The next day, Max and I reported to the restaurant dressed in our new uniforms, ready to start our training. Our Madame, the owner of the restaurant, greeted us warmly and showed us to the dining area. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, and the sound of sizzling meat and clinking dishes created a lively atmosphere.
"Okay, boys," Madame said, her voice firm but friendly, "today you'll be watching Lydia, our top server. She's been with us for years, and she's one of the best in the business. Pay attention to how she serves the customers, how she takes orders, and how she keeps up with the pace of the restaurant."
Max and I nodded, our eyes fixed on Lydia as she expertly balanced a tray of drinks and navigated the crowded dining room. She moved with grace and precision, her smile and laughter charming the customers as she delivered plate after plate of food to their tables. We watched in awe as she handled difficult customers with ease, her patience and professionalism impressive.
As we observed Lydia, Madame came over to us, a smile on her face. "How's it going, boys? Are you learning a lot from Lydia?"
Max nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, she's amazing. I can't believe how fast she is. She's like a machine!"
Madame chuckled. "Yes, Lydia is a true asset to our team. She's been with us for a long time, and she knows the restaurant inside and out. But don't worry, you'll get the hang of it too. Just keep watching and learning, and you'll be serving like pros in no time."
As the day went on, Max and I continued to observe Lydia, taking mental notes of her techniques and strategies. We saw how she handled large groups and small tables, how she upsold and suggested specials, and how she kept the customers happy and satisfied. We also noticed how Madame interacted with her, sometimes criticizing her for small mistakes, but mostly praising her for her hard work and dedication.
"Hey, Max," I whispered, "do you think Madame is being a little tough on Lydia?"
Max raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, maybe. But maybe it's just because Lydia is her stepdaughter."
I nodded, considering this. It was possible that Madame was harder on Lydia because of their family relationship. But it was also possible that she was just a demanding boss in general, pushing her employees to be their best.
As we continued to watch Lydia, Max leaned in close to me and whispered, "You know, I think we're getting the kind treatment because of our good looks."
I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "Oh, come on, Max. You think you're that charming?"
Max grinned. "Hey, it couldn't hurt, right? Maybe Madame is just happy to have some eye candy in the restaurant."
I shook my head, laughing. "You're something else, Max."
But despite our joking, I couldn't help but feel a little grateful for Madame's kindness towards us. It made me feel more at ease in our new roles, and more confident that we would be able to succeed in this new chapter of our lives. And as we continued to watch Lydia, I knew that we had a lot to learn from her, and that we would be lucky to have her as a mentor in our new careers.
As the day drew to a close, Max and I were both exhausted. We had never realized how stressful waiting tables could be, and we had only been observing and learning from Lydia all day. We hadn't even done any actual serving ourselves, and yet we were still feeling drained.
"I can't believe how hard this is," I said to Max as we clocked out. "I have a new appreciation for waiters now. They work so hard and never get the recognition they deserve."
Max nodded in agreement, his eyes sympathetic. "I know, right? I'm just glad we got to watch Lydia today. She's a pro. I don't know how she does it."
I shook my head, still trying to process everything we had learned. "I know, me neither. I feel like we've been running around all day, and we didn't even do any actual serving."
Max chuckled. "Well, at least we got to see the behind-the-scenes action. That was eye-opening."
Just then, I heard a faint sobbing sound coming from the back of the restaurant. I turned to Max and raised an eyebrow. "Do you hear that?"
Max listened for a moment, and then his face softened. "Yeah, I think someone's crying."
We both looked at each other, wondering who it could be. And then, without a word, I got up and went to investigate.
As I made my way to the back of the restaurant, the sobbing grew louder. I followed the sound to a small storage room, and that's where I found Lydia, her face buried in her hands, her body shaking with tears.
"Lydia, what's wrong?" I asked, my voice soft and concerned.
She looked up at me, her eyes red and puffy. "It's nothing," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I sat down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. You can tell me. What's going on?"
But Lydia just shook her head and continued to cry. I could see the pain in her eyes, and it broke my heart. I didn't know what to do, so I just sat there with her, letting her know that I was there for her.
After a few minutes, Max came into the storage room, a look of concern on his face. "Hey, is everything okay?"
I shook my head. "I don't know. Lydia won't tell me what's wrong."
Max sat down on the other side of Lydia and put a hand on her other shoulder. "Hey, Lydia, we're here for you. Whatever it is, we'll listen."
But Lydia just continued to cry, her body shaking with sobs. We sat there with her for a few minutes, trying to comfort her, but she never did tell us what was wrong.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lydia's tears began to subside. She took a deep breath and looked up at us, her eyes still red and puffy.
"Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just thank you."
And with that, she got up and walked out of the storage room, leaving Max and me looking at each other in confusion.
"What do you think was wrong?" Max asked me.
I shook my head. "I have no idea. But whatever it was, it was clearly something big."
Max nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I feel so bad for her. I wish she would have told us what was wrong."
I nodded, feeling a pang of sadness in my chest. "Me too. But at least we were there for her. That's all we can do, right?"
Max nodded, and we both got up and walked out of the storage room, wondering what had just happened, and hoping that Lydia would be okay.
As we walked back to the front of the restaurant, I couldn't help but think about how much Lydia had been struggling. She was always so cheerful and friendly, but it was clear that she was hiding something. I made a mental note to check in with her more often, to see if she was okay.
Max and I clocked out and said goodbye to Madame, who was still bustling around the restaurant, making sure everything was perfect. We walked out into the cool evening air, feeling exhausted but also grateful for the experience we had just had.
As we walked home, Max turned to me and said, "You know, I think we learned something important today."
I raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Max smiled. "That even the people who seem the strongest and most capable can be struggling. And that sometimes, all they need is someone to listen."
I nodded, feeling a sense of understanding wash over me. "Yeah. You're right. We never know what someone else is going through, and it's important to be there for them, no matter what."