Breaking The Ice

(The place I work at has different areas and activities, including a kid’s play gym. There’s an employee stationed at the gate to check for socks and wristbands, and to help enforce the rules. I go down to let the employee take a break.)

Me: “Hey, I’m here to break you.”

Employee: *eyes go wide* “To WHAT me?!”

Me: “Break you? Let you go on break?”

Employee: “OH! I thought it was some sort of initiation or something… Uhm… Where do I go again?”

Me: “Up by the front counter, where you clocked in.”

(I briefly tell her how to clock out for break, and back in.)

Employee: “Uhm, thank you… Uh… How long of a break do I get?”

Me: “Half-hour to forty minutes. Try not to take longer than you need, since it’s busy.”

Employee: “Uh… thank you.”

(She leaves for break, and comes back about a half-hour later. I realize that this is her first day.)

Me: “Hey, welcome back. I’m [My Name], by the way.”

Employee: I’m [Employee]… Do I have to do anything tonight? Or…”

Me: “If you’re closing, just clean up and make sure everything’s put up. If you’re not, wait until the next person comes, then just clock out. Try to look like you enjoy your job.”

(She laughed a bit, and thanked me when she clocked out later that evening.)