Fate

Working as a server is very fascinating to me for many reasons.  One of its biggest appeals is that literally anyone – from all walks of life - can walk through the door and become your next guest.   There’s always an opportunity that the next person I wait on will change me in some way.  There’s always that chance it will change the way I think about someone or something, or a certain place … or perhaps even change my life.  I know that sounds a bit grandiose, but let me explain.

Just last month I happened to wait on Dr. John Gray, famous author of Women are from Mars, Men are from Venus, among other books.  It was quite surreal. He shared some of his research with me in regards to men and women in the workplace for his latest book Work with Me.  He shared some powerful insights about gender differences that will remain with me forever.  He definitely left a lasting impression on me.

I recently waited on a couple and their daughter who were not our typical clientele who left a completely different kind of impression on me.  They were dressed like they’d just crawled out of the slums and I was sure the dad was high on methamphetamines.  I was as kind as I would be to any guest but I was a very cautious of how I approached them, especially when it came time to present the bill.  The woman took out a debit card out of the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt.  The card worked, although she didn’t sign it (and it was a male’s name).  She did leave me a $20 dollar bill.  They paid and I got my tip so everything worked out in the end.  Seeing this family though truly made me appreciate my own family and how I was raised.  What a blessing to have that reminder while just simply working another night shift.     

Then there’s the ultimate head rattler of a guest: when someone you cared about deeply in your past walks through the door unexpectedly.  This happened to me on Sunday.  It was like a movie.  I saw him walk through the door as I was walking to the back of the restaurant.  I thought, “Wow that sure looks like {I’ll call him} Danny.”  I thought for sure it couldn’t be him.  We went to Junior High and High School together and hadn’t seen each other since.  He didn’t attend the ten-year reunion as I did.  Nor had I seen him on Facebook or any social media sites (lord knows I tried to find him).  I had no clue of his whereabouts.  As I walked back down by the bar, I peaked over at him again.  He saw me look and he called out my name.   Sure enough, it was him.  He was in San Diego for a work conference and happened to choose that restaurant for dinner with co-workers.  We were both in shock.  Talk about time traveling back into the 90’s.  Wow was I distracted for the rest of my shift.  I couldn’t really focus on my tables at that point.   We exchanged numbers and ended up going out for drinks the next night.  We caught up on life and shared a long overdue conversation.  I felt like a small void in my life had been fulfilled.  I know it happens a million times a day all over the world, but when it actually happens to you, it’s a very special thing.  It was literally life changing.

I try to see the bigger picture of my job everyday.  There’s usually a lesson to be learned in someway or through someone.  If I just saw myself as a server I’d be miserable.  I get the opportunity to meet famous people, authors, old friends, wealthy business owners, actors, foreigners and people with stolen credit cards and every type of person in between.

The universe brings certain people together for very specific reasons.  Fate is a beautiful thing.  ~ HK ~