If you would like to become a psychologist and really would like to know what people are really like, you do not have to graduate from a school and have many years of practice after that. All you have to do is to work at a restaurant and you will then know it all. You can call me a doctor, even though I am not really a doctor, but I am a server. But it is really the same thing, beside the fact that I have customers, but not patients. So just like doctors deal with their tough cookie patients I deal with my customers and know how to oil every squeaky wheel.
Let me explain it to you. As a server/psychologist I always have to be able to handle those customers-talkers. We all like to discuss the news, our plans for life or maybe our achievements in the past. Sometimes people express me their concern about their job, kids or even heath issues. Very often they are looking for some sort of a solution to the troubling situation. So as doctor, I try to give them some sort of advice and encourage them, but I have to be careful here, since I can never know a person’s reaction. So I kind of need to read though people and filter what I can say and what I cannot. But what is even more complicated is to handle those customers-talkers who like to discuss subjects that no one cares about. Let me give you an example. The other day I was serving that weird dude that I have never seen before and after a minute of chatting with me he exclaimed “Oh, my God, I have to tell you something: I had such a crazy dream yesterday. You don’t understand, this dream was different, it felt so real. So I am in this dream, but, like, a different version of me.” And I am staying there and thinking “this is like the first time I see you and have no clue what your real version is, dude”. And then he continued” so I walk around for a while and then my sister comes in and said me this, this and that.” And I am sticking with silent head nods like an idiot and praying “please shut up, I cannot listen to this anymore.” And guess what, since I am a doctor, I had to listened to all this crap to the end and agree “yea, that was a really weird dream.”
Also, being a server, I have to pick up on every customer’s mood. People will say” What do u mean? I thought people who are going out are going to have fun, enjoying their company and of course food and drinks?” Nope, you will be surprised. There are some bad mood customers out there. I often see the couples out there fighting, quarrelling and sometimes barking like dogs. So I am not going to the table entertaining them with jokes. I have to feel their mood and I do by holding not on smile, staying away from the table or not asking “how is everything” since I am not willing to hear their moody “ok.”
Besides, just like psychologists regularly deal with difficult and challenging patients, I deal with my demanding and annoying customers. In a situation when this old customer thinks that he asked me to have a whole wheat penne pasta instead of regular, but he really forgot to mention, he is blaming me, the server, and thinking that I am as dumb as rock. What do I usually do? Well, knowing that golden rule that the customer is always right, I have to oil this squeaky wheel and just let it go. But how about when party of 18 ask you to separate the cheeks in 18 different ways or 300 pound body ask for 15 Shirley temples during rush on Saturday. It is sickening, but if you are a server you have to be able to professionally put up with these all.
Moreover, such categories as kids-customers are driving me nuts. I will definitely need to turn into a doctor for myself and occasionally for their parents. I had a table where a child dumped sugar caddy on the table. I thought “No big deal I will just put them back when they leave.” Went to the kitchen, came back and the kid had ripped open every single