Dream Job (?)

Today is my last day of freedom.  Don’t worry, I’m not eloping or being sold into slavery.  I’m just getting a job.  I start training at Ruby Tuesday’s tomorrow, and within a week I will officially be a waitress.

Now, I’ve noticed a trend among the reactions people have when I tell them where I’m working.  Some people are very good at hiding their surprise, but I can see it in the slight widening of their eyes, or even in the absolute changelessness of their expression.  Some people nod sympathetically and say something along the lines of, “well, a job is a job.”  A few times, I’ve gotten the “oh” with implied dismayed “really?”  And my neighbor was very open with his opinion when I told him—“Well, that sucks,” he informed me.

I admit this job wasn’t exactly what I was thinking of when I was toiling through four years of a difficult undergraduate program.  And often now when I’m telling people of what I’m doing now, I feel the need to defend myself.  “I’m just taking a year off school, so I just need something that will pay the bills.”  “Anything’s better than being unemployed, right?”  I’m sure when I say these things that people will say that I sold out or gave up, or at best, that I’m a victim of the tortuous job market.

But honestly, I don’t feel very victimized.  I think this job could be very good for me—perhaps just what I’m looking for.  See, what I really want to do is write, with some time to compose on the side.  Working in a restaurant may not leave me any more time to do that than any other full-time job would, but since I’ll be working night shifts most of the time, it will feel like I have more time.  Meanwhile, the job itself looks very promising for me.  It will teach me how to deal with people, and I’m sure that I’ll pick up several story ideas from my interactions with staff and customers.  My manager already likes me, and frankly, he’s thrilled to have me, which is nice for anyone anywhere. 

So I’m going to try not to be defensive anymore.  Who cares if waiting tables makes me look like a victim?  The fact is, I’m not.  A job is a job, and a life is a life, and this is mine.  Right now, I feel very good about it.