three strikes

five minutes ago i ordered a cup of coffee from a complete douche. when i approached the register to order, he was pre-occupied with jotting down numbers or something, so i patiently stood there and waited for him to utter any kind of response. meanwhile, a second customer lined up behind me. he didn’t even acknowledge us, taking his sweet time to slide his little activity aside before finally looking up at me. strike number one. then i ordered a large cup and handed him the money. he filled a large mug full of the good stuff and set it down on a nearby countertop. it didn’t occur to him to ask whether i wanted my coffee in a to-go cup. strike number two. still, in spite of all this, my politeness shined through and i offered him an undeserving “thank you”. no reply. strike number three. so, let me get this straight...while i struggle to get a job, this shmuck is receiving a paycheck for acting like this to customers? don’t they teach you in customer service 101 to smile and make eye contact with people? is it not common sense in any line of work to use the expressions “thank you”, “you’re welcome”, and “have a nice day”? . who the hell hired this guy? and why am i sitting here, still unemployed, while jerks like him fill the workplace? even if you are having a bad day-which is totally understandable- you can at least fake a smile.

well, nothing i can do about it, except for wish that i was an undercover restaurant critic right about now. i will just have to swallow my bitterness and continue filling out applications and handing off my resume. my most recent job search endeavor is with bakeries and catering companies. in the past two days i will have personally applied for a position as a cake decorator, catering coordinator, private events caterer, and general sales staff member at six different business. the style in which each business handles their applicants has varied, which makes it all the more confusing and difficult for me. While one bakery says on their website that, “any application not received in person will not be seriously considered,” another accepts their applications strictly online. it’s a challenge just trying to navigate all the different modes of landing an interview. do you call ahead of time or just drop-in? do you wait until the owner is available to talk or leave your resume with whoever happens to be working there at the time? and when is it appropriate to call for a follow-up? i really wish i was given all these answers in my college years, but i don’t have the time to invent a time machine this afternoon.

i’m apprehensive. i’m intimidated. i’ve been getting headaches from all the things i have been putting off and all the questions that have gone unanswered. will i get a call back for an interview? will i be employed by thanksgiving? thankfully, i always have my parents to lean on for comfort. let me leave you with some fatherly advice i received only yesterday:

“you should find something that intrigues you...a place where you believe in their product.”

“yes, that’s the goal. but i really need money now.”

“how about counterfeit bills? if you get really good, you won’t get arrested.”

“i’ll look into it.”