00:00let me take you back to the monday night that set this all in motion it had been a long shift
00:14my legs were sore my back was tight but i powered through like i always did because i was the best
00:20waiter at that place no ego just facts i had regulars who asked for me by name our google
00:27reviews had me specifically mentioned as the reason they kept coming back i was never late
00:33always smiling and never once gave management a reason to doubt me that night i politely asked
00:39my manager if i could take the morning shift off nothing urgent just needed some breathing room
00:44he nodded like it was no big deal no worries he said the new girl's coming in for training anyway
00:50and it's a slow lunch rush cool all good or so i thought the next day i woke up grab coffee and
00:59enjoyed a rare quiet morning around noon my phone buzzed it was a message from the owner a man who
01:05had the patience of a caffeinated squirrel and the charm of a root canal why the hell didn't you show
01:11up today excuse me i calmly explained that my manager had approved it that he said the new girl would be
01:17there and we were covered but the owner didn't want logic he wanted blood she's not a real server yet
01:23you didn't get someone to cover your shift for my end that's a no-show you're suspended for a week
01:29suspended for something that wasn't even my decision just like that i stared at the screen
01:34heart pounding jaw clenched and in that moment i felt the sharp sting of betrayal all the hours i'd put
01:42in all the stress i'd absorbed all the weekends i'd sacrificed and this was my reward i could have
01:48argued i could have kicked and screamed but instead i smiled all right boss i replied see you in a week
01:55and so began the best vacation i never asked for while they scrambled to cover shifts i slept in i
02:03watched old movies with my girlfriend i played disc golf with my buddies i rediscovered peace i hadn't
02:09felt in months for the first time in forever i wasn't exhausted by friday i had almost forgotten
02:15i was even suspended until my phone rang it was the owner again desperate hey look we're slammed i need
02:23you to come in tonight and tomorrow night and sunday morning if you can slam huh turns out the new girl
02:29wasn't ready one of the other servers called out and they were so short-staffed they were using
02:35dishwashers as makeshift waiters he needed me but guess what i was still on suspension so i gave him
02:41a taste of his own medicine sorry i said i haven't learned my lesson yet can't possibly come in silence
02:48i could hear the stress in his breath he muttered something like okay i understand before hanging up
02:55and oh how sweet that felt
03:05ok
03:07i appreciate you
03:10i appreciate your time
03:15how cool
03:16so
03:17oh
03:19this before they wanted to get a touch
03:21what ni
03:23is
03:23how cool
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