SUBWAY DAYS

Several years ago, you may recall that I lived in a burned out trailer, went for a week without a crumb to eat, and was half-mad from trying to be an Independent Ceramic Tile Contractor. I believe my exact words were “I didn’t care if I ever worked again for the rest of my life”.
Part of what saved me was going to work for a lower wage than I had made in 20 years....at Subway Sandwiches. I remember going in and telling the manager:
‘I was a Chef for 20 years and I got burned out and swore I would never work Foodservice again.....so here I am!”
She laughed and hired me anyway.
Well I nearly went all the way broke down doing that too, but at least I didn’t go without a crumb or morsel to eat.
And I had the time of my life.
All the young girls would tell me I was the “best Subway Guy Ever” ...and all the Middle aged women admired my youthful exuberence and all the lil' ol' ladies...well, what lil’ ol lady can resist me, a Mothers Day Baby?....I know food and people so well that I could predict what sandwich a person would want when they walked in the door.
Did I mention that I am hilarious and always in a good mood?

I started out to write about one thing but I am going to write about some thing else. It took me 40 years to learn what I was able to confirm at Subway.
For most of my life I didn’t give a good Got-Damn if anyone liked me or not. Somewhere along the way I fairly succeeded in running most of my friends off with this winning attitude.
I discovered that it is important what other people think of you. If it wasn’t, then what the hell are we here for?
From there I discovered another thing.... it makes it much easier for someone to like you if they think you like them. Which translates to... its important that other people think you like them... so...its important to find a reason to like other people!
For some of you, this may not be Earth-Shattering news, but for this cranky ol’ chef, it was a revelation.
I found, working At the Subway, just how easy it is to completely turn someones day around just by being excited to see them. And how good it feels to have someone walk in the door, them hoping you would be there and excited and relieved that you were. When a little ol’ lady would come in and have on an ugly lookin’ brooch, I would comment on how lovely it truly was and the story would come out:
“My Mother was given this brooch by my Father 70 years ago on their second date. They were married right before the War and Momma lost this brooch while Daddy was overseas and it was missing for 20 years until the day we buried my brother. Daddy found it in an old Suit of his and Momma remembered putting it there while she held the suit one night, on June 6, 1944. I wear it all the time, but you are the first one to ask about it”.

To think I had thought that brooch ugly....there are things at work in peoples lives we know nothing about and they all deserve a little more attention than what we sometimes take the time to give.
“I wear it all the time, but you are the first to ask about it”

I was at that Subway shop two weeks ago, and I have a really good job these days, but the Manager asked if I would work for her some because she has a really suck-ass crew and needed someone really bad.
So I have been working for 6.50 an hour (and a Sandwich!) during the evenings and spreading as much cheer as possible and these memories have come back to me. It has been a delight. i had forgotten just how much I really do like people.

"So, how many cookies would you like today?"