Work Stories: Episode 14: Suck It Up

Previously on Work Stories, I relayed a tale of a time in which I saw Batman driving an orange Ferrari.  It’s a sight that you tend not to normally see, and one which I will never forget.  This week, I will tell you another story about another thing that may or may not be more exciting or less exciting than what I have told you in the past.

Let’s go back to when I worked at the hotel.  This hotel is filled with small little memories that I will be sharing with you fine folks who read this stuff.  I worked there for three years during high school.  How could it not have memories?  This week’s Work Story is one of those memories.  It has been written out for your convenience.

One of my jobs at the hotel was to help out in the restaurant.  Sometimes it involved me bussing tables, other times it involved me being the dishwasher.  There may have been a time or two where I did both.  If I was on the morning shift, I was more than likely bussing tables.  I also had to make sure that the patio outside was clean.  This means that I had to sweep away any garbage, wipe down the tables and chairs, get the umbrellas up, empty the ash trays, and vacuum the door mats.

So one day, I was out there vacuuming the door mats.  The vacuums were not that great, especially when they weren’t really vacuums.  I’m not sure why I am calling them vacuums at all.  They were carpet sweepers, actually.  I was outside, going over the door mats, and the carpet sweeper wasn’t picking up much of the dirt and stuff.

The owner of the hotel came outside and told me that I was taking too long and didn’t know how to vacuum the mats.  She grabbed the carpet sweeper out of my hand and said “This is how you do it.”  She furiously pushed and pulled it, picking up even less than me.  I watched in astonishment.  The owner, who I had never seen do any actual work, was telling me how to do a job I had been doing for two years at that point.  And the way she was telling me to do the work was not improving it in any way.

She handed it back to me and told me to vacuum like that.  As she stood there, I waved the vacuum back and forth over the entire mat in a matter of two seconds.  It did nothing to the mat but it satisfied her need for it to be clean.  I don’t know how that worked out.  I went back inside, put the sweeper away, and went about the rest of my work day.

That’s this week’s lackluster Work Story.  I’m going to assume that you didn’t enjoy it.  They can’t all be good stories.  Sometimes you end up with a dud.  Next week, I’ll be sure to write about something better.  It won’t be about moving a vacuum.  Until then, fight the good fight every moment.  Every minute, every day.  Fight the good fight every moment.  It’s your only way.