“Can you imagine if we worked together every day?” asked one of the managers. It was an odd confluence of schedules that brought together the daytime manager, me, and the GM of one of the others in our group of eateries. On any other day, we might never have crossed each other’s paths, much less spent an hour working together. On this day, we spent an hour-plus together. God, did we have fun, even when it wasn’t supposed to be fun.
I am taking on all of our group’s private dining responsibilities, a giant leap about which I am excited and also terrified. The daytime manager of our place is back, a giant leap for her as she returns to full-time work life having just barely begun her life as a full-time mom.
Since the moment the daytime manager returned, I have had the first moments of fun at this job–after almost seven months! I have laughed aloud at our silliness, laughed a little harder at the mundane events surrounding lunch, and laughed until I have literally sobbed at the funny and the insane crap that makes up most of the rest of our hours together. You know–the if-you-don’t-laugh-you-will-cry kind of stuff, except we have mastered the art of the laugh-cry.
Some might say that we are having a bit too much fun. That maybe we have too little to do if we are having that much fun. And so we have vowed to tone down our hilarity and ditch the giggles when others are around, because we have plenty to do, even if we are both having fun doing it. Fun is so easy and it can make the work look so easy, even when the reality is still a challenge.
“We always get the work done,” smiles my cohort. Yes, yes we do, with bells on and laughter ringing out. Work should always be this great. Finally, work feels great.
“We wouldn’t get anything done if we worked together,” laughs the GM of one of the other places in the group.
“No, no!” I say. “We would get it all done and then some.” Because I know we would. We would actually kick serious ass if we did work together all the time.
“I miss this place,” says the GM of one of the other eateries, because she started at this place.
No, you don’t miss this place, I think. You miss this. THIS. I, too, have missed THIS. Because I never thought I would experience THIS again in a restaurant. In a job.
What if all the right moments combined just so today, despite a stupid cold you are battling? What if your GM literally danced a jig and smiled and laughed today as you watched slack jawed? What if this other GM deferred to your judgment on a number of suggestions? What if the daytime manager and you don’t even have to speak to know what the other is thinking and you each know what needs to get done, and you just do it?
What if you joke with the chef almost every day now. What if you marvel at the stars aligning just so, so that you are even getting your own laptop to get your job done even better.
Sometimes a day is all good. Thus, I will try to save this one, savor this one, forever capture this one–make it my savings account for the inevitable rainy day.
What if this were for real? Thankfully, it was.
Comments
15 responses to “What If?”
I can’t believe you’ve been there for seven months now; it really doesn’t seem like it’s been that long! I’m happy you had fun, though. It’s always wonderful to enjoy being at work.
What a wonderful day. I hope you have many, many more days like this one.
Work should be fun, otherwise we’d all be accountants
I remember when work was fun, wonder when and how we lost it? Made something I loved doing, into just putting in my time.All in the past now, enjoy it while you can.
Woo Hoo! Sounds like a wonderful day.
I’ve been lurking lately… Congrats on a great day and give your pup a hug!
Good for you for having a good/fun day at work. I sort of envy you. The day sounds like a knee slapper. Here’s hoping you have more of those days.
Thank you, RG. You remind me on a daily basis why I love working in the restaurant business. My place of business is definitely more than a place, it’s my home. And my coworkers are my family.
I so love the idea of saving the good experience for bad times. I live by this rule myself and it works brilliantly for me.
Of course I’m wishing you all the happiest days in the world. It’s just common sense that there will be other days too and it’s a priceless treasure to have that kind of days stored in your heart and mind to come back to.
I gotta tell ya, RG, those were the kind of days that make me miss the biz. Such a sense of accomplishment, and having fun at the same time (how novel!). May those days now be your ‘Norm’, and not just an occasional occurrence.
Congrats, RG, sounds like things are making you smile again..
Cheers
“Work” really should be all that, and more. Congratulations.
RG – I found this and thought you might enjoy it 🙂
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7253002.stm
Aren’t you exhausted yet? Yawn yawn yawn. People are everywhere down here. I feel like a robot. I am glad that at least one of us are managing well. Well… for one day haha. Hopefully this isn’t just a one day deal for you.
Glad your daytime manager is back. Hope it continues.