feed thy self, new ways to find shelter or new ways to communicate-adaptation out of necessity is what we do. Those who have nothing left have nothing left to lose.
We will prevail.
I've been in the food service industry my whole life. I always comforted any fears of job security with my father's voice in my head, "You can tend bar anywhere. You could bartend your way across Europe!" The corner stones of every civilization: the church, and the tavern. A blessing of a work ethic has allowed me to always find a job when I needed it.
I'm not saying I've been everywhere and done everything inside the service industrial complex, but I know working in service has taught me more things about myself and my fellow humans than I could have ever learned at Phelan University City College.
If not for the self-exploratory purposes, then for the backstage pass for food and drink considered expensive, even inaccessible to the masses/civs/suits. It's an admittedly intoxicating feeling.
All this rambling had a purpose, I think - all I'm trying to say is if you happen to be in the food service industry, you probably have main pursuits that are your ticket outta that hellhole. And even if you don't, if your means is your end, this is especially for you: You can change the world by actively intending yourself to being "of good service" twenty minutes before your shift.
Breath. Think about all the people you will take care of tonight. Think of how good good service feels, how a bad night can be turned on its head from a few minutes' action in the course of a meal.
Yes, there's asshole customers, bosses and coworkers. If it's intolerable, you can always look for another job - and actively looking to improve your situation makes the situation much more bearable. Maybe bearable just long enough for the asshole to sabotage themselves. Nobody enjoys being reminded they're a servant, but if you serve for pay, you have a job, and a lot of folks aren't even that lucky, so you might as well do your job well. Leave more positivity in the world than there was before your shift.
To any customers: go easy on your servers. Do you have any idea how much their job sucks?
Thanks for reading,
Aaron
