On the Verge

I have been on the verge of quitting the bar lately. Every week I get several calls to work for someone hours before the shift. The longest notice I have been given was roughly 12 hours on Memorial Day. The Tuesday opening bartender wanted me to work for her.

The final straw came yesterday. I had worked the lunch shift and was just turning down my street looking forward to nothing more than a shower when my phone rang. When I saw it was work I thought maybe I had a check left open or something so I answered. It was my boss saying that he needed someone to work that night at 5. It was 3. I told him I'd rather not, the nice way to tell your boss to F off. He actually told me that sometimes we need to do things we don't want to do and that they needed someone to work. I get that, but it's not really my problem, is it? I already worked that day and I work open to close on Fridays. Seriously, piss off. He got mad and said he would call me back.

He never called me back so after an hour of waiting around smelling like grease and bar I finally called him. He was cheerful on the phone and had found someone to work. Great. But then he asks me about working Sunday and Monday. I hate being put on the spot about working. Is it strange that I like to take a minute to think about it? I told him I might be able to do Sunday, but I'd let him know for sure the next day. Several hours later I got a voicemail from him saying I would be working Sunday. Does he not listen?

I am seriously close to quitting. I am tired of people only asking me to work last minute, but asking others in advance. It really backs me in to a position where I always have to say no and the owners think I am not willing to help.

I really think they need to hire more employees. Let one of the waitresses cover bar shifts and hire another part time waitress. Two waitresses and four bartenders are not enough to run a place smoothly.

I never thought I'd say this...

Sometimes I miss waitressing on Friday nights. I have been bartending for about a month now and have seen the other side of things. People at the bar are annoying. They may not be rude in the same way as customers at tables, but they are rude. The thing I miss most about waitressing is the movement of it all. Bartending I feel like I am in a little box, moving back and forth. Sometimes I feel like I am in a pinball machine, bouncing off one side of the bar to another. It's like a crazy dance and at the end of the night all I want to do is sit down.

One thing I am thankful for when bartending is not having to serve on the patio. I hate the patio. That will never change.