FREE ESSAY ON DRINKING ON THE JOB

DRINKING ON THE JOB

Drinking on the Job
Drinking on the job. I never had a job in a restaurant where somebody could drink while
working until I got a job as a waitress at Sweetwater Grill and Tavern. Taking part in
this activity at work is a sure-fire way to have a strange work experience. I, of course,
was not drinking on the job since it was my first day waiting tables at Sweetwater Grill
and Tavern, and I was underage (only 18 years old at the time). I had just gotten the job
and couldn't wait to work in a comfortable, laid back work environment, which I had never
been accustomed to. At Sweetwater, the servers did not have to wear uniforms like most
restaurants. Here, servers were allowed to wear cut-off jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and
whatever type of shoe that we preferred. The bosses of the restaurant just sat at the bar
all day long and caught up with what was going on with their new and old friends. Nobody
came in expecting good quality service. As a matter of fact, Sweetwater was infamous for
the worst service around in town. This restaurant was any server's dream job. The
freedoms were not limited to these, though. Oh no, since the tavern was pretty much an
organized drunk fest for drinkers of all ages, the servers were also allowed to partake
in the festivities, and drink and smoke as much as they pleased without letting it
interfere in their work. So everyone got to have fun at work. Surely this would make the
endless nights working go by much quicker and be more bearable. I could not have been
more wrong in my life. 
Since it was my first day on the job I arrived promptly at four o'clock that evening. I
was very nervous about making new friends. At least I would be the first one out that
night. To my surprise, the other two servers working the floor that night, Patrick and
Lindsay, were very pleasant and talkative. They immediately informed me that Beef Jerky
Time was the code for let's party and that it would begin at 10:30 that evening. Great! I
replied with what must have been the most frightened look upon my face. Drink on the job?
Whatever. At least that left enough time for me to get the hang of things in the
restaurant so that I would not have to rely on Patrick and Lindsay, the two
alcohol-starved servers when we were amidst Beef Jerky Time. No problem. The night wore
on so slowly as I ungraciously learned the ropes of Sweetwater. Drinks, drinks, food,
food, blah, blah. It was all so confusing to me since I had no formal training to the
menu. This was the Sweetwater way. Next thing I know I am feeling pretty uncomfortable
with the job because Patrick and Lindsay are desperately asking me to help them out with
their tables. Christina, can you please, PLEASE wait on this table for me? I am SO
slammed! they said in their best-frustrated voice. Of course I complied since it was my
first day on the job and I am always up for making more money. Eventually, I wound up
taking on all but one of Patrick's tables and all but two of Lindsay's tables, bringing
my grand total of tables I was waiting on up to fifteen. FIFTEEN TABLES! Needless to say
I began to drown. I searched fervently for Patrick and Lindsay in order to plead for
their help in serving the customers. Patrick, can you help me out here? I asked him.
Patrick could not hear me, or see me for that matter, since all the Jagermeister shots
had clouded his ability to use his senses. All of a sudden, I heard a voice from across
the room yelling.  Hey Christina! What are you doing? as he waved around his umpteenth
shot in the air. Well Patrick, I am waiting on YOUR tables! I screamed. Oh. OH! I forgot
about my tables. I wonder if they are still here, Patrick chuckled. This was my breaking
point. Where is Lindsay? I asked as I tried to keep my cool. Not to my surprise, I was
directed to Lindsay's whereabouts in the pool area in the very back of the restaurant.
Lindsay was throwing back a few margaritas and playing a little pool with a customer.
What a work ethic! As I stomped over to her, I was greeted with, Hey Christina! Want a
shot of tequila? These men are buying. Aren't they cool? The next obvious step was to
approach the manager about this little problem, which would have actually worked if the
manager was not trying to drink more Jagermeister shots than Patrick. Yep, that's right,
the manager was sloshed as well. This night was turning out to be a nightmare. I could do
nothing but suck up my pride and frustration and face the angry masses of tables by
myself since everyone else was so drunk to help me out. The night that I was so sure
would end at exactly nine o'clock lasted until three o'clock in the morning, as the new
girl, me, picked up the slack that ran rampant during Beef Jerky Time. Oddly enough, my
strange day at work did not end as badly as I predicted. I left my first night working at
Sweetwater with over three hundred dollars in my pocket, but I earned every penny of it.
Patrick and Lindsay? Well, they just left that night with a hangover. AHH...sweet karma!