Written by: Rushina Tamang - 26008, Grade X
Posted on: 16 January, 2024
“I sometimes wonder what it would feel like to be the one waiting. What it would feel like to be the one sitting behind the table rather than the one standing in front of it.
“That’s one huge dream you have, kid.”
“Well, it is my dream, and I just can’t seem to get around it.”
“Well, kid, you have to work a lot in order to achieve something like that. You have to work outside this kitchen, explore your options, and face everything with strength, bravery, and determination.”
“I could achieve that dream just by working here as well, you know. I could work hard in this kitchen, get promotions and work my way through.”
“Well, that would work if this place would exist for that long. This place is dying down, kid. I bet in the next two years, this place will get demolished by the bank. This restaurant has a lot of debt, you know. And looking at the way this restaurant is earning its profit, this place won’t be able to recover from its debt.”
“So, it's fixed, huh?”
“Look, kid, you are a bright person. You are the brightest kid I have ever met. And I can assure you that whatever path you take in life, you’re going to make the best out of it. Someday, you are going to reach the top. And when you finally get your place behind the table, don’t you forget my name, ok?”
I giggle a little, “Alright, Brin. One day, when I make my way to America after I finish my studies and I make something out of myself, I’ll make sure to come back finding you, Brin. And we’ll go to the biggest restaurant in the city and sit behind the table while someone else stands in front of us and takes our order.”
“Sure, kid. One day I hope to see ‘Krist Roberts: The new success in the world’ in bold written in the font Times New Roman, as the headline of the newspaper.”
“Table 4 needs a waiter.”
“It’s your turn, Krist. Before you head out into the world, why don’t you head out of this kitchen first?”
“I swear, Brin. Someday, I will rise to the top. For now, I have to head out for that order.”
I walk out of the gray kitchen doors as the bright yellow light flashes on my eyes. Whenever I walk out of the kitchen doors, I imagine myself walking out on the red carpet from my black limousine. I step outside my car, and a bright light flashes at my eyes. As I walk, paparazzi surround me with questions that I’ll probably ignore except a few. But whenever I walk my 7th step, I enter the same old restaurant that I’ve worked at for 4 years. The same old The Bennies.
After I wake up from my daydream, I click back in with reality and walk my way towards Table 4.
“Hello, folks. Welcome to The Bennies, how can I help you today?” I look at the family of three surrounding Table 4. Two young parents and a toddler. The toddler had blond hair and blue eyes. Blue eyes from the father and blond hair from the mother. The toddler looked exactly like me. I also had blond hair and blue eyes. When I saw the toddler, and the happy family of three I felt a sharp pain in my heart.
“We’ll just do Alfredo pasta, a Caesar salad, and fried rice.” “Ok, I’ll be right back with your order. You have a lovely family.” “Thank you.”
The toddler looked exactly like me. I never knew my parents. Well, I did know them. But it was so long ago since I last saw their face that I don’t remember what they look like anymore. They left me on the streets when I was about 6. And Brin has raised me ever since. I wonder if I also got my blue eyes from my dad and my blond hair from my mom. But oh well, it didn’t matter anymore. It’s not like they’re gonna come finding me again.
“Krist, you should head out first. I’ll finish up the dishes and be right behind you. Your results are tomorrow, aren’t they?”
“Yeah, I’ll head home first then. See ya later, Brin.” “Get home safely!”
This is it. Today might be the last day of me working in this restaurant or just another day. I cannot believe a few numbers will decide the entire course of how my life will go. Tomorrow might just be the most important day of my life. I can imagine myself in a few decades remembering the moment I opened my results online. It would be 12:00 o’clock in the morning, my arms sweating, my mind full of thoughts, and Brin next to me supporting me. I wonder if I’ll get any sleep today.
“Krist, it’s time.” I run downstairs and open my old almost run-down laptop. Brin had to save up for months to buy me that laptop. And it was a second-hand run-down laptop but it was more than anything I could ask for. That was the best present I had ever got. It was time, I checked the clock on the laptop and saw the time being 11:59. It was time. This was it. I open the website and put my credentials in the website. “On the count of three, three, two, one.”
“Hey, Brin. BRIN!! Come look at this.” “What is it?” “Come check this out!! Quickly!!!” I get handed a newspaper and on the newspaper’s headline, there was written in bold and in Times New Roman, “Krist Roberts: The new success in the world.”
