Image Courtesy of Simon Monk. Shared via a Creative Commons license.
—-
Timothy was jealous. Craig was showing off his new Ipod in school and taunting him for not having one. Timothy tried to appear nonchalant but inside he was ready to burst with anger. What would happen if he grabbed Craig’s new toy and smashed it? A fight? Trouble with the Dean? Suspension? He sat down instead.
“Hey, Lanky,” Craig shouted. “When you getting one of these?”
Everyone around laughed. Not at the taunt but that he was called “Lanky.” Timothy was tall and skinny. His facial hair made the sixteen year old look as old as twenty-one. Without his uniform, many people mistook him for an adult.
He steupsed and opened his book to pretend to study. Maybe they would leave him alone if they thought he was doing work. They were not fooled. The taunts went on for another five minutes before a teacher walked in to quiet them. The rest of the day was uneventful but Timothy kept Craig’s insults in his mind.
Why could he not have an Ipod too? Why were his parents so poor? He was unusually quiet during dinner when his siblings rambled on about school.
“Is everything all right, Tim?” his Mom asked when she found him alone behind the house. The cold breeze and two banana trees kept him company.
“Yeah.”
“I find you very quiet.”
“Oh,” he said.
She sat next to him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I said everything’s all right. It’s just that…” She did not say anything. An interruption now would upset his train of thoughts.
“Everyone in school just seems to be moving on, you know?”
“No, not really.”
“Why I can’t get an Ipod, Mom? Or a cell phone?”
“Oh, I see, now. Someone in school got another phone and you want one.”
“If Brian didn’t get a laptop from the government for entering Form one, we would not have one today.”
“You know we can’t afford those things. We try our best to just get you what we think you need now.”
“I know, Mom and I’m not complaining but sometimes…” He steupsed. “Sometimes, I just want… just to be part of… I don’t know.” His head fell on her shoulder and she hugged him.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Tim. Just finish school and the world can be yours.”
“Uncle Deo offered me a job at his restaurant. Just on the weekends.”
“Tim, you don’t have time for that.”
“But I do, Mom.” He pulled away. “I always do my homework. It’s just during the nights and I could make some money for myself.”
“You can’t work on Sunday night when Monday morning is school.”
“It’s not Sunday. He said Friday and Saturday nights.”
“You won’t be tired after school on Friday.”
“No way. Mom, please?”
She never liked to refuse him especially since he always completed his homework and never got into any trouble. She sighed. “Let me discuss it with your father, but if it begins to affect your schoolwork you have to give it up, okay?”
“Yes, Mom.”
—-
Friday night was his first night at work. His uncle’s restaurant was small. Not always busy. Timothy was given a small notepad, instructions and a brief talking-to that passed for training before he went out to take the customers’ orders. There were three other waiters employed and they gave him one table to see about.
“Good night, how are you today? I’m Timothy and I’ll be your server for tonight.”
The couple gave their order. As nervous as he was he did not get the order wrong or spill any food or break any wares. He did interrupt the couple too many times to make sure that they were okay though. He realized that when the man gave him a cut eye after the third interruption into his conversation with his date. All in all, Timothy went home very proud of himself. His father was a bit annoyed that he reached home at midnight but he did not say anything about it.
The next night, Timothy’s uncle greeted him with disturbing news at the restaurant.
“Listen Tim, I know this is only your second night but I have a huge problem. You’re the only one on duty tonight.”
“What?”
“Ling get arrested and may be deported and Isaac sick. I trying to get Diana to come out tonight but she not answering her phone. Look, tonight don’t look busy. You think you could handle this? Last night you did pretty well.”
He nodded, yes. He was excited, actually. Timothy always loved to be busy and when he took a dinner order he felt in charge. He was responsible for making sure people got fed and he loved that feeling.
He looked out of the kitchen to the dining area. Three couples were already seated. He went out to greet the first set.
“Good night, I’m Timothy and I’ll be your server for this evening.” He greeted them a little louder than usual and the other couples watched him.
“Sure, can we give our entire order one time?”
“Of course.”
She rattled off her order. He patted his pockets. He forgot his notepad in the kitchen. He kept his smile plastered on his face. He was not going to admit that he had made a rookie mistake as to leave his notepad behind.
“You’re not writing this down?”
“No, no. I will remember.”
The two other couples heard him. One fellow even laughed. Timothy took that as a challenge. He felt offended that someone should laugh at him. Craig’s taunts entered into his mind. As soon as the woman finished giving her order for herself and her husband, Tim went to the other couple.
“May I take your order, please? And you can give me everything one time.”
The fellow who laughed watched him. “Are you sure you won’t mix us up with their order?”
“I will not. I have a good memory.”
The man gave such a long order – appetizers, entrée and dessert – to feed a family instead of a couple – that Timothy thought the man was aiming for him to fail.
Timothy went to the third couple and took their order as well. He then disappeared into the kitchen while the couples whispered to each other that he would get their orders wrong.
Ten minutes later, Timothy walked out with food for the first couple. He then disappeared into the kitchen and brought out the second couple’s food and then the third. Everyone got exactly what they ordered. The man who laughed held up his glass of wine and saluted him. The rest of the people clapped.
Timothy’s uncle met him in the kitchen.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Why they clapping?”
“Because I got their orders right.”
“But we don’t get orders wrong here. What’s the big deal?”
“Hold on. A family just walked in.”
“Okay, go, go.”
Timothy went back out to greet them.
That night was busy and Timothy took everybody’s order without writing anything down. He also showed off about it by making sure that the customers knew that he was taking multiple orders and not getting anything wrong. By the end of the night, his uncle knew of his feat. He was not pleased at all as a stunt like that could have cost him money and reputation if anyone complained about receiving a wrong order.
Sunday night, Timothy did not work but on Monday night, when Timothy was eating with his family at home, his mother said, “Deo called. Like you were a big hit Saturday night.”
“Why you say that?”
“Customers last night came in asking for the waiter with the good memory,” his father said, smiling from ear to ear.
Timothy became excited. “People were asking for me? But I only memorized people’s order one night.”
“Remember, Tim, that Deo’s restaurant small and it is the same customers he has coming all the time.”
“And everybody knows everybody,” his mother said. “So your reputation spreading.”
“Knowing Deo, he might want you there every night. Of course, that not happening.”
“Yes, hands off,” his mother said. “School comes first. We only agreed on those two nights.”
Timothy laughed out. He could not believe that people were asking for him. It was the first time that he was appreciated by people outside of his family.
—-
On weekdays, Uncle Deo spread to his customers that the waiter with the good memory only worked on weekends, and from Timothy, he demanded that he work without a notepad. Even he did not understand the impact Timothy had on his business until five weekends after when the restaurant was packed and he actually had to refuse customers.
Timothy took multiple orders without writing them down and everyone received what they wanted. He was given more tables to look after and by the end of each night, when it was time to leave, he was always very tired. However, he had made more money in tips than his salary could ever provide.
“Tim, could I talk to you before you go?” They stood outside of the restaurant. All the customers had already left and some of the other workers were closing up.
“Sure, Uncle Deo, what is it?”
“How school going?”
“Okay.”
“You passing all your tests and everything?”
“Yeah. Mommy was concerned that when end of term tests come I may have to give up this job.”
Uncle Deo, his mother’s bother, did not want to hear that. “Actually, Tim, I was wondering if you would like to start working during the week.”
Timothy did not answer immediately. He liked the idea but he thought about school and what his parents would say and his conflict was revealed by his expression.
“You don’t have to answer now but just think about it. You’re a big man now and you yourself said that you getting real respect here. Respect you not getting in school. The salary nice, the tips nicer. Customers coming here just to see you. They talking about you as they come and talking about you when they leave. They actually requesting that you serve them. My other waiters jealous but who cares, right? They never used to work hard enough before you came anyway. You’re my nephew and you could actually run here someday. As a manager. And as a young manager because you start young. Look your parents reach. Think about it.”
Timothy looked up to see his parents’ car pulling in for a park. “I will, Uncle, and thanks for the opportunity.”
“Tim, that’s what I here for. With you and me teaming up, we could make real money.”
—-
On the drive home, Timothy related his uncle’s offer to his parents. “I think it’s a great opportunity! Look how much money I making.”
His parents were silent at first. Then his father said to his mother, “I told you that Deo loves money too much. I told you this would happen.”
“Don’t get vex with me.”
“I’m not vex.”
Timothy hated when his parents argued, especially if he thought that he was the cause.
“I knew this was a bad idea,” his father continued. “Give a young boy a chance to make money and he does turn his back on his studies.”
“Then why you didn’t say something when we were discussing it? You were so happy to hear that customers were asking for him.”
“I knew this would happen but every time I open my mouth to say otherwise you always getting vex.”
“Look, don’t start!”
“Mom, Dad!” The car became quiet. “I want to work every night. After school.”
“Don’t talk stupidness!” his father said.
“Timothy, there’s no way you could do both school and work!”
“But I want to work!” he insisted.
“When you finish university, young man, you wouldn’t even want to be a waiter.”
“I want to be a waiter.”
“I said, no.”
“Listen to your father, Tim. Now is not the time to be thinking about working.”
“Why? Because I bringing in more money!”
“Tim!”
“How dare you speak to your mother like that?”
“I am sixteen years old. School can’t teach me about being a waiter. I have to get out there and work at it”
“Tim, we told you, no!”
Timothy hated when his father just gave orders without listening to his side of the argument. “Mom, Uncle Deo said that I could be manager someday.”
“You can’t be a manager without education.”
“It’s a family business.”
“And that’s how you want to move up in life? Because it’s a family business,” his father said.
Timothy felt hurt. He was insulted. “I work hard there.”
“No one is denying that but this was supposed to be part time, until you got some money to buy an Ipod for yourself.”
“That’s what this is about?” his father said. “I thought it was to get experience.”
“I don’t want to go back to school. I hate it there.”
“You have one more year there and you will finish it!”
“Dad, you said I go to school to get a good job afterward. Well, I have a good job now and I making plenty money!”
“Plenty money! You think that’s plenty money?” his father said.
Timothy did not respond immediately. He felt a stab in his heart. “At least Uncle Deo could give me money.”
“Tim!” his mother shouted.
His father did not utter a word after that. They drove home in silence.
—-
Timothy’s mother met him in the backyard. He was not feeling well. His insult to his father was uncalled for and he was not brave enough to apologize. His father avoided him that evening. “You listen to me, young man. Don’t ever talk to your father or me like that again, you hear me?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Everything you have is because of both of us. And don’t think your uncle giving you money out of the kindness of his heart! The day you stop being an attraction is the day he gets rid of you.”
He did not believe that so he did not respond.
“I will talk to Deo tomorrow about this nonsense but I letting you know that we are against it. You are sixteen years old and living with us so you still have to abide by our rules. You will finish school and go to university. If after all that you still want to work with your uncle then you can go.”
“Mom, I’ll be wasting time. I need to start now.”
“For what? What’s the hurry? To have what your friends have? That’s what life is about for you?”
He looked away. She did not understand. She was not disrespected at home like he was at school.
“Timothy, listen to me. Life is more than material possessions and money. And one day you’ll learn that. Chasing money is not what life is about at all.”
“But we should have some!”
“You think we don’t have any? How you think we have this house, food on the table, uniforms for you and your brothers and sisters? Eh, answer me, boy.”
He felt embarrassed. He did not want to continue this conversation but his mother was relentless. She wanted an answer. “I just saying that I could bring home more money. The opportunity is here.”
“Not all opportunities are to be grabbed at blindly. I know my brother. You know him as a loving uncle but I know him for what he is. You work with him you’ll quickly find out yourself and I don’t want you to have that kind of relationship with him. You understand?”
He nodded, yes.
“I’ll talk to Deo tomorrow. Go to bed.”
Timothy stood up and walked into the house.
“Tim,” she called. He came back out.
“Apologize to your father. And I know this not making sense now but one day you’ll realize that what I telling you is for your own good. Your uncle is a nice man but once he sees you as someone to make money you’ll soon grow to hate him. And I don’t want that from you.”
Timothy walked through the house to the porch where his father sat. Timothy inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly and walked up to his father. His father said nothing. Timothy sat next to him.
—-
Kirk Budhooram was recently awarded his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. He has two published novels, The Festival and Kirk Budhooram’s Ibis Agents.