We Don’t Think They’ll Improve After Caffeine

I work in a retirement center as a server; we work the dining room in sections. My section is particularly busy, and on top of that, I have to spend five minutes I don’t have cleaning up syrup that spilled in the fridge. I’m running around but doing the best I can to get everyone’s order out as fast as possible. I approach a table that’s been waiting for coffee for a little while but also ordered an apple juice, which I have.

Me: “And here’s your apple juice.”

Resident #1: “Thank you, honey.”

Resident #2: “Aren’t you going to get her coffee?”

Me: “I’ll have it out as soon as I can.”

I give them both a smile and run back into the kitchen. I want to note that this isn’t said in a snippy tone, I still have other orders to work on from people that came in first, and I will work on the coffee just as soon as I take out some plates of food. When I do bring the coffee over though, I find she already has coffee; I assume one of my coworkers did it to help me out.

Me: “Oh! You already have coffee.”

I start to walk across the room to put away the coffee pot when the other resident says something I can’t quite hear but I know it’s directed at me.

Me: “What?”

Resident #2: “I said, I got it for her because of your attitude.”

I get really upset. Because I talk loud, I’m often mistaken for being angry, and it’s kind of a sore spot for me. Not to mention I’m tired from working a double the day before and am doing one today, so I end up taking a break, pretty much just so I can cry. I later find out that a lot of the other ladies around her got very upset and told her not to speak to me like that, including the resident who wanted the coffee to begin with. She also calls me over to apologize for the other resident’s behavior herself later on in the meal.

Resident #1: “Dear, I’m so sorry that she did that. That’s why I sit with her. You know, I’m trying to mold her into a proper lady, so she’s not such an a**hole. Don’t let what she said bother you; you’re doing a great job and you work so hard. What you need to do next time she’s giving you a hard time is put on your big girl shoes and tell her, ‘F*** you, old lady.’”

I was stunned, and while I would never say anything like that, it was nice to know that the other residents appreciate the fact I’m there all the time and really try my hardest the whole time.