Talking with friends in a cafe may be your most favourite activity. However, every time when you are enjoying a coffee break, have you ever noticed what the coffee assistants are doing?
I had a chance to work in a cafe for a day recently and I would like to share my experience with you.
I had chosen this job as I thought the coffee assistants at the cafe were always doing badly. I wanted to have a try and to prove that they could have done better.
“I can do a good job,” I told myself.
So, I dressed in the smart uniform of the cafe and started to work confidently. I cleaned up the tables and chairs and floor perfectly. I greeted and served all the customers politely and in a friendly manner. I was such a fast learner that I had learnt to make the coffee in a very short time. Everything looked perfect and I was really content with my performance. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the cafe and the tables were all clean and shiny. All the customers were enjoying their coffee happily. Wonderful.
“This is too easy. I can’t imagine how the other coffee assistants did their job so badly,” I whispered to another assistant. She only smiled at me and said nothing.
Yet soon came the problem. There were more and more customers in the cafe and I was really busy! Orders were made with mistakes and desserts were given to the wrong customers. I once gave a cheese sandwich to a customer who had ordered a cheese cake! Oh dear! I was scolded by the customer although I’d already said ‘sorry’ many times.
I had tried my best to avoid any mistake but still I made some. I even mixed up the containers of the sugar and salt!
During the whole afternoon, I was busy rushing for orders, delivering coffee, placing cakes on plates and washing dishes. I was really exhausted and extremely bored. I had stood for a whole day and my legs were aching and even shaking. My only entertainment was watching what the customers were doing. I always found children adding all the flavouring, milk and spices to their coffee. I didn’t try to stop them as I knew I would have more to do if they were reminded.
After a whole day’s hard work, I was tired. However, I was not disappointed. In fact, I’ve learnt something meaningful. Coffee assistant seems to be an easy and simple job which isn’t worth anyone’s respect, but if you try to experience or be part of it for once, you’ll never be rude to this ‘job’ anymore. I’ve also found that no job in this world is meaningless and that every tiny job has its hard side. They all deserve our respect.