haunted

No matter how many years pass since my days as a waitress, my brain never fails to dig up the 'ol restaurant employment file to shake things up and cause me a restless night.

A serving nightmare can hit at anytime...a deep sleep in the middle of the night, a mid-day snoozer, a 20 minute power nap...no time is safe.

The theme of the dream is typically the same...me, the old Italian dining stomping ground, and about 10 tables sat at once. No matter what I do I can't get drinks on time, can't get orders right, and can't remember what people had ordered when I go to type them in. I'm simply stuck so far in the weeds that not even another person's help can help, and I just need to try to keep the guests as happy as possible so they don't just walk out.

These dreams send me into such an anxiety ridden panic that my heart races and my breathing excellerates. I wake up in a cold sweat thanking my lucky stars it was only a dream...they always seem so real that I swear they actually are affecting my psyche.

Today I was actually able to sneak in an hour nap, but was left frustrated and even more exhausted by the insanity my brain was stewing up.

In this serving nightmare I had actually returned back to waiting tables after already having other jobs and my children. It had been so long that I had "forgotten" how to serve. I came incredibly ill prepared, and had even worn ridiculously high wedge sandals with my uniform. The restaurant had changed the way they served bread and butter at the table since I had worked there, and no matter what I did I just couldn't get the set up right....and NO ONE would help me. Meanwhile I had about 10 tables angrily waiting for me to get their drinks, bread and appetizers to them at the same time, while a new manager just followed me around complaining about everything I did.

I tossed, turned, and perspired so hard through my "nap" that I woke up soaking wet from the ordeal.

Now, I have had multiple jobs since leaving the waiting world, but none have left such an imprint on my hippocampus.


Hopefully my brain won't decide to revert back to finish that dream when I close my eyes this evening...although, I really do wonder if I ever got the food to the table on time...