One day during the winter of 1987 when I was 16 ½ I got off the school bus at the first stop (in front of Waid’s) instead of MY stop. I marched in and asked for a job as a hostess, waitress, anything. I got the job that day and walked home with a Waid’s menu in my hand. Once home, I put it on the bathroom counter and waited for my parents to find it and wonder what was going on.
They were proud that I had gotten a job without them even mentioning it.
It was a great first job … I could walk to and from it. I worked a few nights a week as a waitress plus weekend days as a hostess for a total of about 20-25 hours per week while maintaining a low B average in high school. I made $2.01 per hour plus measly tips. I think I made $4 per hour as a hostess. I saved up and bought my mom’s yellow Chevette, paid for my own car insurance, sugary snacks and cigarettes.
Waid’s was where I learned to enjoy coffee. I drank loads of chocolate milk and cooked my own chicken strips and fries. And somehow lost about 15 pounds.
They closed years ago and now the building is a Stroud’s (fried chicken).
My first waitressing job was at Denny's and I learned to love coffee when working there, too.
ReplyDeleteI ate my first "porterhouse" steak there, too...it was like 1/4" thin, but technically a porterhouse cut. Blech.
No cigs for me until I was 18, I was a good girl who saved my lung killing until I could legally consent to it.
I always thought it would be fun to be a waitress. Your photo is so sweet.
ReplyDeleteRoberta Anne
Whoa! Holy Shitznitz! Time warp back to the 80s...I love it! I remember you at both of those jobs... ;-)
ReplyDelete