Okay, I was going to write a letter to my coworkers about this, but I decided it would be less confrontational to just blog about it. Plus, the people reading this would think it's funny to see how my OCD truly affects me. So, here goes....
So the restaurant I work in has 46 tables. Each of these tables has one salt shaker, one pepper shaker, and one sugar caddy. This is pretty much common sense, but I'm building up to a point here, so go with me.... Anyway, that is a total of 46 of each of the above mentioned items, right? Well, I'm working the graveyard shift, so I keep all my tables in one little section. The restaurant has 4 main sections, which can be divided more as needed. So, I know and expect the table toppers to be emptied in my section a little throughout my shift. However, what I don't expect (nor should I have to) is that I would have to go through each and every table in the store to make sure that everything is done. The servers on the prior shift should clean their tables and restock anything that needs it.... Right? Apparently, they think I have nothing better to do than to do their job for them. Do they not realize that I don't get paid any more than they? Doesn't seem to matter. I guess they just think that I will have plenty of time to clean up after ALL of them. Or they think I'm their damn mother. Either way, here is the grand total for what I had to do last night (not including the incomplete stocking, etc. for the rest of the store)...
- 22 pepper shakers needed filling
- 20 salts
- 26 sugar caddies
Ummm... I probably used and reused 6 tables during the course of my shift.... So, can someone explain to me why I had to stock nearly half the restaurant's tables? One entire section needed the sugar caddies completely emptied and reorganized.... WTF people? As I explained to my relief this morning, I know that I'm not the only person who does their job correctly up there, but when I have massive amounts of cleaning and stocking like that... It feels like I am the only one.... I'm just bitching about the table toppers because those take the longest to stock when they are neglected like that. I'm not even including the floors (which were atrocious in some areas), the dirty tables, the dirty coffee pots, the silverware left unrolled, the poorly stocked main service area, the ice left unstocked, the tea left unmade, the back soda station that clearly hadn't been cleaned and organized, the drains that hadn't been cleaned out, etc., etc. This on top of MY duties makes for a very frustrating night. Here's the thing. My OCD dictates that everything be organized and uniform. So, the three nights I've worked since I started back have consisted of doing anywhere from 3-5 people's work over again ON TOP of my own work. That's B.S. to the Nth degree.
Anyway, I show the manager... my buddy Peggy... all the work left for me to do... Have a bitch session about it... and decide that my work ethic and moral compass are above passing the buck to the next shift out of revenge/dignity/whathaveyou. I resign myself to the fact that the people who work before me know this about me and take advantage of it. My therapist says I'm a "people pleaser" and now I see why. I don't want to rock the boat. I'll bitch and cry about how unfair something is, all the while putting up with it and cleaning up after people so that THEY don't get in trouble. Do I need to grow a pair? Because I know that the GM won't do anything about it. Neither will the other manager... the pedophile formerly known as Gono (yes, pedophile... he knocked up a 14 year old girl). Peggy is so frustrated by all of the office politics going on up there that she is seeking other employment. Naturally, she has other work to do, so she can't help me. She does, however, let me know how much my work is appreciated in light of all the recent IHOP drama that has ensued. This, in itself, makes me feel like my work is worth it.
***Deep breath***
~~~Cleansing sigh~~~
That being said, I have to admit that I really enjoy working the graveyard shift. There is no drama between the workers. It's a very laid-back, reduced-stress waitressing environment. If I can just get a grip on the new sleeping schedule, I'll be straight.
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