The Guy Who Gave Up His Jersey (New Version)

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Today was longer than I needed it to be for a Monday. This past weekend took most of my energy for me to get through Monday. By the time I made to the cafe to start my shift, I was in need of a nap. From here on until December rolls around my days were going to be long and tiring. I'd have to juggle school, work, and the games at school. To make matters worst I have my own party and mindy's wedding to worry about to. Just thinking about how busy these next few months were going to be made me feel fatigue.

I walked in the kitchen and shake my head at the sight of two tubs of dirty dishes. The morning shift didn't clean the dishes and now I was stuck washing them. Great. I pulled my hair into a pony tail and began to wash the dishes. I didn't need to be working at the cafe. My mom can handle it most of the time but she started paying me for working and I started putting myself in shifts. I like to have the extra cash in my savings account to spend it when I want to spoil myself. Sometimes I overwork though, I take on more shifts than I can handle and I overwork myself.

The small trip from this weekend killed my energy to do much today. All I craved for was my bed and covers, something I wouldn't see until closing time. I finished washing the dishes and drying them and went to the front of the cafe. I was surprised to see Alejandro waiting tables. My mom was behind the counter making a coffee for a customer sitting at the bar.

"Is Alejandro a new worked?" I asked her curiously.

She nodded. "A customer told me about him working last week and said he was the best server she had seen at a cafe. I had to hire him." She smiled.

"Does he know you hired him?" I don't think Ale was looking for a job. I think he enjoys coming out and helping around. He likes distracting himself from his own thoughts. He thinks I don't know him very well but I know him good enough to know how he keeps himself sane.

All the after school activities and the hobbies help him from overthinking about God knows what.

"No. When pay day rolls around I'll give him his check though." She assured me.

"Alright, mom." I sighed. "By the way the morning crew didn't wash the dishes from their shift."

"I know, Clarice told me before she left. Thank you for washing them."

I just smiled at her. I took another grey empty cub and walked to a dirty table. The rest of the day I worked around the cafe like a zombie. Taking orders, cleaning tables, making drinks. I wasn't sure how I was functioning at this point. Customers words were going through one ear and heading out the other. My feet were aching like never before and my head was thudding against my temples.

Alejandro stayed the entire time at the cafe, doing about the same chores as me. At one point mom even had him working the cash register which she only lets me work. She had set up a table in the back of the cafe so she could make small decoration for my party. I ended up helping her but she had to leave to help mindy with her own decoration making. The cafe was slow and Ale was able to handle the few tables occupied on his own. I finished doing the decoration my mom left for me to finished. In between hot gluing mint bows on lilac flowers I knocked out.

I had made myself into a small ball on the booth and slept away until Alejandro woke me up. When I sat up, I was half asleep. I didn't even remember where I was at. Blinking a few times I noticed the cafe was empty. What time was it?

"It's time for us to go." Ale said softly.

"I have to close out the register and mop and sweep the floor."

"I did it all. I cleaned the bathrooms, mopped the floors, and closed the registers. I left the money bag under the cash registers so the morning shift can take the bag to the bank. I left a a paper with all the earnings made today and tips for your mom to go over."