Waiter on the bottle 23/07/09
Last night I was talking to the two waiters. When il cameriere spoke there was a real whiff of beer, which I commented on. La cameriera piped up that she too had had a beer, so I said you need to watch that, have you got chewing gum. Then later I asked il cameriere to help la cameriera to close the terrace (putting up the chairs and tables) and he grumbled that he had only just finished serving the customers – which it took him a long time to do – since he was flirting and being all smarmy with them of course.
So it got worse, plus he was on his mobile phone the whole time, texting and calling and all sweaty and worried and hyper-stressed. Towards the end I watched him pour another drink – on top of his beers and the large vodka lemon …. And he said it is for the waitress and I said, wait until the end, because I knew he would be helping himself too. He frowned. Mio suocero said they had a problem with him drinking too much when he worked for them before. I came back down the stairs later to mio suocero, who had been on the till, saying in a jokey way, il cameriere has asked if he can be paid for the two nights here, and I said he’d have to ask you, that I have nothing to do with it. Good for him. How sneaky of the cameriere; 1) he doesn’t accept my authority, and 2) he was trying to get paid so he could just not show up today. So I paid him, but said but you are coming tomorrow right? And he said, yes, I think so.
But today mio marito got a text saying, I am staying home with my kids, non mi va di lavorare senza stimuli ( I don’t feel like working with no stimulation). Ho capito, I guess he means cigs and alcohol! No sense of responsibility at all, no respect for me. Dumped me in it, and the waitress, too. I had to call il barman to come in, and luckily he was available at the very short notice. Again, good riddance, he was a problem showing up late, flirting more than working and chain smoking, and drinking too much. But still, how rude. And pathetic to not have the balls to call me himself, annoying my husband on holiday away from it all.
I spoke to my cognata. What is it, is it that we are inexpert or what? She said that was not the problem since we are getting on with it, more she said is the general view in her opinion that we are seen as being young and on the same level as our staff, so they think they can be pally and also take advantage a bit. Does he think we are two idiots on the same level as he is? We are not two smalltown greens, we have travelled the world, I am used to dealing with people on another level completely. She said, no they don’t realise that at all, but it is also the fact that her brother wants to be everyone’s friend and there isn’t a hierarchy. She said she had pointed that out to la cameriera after the discussion the other day ... that at least we were approachable and accepted talking to them about things. My sister-in-law said she and her friends have worked in many other places around town, and the treatment can be terrible, no rights, you get shouted at and insulted, not paid on time etc, just like another friend of mine said. But she said your diplomatic and democratic approach may not be the best here.
Mio marito and I have decided me need to employ waiters at least 10 years younger than us from now on.
Lola
So it got worse, plus he was on his mobile phone the whole time, texting and calling and all sweaty and worried and hyper-stressed. Towards the end I watched him pour another drink – on top of his beers and the large vodka lemon …. And he said it is for the waitress and I said, wait until the end, because I knew he would be helping himself too. He frowned. Mio suocero said they had a problem with him drinking too much when he worked for them before. I came back down the stairs later to mio suocero, who had been on the till, saying in a jokey way, il cameriere has asked if he can be paid for the two nights here, and I said he’d have to ask you, that I have nothing to do with it. Good for him. How sneaky of the cameriere; 1) he doesn’t accept my authority, and 2) he was trying to get paid so he could just not show up today. So I paid him, but said but you are coming tomorrow right? And he said, yes, I think so.
But today mio marito got a text saying, I am staying home with my kids, non mi va di lavorare senza stimuli ( I don’t feel like working with no stimulation). Ho capito, I guess he means cigs and alcohol! No sense of responsibility at all, no respect for me. Dumped me in it, and the waitress, too. I had to call il barman to come in, and luckily he was available at the very short notice. Again, good riddance, he was a problem showing up late, flirting more than working and chain smoking, and drinking too much. But still, how rude. And pathetic to not have the balls to call me himself, annoying my husband on holiday away from it all.
I spoke to my cognata. What is it, is it that we are inexpert or what? She said that was not the problem since we are getting on with it, more she said is the general view in her opinion that we are seen as being young and on the same level as our staff, so they think they can be pally and also take advantage a bit. Does he think we are two idiots on the same level as he is? We are not two smalltown greens, we have travelled the world, I am used to dealing with people on another level completely. She said, no they don’t realise that at all, but it is also the fact that her brother wants to be everyone’s friend and there isn’t a hierarchy. She said she had pointed that out to la cameriera after the discussion the other day ... that at least we were approachable and accepted talking to them about things. My sister-in-law said she and her friends have worked in many other places around town, and the treatment can be terrible, no rights, you get shouted at and insulted, not paid on time etc, just like another friend of mine said. But she said your diplomatic and democratic approach may not be the best here.
Mio marito and I have decided me need to employ waiters at least 10 years younger than us from now on.
Lola
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