Ok, so I've decided to be honest: I hate my work. Ok, maybe I don't hate it per say, but I don't really enjoy it. Ok, ok. I know. It's my attitude, isn't it? Yes, it is. Attitude is everything. I go through Attitude undulations. I'll have a good attitude and after a few months it will begin to morph into a terrible attitude. Then I'll have a moment of reawakening and completely turn around. Hey! It's a beautiful day at work again! Give it a few months and I'll be improving the wrinkles in my furrowed brow.
The past month has been full of brow furrowing, until a couple of days ago. I walked into the nasty and never appetizing Raytheon Cafeteria. Everything looked disgusting and I was resigned to staring at the grill menu. My brow furrowed. The worker on the other side of the glass gazed at me in amusement. I finally said, "I'll take a hotdog." "Wow," came the reply. "The human body is an amazing thing! So many expressions. For a while there I couldn't tell if you were angry or upset. All right! One hotdog coming up." The cafeteria worker is a man in his forties. He reminds me of a pirate due to his black bandana, gold hoop earring, scruffy goatee, and missing right front tooth. "Doobee doobee doo.....," he begins to sing as he throws my hotdog on the grill. "Strangers in the night," my mind fills in.
My dog is now done and being dressed. "Onions?” he asks. "Yeah, sautéed onions please." “I do have raw onions." "No. Sautéed." "Ahhhhhh. I see, still want to keep your friends. Good choice. There you are sir. Next, please. Talk to me ma'am!"
And away I went....in awe. In total awe. Here I am, 27, nice job, good pay and I'm complaining?! And here is this man in his forties, working in a cafeteria and he is happier than I am! What is wrong with me?! Talk about ungrateful! It's all about attitude. It's about approach. Most jobs are more boring than otherwise. "It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue (or build a radar, or flip a burger), and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look. To affect the quality of the day - that is the highest of arts." (HDT)
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4 comments:
Of course he's happy... he's a pirate. Be a pirate for a week and see if you aren't a jollier roger.
True that brother. Life is a bloody dream! Great story!
~T~
Thanks for reminding me about my fabulous job (internship??) that I complain too much about. It's not every day people get to go to work and know that they are making a direct difference in the lives of many youth.
I agree wholeheartedly about the attitude thing. And you more than make up in a fabulous attitude toward your friends and life the maybe not so great attitude or lack of gratitude you may have at work.
BTW- I am very grateful for you!
Love the insight! Those illuminating moments are rare and delicious...not that all things rare are delicious, or delicious things are rare but...ah, whatev. Might as well be grateful for all of it.
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