Can I Take Your Order?

The Mainplace held a Friday night acoustic gig which was hosted by Soul Shop. Ate joyce and I volunteered as waiters for the event. A day before we were sent to an HRM school here in Cavite to learn the rudiments of serving the table, proper handling and placement of utensils, carrying 4 plates at a time (which is really hard by the way), and some basic napkin folds. It was a short crash course to prepare us for the event.

We went to the Mainplace at 7 pm that Friday night. When we arrived, there were tables covered in red table cloths that lined up outside Soul Shop. In the center of each table was a ceramic plate where on it laid a flower held together by two stones. A mini stage was at the center. Soft ambient lights flooded the usually dark street near the church. Acoustic music was streaming from the speakers. The whole setup felt like the usual sight one sees in Baywalk during the night.

People started arriving at 8:30. The performers was already there setting up their equipment. Each of us was assigned a different table and after a brief orientation we started walking towards the customers seated and asked their orders. To my surprise the guy at the table I was assigned to was the same guy who gave us the crash course. Serving their table felt like going through a graded OJT (on the job training). I didn't want to mess up so I kept reminding myself the little that I have known from the lecture. I was tense at first but when I got the hang of it I enthusiastically went from table to table taking orders and serving them.

It was hectic. I went to and fro taking orders and dishing out plates. There were at least 60 or more people and there were only 10 of us waiters. Individually we were serving at least 6 people. That's small compared with the size of customers waiters normally serve in restaurants. Considering this is my first time it was hard and exhausting but no matter how hard it looked I still kept on going. Ate lee would be so surprised if she saw me. It's not really in me to do this kind of things. To be honest i'm a lazy hardworking fellow. It's my paradox. I'm a couch potato who prefers being served rather than serving, but when time comes that I start working, I give it my best. My father would always say that "Masipag ka naman e, pag tyinaga nga lng."

It was already midway through the program. The performers are already playing their second set of songs. I was at the back searching for tables to be cleared, but most of the people are still eating so I just stood back and enjoyed the music for a while. The vocalist started reading a tiny piece of paper. It was a request from the audience. "Once in a Lifetime by Freestyle or 214 by Rivermaya to be sung by JC", he read. I thought he made a mistake but then the youth started to tease me and it's obvious that one of them gave out that request for me to sing. I just stood back in shock and disbelief. Luckily they performed a couple of songs and for a moment I thought they forgot. But after a few sets the vocalist called my name and asked me to come up stage. I was hesitant. The others tried to encourage me but really I was too embarrassed to go up there and sing. I gave in though. The vocalist made me sit down the chair he was sitting in and gave me the mike. The keyboardist didn't know the song so the vocalist requested kuya JR to come up and play it. The vocalist then asked me to give a message to my friends. All I was able to say was "Lagut kayo sa akin mamaya."

Eyes were on me and I was there at the stage praying that I won't freeze up. Kuya JR started playing and I sang. Amazingly I was able to finish the whole song without messing up. After finishing I was eager to get off stage. I felt so hot in embarrassment. I've never done anything like this before. I've sang a couple of times in church before but never in a gig. And the fact that youth, guests, and pastors, were there to watch, made it even more embarrassing. But I'm glad that's over with. I'll never forget that experience.

This entry was posted on February 12, 2005 at 9:33 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.