Wow, I'm actually cold. What a nice change. I even turned off my floor fan this morning and put a t-shirt on! Ever since my sunburn on Sunday, I don't miss the sun - AT ALL. The only thing I don't like about the rain is how hard it is on the shoes and clothes. It makes for a very long day shift at work though too. B O R I N G. I keep thinking I'll quit, but then something nice happens and I feel like one more day won't hurt.
I've been getting mostly night shifts which I prefer as there are more people and the staff who work at night also are more fun and less grumpy. There is one waiter, Nicho, 3rd in command who is on day shift and so grumpy and negative. His energy is a challenge to be around. If I could just read a book or something I would feel like I'm not completely wasting my time.
Last night the owner was hanging around a lot, which I've not seen really. He just gets in the way but we all kow-tow to him. He is one of the most handsome men I've met, and well, he knows it of course, and is married, although you wouldn't know it from the way he acts or the women he brings into the restaurant at night with him. Still, he is always, so far, very charming and polite to me. I tried talking to him about me performing at the new place and asked if he thought it would be a place where it could happen regularly; was there a stage, etc. He was encouraging but certainly evasive enough to avoid truly discussing it. A wonderful mexican male trait I've noticed here. He asked me to dance there in front of him, to show him some moves; right there in the restaurant at table 12. I demurely declined and told him that he should really see my website with my videos, and that I wasn't inspired to dance right now in the middle of a busy restaurant. I was waiting for my commission money on the bottles of the restaurant's kalhuah that I sold to customers. It comes directly from him. I get five bucks a bottle and if I continue to sell 2 a week, that pays for two drinks at the nightclub! Or two taco dinners. So back to my conversation; El senor Martin responded by asking me to do a little dance for him one night when there wasn't anybody in the restaurant, just us. Hmmm I said, better that he see my videos on my website first and then thankfully people arrived and I had to work the door.
The rest of the hour was spent playing the crazy game with my manager who is very tenacious in his efforts to have me be the mother of his baby. Really, I mean if you could just hear how awful and cheesy his lines are, it would make a good Bmovie. And then at other times he is just plain blunt. "We could stop at your apartment on the way to the other restaurant for a quickie, Why don't you just come home with me and I will feed you. You know you could be number one here, You've seen my daughter, you know I can make pretty babies, wouldn't you like to practice with me." Oh yeah, that's what I come to work to hear. I just smile at him and shake my head. That's just the half of it; a lot of time it's commenting on my body; like my butt or the fact that a certain blouse makes me look busty,(now that's an outright lie) or oh god there's too many of them to remember. And yes, he's touchy/feely but for some reason, so far I've been able to just be cool with him while still keeping my sense of humour. He's 41 and divorced with a 16 yr. old daughter. And normally one would think he's a nice guy. Last night, he accompanied me to the other restaurant where I distribute flyers at night to the tables. It was SO obvious, as two people are NOT needed or required. In between the harassment I interjected: "Sam, If you want to ever get laid again, you're going to have to learn some better lines with women. And maybe try being nice." I talk to him like a buddy and give it straight back to him. I just can't take him seriously.
Two shifts ago, I met a fabulous guest, a women 60 yrs. old but looks 47, and she invited me on my time off (yeah right time off) to hang by her pool where she is staying out in conchas chinas...wow, I would love that - so I must connect within 10 days before she goes home. Sometimes you just know that someone is a kindred spirit. There are many people I meet who are just there to eat and off they go. . . but once in a while there is a special person (s) who makes my night and teaches me something wonderful. Those are the gifts that I get from working at this place. I get asked a lot "how did you end up in here in mexico?"
People are curious. "Your'e not from here are you?" or tons of times people ask me if I'm the owner. I reply, "No, actually I promised I wouldn't own another restaurant again, so here, I just get the fun and none of the responsibility"
People are always VERY happy with the food, so at least I know it's a good place. It should be for how expensive it is. Some people are over the top ecstatic about the food and say I have made they're night with being there and chatting with them, etc. Last night I met two ladies from Kelowna! One day there was a group from Penticton and we all knew people in common.
Well it will be another day in the rain, boring boring, but I have plans to go salsa dancing later to make up for it. Photos here are of my favorite waiters, the mariachi band and me, in my Mexican hostess clothes. As they say: When in Rome (or Vallarta!)
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