THE CLOSEST TO A "JOB" THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IS WORKING FOR ONE DAY AT A "MCDONALD'S", FROM NINE a.m. TO ONE p.m.
FOUR HOURS.
I ENTERED THE BUILDING AT APPROXIMATELY NINE a.m.
“HELLO”, I SAID TO THE FEMALE CLERK AT THE COUNTER. “MAY I SEE THE MANAGER? I COME HERE FOR THE 'JOB'”.
IN THE KITCHEN, THE FEMALE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO TAKE OFF MY BRACELETS.
I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE OFF MY BRACELETS, SO I IGNORED WHAT SHE SAID.
IN THE KITCHEN, ONE OF THE MALE CLERKS LOOKED AT MY HANDS AND SAID THAT I HAD TO TAKE OFF MY BRACELETS.
SINCE THAT MATTER WAS BEING INSISTED UPON, I COMPLIED, AND TRIED TO UNTIE MY BRACELETS OFF OF MY RIGHT WRIST, BUT I COULD NOT UNTIE THEM; THEY HAD BEEN TIED AROUND MY RIGHT WRIST FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR.
I ASKED THE MALE CLERK FOR SCISSORS.
“WHAT DO YOU NEED SCISSORS FOR?” HE ASKED.
I TOLD HIM THAT I WANTED THEM TO CUT OFF MY BRACELETS.
“NO!”, SAID ANOTHER MALE CLERK, FACETIOUSLY.
“NO, DON'T CUT THEM”, SAID THE FIRST MALE CLERK.
HE ATTEMPTED TO UNTIE THE BRACELETS OFF OF MY RIGHT WRIST.
I FELT EMBARRASED WHILST HE UNTIED MY BRACELETS; I FELT AS IF I WAS BEING “PATRONIZED” BY EVERYONE, AS IF I WAS A LITTLE KID. I HAD NOT BEEN THERE FOR TEN MINUTES, AND EVERYONE WAS “PATRONIZING” ME, WHICH IS ABSURD, BECAUSE JUDGING BY THEIR “ANIMALESQUE” BEHAVIOUR, AND ETHNICITY, I OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN “PATRONIZING” THEM.
ALL THE MALES WORKING THERE WERE SLIGHTLY TALLER THAN ME, HAD BIGGER FRAME THAN ME, AND SEEMED OLDER THAN ME. THEY WERE ALL “MESTIZOS”.
ALL THE FEMALES WORKING THERE WERE UNDERHEIGHT, OVERWEIGHT, AND SEEMED “PERPETUALLY UPSET”. THEY WERE ALL “MESTIZOS”.
AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES, THE MALE CLERK HAD TAKEN THE FOUR BRACELETS OFF OF MY RIGHT WRIST.
“THANK YOU”, I SAID TO HIM, AND PUT THE BRACELETS IN MY PANTS' RIGHT POCKET.
THE FEMALE MANAGER TOLD ME TO CLEAN THE PLAYGROUND APPARATUSES WITH A “LIQUID CLEANER” AND A CLOTH THAT WERE IN A “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
I SPENT APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND A HALF “CLEANING” THE “PLAYGROUND” APPARATUSES, AND “LOITERING” IN THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”. I WAS ALONE THE ENTIRE TIME, EXCEPT FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MINUTES, WHEN A “MIDDLE AGED” & SLIGHTLY OVERDRESSED WOMAN SAT AT A TABLE IN THE “PLAYGROUND AREA” TO EAT A “BIG MAC”. SHE SEEMED LONELY, AND APPARENTLY SHE HAD DYED HER HAIR “REDORANGE”, MOST PROBABLY BECAUSE HER PHEOMELANIN PRODUCTION DECREASED DUE TO OLDAGE, CAUSING HER HAIR FOLLICLES TO PRODUCE “WHITE HAIRS”, OF WHICH SHE WAS ASHAMED.
THE “MIDDLE AGED” WOMAN, MOURNING HER YOUTH,
EATING A “BIG MAC”,
IN THE “PLAYGROUND AREA” OF A “MCDONALD'S”.
WHEN I FINISHED “CLEANING” THE “PLAYGROUND” APPARATUSES, I WENT BACK TO THE “STAFF AREA”, AND PUT THE “LIQUID CLEANER”, AND THE CLOTH IN THE “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
I WENT INTO A SMALL “STAFF ROOM” WHERE THERE WAS A “BOOTH”, AND SAT IN THE “BOOTH”.
A FEW MINUTES LATER A MALE CLERK ENTERED THE ROOM, WASHED HIS FACE, AND CHANGED HIS SHIRT.
HE LOOKED AT ME AND ASKED ME HOW OLD I WAS.
I TOLD HIM MY AGE, THEN HE ASKED ME IF I WAS IN SCHOOL.
I TOLD HIM THAT NO, THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO SCHOOL. I TOLD HIM THAT I GOT “EXPELLED”.
IT WAS A LIE; I WAS NOT “EXPELLED”, I JUST STOPPED GOING.
“EXPELLED FOR WHAT?” HE ASKED.
“I ARGUED WITH THE PRINCIPAL RE: 'UNIFORM TECHNICALITIES' IN FRONT OF MY CLASS. HE THOUGHT THAT I WAS 'DISRESPECTFUL' & 'ARROGANT', AND 'EXPELLED' ME”, I SAID.
WHAT DOES HE WANT?
WHY IS THIS PERSON PESTERING ME, ASKING ME ALL THESE QUESTIONS?
EVERYONE WORKING HERE IS OVERLY “ANNOYING” & “LOUD”.
THEY ACT LIKE ANIMALS; “ANIMALESQUE” & BRAZEN, EVEN THE FEMALES, WHO ALL ARE OVERWEIGHT.
THE FEMALE MANAGER IS OBESE. SHE IS THE “HIGHEST RANKING” EMPLOYEE IN THE BUILDING, AND ALSO THE FATTEST.
THE MALE CLERK GRABBED A BACKPACK THAT WAS IN A LOCKER OUTSIDE THE “STAFF ROOM”, AND LEFT.
THE FEMALE MANAGER ENTERED THE ROOM, AND ASKED ME WHAT WAS I DOING SITTING THERE.
“I FINISHED 'CLEANING' THE 'PLAYGROUND' APPARATUSES”, I TOLD HER, TRYING TO MAKE A GRIMACE OF DISGUST BY CONTORTING MY UPPER LIP.
“YOU CAN'T JUST SIT HERE”, SHE SAID. “COME, I NEED YOU TO REPLACE NAPKINS IN THE NAPKIN CONTAINER, AND THEN SWEEP THE FLOORS”.
I REPLACED NAPKINS IN THE NAPKIN CONTAINER, I GRABBED A BROOM, AND A DUSTPAN, FROM THE “STORAGE ROOM”, AND PROCEEDED TO SWEEP THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE COUNTER, FEELING OVERLY EXPOSED & VULNERABLE.
MY ANXIETY GRADUALLY SUBSIDED AS I SWEPT THE FLOOR, CONCENTRATING ON THE SWEEPING MOTIONS, WHILST THE CUSTOMERS AROUND, AND AT THE TABLES, AND THE EMPLOYEES, IN THE “KITCHEN AREA”, BUSTLED AROUND ME.
I NOTICED THAT TWO MALE CLERKS WERE GRINNING & WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER, AND INTERMITTENTLY GLANCING AT ME, WHILST FRYING POTATOES.
THEY GRINNED & WHISPERED TO EACH OTHER, WHILST I SWEPT THE FLOOR NEAR THE COUNTER.
ONE SPACETIME WHEN I WAS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL, SOME CLASSMATES, AND I HAD TO SWEEP & MOP THE CLASSROOM DURING RECESS.
I WAS SWEEPING THE FLOOR, CONCENTRATING ON THE SWEEPING MOTIONS, WHEN ONE OF MY FRIENDS LAUGHED & POINTED AT ME, AND AT THE BROOM WITH HIS RIGHT “INDEX FINGER”. THE OTHERS STARED AT ME WITH “SHOCKED” FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, GIGGLING & GRINNING.
“WHAT?” I ASKED MY FRIEND. HE KEPT LAUGHING, THEN HE PROCEEDED TO MOP THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANSWERING ME.
I NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS SO HUMOROUS/”SHOCKING” RE THE MANNER IN WHICH I SWEPT THE FLOOR.
AT ANOTHER SPACETIME, IN THE CLASSROOM, WE WERE DRAWING A NUDE GREEN WOMAN, COPYING HER FROM A PHOTOGRAPH OF A PAINTING IN A BOOK.
I WAS DRAWING THE NUDE GREEN WOMAN'S SILHOUETTE, CONCENTRATING ON THE PENCIL MOTIONS ON THE PAGE, VIRTUALLY ENTHRALLED IN THE DRAWING, WHEN I NOTICED THREE OF MY FRIENDS GIGGLING & GRINNING, AND MAKING “SHOCKED” FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, WHILST LOOKING AT MY FACE, AND AT THE DRAWING.
“WHAT?” I ASKED THEM. “WHAT?”, BUT THEY DID NOT ANSWER, THEY KEPT GIGGLING & GRINNING, WHILST LOOKING AT MY FACE, AND AT THE DRAWING.
I COULD NOT COMPREHEND WHAT WAS SO HUMOROUS/”SHOCKING” RE THE MANNER IN WHICH I DREW THE NUDE GREEN WOMAN.
PERHAPS THEY COULD NOT ARTICULATE WHAT THEY FOUND HUMOROUS/”SHOCKING” RE THE MANNER IN WHICH I SWEPT, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH I DREW.
WHEN I FINISHED SWEEPING THE FLOOR, I WENT BACK TO THE “STAFF AREA”, AND PUT THE BROOM, AND THE DUSTPAN IN THE “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
SINCE I WAS NOT ASSIGNED A SPECIFIC TASK, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AFTER FINISHING WHAT THE FEMALE MANAGER HAD TOLD ME TO DO.
I DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING THERE; I DID NOT KNOW WHAT MY JOB EVEN WAS.
“WHY AM I EVEN HERE?” I THOUGHT.
I WENT INTO THE “STAFF ROOM”, AND LOOKED AT A BIG CALENDAR ON THE WALL.
THERE WERE THE BIRTHDAYS OF PERSONS WHO WORKED THERE, MARKED ON THE CALENDAR, AND APPARENTLY THEY CELEBRATED THE PERSON'S BIRTHDAY BY BUYING A CAKE AND SINGING “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” TO THE PERSON.
“OH 'GOD'. NO”, I THOUGHT.
I SAT IN THE “BOOTH”, AND APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS LATER A FEMALE CLERK ENTERED THE “STAFF ROOM”.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” SHE ASKED.
“NOTHING”.
“YOU CAN'T JUST BE HERE”, SHE SAID, STARING AT ME.
I STARED BACK AT HER.
“I HAVE NOTHING TO DO. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS MY 'JOB' HERE. THE MANAGER HAS ONLY ASSIGNED ME 'MENIAL TASKS', SO I HAVE NOTHING TO DO AFTER I FINISH THEM”, I SAID, SLIGHTLY UPSET.
“OK, COME WITH ME”, SHE SAID.
WE WENT TO THE FEMALE MANAGER'S OFFICE. SHE WAS SITTING AT HER DESK, READING A PAPER SHEET. AS THE FEMALE CLERK OPENED THE DOOR, THE FEMALE MANAGER ASKED, LOOKING OVER THE PAPER SHEET “YES?”
“HE FINISHED SWEEPING THE FLOORS”, SAID THE FEMALE CLERK.
“OH, HE CAN CLEAN THE TABLES. TELL HIM TO USE THE 'LIQUID CLEANER', AND PAPER TOWELS FROM THE 'STORAGE ROOM'. HELP HIM”.
“OK”, SAID THE FEMALE CLERK.
WE WENT INTO THE “STORAGE ROOM” .
“TAKE THAT CLEANER, AND A ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS, TO CLEAN THE TABLES. I'M GOING TO HELP YOU”.
WE STARTED TO CLEAN THE TABLES. SHE CLEANED THE TABLES ON ONE SIDE OF THE “TABLES AREA”, I CLEANED THE TABLES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE “TABLES AREA”, AND THE TABLES AT THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”.
“MCDONALD'S” IS AN AWFUL PLACE TO EAT, AND AN AWFUL PLACE TO WORK.
ONE FEELS DEBASED WORKING IN THAT PLACE.
WHEN I WAS CLEANING THE TABLES AT THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”, THE FEMALE CLERK TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, AND ASKED ME IF I COULD FINISH CLEANING THE TABLES THAT SHE WAS CLEANING, THAT THERE WERE ONLY FOUR LEFT.
I SAID “YES”.
IT WAS NOT AS IF I COULD SAY “NO” AND NOT DO IT. SHE WAS ONLY BEING POLITE. I HAD TO RESPOND WITH A “YES” TO HER “REQUEST”, AND CLEAN THE TABLES THAT SHE DID NOT CLEAN, NOT BECAUSE I WAS SUBORDINATED TO HER, BUT BECAUSE I WAS THERE, IN “MCDONALD'S”, TO “WORK”, AND THAT WAS CURRENTLY MY “JOB”: “CLEANING” TABLES.
IF SHE HAD TOLD ME “CLEAN THE TABLES THAT I DID NOT CLEAN, ON THIS SIDE”, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO RESPOND HER, BUT I WOULD STILL HAVE HAD TO COMPLY AND CLEAN THE TABLES THAT SHE DID NOT CLEAN, BUT THAT WOULD IMPLY “SUBORDINATION” TO HER, AND I WAS NOT “SUBORDINATED” TO HER.
MY FATE WAS TO CLEAN THOSE TABLES BY FAKE POLITENESS, OR BY IMPLIED SUBORDINATION.
I FINISHED CLEANING THE TABLES AT THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”, AND PROCEEDED TO CLEAN THE TABLES THAT THE FEMALE CLERK DID NOT CLEAN.
WHEN I WAS CLEANING THE THIRD OUT OF FOUR TABLES, I SAW SOMEONE COME INTO THE BUILDING WITH OTHER THREE PERSONS. IT WAS A GIRL THAT WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL. I HAD A “SEMICRUSH” ON HER FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR, AND SHE KNEW.
“WHAT A SYNCHRONICITY”, I THOUGHT, THEN I WAS OVERWHELMED WITH ANXIETY, AND TRIED TO INCONSPICUOUSLY HIDE, WHILST CLEANING THE REMAINING TWO TABLES.
THE GIRL, AND HER ACQUAINTANCES SAT IN A “BOOTH” NEAR THE ENTRANCE.
WHEN I FINISHED CLEANING THE TABLES, I WENT BACK TO THE “STAFF AREA”, AND PUT THE “LIQUID CLEANER”, AND THE ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS IN THE “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
THE FEMALE MANAGER APPROACHED ME FROM BEHIND, ASKING “DO YOU SEE ALL THE TRAYS ON THOSE TABLES?”, SIGNALING WITH HER RIGHT “INDEX FINGER” AT SOME TABLES NEAR THE TABLE AT WHICH THE GIRL WHO WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL WAS SITTING WITH HER ACQUAINTANCES.
“YES”.
“PUT THE TRASH IN THE TRASH CONTAINERS, AND PUT THE TRAYS ON TOP OF THE TRASH CONTAINERS”, SAID THE FEMALE MANAGER.
I PROCEEDED TO COLLECT THE TRAYS FROM THE TWO TABLES NEAR THE TABLE AT WHICH THE GIRL WHO WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL WAS SITTING WITH HER ACQUAINTANCES, WHILST INCONSPICUOUSLY HIDING MY FACE, BY TURNING MY HEAD APPROXIMATELY FORTYFIVE DEGREES TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM WHERE SHE WAS SITTING.
I PUT THE TRASH ON THE TRAYS, IN A TRASH CONTAINER, AND PUT THE FOUR TRAYS, ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER, ON TOP OF THE TRASH CONTAINER.
THE GIRL WHO WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL DID NOT SEE ME; SHE DID NOT RECOGNIZE ME, SHE DID NOT SEE MY FACE.
EVENTUALLY, SHE, AND HER ACQUAINTANCES LEFT.
AT ONE p.m., ONE MALE CLERK --ONE OF THE TWO MALE CLERKS WHO WERE GRINNING & WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER, AND INTERMITTENTLY GLANCING AT ME, WHILST FRYING POTATOES, WHILST I SWEPT THE FLOOR NEAR THE COUNTER-- PUT A CHEESEBURGER, "SMALL FRIES", AND A "SMALL SODA" IN A PAPER BAG, FOR ME TO TAKE WITH ME WHEN I LEFT.
“NO, THANK YOU”, I SAID.
“YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT”, HE SAID.
I THOUGHT THAT HE WAS BEING FACETIOUS, BUT I LOOKED AT HIS FACE, AND HE HAD A “STARK” FACIAL EXPRESSION, AS IF ME NOT TAKING THE FOOD ENTAILED A POTENTIAL PRETEXT FOR ME TO SUE “MCDONALD'S”.
I TOOK THE BAG WITH THE FOOD IN IT, AND LEFT.
I WENT TO THE HOUSE IN WHICH I LIVED, AND PUT THE BAG WITH THE FOOD IN IT, IN THE TRASH CONTAINER.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FEMALE MANAGER, SAYING TO ME THAT I WAS TO "SHOW UP THERE" AT THE "SAME TIME, TOMORROW".
I SAID "YES".
I DID NOT RETURN TO THAT PLACE EVER AGAIN.
FOUR HOURS.
I ENTERED THE BUILDING AT APPROXIMATELY NINE a.m.
“HELLO”, I SAID TO THE FEMALE CLERK AT THE COUNTER. “MAY I SEE THE MANAGER? I COME HERE FOR THE 'JOB'”.
IN THE KITCHEN, THE FEMALE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO TAKE OFF MY BRACELETS.
I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE OFF MY BRACELETS, SO I IGNORED WHAT SHE SAID.
IN THE KITCHEN, ONE OF THE MALE CLERKS LOOKED AT MY HANDS AND SAID THAT I HAD TO TAKE OFF MY BRACELETS.
SINCE THAT MATTER WAS BEING INSISTED UPON, I COMPLIED, AND TRIED TO UNTIE MY BRACELETS OFF OF MY RIGHT WRIST, BUT I COULD NOT UNTIE THEM; THEY HAD BEEN TIED AROUND MY RIGHT WRIST FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR.
I ASKED THE MALE CLERK FOR SCISSORS.
“WHAT DO YOU NEED SCISSORS FOR?” HE ASKED.
I TOLD HIM THAT I WANTED THEM TO CUT OFF MY BRACELETS.
“NO!”, SAID ANOTHER MALE CLERK, FACETIOUSLY.
“NO, DON'T CUT THEM”, SAID THE FIRST MALE CLERK.
HE ATTEMPTED TO UNTIE THE BRACELETS OFF OF MY RIGHT WRIST.
I FELT EMBARRASED WHILST HE UNTIED MY BRACELETS; I FELT AS IF I WAS BEING “PATRONIZED” BY EVERYONE, AS IF I WAS A LITTLE KID. I HAD NOT BEEN THERE FOR TEN MINUTES, AND EVERYONE WAS “PATRONIZING” ME, WHICH IS ABSURD, BECAUSE JUDGING BY THEIR “ANIMALESQUE” BEHAVIOUR, AND ETHNICITY, I OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN “PATRONIZING” THEM.
ALL THE MALES WORKING THERE WERE SLIGHTLY TALLER THAN ME, HAD BIGGER FRAME THAN ME, AND SEEMED OLDER THAN ME. THEY WERE ALL “MESTIZOS”.
ALL THE FEMALES WORKING THERE WERE UNDERHEIGHT, OVERWEIGHT, AND SEEMED “PERPETUALLY UPSET”. THEY WERE ALL “MESTIZOS”.
AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES, THE MALE CLERK HAD TAKEN THE FOUR BRACELETS OFF OF MY RIGHT WRIST.
“THANK YOU”, I SAID TO HIM, AND PUT THE BRACELETS IN MY PANTS' RIGHT POCKET.
THE FEMALE MANAGER TOLD ME TO CLEAN THE PLAYGROUND APPARATUSES WITH A “LIQUID CLEANER” AND A CLOTH THAT WERE IN A “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
I SPENT APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND A HALF “CLEANING” THE “PLAYGROUND” APPARATUSES, AND “LOITERING” IN THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”. I WAS ALONE THE ENTIRE TIME, EXCEPT FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MINUTES, WHEN A “MIDDLE AGED” & SLIGHTLY OVERDRESSED WOMAN SAT AT A TABLE IN THE “PLAYGROUND AREA” TO EAT A “BIG MAC”. SHE SEEMED LONELY, AND APPARENTLY SHE HAD DYED HER HAIR “REDORANGE”, MOST PROBABLY BECAUSE HER PHEOMELANIN PRODUCTION DECREASED DUE TO OLDAGE, CAUSING HER HAIR FOLLICLES TO PRODUCE “WHITE HAIRS”, OF WHICH SHE WAS ASHAMED.
THE “MIDDLE AGED” WOMAN, MOURNING HER YOUTH,
EATING A “BIG MAC”,
IN THE “PLAYGROUND AREA” OF A “MCDONALD'S”.
WHEN I FINISHED “CLEANING” THE “PLAYGROUND” APPARATUSES, I WENT BACK TO THE “STAFF AREA”, AND PUT THE “LIQUID CLEANER”, AND THE CLOTH IN THE “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
I WENT INTO A SMALL “STAFF ROOM” WHERE THERE WAS A “BOOTH”, AND SAT IN THE “BOOTH”.
A FEW MINUTES LATER A MALE CLERK ENTERED THE ROOM, WASHED HIS FACE, AND CHANGED HIS SHIRT.
HE LOOKED AT ME AND ASKED ME HOW OLD I WAS.
I TOLD HIM MY AGE, THEN HE ASKED ME IF I WAS IN SCHOOL.
I TOLD HIM THAT NO, THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO SCHOOL. I TOLD HIM THAT I GOT “EXPELLED”.
IT WAS A LIE; I WAS NOT “EXPELLED”, I JUST STOPPED GOING.
“EXPELLED FOR WHAT?” HE ASKED.
“I ARGUED WITH THE PRINCIPAL RE: 'UNIFORM TECHNICALITIES' IN FRONT OF MY CLASS. HE THOUGHT THAT I WAS 'DISRESPECTFUL' & 'ARROGANT', AND 'EXPELLED' ME”, I SAID.
WHAT DOES HE WANT?
WHY IS THIS PERSON PESTERING ME, ASKING ME ALL THESE QUESTIONS?
EVERYONE WORKING HERE IS OVERLY “ANNOYING” & “LOUD”.
THEY ACT LIKE ANIMALS; “ANIMALESQUE” & BRAZEN, EVEN THE FEMALES, WHO ALL ARE OVERWEIGHT.
THE FEMALE MANAGER IS OBESE. SHE IS THE “HIGHEST RANKING” EMPLOYEE IN THE BUILDING, AND ALSO THE FATTEST.
THE MALE CLERK GRABBED A BACKPACK THAT WAS IN A LOCKER OUTSIDE THE “STAFF ROOM”, AND LEFT.
THE FEMALE MANAGER ENTERED THE ROOM, AND ASKED ME WHAT WAS I DOING SITTING THERE.
“I FINISHED 'CLEANING' THE 'PLAYGROUND' APPARATUSES”, I TOLD HER, TRYING TO MAKE A GRIMACE OF DISGUST BY CONTORTING MY UPPER LIP.
“YOU CAN'T JUST SIT HERE”, SHE SAID. “COME, I NEED YOU TO REPLACE NAPKINS IN THE NAPKIN CONTAINER, AND THEN SWEEP THE FLOORS”.
I REPLACED NAPKINS IN THE NAPKIN CONTAINER, I GRABBED A BROOM, AND A DUSTPAN, FROM THE “STORAGE ROOM”, AND PROCEEDED TO SWEEP THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE COUNTER, FEELING OVERLY EXPOSED & VULNERABLE.
MY ANXIETY GRADUALLY SUBSIDED AS I SWEPT THE FLOOR, CONCENTRATING ON THE SWEEPING MOTIONS, WHILST THE CUSTOMERS AROUND, AND AT THE TABLES, AND THE EMPLOYEES, IN THE “KITCHEN AREA”, BUSTLED AROUND ME.
I NOTICED THAT TWO MALE CLERKS WERE GRINNING & WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER, AND INTERMITTENTLY GLANCING AT ME, WHILST FRYING POTATOES.
THEY GRINNED & WHISPERED TO EACH OTHER, WHILST I SWEPT THE FLOOR NEAR THE COUNTER.
ONE SPACETIME WHEN I WAS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL, SOME CLASSMATES, AND I HAD TO SWEEP & MOP THE CLASSROOM DURING RECESS.
I WAS SWEEPING THE FLOOR, CONCENTRATING ON THE SWEEPING MOTIONS, WHEN ONE OF MY FRIENDS LAUGHED & POINTED AT ME, AND AT THE BROOM WITH HIS RIGHT “INDEX FINGER”. THE OTHERS STARED AT ME WITH “SHOCKED” FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, GIGGLING & GRINNING.
“WHAT?” I ASKED MY FRIEND. HE KEPT LAUGHING, THEN HE PROCEEDED TO MOP THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANSWERING ME.
I NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS SO HUMOROUS/”SHOCKING” RE THE MANNER IN WHICH I SWEPT THE FLOOR.
AT ANOTHER SPACETIME, IN THE CLASSROOM, WE WERE DRAWING A NUDE GREEN WOMAN, COPYING HER FROM A PHOTOGRAPH OF A PAINTING IN A BOOK.
I WAS DRAWING THE NUDE GREEN WOMAN'S SILHOUETTE, CONCENTRATING ON THE PENCIL MOTIONS ON THE PAGE, VIRTUALLY ENTHRALLED IN THE DRAWING, WHEN I NOTICED THREE OF MY FRIENDS GIGGLING & GRINNING, AND MAKING “SHOCKED” FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, WHILST LOOKING AT MY FACE, AND AT THE DRAWING.
“WHAT?” I ASKED THEM. “WHAT?”, BUT THEY DID NOT ANSWER, THEY KEPT GIGGLING & GRINNING, WHILST LOOKING AT MY FACE, AND AT THE DRAWING.
I COULD NOT COMPREHEND WHAT WAS SO HUMOROUS/”SHOCKING” RE THE MANNER IN WHICH I DREW THE NUDE GREEN WOMAN.
PERHAPS THEY COULD NOT ARTICULATE WHAT THEY FOUND HUMOROUS/”SHOCKING” RE THE MANNER IN WHICH I SWEPT, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH I DREW.
WHEN I FINISHED SWEEPING THE FLOOR, I WENT BACK TO THE “STAFF AREA”, AND PUT THE BROOM, AND THE DUSTPAN IN THE “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
SINCE I WAS NOT ASSIGNED A SPECIFIC TASK, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AFTER FINISHING WHAT THE FEMALE MANAGER HAD TOLD ME TO DO.
I DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING THERE; I DID NOT KNOW WHAT MY JOB EVEN WAS.
“WHY AM I EVEN HERE?” I THOUGHT.
I WENT INTO THE “STAFF ROOM”, AND LOOKED AT A BIG CALENDAR ON THE WALL.
THERE WERE THE BIRTHDAYS OF PERSONS WHO WORKED THERE, MARKED ON THE CALENDAR, AND APPARENTLY THEY CELEBRATED THE PERSON'S BIRTHDAY BY BUYING A CAKE AND SINGING “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” TO THE PERSON.
“OH 'GOD'. NO”, I THOUGHT.
I SAT IN THE “BOOTH”, AND APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS LATER A FEMALE CLERK ENTERED THE “STAFF ROOM”.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” SHE ASKED.
“NOTHING”.
“YOU CAN'T JUST BE HERE”, SHE SAID, STARING AT ME.
I STARED BACK AT HER.
“I HAVE NOTHING TO DO. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS MY 'JOB' HERE. THE MANAGER HAS ONLY ASSIGNED ME 'MENIAL TASKS', SO I HAVE NOTHING TO DO AFTER I FINISH THEM”, I SAID, SLIGHTLY UPSET.
“OK, COME WITH ME”, SHE SAID.
WE WENT TO THE FEMALE MANAGER'S OFFICE. SHE WAS SITTING AT HER DESK, READING A PAPER SHEET. AS THE FEMALE CLERK OPENED THE DOOR, THE FEMALE MANAGER ASKED, LOOKING OVER THE PAPER SHEET “YES?”
“HE FINISHED SWEEPING THE FLOORS”, SAID THE FEMALE CLERK.
“OH, HE CAN CLEAN THE TABLES. TELL HIM TO USE THE 'LIQUID CLEANER', AND PAPER TOWELS FROM THE 'STORAGE ROOM'. HELP HIM”.
“OK”, SAID THE FEMALE CLERK.
WE WENT INTO THE “STORAGE ROOM” .
“TAKE THAT CLEANER, AND A ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS, TO CLEAN THE TABLES. I'M GOING TO HELP YOU”.
WE STARTED TO CLEAN THE TABLES. SHE CLEANED THE TABLES ON ONE SIDE OF THE “TABLES AREA”, I CLEANED THE TABLES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE “TABLES AREA”, AND THE TABLES AT THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”.
“MCDONALD'S” IS AN AWFUL PLACE TO EAT, AND AN AWFUL PLACE TO WORK.
ONE FEELS DEBASED WORKING IN THAT PLACE.
WHEN I WAS CLEANING THE TABLES AT THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”, THE FEMALE CLERK TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, AND ASKED ME IF I COULD FINISH CLEANING THE TABLES THAT SHE WAS CLEANING, THAT THERE WERE ONLY FOUR LEFT.
I SAID “YES”.
IT WAS NOT AS IF I COULD SAY “NO” AND NOT DO IT. SHE WAS ONLY BEING POLITE. I HAD TO RESPOND WITH A “YES” TO HER “REQUEST”, AND CLEAN THE TABLES THAT SHE DID NOT CLEAN, NOT BECAUSE I WAS SUBORDINATED TO HER, BUT BECAUSE I WAS THERE, IN “MCDONALD'S”, TO “WORK”, AND THAT WAS CURRENTLY MY “JOB”: “CLEANING” TABLES.
IF SHE HAD TOLD ME “CLEAN THE TABLES THAT I DID NOT CLEAN, ON THIS SIDE”, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO RESPOND HER, BUT I WOULD STILL HAVE HAD TO COMPLY AND CLEAN THE TABLES THAT SHE DID NOT CLEAN, BUT THAT WOULD IMPLY “SUBORDINATION” TO HER, AND I WAS NOT “SUBORDINATED” TO HER.
MY FATE WAS TO CLEAN THOSE TABLES BY FAKE POLITENESS, OR BY IMPLIED SUBORDINATION.
I FINISHED CLEANING THE TABLES AT THE “PLAYGROUND AREA”, AND PROCEEDED TO CLEAN THE TABLES THAT THE FEMALE CLERK DID NOT CLEAN.
WHEN I WAS CLEANING THE THIRD OUT OF FOUR TABLES, I SAW SOMEONE COME INTO THE BUILDING WITH OTHER THREE PERSONS. IT WAS A GIRL THAT WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL. I HAD A “SEMICRUSH” ON HER FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR, AND SHE KNEW.
“WHAT A SYNCHRONICITY”, I THOUGHT, THEN I WAS OVERWHELMED WITH ANXIETY, AND TRIED TO INCONSPICUOUSLY HIDE, WHILST CLEANING THE REMAINING TWO TABLES.
THE GIRL, AND HER ACQUAINTANCES SAT IN A “BOOTH” NEAR THE ENTRANCE.
WHEN I FINISHED CLEANING THE TABLES, I WENT BACK TO THE “STAFF AREA”, AND PUT THE “LIQUID CLEANER”, AND THE ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS IN THE “STORAGE ROOM” AT THE BACK.
THE FEMALE MANAGER APPROACHED ME FROM BEHIND, ASKING “DO YOU SEE ALL THE TRAYS ON THOSE TABLES?”, SIGNALING WITH HER RIGHT “INDEX FINGER” AT SOME TABLES NEAR THE TABLE AT WHICH THE GIRL WHO WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL WAS SITTING WITH HER ACQUAINTANCES.
“YES”.
“PUT THE TRASH IN THE TRASH CONTAINERS, AND PUT THE TRAYS ON TOP OF THE TRASH CONTAINERS”, SAID THE FEMALE MANAGER.
I PROCEEDED TO COLLECT THE TRAYS FROM THE TWO TABLES NEAR THE TABLE AT WHICH THE GIRL WHO WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL WAS SITTING WITH HER ACQUAINTANCES, WHILST INCONSPICUOUSLY HIDING MY FACE, BY TURNING MY HEAD APPROXIMATELY FORTYFIVE DEGREES TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM WHERE SHE WAS SITTING.
I PUT THE TRASH ON THE TRAYS, IN A TRASH CONTAINER, AND PUT THE FOUR TRAYS, ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER, ON TOP OF THE TRASH CONTAINER.
THE GIRL WHO WAS MY CLASSMATE IN MIDDLESCHOOL DID NOT SEE ME; SHE DID NOT RECOGNIZE ME, SHE DID NOT SEE MY FACE.
EVENTUALLY, SHE, AND HER ACQUAINTANCES LEFT.
AT ONE p.m., ONE MALE CLERK --ONE OF THE TWO MALE CLERKS WHO WERE GRINNING & WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER, AND INTERMITTENTLY GLANCING AT ME, WHILST FRYING POTATOES, WHILST I SWEPT THE FLOOR NEAR THE COUNTER-- PUT A CHEESEBURGER, "SMALL FRIES", AND A "SMALL SODA" IN A PAPER BAG, FOR ME TO TAKE WITH ME WHEN I LEFT.
“NO, THANK YOU”, I SAID.
“YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT”, HE SAID.
I THOUGHT THAT HE WAS BEING FACETIOUS, BUT I LOOKED AT HIS FACE, AND HE HAD A “STARK” FACIAL EXPRESSION, AS IF ME NOT TAKING THE FOOD ENTAILED A POTENTIAL PRETEXT FOR ME TO SUE “MCDONALD'S”.
I TOOK THE BAG WITH THE FOOD IN IT, AND LEFT.
I WENT TO THE HOUSE IN WHICH I LIVED, AND PUT THE BAG WITH THE FOOD IN IT, IN THE TRASH CONTAINER.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FEMALE MANAGER, SAYING TO ME THAT I WAS TO "SHOW UP THERE" AT THE "SAME TIME, TOMORROW".
I SAID "YES".
I DID NOT RETURN TO THAT PLACE EVER AGAIN.
