Are you on Pins and Needles?

Well, I literally stayed up until 11 pm last night studying specialty pizzas, salads and salad dressings. I was exhausted, but I have to say, it was sort of nice to use my brain again, even if it was that minute part that is involved in memorization. I felt pretty good about the material, but kept reminding myself that this was a 100% passage rate. Then I started thinking - wait, maybe they are just SAYING this to make people learn the material. I am going to make you wait to see what happened.

Today I had to wake up and buy my "uniform." Khakis, (do people wear those anymore? If you do, I am not insulting you, but I personally don't feel comfortable in them), a black belt (that I was mortified to buy) and black tennis shoes. That's right: tennis shoes that are black. I thought I could get away with black ballet flats and no one would notice, but I was caught. Then I tried the old, "But I don't even know where to buy black tennis shoes...do they even make those?" Yes my friends, they do. Please visit your local Payless or Target if you would like a pair. (My other point was, why buy all this stuff and then fail the test and not be able to return BLACK TENNIS SHOES!!)

So I am getting antsy. I am supposed to be at the restaurant at 2:30 and I showed up closer to 2:15. Remember I live across the street so I can just run on over there whenever I want. I do think this will be convenient when I am running late. Oh by the way - when I called yesterday to extend my test date some guy answered the phone. When I asked to speak to the managers I had met he told me they were not there. I asked if he could have them call me back and he replied, "Um, why don't you just leave a message? I am more than capable of taking one for you." Wow. Now I was scared to even meet this guy - today I find out he is, in fact, the third manager. Super.

Ok.So I am in the restaurant. I get seated in a booth with some water and kind of feel like I am about to take the SATs again. The only difference was the Beatles playing loudly in the background and people eating pizza all around me. They did, in fact, scramble the order of the pizzas from the study sheet we were given. Tricky! Good thing I am so old I was able to figure this out. After I finished, (and raised my hand like I was on a game show shouting "Done!") the manager took my test to the back. Judgment day. She came back and told me that I made one mistake. What? What in the world did I do? I wrote down that the Caesar dressing went on the Greek salad. My mind had zoned out because I was using so little of it that I had made the stupidest mistake. However....she let me pass because she said every other portion of the test was above and beyond what was expected and because I finished the test faster than she had ever seen anyone complete it. Law school people. This is where it can take you.

We went over all this paperwork like how I can't drink or use drugs at work. She then started to tell me about the policy of dating within the company. She stopped herself and said, "Let's be honest. There's no one here you want to date." Alrighty then. While we were going over the papers, I asked her if the "100%" rule was just a ploy to make people study. She said no! They are so serious about this restaurant!! The girl who came in after me to take the test kept stretching her arms and took an hour to finish. She passed but she later told me that the test was "really hard." She used to work at Hooters and just graduated from college after 9 years. Also, she said that she always wears a belt with her khakis. I think I offended her when I was dogging our outfits.

So, after two interviews, and a written test, I still have SEVEN (7) days of training. Today I stood in the kitchen and watched the pizzas coming out of the oven. I then had to identify them (see the transition of paper to real product?) Hooters girl and I stayed in the way as people rushed around us trying to get orders out. Hooters girl was wrong about pretty much every pizza that came out. Not sure how long she is going to last. The head kitchen guy told me his name is "Killer" and to come to him if I have any problems with the staff. Then he informed me he is a gynecologist on the side. I informed him that I just went over the sexual harassment part of the handbook 30 minutes before. I think we will make a great team.

So tomorrow I am back at 10:00 am. Too bad I won't be able to purchase those black tennis shoes before then. The best part about training is that after ever shift I receive a free pizza (which has to be half & half and be one of the specialty pizzas) as well as a salad, so that I will be able to tell customers honestly if I like the pizza. This evening I dined on a strawberry salad, the Green Lantern, and the Wimpy. Good thing I am training for this marathon. I also receive 50% off carry out orders. Am I enticing anyone to go into the restaurant business? I don't know what tomorrow entails, but I hope that I will soon be promoted to actual "server" rather than "server assistant" and start making the real money! I will keep you posted on my next assignment!

PS - Mike keeps making fun of my super awesome t-shirt. On the front it has the name of the restaurant, and on the back it says "Taking Pizza to the Next Level." That's all I have to say about that.