Table 56.

Well my very first table made me cry last night. Not just a few tears either.  We are talking, full on, uncontrollable streams down my cheeks, in front of all my other tables.

When I arrived, the waitress before me had just taken a tables order and gave it to me to take over so she could go home, which was fine. It was an older couple with two steak dinners. But apparently I forgot the shrimp topper on one of the steaks. Not a really big deal but it still takes a couple of minutes. I apologized to the table with a near silent response from them. Well, there goes my tip, I thought as I walked back to the server station.

The topping took about 5 minutes. I apologized again when I brought it to the table, this time I got a nod and a look like “now go away,” so I did.

During this time the restaurant was filling up and I was taking care of three other near by tables of families. My manager walked by me at some point and said what I thought was, “Amber, don’t forget to put that topper on the bill.” I nodded and wished she hadn’t remembered because I was worried the table would protest paying for it. I guess what she actually said was, “Amber, don’t worry I put that topper on the bill.” But, since I didn’t hear her I quickly added the topper and brought the bill out to them.

I should have looked at it. I should have checked it again, but I didn’t. “This is ridiculous,” the man at the table said as I walked by. Uh-oh.

“We can’t get the right food, we can’t even get the right bill, what is this? This is ridiculous.”

I don’t do well with people yelling at me, especially adults or people of some kind of authority. I usually cry. But, I’ve never cried in front of a table before. I tried to explain what must have happened and that I would not charge him double for the shrimp topper. “This is just ridiculous,” he kept repeating while shaking his head. I could feel the tears welling up and to make it even worse, during this time, another server brought out the shrimp topper I had just uselessly added to the bill. (This time it only took a minute, of course!) So overall, they had two different servers, didn’t get their shrimp, got it 5 minutes late, was then charged double for it, and then had it brought to them again when they didn’t even have any food left. I totally understand why he was upset.

 I held in the crying until I got to my manager, where I began sobbing stupidly while trying to explain everything that went wrong. She sweetly dealt with it for me but I still had to go to the other near by tables. Pink faced and red-eyed I held my head up as I returned to my section. That man was standing now, explaining to my other tables everything that was wrong with their service. Who does that?!

I silently stood filling an iced tea, more embarrassed than anything, while he talked to my other guests. Then he turned to me to apparently apologize. I don’t know what he said. I kept nodding, and couldn’t seem to open my mouth without crying. I felt like an idiot. They pity tipped me 8 dollars and left.

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a table to leave so badly in my life.