It Was Fun!

After a stressful week of trying to be proper in school, it actually felt good to go in and wait tables. I think it helps that the super busy time of the year is over. It was a steady night that wasn't too taxing, yet still profitable. As a server, you just can't ask for more. And I've got almost a dozen years in at this restaurant, so the routine is one I could do in my sleep. (And trust me, I have done it in my sleep on many nights)!

I had a section that is almost like having your own private room, as it is a narrow alcove-ish section that "L"'s off of the main dining room. The galley style layout lends itself to diners interacting with one another. Tonight was no exception.

At the peak of dining, a table of seven men were seated in my section. They were happy, having golfed and imbibed their day away. They were out-of-towners who wanted to know what was good, what my name was, and could they get some appetizers, and yes they wanted more cocktails! It's always a good sign when your table wants to know your name--it's like Pavlov's bell to a server because they will almost surely be 20 % tippers. But I digress.

They were a jovial lot ordering three rounds of cocktails during the course of their stay at Table #28. Of course it was one check. (The second bell to a server's ears, as it means they are not worried about paying more for Joe's dinner than their own. "Pool it! We'll figure it out." Inward server sigh--outward server smile). No dessert was needed as these weekend warriors had more cocktails to consume.

But a funny, funny thing happened at the end of their meal. When I arrived at the table to clear away the empty plates, two men were MIA. It didn't take long for the remaining men to point my attention to the lake where one of the missing-in-action was taking up the dare to literally go jump in the lake. Seems they'd promised to buy his dinner if he had the balls to swim out to the raft, where the slide stood forlornly after a summer full of attention, and actually slide down it. There were hoots when he submersed himself fully in the water, then cackles of pride as he swam to the raft. The other tables in my section couldn't help but take note of the drama playing out the picture windows that are the wall of the dining room. When the man heaved his body to the raft and began climbing the ladder every eye in the dining room near the window was on him. Busgirls came out from the kitchen to see what the commotion coming from the wing could be, waitresses stopped to watch just for a moment, fellow diners laughed with the warm and dry golfers who had proposed this silly stunt.

The free dinner-getter slid down once, but then climbed back up and positioned himself face first to make another splash. The diners in the wing and I found out that the bet included a belly flop. You had to hand it to the guy; he knew how to work a crowd. The cheering hit an all-time high when his belly flopped satisfyingly onto the water. This was turning into an Olympic-sized event!

The table next door to the rowdy betters was thoroughly enjoying the entertainment. One of the 60-ish women even yelled over to the guffawing friends that, hell, even she would go slide for a free dinner. She backed down only slightly when they assured her that they would indeed buy her dinner if she did so. The quiet table in the corner tolerated the ruckus and I did my best to soothe their shattered evening. All in all the man's expedition into the chilly evening air was a hit.

Belly flopper arrived back to the table just in time to receive the rest of the joke. His warm jacket was safely tucked into the kitchen, and I arrived to give him the bill, quoting exactly as they told me to say, "I'm supposed to give this to you, I guess." Loud laughter followed by those who had put him up to the task. One of them got it on his phone camcorder while another gave a play by play to a friend or significant other who was missing a legendary tale in the making. Oh, you know these guys will be giving this guy props for the rest of their days! I'm glad I could help them make a memory.

I gave him back his coat just before they exited the dining room. My tables laughed about the joy the men had given them through the rest of their meals. I had fun and was tipped well (ummm, 20% to be exact). And there must have been some karma around that Table #28 because the eight girls who sat there after the seven guys were just as mischevious. A man at the table next to theirs bought one girl's dinner, though I wasn't around to know why. (Some things are better left unknown, don't you think?) They were pleasant and funny, wanted to know my name, and oddly enough they were loud like the last diners to sit there. The woman who had offered to go down the slide for a free meal laughed when I brought their check and asked, "Is it getting loud again?" She agreed and admitted that they needed to leave since it was about all they could take to get through the last bunch.

Some nights are just more fun than others. Tonight was one of those stress-free work nights that we wish happened all the time in the serving world. Given the amount of stress and bad news I've had this week, I will take this night as a rare gift.