... where family is the source of humor!

Fishy Story: Prelude by Carol Wells

Every year families get-together for reunions, a time to share potluck dishes . . . and stories about the shining, and less than proud, moments within our Individual family units. Some stories can become a family reunion "staple" expectantly shared at every gathering. This is mine . . . Due to some readers not being a member of my family, the Prelude shares a little about my work environment at the time of this event. Filler information that is not particularly humorous.

Around 1992 I worked, as a server, within a family-oriented restaurant chain where the staff had a list of mandatory greetings and preferred phrasings used by employees. Memorization helped as the only way to receive a raise, as a server, was to take a test that included customer greeting and verbal descriptions of menu items while taking care not to reveal crucial ingredients, and, to help turn more of a profit, dessert suggestions.

Corporate office marketed the family theme more to the customers than to its employees so these rules helped guide the staff into helping create an illusion of a wholesome and earthy environment for the clientele while also insuring that everyone entering the doors received a similar level of personal service.

Management also had an outline, or routine, to follow about certain potential events. For example, let us say a family emergency arose requiring an employee to leave their shift early.

Cashiers handled all of the incoming phone calls as most of these would be people asking for directions or to place carry out orders. Therefore, if someone called for an employee, s/he would handle these calls first hence the one determining, initially, if a family emergency existed.

If feeling the latter may be happening, the cashier would notify the manager on duty to take the call and get all the pertinent details. If in agreement with the cashier's assessment, the manager would proceed to phase two: preparing to inform the employee.

So far, during this time, the particular is still working and completing oblivious to the home situation while the management worked on putting into action the safety plan before calling the employee into the office.

• If only one manager on duty, another manager called and asked to come in.
• {After second manager arrives] management consults about the phone call. This may lead to another employee, generally one having a valid driver's license, called into the office and informed of one of their co-worker's emergency.
• F· Finally, management informs the one employee about the phone call.

Corporate office felt the above steps were for its employees' better interests and safety. If the employee needs to go home or to a hospital, one of the managers will drive the person where their presence is needed. If that employee drove to work, the additional employee would follow the manager.

Yes, an over convoluted setting. The theory, as shared with us employees, being this is how the restaurant would look out for our safety. "An employee, upset and trying to get home while worrying about the emergency at home, is risking harm to themselves or others." Us employees came up with our own explanation; the longer the employee is in the dark; the longer the employee worked thus not having the staff short-handed.

However, since some reading this are not a member of my family, now have a brief glimpse into I worked for would try handling certain phone calls . . . thus concluding the prelude.

On to A Fishy Story!

Humorous Book Recommendations:             [ view all ]
Waiting: True Confessions of a Waitress
[Debra Ginsberg; 298 pages]
A delightful light read, whether you ever waited on tables in the past or not. Debra shares an interesting memoir centered around working in a restaurant. However, some people may not want to dine out for a few days after reading this book. Can you relate?

It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure why take the chance?
-- Ronald Reagan

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