Tiana (More Than a Story Book 1)

WORKING 9 to 5...

More like working 9 to 8:45.

"I'll have the Sunday dinner style honey backed ham, biscuits and gravy, with a side of seasond fries."  I struggled to write his order as he spewed  it at me.

"Side....offff...lies?"

"FRIES!" He screamed.

"Yes, yes of course I'm sorry sir. I couldn't hear you over that child over at table 9."  I was staring to get a headache from the little brat screaming over the top of his lungs in effort to worm his way out of eating his vegetables.

"Thats ok, he is being quite loud. Now my lovely wife will have-"

"Just one moment sir." I couldn't take it anymore. I walked over to table 9. " Ma'am, if there's anything I can do to help this  situation, let me know." I nodded to the red faced screaming child. " Some of the customers are...complaining."

"Oh I'm so sorry, he simply won't eat his broccoli. So unless you can make them taste any better...Tiana...then I don't see how you could help." She read my name tag.

"Well..If I may..."I walked over to the kid. "I used to hate eating my vegetables too. But, my mama showed me this cool trick to make it taste better." I took the salt and shook it over his broccoli and squirted some sweet n'tangy  barbecue sauce on the side of his plate not touching his food. "Go on, try it." I egged him on. He gave me a weird face but dipped his broccoli in the sauce and put it in his mouth. He chewed slowly then started to smile.  "Its good huh?" I asked. He nodded his head vigorously and I laughed. "There, all better."

"Thank you SO much, honey." Exclaimed the mother. "I don't know what I would have done withou-"

"WAITRESS!" Screamed a man at table 5.

"N-no problem ma'am. I'm Here to help." I rushed my reply. Turning from her, I speed walked to table 5.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"Don't give me that bullsh**! I asked for a straw a good 25 min. Ago and y'all seemed to have forgotten about me!"

"My apologies sir." I passed him a straw out of my belt holder thing full of napkins, straws and other necessities. "We're running low on staff this evening-"

"That's not my problem! Get your sh** together!" I bit the inside of my mouth not to make a comment back to him.

"Would that be all sir?"

"No! I think I deserve a gotda** refund because of this crap service you all gave me tonight!"

"You will have to speak to the manager-"

"WAITRESS!" Screamed the original people I was serving at table 1.

"Well bring him out here!" The man with a nasty attitude screamed at me. As if i wasn't standing in front of his fat face.

"Just a moment sir." I scurried off to table 1. "I apologize for the delay, we're kinda short on staff this evenin-"

"You know what! We have had enough. I know you are trying your best, and I appreciate that, but I am sick of being ignored. This place was recommended to me by a friend. Said it has the best soul food on this side of New Orleans, but its not worth it if I have to take one more minute of this terrible service!" He grabbed his wife's hand and left for the door. 

I sighed sadly, ready to go home right about now , then I heard that fool at table 5. "ARE YOU THE MANAGER?"

"No sir, I'm Travis, the managers son. What can I do for you?"  I sighed with relief. Good old Travis.  His raspy voice thick with his country accent was a relief to my tired hears.