So I woke up at like 6:30 this morning. I called my Dad, intending to tell him happy fathers day. Instead we talked for a bit about Nick Hornby's book, How to
Be Good. I forgot to tell him the code words, and so I failed there. So dear, dad, "Happy Father's Day"
On Father's day Outback opens at 11:00. I got out of church at like 11:05, huffed it over the the restaraunt and by 11:30 was waiting tables. Sometime in the mid afternoon a middle aged man and his two sons were seated in my seciton. I went through the usual blah blah blah. He was kind of aloof and distant. His children seemed kind of on edge. One of them had obviously just been crying. The man's significant other was conspicuously absent, speaking of a likekly separation.
Things were moderately tense for a while and then he just snapped. I don't know why. I'm not sure he really does either. One moment things are fine, Hooly Dooly really, and then the man goes into this existentialist rant about the large chain steakhouse industry.
"All these places are the same. The same food, just with different names on the menu. I hate Outback! I'm never coming here again."
The French may love food, but apparently distraut existentialists of all stripes hate Outback and its existential malaise.
The man continued to diatribe. Tired of attacking the old Outback. This fine gentlemen turned to me. He described my service as somewhat rude. To convey this he characterized my behavior as a monkey's. I thought his description inspiring. The man ate his food, payed and left. I don't think I'll ever see him again.
Oh the Outback. This place tears me down on a daily basis. I have worked 8 out of the past 9 days. I have at least three if not six more in a row ahead of me. This work schedule has not allowed me to post a record of this trip in Maine due to the fact that much of my time is spent in the "No Worries" zone.
But there is a light at the end of my working tunnel. A week from this monday, if all goes well, I will be in Boston watching Wilco. That is my eye of the tiger.
Posted by matt at June 16, 2003 12:24 AMThanks, Matt, for the Father's Day wish. Sorry yours wasn't as good as mine. Mom read How to Be Good on the way back from the beach today. We both had the same thought--that Hornsby's outlook is very cynical. Actually, for someone apart from Christ, his view is very honest. I only wish he had a better perspective on the church, since the one church experience the narrator has is in a church where the pastor doesn't believe any of what she says, and is in the middle of her own crisis. Overall, I thought it was a great book. Thanks for recommending it.
Posted by: Dad at June 16, 2003 9:15 PM