On your way to somewhere, that is bigger or better...

May 11, 2008

That following Sunday night I was just a bunch of nerves; I’ve been redecorate my new room for the past hour, now stepping back to take everything in I call Jackie to see what she thinks.

“I like it, looks great-” she let the word drags out as she lets her eyes wonder around. “It looks the same…”

“No it doesn’t, can’t you see? I moved the bed more to the center and switched the two art pieces; I think it looks more spaces’” I say pointing to their new homes.

“Oh, yeah I see it now, my bad what was I thinking?” emphasizing the words Jackie placed her hand onto her chest, “Ooo, look you even fluffed the pillows...”

 “You know I don’t ever remember you being this sarcastic, just because we roomies and all don’t mean I won’t still kick your ass. As a matter of a fact it gives me even more right to.”

“Touché, okay so what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, I just thought I try my hand at decorating which I see I failed at so…” I started off strong only to trial off at the end as I pull my hair down and ran my finger through it.

 “Mmm, well we can’t all be great at everything…Kidding, I was just kidding.” She says smiling with her hands up in defense. “But how about I help you? Like the maybe turning the bed to angle towards the window seat. It will create space and let things flow.”

 Pulling my hair back into a bun I turned to look at her, I arched in eye brow “Let’s things flow huh?”

“What I’ve been watching a lot of HGTV and Style, they have wonderful ideas.” she tells me as she walks over to the bed to help me move the bed.

I shake my head at her and begin to move the bed as she directed, “You better be right because watching and actually knowing what you doing is two different things.”

“Shut up and do as I say!”

“Ay ay Caption Castillo!”

“Kiss my ass!”

“Thanks but no than- oh shit!” I duck just in time before one of my decorative pillows she threw could hit me in my head.

~~~~~~~~~

I sank into the fluffy couch a couple hours later after a pillow fight or two and rearranging my room around, I like it-she knew what she was talking about…

“So what do you think? Told you knew what I was talking about.”

“It’s aiight…” Now I never said I’d say it aloud.

“Girl its more than aiight and you know it! Give credit where credit is a do!” she says sliding onto the other end of the couch with a bowl of popcorn.

“Okay, should I write a thank you note to HGTV or oh do you think I should thank Style TV?” I ask only to be hit with a piece of kettle corn. “Okay so both.”

She rolls her eyes and begins channel surfing, “So are you going to tell me what’s wrong now? Or are we going to keep acting like nothings running a marathon in that head of yours.”

“Nothing’s wrong-parse…” I say tucking my feet closer to me and pulling a blanket over me. “Just slight nervous that’s all.”

“You worry too much; you got this in the bag. Just remember me when you start to get the goody gifts. Wither its free hotel rooms or food,” she says pausing as if to think about it, “Yeah either will do.”

  “Why do I get the feeling I’m being used here?”

“That’s because you are, and while you’re at it make sure it’s a nice place like five star, a least I know I,” she clears her throat, “we’ll get good food.”

“You know to be such a tiny person,” I say glancing over at her pausing slightly, “you sure can eat a person out house and home.” Yet another kettle corn, good thing it’s not sour patch kids, Jack’s favorite candy/snack, those have to hurt.

“Don’t you need some beauty sleep or something?”

“Naw, I fine being right here, next to you.”

“I bet…”

~~~~~~~~~

The next morning…

Walking towards the hospitality building I dusty off imaginary lint from my pants suit before adjusting my school messenger bag on my shoulder and stomach, I pulled out a printed piece of paper with the information Mr. Pearson had email me a few days earlier.

Pulling the door open to the building I began looking room A 413. Seeing students and business suits walking in and out of a room, I figured it was just a few doors ahead of me. Seeing the suits going into one and the students into A 413, I followed behind a girl and took a seat at one of the desk in the middle of the room.

 At eight fifty am sharp Mr. Pearson walked into the room bubbly as his usual self, telling the classroom how his weekend went working with the chamber and asked us how ours was. Just light small talk until the last few students filed in for nine o clock.

“Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the summer and fall hospitality internship 2008. I’m David Pearson; I’ll be your instructor of this program. So let me tell you a little about it, fifty students have been hand selected out of our 275 Hotel and Restaurant Management group of juniors and seniors.” He continues to tell us excitedly about this program we were about embark on and how it works. How a little over seventy-five of Houston top hotel and restaurants where across the way setting up to meet with us. Once we have chosen the company, we begin a compensated thirty to forty hour work load, learning different aspects of the business from the front to the back of house with periodic checkups from Mr. Pearson at the job. Creating a portfolio filled with six projects over the time and will submit it at the end of the fall semester. We will be meeting in class once at week on Monday mornings at seven am sharp starting June 2, 2008 to go over what we are learning with him and to work out a text book on how to developing our skills to get the job in the end. Before letting the students go to meet the companies he let us know his door is always open and if we had any questions to let him know. 

Grabbing my things I begin to walk out of the class, a ball of nervous settled at the bottom of my stomach; excitement maybe but not so sure. What if everything didn’t work out? And would I have to quit my job? What would the money be like? While the other part of me was like fuck it go for it, this could be what you always wanted. Stepping into the other room I walk around looking at the restaurants that where there; Americas, Brennan's of Houston, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Vic & Anthony’s, Kirby’s, Flemings, Pappas and the list goes on and on.

I continue to walk around picking up hand-outs, stopping every now and then to listen to what one may have to say, like now as I stood here at the Pappas stand, taking in what this video tape had to say. When I heard a familiar laugh not too far away, glancing around I don’t notice anyone I may know and begin to shrug it off only for it to come again, more hearty than before.  Taking the brochure from the lady, I thank her and continue towards from where the sound came.  Getting closer I could see a man with his back towards me talking on the phone very animated behind a booth, his arms gesturing wildly only for him to pause to listen to before begin to express amusement all over again.

He didn’t have to turn around for me to know, it was Dylan Peterson, my old GM. I can remember as if it was yesterday he was the first person to ever interview me for a job, I was nervous and shy. Two bad combinations yet I was so tense I couldn’t smile at all; so make that three. Sill Dylan was warm and welcoming to me and after trying to get me out of my shell, he was also the first to say no to me. But that’s okay because I came back less than six months later not as introverted more outgoing and that job was mine.  I worked with him for a little bit over a year at the Bistro before they transfer him to Eight O Eight, I got a new job not too long after he left; it just wasn’t the same without him. However to this day if anyone was to ask me who my favorite manager is I would say, “Dylan Peterson,” I spoke up once he hung up.  

Turning around at the sound of his name, “Yes, how may I he- Aimee? It’s good to see you.” He smiles a smile that reaches his coffee brown eyes, as he comes around the booth and pulls me into a warm hug.

 “I know you too; it’s been awhile, like what two? Three months?”  I say hugging him back.  

“Yeah, six months is more like it since the last time you came by the restaurant to use me.”

“I did not use you!” I state as we pull out of our hug, “Just trying to learn from the expert; besides I did come back since then, several times but you weren’t there. Didn’t Dani tell you about, the A, I got on it?”

“Of course, she did and I’m proud of you. However, who’s the man?” he asks flexing his muscle.  

“Dani?” I state.

“Oh, I’m going to remember that.”  He chuckles, “so how has school been?”

“Great, I’m almost done with this coming fall being the start of my senior year and all. I’m so excited.”

“That’s good you deserve it, you’ve worked hard for it. “

“Thanks,” I could feel my cheeks began to warm, it meant a lot to me to hear him say that. Once I had made my decision on my major to be restaurant management, I went to Dylan right away and asked him if he’d mentor me along the way. He said yes and has been there for me whenever I needed him.  

“I’ve been meaning to call you, but you know me and how forgetful I can be. So I was actually hoping to see you today, especially once I heard we were going to have a booth here.”

“Really? Why what’s up?”

“Well, when corporate called telling us about the program and how our restaurant had been picked this year to host the student. Dani and I knew who, without any argument, who we wanted,” he paused for dramatic effect.

“That does say something if ya’ll didn’t argue at all. But what did you two agree on?”

“You.”

“Me?”  I ask before it registered and bite back a scream “Oh my gosh!? Are you serious right now?”  

“Would I pull your leg?”

I pause giving him a hell yes look.

“Okay so you got me on that one,” he chuckles before continuing, “but yes I’m serious. “

“OMG, thank you” I squealed giving him a hug. “Thank you so much!”

 “You’re welcome, you deserve it.” Dylan says as he hugs me back. “You’re going have to get with Danielle through so she can arrange your meeting with the main office. Okay?”

“Okay I will and I have to thank her too, where is Dani? I’m surprise she not here. I know she didn’t send you by yourself. ” asking him where his head floor manager was, I believe the next one in line to him at the restaurant. They were like the parents, through Josh is the general manager, Dani was like the mama and I don’t know how it is at anyone else home, but papa always obeys mama.

“She is manning the restaurant right now. But you know she didn’t she sent J with me.”   

“J?”

“Yeah, from the Bistro, his somewhere around here giving out flyers, speaking of which here he comes now.”  Dylan says as points somewhere behind me.

Who, J from the Bistro? The only J I know is…Naw it couldn’t be. And before I could turn around to see if it was true his voice filled my ear from behind me. “Hey D, I handed out all the flyers, we got anymore back there man?”

“Yeah there should be some in the back behind the booth.”

 “Okay, I got ya.” J says as he comes around me and enters the booth area. “Sorry, excuse me ma’am”

And sure enough there he was, the guy I had a crush on while I worked at the Bistro, one of my old manager’s, Jacob Dawson. To say he was a cute was an understatement, with those beautiful blue eyes and soft blond strands that created a halo effect on his head. He was absolute hottie, all the girls wanted him and he knew it. Coming from a small town outside of Houston and is what I would like to call a true lady’s man; you know the type that will charm and make you feel like you are the only woman in the world. But that was only if you were on his radar, something I don’t think I ever achieved or ever will.

“Hey J, you remember Aimee, from the Bistro right? “ Dylan asks him as he gestures to me.

Glancing up from his search, he smiles, “Wow, Aimee Ryan? Long time no see.”  Jacob says as he comes around the table and pulls me into a hug.

“I know it has been a while, how have you been?” I ask slightly taken back by surprise from his gesture but hug him back anyways as I inhaling deeply; I must say he smells so nice and before I begin to pull away.

“I’ve been great, thanks.” He says taking a step back he lets his sea foam blue eyes look me over before letting them meet my chocolate ones. “And you, do you still work at Seymour’s?”

“I’m doing well, thanks,” clearing my throat as I shifted slightly from the weight of his stare I broke eye contact and nervously tucked a few brown strands of hair behind my ear. “Yeah I do.”

“But she won’t be for long, she’s going to be interning with us at restaurant.” Dylan tells him excitedly.

“Oh yeah,” Jacob asks, “That’s cool it be nice to have some else I know.”

“Oh you work Eight O Eight now too?”

“For the past two and half months the people are great plus D’s there too.”

I nod, “Yeah I can tell whenever I’m their visiting.” Glancing at my watch I noticed it was now little past twelve, I had a lunch date with a close friend at one and if I didn’t leave sometime soon it’s be my ass. “Oh wow I lost track of time and I really must go. But it was great talk with you both. Thanks again Dylan, it mean the world to me.” I say hugging him quickly.

“No problem, just don’t forget to call Dani so ya’ll can make arrangement for your meeting. Okay?”

“I will, thanks, and it was good seeing you too Jacob.” I wave to him as I begin to walk away to leave.

“What? No hug for me?” he asks.

My heart flutters slightly and I laugh it off as I give him a hug. “What was I thinking? You’ll have to forgive me.”  

“Of course, I’ll let it slide this time” he says laughing as he pulls away with his signatures lopsided grin. “But, next I won’t be so sure.”