Two years ago

Hi

Hows it goin?

Two years ago on this very day, I worked what was supposed to be my last shift in Vincents.

People quite often ask why I left. The truth is I just wanted a change. I was getting bored, I had been manager for nearly 3 years and I was starting to lose interest. I needed something new, something different.

There were other factors that led to me leave Vincents.


Here are the 5 main reasons I left:

1: Someone was wanting to book a function for 2011 and the staff and I were discussing it and someone asked if any of the current staff would even be here then and someone said,

"Andy will still be here, he's a lifer."

That scared the crap out of me!

A lifer!

Bugger that!

2: I answered my own phone, on more than one occasion,

"Good afternoon Vincents Restaurant, Andy speaking, how can I help?"

3: I started hearing things. Seriously. All the time I kept thinking I heard the phone, or someone at the door, or my boss shouting my name when he wasn't even in the building. This happened constantly and was really starting to worry me.

4: I was meeting a mate for a drink. I arrived at the pub first, ordered a pint and sat at a table near the door in order to spot my mate when he arrived. The two old guys the opposite table were chatting away, they finished their drinks and stood up to leave. And then I said, automatically without thinking.

"Thanks a lot guys, enjoy the rest of your evening."

I said that to two random blokes in the pub, they looked at me like I was mental and walked out. I then hid my head behind my paper in shame. It was just a reflex. I didn't even realise what I was saying until after I said it.

5: I really, really hate the public.

I was in desperate need of a change in routine.

That's when the whole New York thing happened. A couple of years previously my good friend and former shipmate Ian had spent a year as Deputy Manager of a restaurant on Long Island. He told me they were currently looking for a new deputy and it included a place to live.


It was too good to refuse.


Or so I thought.

A lot of people also ask me how I enjoyed New York?

New York had good and bad points. It was pretty cool living in the greatest city in the world. Working in the restaurant was a bit of a mixed bag. Most of the staff were awesome and I'd like to think they didn't hate me too much. Even tho they did give me the nickname "Tray Nazi."

I was a firm believer that ANYTIME a drink is taken to a table a tray must be used. If I caught staff not suing a tray I would make them go back to the bar and get one. One waitress was so bad at not using a tray I duct taped one to her hand!

I left New York after nearly 6 months, business was winding down as it is mainly a summer restaurant. And I was getting really sick of the place. Not the city, just the restaurant. Business was slow, the customers were rude and I really started to hate the place. The owners showed no trust in me, and showed me very little, if any, respect. The general manager of 10 years left, he only gave them two weeks notice, but no one even had the courtesy to tell me. I found out two days before he left.

I was trying to help them run the business but felt ignored. I asked the owner about the General Manager leaving and if she wanted me to extend my visa so I could stay and help out. I had been working in the restaurant for 5 months at this time. I could run the place easily, and told her I would stay to help until they close for the season, or they find a replacement, but I needed to know today so I could arrange my visa and travel arrangements.

To which she replied,

"Oh you know about Dana leaving?"

Like I wasn't going to notice, I think she expected me to turn up to work one day and not notice a new general manager.

I explained he had told me earlier that day, and asked if she had a replacement in mind. I offered to stay longer, or at least until they find someone new. I was due to leave in 6 weeks and if she wanted me to stay to run the restaurant or to help train a new manager I had to know right then so I could make the necessary arrangements. To which she replied,

"I'm looking into it."

I asked if she had someone new coming, or was she interviewing people?

"I'll let you know, everyone else here has secrets, so i'm gonna have some secrets too."

What?

You're gonna keep secrets about a potential new manager from the deputy manager who is simply trying to help you run the place?

What the fuck?

It's not all the fault of the owners tho. To be honest I am pretty shit at my job. About 4 months into my time in NYC I simply stopped giving a shit. The customers were constantly rude. One guy threatened to punch me because his burger was under cooked. I did explain that if he told me this before he finished his meal I would have been able to do something about it. He took this as an insult, and said if he was 10 years younger he'd punch me in the face.

Fucking Americans!

It is sad, the restaurant had a great location, but the food wasn't the greatest and the kitchen often struggled to cope with the constant flow of customers.

So I left New York, earlier than I intended. In fact I actually left two days before my mates who flew out to visit me. It was the only flight I could get and I was desperate to get away.

Some people have said that I have changed since I went to NYC. They are probably right. At one point in time I actually liked my job, I liked the pubic, but over time the public have beaten my good humour out of me.


These days I hate everyone.

After leaving New York I headed to Edinburgh and started at Tapas Towers. And it was good, I was essentially on the bottom rung of the management ladder and that's where I liked it. I didn't have much responsibility compared to my previous jobs and the money was decent. But even then I had encounters with the demon spawn that are the general public. Like the Hairdressers From Hell. (I will write about them in the blog soon.)

When I first moved to Edinburgh I started to become disillusioned with the restaurant industry. I only had a couple of interviews before I found a job, but in both of them I was asked where I see myself in 5 years. In both case's I gave the standard answer, stating I would be a general manager or something similar.

But afterwards when I thought about it, I started to realise I sure as shit did NOT want to be a general manager in 5 years.


I hate the public, they are all cunts!


And I have gotten to the point where I have just stopped caring. I don't care if someone has to wait for a meal. It's a fucking restaurant and it's busy. If you don't like it then cook at home.

Have you not got a fucking kitchen?

This is really not the the correct attitude to have in the restaurant business. So I decided to turn back the clock and apply to go back to school. I applied to Aberdeen college and a couple of universities and the RSAMD. The RSAMD gave me an interview and then they sent me a very nice rejection letter and the university of west scotland gave me a conditional offer once they received conformation that my higher exam results were accurate.

They were not accurate.

So I ended up in Aberdeen college and those of you who read yesterdays blog post will know I am reaching a point where I can't be arsed with school now.

So that's been the past two years.


Two years ago I left Vincents with no intention of ever returning and now I am back part time and my hatred for the public continues to grow.

Fuck knows where I'll be two years from now. I quite often joke about how I will end up working in R.S. Mccolls, but the one down the road is closing next week. So it looks like that plans out the window.


I can always apply to work at tesco I suppose. Might be a bit awkward if a certain cashier is still working there tho.

Thats All For Now

Until Next Time

Have A Nice

Andy G

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