Jimmy Banquet Chef slid a Heineken toward Bill and then one toward his cousin, Jimmy G. The two Greeks spoke together in their native tongue for a moment and then the banquet chef looked at Bill and said, “Sorry, family stuff.”
“It’s okay,” said Bill. “I’m getting used to it.”
“Caesar’s pissed,” the banquet chef said. “He wants you to fail so he can have full control of the room again. What he doesn’t know is now that it’s like this, with you having final say over the food decisions, no matter who’s in your position, it’s not going back to the way it was.”
“I don’t want to be in charge,” said Bill.
“Sure you do,” the banquet chef said.
“Yeah? Why?”
“Because as soon as your probation is over you’re getting a raise. A good one too. As long as there’s no sous chef, the exec’s gonna be depending upon you more and more. He spoke to someone where you used to work, some manager named Tommy Stevens. He said you were an ace and you can handle responsibility.”
“What about your cousin here?”
“He’s here,” the banquet chef said.
Jimmy G laughed. “I work here, that’s all. Don’t ask me for anything.”
“See? He’s happy too. Any problem, he’ll pass it right along to you.”
Bill sipped his beer. He didn’t say anything.
“So two things,” Jimmy Banquet Chef said. “First, be careful around Caesar. Like I said, you can mess with the girls all you want. Or not. But don’t do anything you shouldn’t do near Caesar. And be polite too. The chef’s already put him in his place and he’s got your back. So be nice.”
“Okay,” Bill said. “And second?”
“Here’s your banquet schedule.” Jimmy Banquet Chef slid a piece of paper across the desk toward Bill. “Let me know if it’s okay.”
Bill took up the paper and gave it a look. He saw that there were no more breakfasts, at least for the next two weeks, which was what the time on the schedule was. But because they were coming into a somewhat busy season leading up to Christmas, they had multiple parties and banquets almost every day and Sundays too. So Bill was scheduled to work every day starting at ten in the morning, meaning four extra overtime hours a day. He was also scheduled to work the next two Sundays, which meant he would be working three weeks straight through.
“Sunday’s double time and a half for you since it’s Sunday and straight overtime.”
“I can do this,” Bill said.
“Good,” the banquet Chef said. “I want you to. And I’ll teach you everything I can.”
“Ya,” Jimmy G said. “Good.”
“He’ll be here too,” the banquet chef said. “He’s my cousin.”
While they were in the chef’s office Jimmy Banquet Chef saw Caesar come by the office. When Caesar saw the three of them in there, he veered off and headed in a different direction.
“Don’t look,” Jimmy Banquet Chef said, “but your boy’s here looking for the exec.”
“Big whoop,” Bill said.
“I’m telling you,” the banquet chef said, “be careful around him.”
They sat then and finished their beers. The banquet chef asked if they wanted another, but neither Bill nor Jimmy G said yes. It was getting time for them to load the truck with the last items needed and head off to work.
First thing they did back in the room was unload the truck. While Bill double checked everything, made sure they had everything they needed, that everything was proper, ready to go and set in order the way he wanted it, Jimmy G parked the truck off to the side in the back corridor and left it there for later. When he returned to the kitchen, everything was done and they were ready.
