I've quickly learned that Hostessing at a small yet busy restaurant may be one of the most interesting jobs I'll ever have.
I see so many different sorts of people in the hours I work that I sometimes wonder if the entirety of Virginia Beach isn't coming in and out for dinner. Of course, my favorite part is the idle conversation that some of the customers make while they're up at the register paying for their meals. I can't tell you how many times in the past month I've spoken with complete strangers about the weather or my favorite kind of Spaghetti sauce (of which there are many, mind you - there are more varieties than I care to name!). And sometimes, I get that fantastic bonus of earning a tip of a few dollars or so on top of my very satisfactory hourly pay. It's then that I feel like the luckiest person in the world! ...For at least a few seconds anyway.
One good thing I can say about most of the people of Hampton Roads is that they're so used to waiting in quitting-time traffic that they don't mind toughing it out when I apologetically explain that it may be another fifteen minutes before a table for six is made available. In fact, I no longer dread "Waiting List Time..." smiles are contagious, I suppose, and as long as mine's big and sincere enough, minor inconveniences don't seem all that bad!
Yes, it seems that the world of customer service suits me a bit more than I remembered!