It was quite. Especially for a Saturday. Normally I wouldn't have a second to myself this time of the day. I would be cleaning glasses, scraping leftovers of plates making drinks and simultaneously keep the bar clean and organized. But not today, today I was waiting for something to do. My boss says if you have nothing to do clean something but that always feels like a waste of time. I clean and I clean just so people can make it dirty all over again. I don't like it when it's quiet, makes me feel useless. So I get over myself and start to clean to pass the time. If I could only get this motivation at home. If I don't get paid for it I don't see the point.
Finally, some guests. An old married couple had walked in the restaurant and Annabel showed them to a table. I counted, table 13. Since I had nothing to do I grabbed two menus and a wine list. As I was walking to table 13 Annabel took the menus out of my hands and mumbled some kind of a thank you. Even if I wasn't qualified to serve customers yet, that's just rude. I said nothing, I always say nothing. The woman stands up to go to the toilet and as she passes me I fight the urge to say "good luck." Instead I gave her a look that said "I know what you're doing in there". I have fun with myself. The man orders two Pinot Grigio and an appetizer.
As I watch the man waiting for his wife I wondered what the worst fight they ever had was but before I finish my thought he fell of his chair.
Bam.
Without thinking I ran to him.
He's unconscious.
I grap him by his collar and start shaking
'Sir, sir can you hear me sir?'
No response.
I put my head above his to check if he's breathing.
I hear footsteps beside me and then uncontrollable crying
'No Albert. Is he dead? Tell me he's not dead.'
'Call 9-1-1 he's not breathing.' As I told her there was a shiver in my voice, but that didn't affect her cooperation. 'Annabel' I said with more confidence this time. 'take a AED kit I need to start chest compressions.'
And I started, everything I learned during the CPR training was coming back to me. Okay I know this one hand over the other and just start pressing.
I, I, I, I staying alive, staying alive
I heard the ribs crack but I kept going. The wife had put 9-1-1 on loudspeaker. "9-1-1 what's your emergency?" Sighed the operator, almost like she was bored.
"I have a man who collapsed and stopped breathing I started CPR"
She asked my location and I told her.
Everything had become automatic.
I pushed and I pushed and I pushed while I was humming staying alive. Annabel came back with the AED kit I asked her to press start and she did. The AED kit started speaking and I did what it asked.
He didn't wake up.
I kept going.
Come on, I had never seen a dead body and I wasn't going to start now. I heard the ambulance. how many minutes was I pounding on his chest. I looked at the clock on the wall. That clock used to annoy me as it always showed how late I was. Three minute, with four minutes he can suffer brain damage.
The ambulance stormed in they asked me all kinds of questions most of which I didn't know the answer too. They put him on a gurney and then left as quick as they came. I looked around for his wife but I realize that she had gone with the ambulance.
I walked back to the bar and washed my hands.
'HELLO' Annabel yelled. 'What?' I answered.
'Where are those Pinot Grigio I asked for 4 minutes a go?'
I wanted to yell how dare she! But a familiar voice took all my anger away.
'you're out of toilet paper in the ladies room.' The wife. My eyes wandered to table 13. And there he was, alive and well. I smiled and answered
'thank you for your concern, I will take care of it.'
