Chapter 115: The Rose Bakery Master of Disaster

nerd blog post #136

I ended up working a monster shift on Sunday. I was asked to stay until close, which was 3am, so worked a whopping eleven hours. While at L'Arche, my days were longer, but it was such a different atmosphere than a bar. At the bar, I get to sit for my fifteen minute meal, which is rarely that long, and otherwise am on my feet, running around, carrying trays, and usually quite busy. Luckily, the owner is very chill and so are the people I work with. We get coffee and juices and pop for free while on shift, as well as a meal. In 11 hours, one meal is burned off very quickly, so I rely on the juice to keep my energy up! We also can drink on shift, and I sometimes have an iced espresso with Baileys when I start feeling sleepy around 11pm. We are not supposed to refuse shots from patrons who want to buy them for us. Usually, these are men at the bar who are lonely and don't want to drink alone... I don't mind doing one, but have found tricks so as not to do too many. Coke looks like Jagermeister and apple juice looks like whiskey and water looks like anything else. It works like a charm and keeps everyone happy.

While working Sunday night, I had one of the best tables I've ever had. Parisian customers are notorious for being kind of rude, but these four were an exception. They were so nice and friendly and warm. We chatted a lot throughout the evening and made plans to hang out next Sunday night. I gave one of the girls my phone number in case they want to hang before then, and heard yesterday that they're going out on Thursday and would like me to join. That was great news for me! It made me wish I was staying longer to develop more friendships, but Gemma is waiting!

Yesterday, I met Gel in the afternoon for a coffee. We sat and chatted for a long time and then it began to thunderstorm. Hungry, we stopped at the grocery store and then she came over and I made piri-piri chicken and cous-cous with zucchini. It was a good dindins and was accompanied by red wine. We then went to the Amelie Poulin bar in Montmartre and met her roomies and their friends who were visiting. They are a nice group of French people and very welcoming. We stayed there for a bit and then walked to the wine bar. I came home at around midnight as I started working at Rose Bakery today and didn't want to be too tired.

And so today I started working at Rose Bakery. I have written about this place a lot - it's the place Raffi and Viktor work. It's kind of a bakery, but more of a restaurant. It's owned by Rose (British) and her French husband, Jean-Charles. I was hired by the manager, Honza, who is just a bit older than I. Anyways, it sells organic, veggie type food at high prices. While the staff is mostly English speaking (and very international), the clientele is mostly French. The day started out as a disaster. Honza was working at the other location, so Jean-Charles was in charge. I arrived punctually and waited until JC had a second, and said, "Hi! I'm Emily! I'm here to work today!" JC is kind of a mean man, and he said, "So work." I found the aprons and asked one of the servers where I should start. Without any explanations at all, she said I was on drinks. I had to make two teas and a complicated juice (with a juice press I had never seen and didn't know how to use). I did the tea wrong (but didn't know it) and then proceded to the juice maker. I tried my best to figure it out, smashing the carrots and ginger into the container. But when I put the apples in, something went wrong. The machine kind of exploded and smelt like burning! Jumping back, I knocked over a glass that shattered ALL over the floor, and under a table full of customers. I let out a yelp. I then heard stomping and swearing in French and JC yelled at me for "breaking" the machine (it was fine) and the glass (it was not so fine). I was promptly taken off drinks duty and told to set tables and take orders and deliver food. So I'm a server? Yeah, thanks. That's what I was hired for because that's what I know how to do. Soooo the first five minutes were an utter disaster. The restaurant was packed and with a line up for tables, so I moved quickly and did well for the rest of the day. Near the end, JC sat me down and offered me a coffee and we chatted a bit. He really likes Raffi, and asked after him, and said it was nice to have me. He also apologized for yelling and said it wasn't my fault, that I shouldn't have been put on drinks when I didn't know how to make them. Duh. But now JC and I are pals, I think. At the end of the shift, I got to sit down and enjoy as much of that ultra-healthy and delicious food as I wanted. It was well-worth it and I look forward to tomorrow. It's also nice knowing most of the staff from visiting the boys, and not having to learn new names as well as everything else. After all, I'm only working there for a week.

I have a busy week. As well as moving in one week and preparing for that, I'm working 30 hours at the bakery and 20 or so at the bar. Feels like the busy life I had in Toronto, and craved all year! So I'm happy.

Hope this finds you all well!

Signing off,
Hincks.