Jennifer Heard pt. 1

 It was the very first job that I ever got on my own. My mother didn't set up the interview, and an old friend of the family didn't recruit me on. This was a job that I pursued for myself and got it.

I was wary of it, of course. My very first fast food job, my first job ever in fact, had turned out to be a horrible experience. Traumatizing even. It just about ruined work for me at all. I won't go into all that though. The point is, I am here now, having done something all on my own. Wary though I was, I was also very proud of myself for having applied here despite the horrible first encounter. 

Chick-Fil-A is the highest standard of service, you see. If I could make it here then I can make it anywhere. 

They started me out on a two week training period, as is custom for new hires. I went out and purchased a black polo shirt, and I was ready.

Those first few weeks I didn't think I would make it. They didn't quite know what to do with me. I was excellent at the Core4 of which they pride themselves. But I was a slow learner.

I look back on it now and realize that I almost didn't make it. Acclimation to the stressful, fast-paced environment was almost too much. Every time I messed up my anxiety would flare, my emotions bubbling to the surface. Sometimes I wondered if I should just quit while I was ahead. Still I worked to the best of my abilities, lacking as they were. 

When I didn't receive my red shirt at the end of the two weeks, I did not know what to do. I did not know what I would do, should I fail here. Mercifully, they gave me a third week to learn, one last shot.

While the third week didn't prepare me to receive the coveted red shirt, the symbol that one was a strong part of the team, Chick-Fil-A saw my determination to learn and grow. They gave me a dining room shirt, the one with the least amount of responsibilities.

I was thrilled to have been inducted onto the team, regardless of the shirt color I received. I had no illusions about myself. I knew that I had much improvement to make. Told myself, "I will do this to the best of my ability so that God might be proud of me. So that I might be the best dining room host Chick-Fil-A had ever seen."

None of it was very glamorous. I started cleaning tables and trays, bathrooms and floors. I tended to each of the guests to make sure each was of the utmost comfort. I kept the condiment station well stocked and made sure each drink was refreshed. I cleared trays from tables and took the trash out. I put myself to these tasks and made the dining room something of excellence. Soon they were letting me arrange the flowers on each table. I cherished the chance to make it mine.

I slowly made my way behind the front counter. It started with taking people their orders. Sometimes cashiers would be bagging food, so I would take the next customer in line. 

I suppose they saw some improvement then. A long while after, I was elated to receive a red shirt. I was a cashier after that. I was one of the team at the front lines filling customers orders on the POS system. I filled their drinks before they sat down and bagged their food when it was ready. If I didn't have another order in line (on small occasion), I would personally deliver their food. 

This comeuppance was everything to me. That is not to say that I did everything right. I made quite a few errors indeed. A leader might have gotten frustrated with me a time or two. It was on just such an occasion that I would be sent outside to our outside order-taking portion of the restaurant. Face to Face, we call it.

I felt that it was this area that I particularly excelled at. I didn't have to worry about filling drinks, or preparing food. I had only to take the name and the order and then store it in the proper order. That was quite difficult for me, I'll admit. Anytime my name was called in the headset, it ruffled me terribly. Even now, hearing my name in the headset digs under my skin like a knife.

I put myself to perfecting the art of taking the order. I experimented with different ways to communicate certain things to the customers. I practiced making small talk and made an effort to remember the names of our regular customers.

It must had been shortly before the pandemic that I did it. I worked out how exactly to communicate with customers so as to have the highest order accuracy in the shortest amount of time. I considered myself an expert. I still do sometimes, though even I mess up now and again.

Everything changed when the fire nation attacked the pandemic hit.