I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

A year ago, I was new.

I knew only a hand full of people coming in to the restaurant. And even fewer people by name.

My old restaurant didn’t take reservations, so unless I had a reason to learn your name, I only knew people by site. I talked to many, many people over the five summer I worked there and knew their stories but not their name.

Since I’ve started working here, we take reservations. I know so many names now. And I take lots and lots of notes to remind me of spouses names, bar stools you like, how long you sit, that you just moved here etc.

Lately, there have been very few names I know on the reservation list. Tonight out of 125 tables we sat I only knew four or five people. And of those I could only pick out two or three from a lineup.

One woman’s name I recognized but couldn’t place. Could not remember what she looked like, or who she was.

She was standing at her tables, waiting to sit down when she saw me. I was in the middle of something, so I couldn’t stop but I said hello, and she said, HI KEVIN!!! IT’S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.

I returned the pleasantries as my staff at the server station all laughed. I kept moving.

So many people get my name wrong. And I never, ever, ever correct them.

At one job I was Josh for more than a year.

One woman who currently frequents the restaurant continues to call me Jeremy even though, the bartender has corrected her.

I guess as long at they aren’t calling me an asshole I shouldn’t mind.

And I don’t really.

It was nice just to see a familiar, smiling face.