Dolla Dolla Bills Ya’ll

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ If you don’t tip properly it might just ruffle ya feathers a tad bit. Big ups to all my ‘servers,’ ‘waitresses,’ ‘waiters,’ though! 

If the ish eva hits the fan finically or if I’m in the business to make a quick coin to save up for this, that, or etc. I’m going to a restaurants to shake some tables! Straight up! Chile, it’s money to be made in a restaurant, forget what ya heard! I’m telling you what I know! And contrary to what people may believe, it’s more people that tip, then people who don’t! (Thank God!) And this is the time of the year when you can get a little extra money! When I was working at Apple Bee’s (I’ll get into that a lot more in a few, okay.) I had a lot of regulars. I racked up a few people that fell in love with me as a person, so they always requested me to serve them. My regulars always looked out even more during the holidays! So sweet. People in general are just in the giving spirit. And they be giving up the money too Chile! I’ve had guests come in and eat, leave me a tip, and some money on a visa gift card too! I’ve seen guest ask their server does she have children, and if so, they would give a little more. I remember one holiday when Ale, a regular bar costumer came in and he needed a iPhone charger. I had one, and let him use mines. He gave me $20 for letting not me use my charger! So, if I wanted to rack up on some extra gifts for the holidays, I’d pick up extra shifts, or neva give up any. I’m not the type to call out of work unless I’m sick as dug (Dog.) or it has to be a 911 forreal! I knew I could easily go to work and rack up a quick $80 to $100 in a few hours, and in all honestly, that’s the minimum on a good night! I can only imagine what people up in Olive Garden,Texas Road House, or Cheddars is making! I’m not big in every two weeks checks unless I’m getting paaaaid! 

I started working at Apple Bee’s when I moved out of my parents house and got my own place, with a roommate when I was 22 years old. One reason I was so eager to move was because I wanted to make more money, and that wasn’t happening for me in the small town I lived in. I was broke as a joke Chile, but I took what I had saved up and bust a move. My roommate was sooo good to me too! But Apple Bee’s kept me afloat until I worked my way up to making good money. In the meantime, I was looking for something in the career field. I was putting applications in hospitals and rehab centers left and rihhh! My first few months at Apple Bee’s I had to really grind. My sections were smaller, and I would get cut (Time for you to stop taking tables.) early when the restaurant would slow down. So real talk, I might have made a clean $40 or $50 and that’s all. But if I owed Verizon $99 for my phone bill, I would give them something in stead of nothing because as soon as I walked through those restaurant doors I knew I wouldn’t leave completely empty handed. As time went on, my shifts were longer, my sections were bigger, and my apron got fatter. People tip! I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I can turn some tables. I’m polite, bute, I work good, hard, and quick under pressure, I can multi task, and tell a few jokes in between! And I always bring extra napkins. People like that. Haha! Chile! If I can’t do nothing, I can wait some tables! And I ain’t neva been ashamed of it! Some folks got they nose to high up in the hair to serve tables. But see me, I rather make money, rather than have a resume that sounds good but I’m broke. You know it’s a lot of people out here in a bind because the name of something. I will be the TRASH MAN if it pay. And this is a fact, those men and women that were janitors at the hospital made a prettt penny Chile. Haaaay. Don’t let the title fool you! I know some women wouldn’t date the maintenance man becase he’s the maintenance man. The maintenance man don’t pay no rent Chile! But because the sound of it doesn’t sound impressive, they rather date someone that sounds like they have money. But they living tore down and tore up!  

Even when I started at the McGuire Veterans Hospital, I knew I wasn’t going to leave Apple Bee’s. Even if I just worked two days out the month. In all truth, I could have. I had worked hard just to get exactly where I was. But no ma’am! I didn’t have no man, and no kid, so why not?! And then boom, years later, once I found out I was moving, it was easy to pay stuff up and off with the quick money I made waitressing. Not only is waitressing a money maker. But it’s really good for networking. There were sooo many people that made such a positive impact in my life, whether I worked with them, or waited on em’. I worked at Apple Bee’s from 2011-2014 when I moved to Cleveland with my man. I cried when I left. Ugh. I did. I was really going to miss that place and all the people in it. Even the ones that got on my nerves! I made money and memories in that brick building. Before I left my schedule was so sweet. I had put in years by this time, faithful, good worker, I didn’t even work weekends. That gave me time to spend with my now husband, pick up shifts at the hospital, or stay shut in studying. I had to pull in volunteer hours at the hospital as well, so I was super busy. Being a server comes with a flexible schedule, which was really a plus for me. I’d spend my mornings and afternoons between school and the hospital depending on what day it was. Then I would spend my evenings and late nights at the Neighborhood.  

And let me gone head and say this. IF YOU AIN’T TIPPING. Keep your broke tail at home. Yep. I said it. Ain’t nothing like someone who will ball out on a tab and then leave a $5. And those are the ones that worry you tuh death or either rude as eva. When I first started working at Apple Bee’s I worked Sundays for like the first year. Ugh. I couldn’t stand working Sundays for multiple reasons. I used to get a table of ladies pretty often. I called them my ‘Golden Girls.’ So bute. They were soooo sweet. They always ordered the same things and didn’t ask for much. Mrs. Lily would always need a box for her corner of left over food. I would make like $7 total off a table of five. One would leave me $1.50, one may leave me a crisp $2 bill, and Mrs. Georgia would chase me down for (Literally!) to give me .75 Chile. But i absolutely adored them. They were polite, reasonable, and their intentions were good, no maliciousness. I enjoyed them.

Oooooo! I love music! (Duh!) I love love me some music. (Closes eyes. Bops head.) Matter of fact, I’m listening to music right now. One head phone in, one out. While I talk to you. It’s exactly 5:56 a.m. right now, and I’m wide awake. 

Anyways.

Another thing I enjoyed about hitting that floor and turning them tables, was the music. Music always gets me through. I can always rely on music and prayer to get me, until I’m there. I love instruments, I hear lyrics, I like sassy, I love feeling. Music. Sometimes I would go to work with a heavy heart, most days I did.

I made so much money. I had just traded in my 2011 Chevy Cruze (Cayenne) for a 2011 325i BMW (Whitney.) traveling, partying, shopping, this, that, and all that bull crap when it means nothing, absolutely nothing at the end of the day. “Money can pay for your time. But it’s not love.” Keep following this here journey with me. It’ll all make sense one day. (χσχσ.)

Despite how I eva was feeling or felt, about the present, past, or future, I got up and worked. Sometimes you need the lyrics, sometimes you need the music. Eitha or, thank God for a radio. I would sneak turn the volume up. But once everyone discovered my love for music. It was kind of hard to get away with it. Ha. Sometimes I would put my head phones in while I would clean my section.We’ll that did depend on what manager was on duty.

If that building could talk…

Merry Christmas to you & yours! ?

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