Catching Feelings

Memorandum 4

"Oh yeah? You'll regret this."

Your heavy accent echoed in my head with that constant line repeated like a broken record.

It was the following day, I was picking up dishes from the now abandoned table in the corner of the restaurant. My thumb touched the soft gooey remains of the halved ate mashed potato as I stacked the dishes on my forearm.

"Yuck," I spoke under my breath softly.

Entering the restaurant kitchen, the chefs and cooks could not stay in one place. They were constantly pacing from one end of the kitchen to the other preparing the food and ordering others to pick up the pace. Orders were piling up by the second and even they were pressuring themselves to increase the rate of prepared dishes for demanding customers.

My skin began tingling with a warm sensation. It was as if I could feel heat slowly crawling throughout my face, arms, and hands. The heat intensified, specifically in my clammy armpit area where I began to worry in concern. Fear of them drenching in sweat and bleeding onto my clothing, I shifted my feet to the restroom after I softly spoke to another coworker to cover for me.  

Opening the cold knob, the running water from the sink cooled my heated skin momentarily. My drowsy eyes began to feel warm. It was as if they were radiating heat through my eyelids and my eyes were a pale pink shade. Removing my gold rimmed circle glasses, my armpits felt a brief breeze of air flow. I pressed my wet hands onto my eyelids gently, feeling a refreshing sensation I closed my eyes for a few seconds before dabbing them dry with a paper towel.  

The door slammed open with a chef rushing to the toilet hastily. Immediately, I turned off the running water and went back out to continue serving customers. 

"Please go serve your table." My coworker said," I just seated them but hurry. Customers are piling in."

Ignoring the warm sensation beginning to radiate from my skin once again, I continued my shift. "Hello, my name is Elsa and I will be serving you this evening. Welcome to our restaurant, today we have our vegetable soup special." I said as I handed them the menus. "Please take your time and enjoy your stay here." 

I began to walk away to serve other customers waiting patiently. Glimpsing at my wrist watch, it read 6:30 pm. Just an hour more before having my shift over. 

A slight tap on my left shoulder startled me, "I'm sorry Elsa, I know today is an overwhelming day and it is a heavy shift." Recognizing her voice, I turned my head towards her direction. She paused briefly and made quick eye contact before continuing, "Could you close the shop today for me? I know I'm in charge today, but something came up and was wondering if you could." 

Biting my lip in hesitance, I accepted. Inconveniently, this meant I had to stay past midnight to close the restaurant.

"Thank you," she said with thrilled tone. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Or so she says the past what? Six times this month. 

She scurries over to her boyfriend waiting for her by the door. In a low voice, she says, "See I told you, I can get out of work early."

Mentally, I rolled my eyes. This is not the first time she had requested me to close the restaurant for her. She never fulfilled her promises of 'making it up' to me either.

Sighing, I continued to take orders and serve dishes to families who primarily stayed until closing business hours. It didn't take long for nightfall as I locked the front door. Using public transportation, I arrived at my apartment complex with the need to snuggle in bed. My bed was placed in the living room by the shimmery window with condensation forming around it. 

Changing into an oversized t-shirt and comfortable shorts, I comfortably laid over the soft bed. Removing my circle rimmed glasses, I rubbed my eyes. The heat from my body was still there from earlier. My tired and aching legs from work relaxed on the smooth texture of my snow white blanket. Exhausted, I closed my eyes in hopes of getting rid of the mild fever I had.