I have been learning a whole heck of a lot of things about perseverance and patience these past few days. There have been a few instances in which I didn't expect to learn something from them, but I did.
I work in an Italian restaurant in which all of the Chefs speak only Spanish. One of these Chefs (/busboy), is named Victor*. Victor and I go way back- all the way to Sophomore year of high school when he was in my AV Tech class, and in an attempt to practice my Spanish and befriend someone new, I started talking to him. This very quickly and unexpectedly backfired (I blame the language barrier). He was asking me out (and not taking no for an answer) within a week. But somehow it all got worked out. We did not date. We continued to see each other in class, I assumed we were on friendly terms (even though he stopped texting me).
Fast forward a year. I am happily working at my Italian restaurant job. I am still on the new side, but I am confident in my abilities. One day, I walk in, and standing there loading steaming dishes into the dishwasher is no one else but Victor. He smiles. I wave. I walk away quickly.
We are now coworkers.
Eventually we forget about our history (and Victor stops asking me out at work) and we become more friendly towards each other. With time, I find that my coworker has a fun side.
At this point in the story I feel the need to point out that this is not a love story. Please do not read it like a love story, because that is not what it is.
Anyway, Victor loves to play pranks. He is always quietly searching for trouble.
The restaurant has three floors. Sometimes I work on the bottom floor, other times I work upstairs. Victor works upstairs. One of his more recent favorite pranks to play is when anyone else is out back smoking a cigarette or talking on the phone, he likes chucking things (rags, spatulas, tomatoes) at whoever is out there from the window up on the top floor, very effectively scaring the shit out of that person.
This is a classic Victor joke, but recently he took it to what I think is a new level.
My restaurant has a big fridge up on the third floor. I was opening up the restaurant, setting tables, turning on lights, etc. Victor was in the kitchen setting up the back as usual. I wave. Twenty minutes go by in which we don't talk because we're busy with our separate tasks. The restaurant is open; I realize I forgot to put the cheeses on the tables.
I go back into the kitchen to grab the cheeses and open up the fridge and hear a quiet, accented, "boo!"
I scream.
Loudly.
Victor has been hiding in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Just to scare me.
I have honestly been in awe ever since.
Unless he was sneaking cannoli filling or something, that's the most effort (with little giveback) I have ever seen be put into a prank. His pure patience and perseverance to scare the shit out of me truly payed off, and I am honored to learn from him.
In fact I think we can all learn from Victor. I recently tried to invoke his patience when I got a cavity filled and should've waited to eat afterwards so I didn't chew my numb mouth up. However I obviously have a lot to learn and practice because I didn't wait to eat (at all) and my tongue hurt cause I bit it instead of my pancakes by accident. (I blame the novocaine).
Anyway, I didn't do anything substantial today and it's 2am so I figured maybe I'd finish this post I started writing in July. Which I did! If I ever get around to it maybe I'll order myself a trophy.
*I changed his name. I felt better about it like that. I feel like it's a professional Writer thing to do. I feel like I should be wearing a suit or something. Should I get a lawyer? Should he? Will he sue me if I didn't change his name? I ought to protect myself. I need to buy more suits.
I work in an Italian restaurant in which all of the Chefs speak only Spanish. One of these Chefs (/busboy), is named Victor*. Victor and I go way back- all the way to Sophomore year of high school when he was in my AV Tech class, and in an attempt to practice my Spanish and befriend someone new, I started talking to him. This very quickly and unexpectedly backfired (I blame the language barrier). He was asking me out (and not taking no for an answer) within a week. But somehow it all got worked out. We did not date. We continued to see each other in class, I assumed we were on friendly terms (even though he stopped texting me).
Fast forward a year. I am happily working at my Italian restaurant job. I am still on the new side, but I am confident in my abilities. One day, I walk in, and standing there loading steaming dishes into the dishwasher is no one else but Victor. He smiles. I wave. I walk away quickly.
We are now coworkers.
Eventually we forget about our history (and Victor stops asking me out at work) and we become more friendly towards each other. With time, I find that my coworker has a fun side.
At this point in the story I feel the need to point out that this is not a love story. Please do not read it like a love story, because that is not what it is.
Anyway, Victor loves to play pranks. He is always quietly searching for trouble.
The restaurant has three floors. Sometimes I work on the bottom floor, other times I work upstairs. Victor works upstairs. One of his more recent favorite pranks to play is when anyone else is out back smoking a cigarette or talking on the phone, he likes chucking things (rags, spatulas, tomatoes) at whoever is out there from the window up on the top floor, very effectively scaring the shit out of that person.
This is a classic Victor joke, but recently he took it to what I think is a new level.
My restaurant has a big fridge up on the third floor. I was opening up the restaurant, setting tables, turning on lights, etc. Victor was in the kitchen setting up the back as usual. I wave. Twenty minutes go by in which we don't talk because we're busy with our separate tasks. The restaurant is open; I realize I forgot to put the cheeses on the tables.
I go back into the kitchen to grab the cheeses and open up the fridge and hear a quiet, accented, "boo!"
I scream.
Loudly.
Victor has been hiding in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Just to scare me.
I have honestly been in awe ever since.
Unless he was sneaking cannoli filling or something, that's the most effort (with little giveback) I have ever seen be put into a prank. His pure patience and perseverance to scare the shit out of me truly payed off, and I am honored to learn from him.
In fact I think we can all learn from Victor. I recently tried to invoke his patience when I got a cavity filled and should've waited to eat afterwards so I didn't chew my numb mouth up. However I obviously have a lot to learn and practice because I didn't wait to eat (at all) and my tongue hurt cause I bit it instead of my pancakes by accident. (I blame the novocaine).
Anyway, I didn't do anything substantial today and it's 2am so I figured maybe I'd finish this post I started writing in July. Which I did! If I ever get around to it maybe I'll order myself a trophy.
*I changed his name. I felt better about it like that. I feel like it's a professional Writer thing to do. I feel like I should be wearing a suit or something. Should I get a lawyer? Should he? Will he sue me if I didn't change his name? I ought to protect myself. I need to buy more suits.
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