Training day

Today would seem like the average workday if not for one simple fact: today is the day that Mick and Gemma decided that all the new workers would be trained, all at once. See, somehow the two of them didn't see the problem with that, but you did: it means that the restaurant is going to grind to a halt whenever the newbies comes across a problem, and you know for a fact that you'll be the one who has to handle it.

"Hey, Gemma," you say. "How's everything going?"

"It'd be going a lot smoother if you had shown up on time," the graying manager says spitefully. "Where were you?"

"I was at home," you say, double-checking that your apron is on properly. You've had Gemma complain enough about 'unprofessionalism' that you've started to do it right in front of her so she can't complain about it later. "But I'm here now." You smile at her-- it's fake. She knows it, and you know that she knows it. Neither of you cares enough about the other to call it out.

"The new kids are all in today," Gemma says. "You'll be in charge of training them."

"Me?" you say. "All of them? Gemma, I'm a waitress. That's what I do, I don't know how to cook, or wash dishes, or whatever. Why can't Ray and the old guy take care of them? I'm busy enough as it is."

The manager scowls. "You're taking care of them," she says, eyes narrowing threateningly. "Don't fuck it up, or Mick will have your ass. You know how he is about Celeste's friends."

Pervy and gross, that's how he is, you think to yourself. How a man that old, a married man, could still be creeping on eighteen-year-olds is beyond you. Then again you probably shouldn't be surprised about the extents of Mick's skeevery. The guy probably only started the restaurant so he could harass his staff-- especially the women.

"So who's on today?" you say.

"Pete and Mia are busing dishes for the day. Jean, Alyssa, and Will are the waitstaff, plus you. And then Jessica and Trevor are cooking. Ray is off today, and Jessica will be too busy actually running the restaurant, so that's why you're watching Trevor. So don't mouth off, missy," Gemma says.

"Yes ma'am," you mutter. Better not to aggravate the older woman any more than she already is.

Time to get to work.