Birds Eye View Part 3

Chapter 215-2

Birds Eye View

Part 3

 

I found the lids for the bucket making a mental note not to make that mistake again. It was a rookie mistake and I knew it. Once I had marked the buckets with the date and what was inside the buckets with masking tape just like the other buckets in the fridge making sure they were identical to the ones in there. Eli found me, and he looked kinda pissed and sopping wet. He growled at me, said. “Bro what that hell did you get me into.”

I said “A job, something you needed to have, take your pick either here or down at the stores, but this one comes with benefits and free food.”

He said. “The wage sucks.”

I said. “Sorry, but it helps if you have had worked before, you haven’t. You have been going to private school most of your life and living off your father's money. I have worked most of my life since I was seven. Doing odd jobs, paper routes and working in school lunchrooms as a dishwasher and line server. So don’t whine, and be grateful that you got a lucky break. Now help me get this done before the truck arrives.”

He nodded. “You owe me bro, big time, you know that don’t you?”

I said “Honey-buns; you know I love you when you talk dirty.”

He said. “Yea right?”

It was grueling work, but it was nice to have help from my fellow mice. We had just finished the fridge when Mack came and told me that the truck will be here in another hour due to the roads. So he said break time, Eli and I wanted to kiss the fat guy, but instead we all made use of the time by getting out of our wet clothes, and Eli and I out of our thermals, which were giving us both a rash as we stripped down to our boxers that were also wet.

Luke and Martin smiled at the other end of the locker room noticing or tight muscle build as we noticed theirs as well. Not in a gay way, but as guys do in locker rooms as they size you up.  Eli said. “Do you think they are torturing us on purpose?”

I said. “Yes, they are its called earning respect.  In a way, it’s a bird’s eye view what our life is going to be like in the near future.”

He said. “I hate birds they poop on me every time I go outside and sit under a tree.”

I said. “Then don’t sit under the tree,” hearing Luke and Martin laugh that it was only the beginning of our true punishment.

It felt better getting into some dry clothes, even our socks were a little wet but it was better than nothing. Once we came out with the boys Luke and Martin, they told us they usually eat first before everyone comes in a mad dash for lunch. That way we become the guinea pigs to see if the food taste bad before we serve it.

It seemed we had just sat down when it was time to get back to work because the delivery truck arrived; we nearly died right there when we saw the trailer packed to the gills, from can goods to Dairy, and produce. Mack had his clipboard in hand and checking the items off one at a time before signing it as we were told to get to work, so the poor driver and can get home before the snow hits again tonight.

The drive said he be back in an hour as we unloaded the truck Luke said that this only the weekend delivery that on Monday that’s when the big trucks really come with everything we need for the entire week.  Eli stumbled as he dared asked how many trucks, Luke said there’s the meat truck, and the produce truck and the bread truck plus the big dairy truck, this one just extra to make sure if we get snowed in that our working boys won’t starve to death.” Eli and I groaned, knowing we were the ones that most likely going to be doing the work.

I didn’t say anything; I just focused on the task at hand. Noting that the temperature actually felt pretty good, after sweating to death for nearly three hours. Eli asked after we had unloaded the truck how long before we go home I said 2 pm. He groaned noticing it was little after 11.

The place was busy in front of the kitchen as the working crew filed in. Mack said for me to help in the dish room until he was ready for me. I groaned inward when I saw the sink packed with dishes, from cleaning out the fridges and we still haven’t started cleaning the trays yet and the dishes were still coming from the line, but since there was five us. The work went pretty fast, now that Eli and I knew where everything went.

The fact we were soaked again made us want to strip down and go naked instead of always changing our clothes. Eli asked Luke what the secret was staying dry, he said lifting his apron, not to get close to the dishes, when they pick them up and wearing these slick heavy aprons. Eli looked at me and them and said. “Something you should have told me about.”

I shrugged my shoulders and said; “If you haven’t noticed pal that I am just as wet as you are, because there were no slick and heavy aprons for us to wear.”

Eli said. “You are so going to pay for this when we get home.”

I smiled. “You’ll live, its only water, and little something called initiation where the new old boys gets to have a little fun. Then when it’s your turn to train new crew you can get payback for your torturer.”  Once the line died down Mack came off the line and pulled me out of the dish room. Sending Eli and Luke back into the dining room for clean up, and bathroom check.

Luke said. “It’s the same old routine three times a day, Saturday is the worst day of the week because we get the added bonus of a weekend truck, cleaning the big coolers and the hoods in the kitchen and the ovens we do on Sunday, and the small coolers; since it is the slowest day because most the crew has gone home for the weekend.”

Eli said. “Lucky for me we don’t have to work on Sunday.”

Luke said. “We don’t either because our Dad is the head Chef… and since we have to go to school like you, we have the same schedule. While another crew takes over the days we don’t work, but some times someone is sick or has a major test they needed to study for, we take their place. Stringum says School is more important then works, and he gives us a bonus when we get good grades. We travel around a lot because Dad is his Head Chef, but that’s ok with us because it gives us experience that most kids our age don’t get and puts us at the top when employers are looking for help.”

Mack said too me sending my fellow mice on their way. “Now where were we? Oh yes, vegetable prep, you're going to dice up two buckets of those potatoes, and french cut three buckets of those carrots and fill three cottages containers with one small dice and other large dices. Then I want you to dice two cases of mushrooms, and put them into 2 large half slotted pans. You do know what two slotted pans are?”

I said. “Yes, Chef.”

He said. “Good, for a minute, I thought I would have to teach you the difference between your mother’s pans and real cooking pans. Then after that, I want you to cook and peel 10 dozen eggs and dice them up and put them in 2-inch long pan. Pop quiz time… When dealing with eggs what are the four most important rules?”

I said smiling. “Once cooked putting them in an ice bath, 2, makes sure your area is clean and sanitized with bleach type cleaner, to prevent cross-contamination. 3, when done, wipe and scrub clean again with bleach type cleaner including your knives and change your apron. 4 cover and date and put in the fridge with nothing above it or below it. In case the container leaks or something from the top leaks down on it contaminating the food products.”

He said. “Good, very good. Now let’s go over to the steamer, I am assuming you have never used one.”

I shook my head said. “No Chef.”

He said. “Well, it’s not complicated, in fact, it's like the best thing since God created women so we can have sex.” I smiled and he smiled and said, “You are going to use those 2 inch long pans with the holes in them and fill the eggs so they just cover the bottom. Then load them in these slots on the side. Then close the doors and set the timer for 12 minutes.”

“Then push the button on the side and leave it. It acts as steam pressure cooker so don’t open the door, until you push this green button and wait for the dial to go down to zero or you’ll get hot steam all over face and the door will trust me on this, will smack you across the head

“It only takes once and believes me it will hurt like hell. I don’t want to fill out a ten-page accident report, explain that to your mother how you got that goose egg on your head and burns on your hands. Because they will be hot and wet so use caution. Everything that you can boil water in, we use the steamer, it's way more efficient, well except for pasta, it will turn into a hot and sticky mess, if your curious will let you try it because the proof is always in the pudding my grandma used to say. That and never wear wet socks all day unless you want blisters.”

He smiled looking down at my damp pants around my ankles. “Now then another pop quiz, can you tell me how to mix your cleaning solution?”

I said. “Yes, Chef. 2 caps of bleach or I tablet per five gallons of water.”

He said. “Very good, but we don’t use bleach as you use it in a school classroom or at home, we use small powered packets that are far cheaper and they don’t ruin your clothes if it gets on you. You’ll find them in the closet with all our cleaning supplies with a brush and bucket designed just for our kitchen. Instead of carrying heavy buckets of cleaning solution and spilling it all over the floor; can you tell me why we keep all cleaning products in one place?”

I said. “Yes, Chef for 3 reasons. 1. So you don’t make the mistake of putting it in with the food. 2. Because you don’t spend your day hunting for everything and 3. It is required by health code that you keep all cleaning products in a contained area at all times. Plus you will get written for it if any cleaning product is left out when not in use and they must all be marked with the right cleaning product that is on the bottle.” 

He said. “Excellent, now get to work when you are done come find me.”

I said. “Yes, Chef.” He smiled I started with making sure I had a clean apron on and re-sanitized my work station and my knives. I watched him pull out his wallet and give Chef Phillip some money which stated he had lost the bet; which made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Yet I knew the big pay off would be my knife cuts and how well I followed directions. Eli scowled at me as if he was getting the harder slave work as I was getting off easy. Yet the truth was I was working just as hard as he was if not harder. Knowing it would take him all day to do that long list of prep work. The dish room was a whole lot easier then it was for someone that has never worked a single day in it. I had paid my dues where he hasn’t.

It was nearly 1 by the time I was just finishing up with my prep work as Mack inspected it, after watching me making sure I was giving him exactly what he wanted. He gave a heavy sigh and said. “I was excepting you to be finished somewhere around 5 or 6 tonight, in fact, me and the boys had bet you would be even later than that. But I underestimated you for a boy still in high school. You got very good knife skills, which says you do a lot of cooking at home. Better then I expected. The boss says you boys are done at three. You can go home now if you like or you can help Carla here with making salads for the dinner tonight.” 

I said. “Sound fun,” and he smiled and he introduced me to Carla.

Carla was his wife; she too was husky but short like my father. Silver-gray hair with blue eyes looking through wire-frame glasses that keep falling to her nose, she kept her hair in a fishnet that said she wore it long when she isn’t working. Her face was more of a cabbage patch doll all full and leathery. She wore a green chef jacket as her prep cook wore a brown jacket with a green stripe, and his name was Rick. Tall and spindly with large French fry arms, brown hair under his Dodgers baseball cap, brown eyes and had to be in his early twenties.

She shook my hand and gave me a warm smile as she looked at my hands which said I wasn’t afraid of work and they were soft, not coulis that said I worked with a lot with meat and my fingers nails were well trimmed which was another sign I keep my self clean. Well, accept my apron as I put on another apron my fifth one for the day.

She had Rick show me where everything was, and what they wanted me to do; which was more prep work, washing vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, and more mushrooms. The eggs were for her, which didn’t surprise me. She quickly told me which cuts she wanted for each of the vegetables. Eli saw me and said. “More vegetables?”

I said shrugged my shoulders said. “Yes more vegetables.”

Mack said grabbing Eli by the arm. “Oh good you're all ready for your next task little brown mouse, all these pots need to be cleaned and I need 3 cases of potatoes buttered and wrapped in foil and 6 trays of sour cream portioned and 6 trays of butter. Luke can help you.”

Eli gasped looking at the big kettles that were now empty said. “Holy s**t, that’s got to be the biggest kettle I have ever seen.”

Luke said. “I’ll take the left one; you take the right since there is only two of these. The small ones won’t take as long.”

Chef Philips asked Carla how I was doing she said. “I could use two more just like him. All I have do is tell him once and it’s done.”

I soon finished as she putting it all together; Eli wasn’t quite done as he was fighting with the small ice cream scoop having Luke show him as said. “Scoop and drop, real easy.”

Eli said. “Easy for you.”

Even though I didn’t have to help her since I was told when I was done I could go, seeing Dad sitting out in the dining hall talking to Chef Phillips. I didn’t say anything as I watched her and Rick put the salads together and just dove in and gave her hand as we worked seamless dressing the salads on plates and putting them on a cold rack so all we had to do was roll it inside and cover it with a large clear bag. We didn’t have to date it because it was for dinner.

Mack was busy with large rolls of roast beef that were bigger then the prime ribs I had cooked the following night. Once I was finished I helped clean up until Eli was finished and grabbed our clothes from the locker. Eli said. “Finally,” looking at his watch as we punched out at 4:30, as Luke and Martin started cleaning the hoods in the kitchen, they would be getting off once they finished. And the next crew would come in and work through dinner and clean the kitchen.

I made sure I had everything, placing all our clothes inside a garbage bag that I had stolen from the kitchen, placed my knife kit in my other hand as we went out in the dining room to meet Dad. Chef Phillips said to make sure we fill out the paperwork and bring in our identifications like social and birth certificate when we come to work Monday after school. Said we both did a good job and is looking forward to working with us. Eli said. “I can’t wait to get out of this clown suit,” the moment we got outside feeling the brisk cold air. It didn’t take long to get home considering we just lived up the hill. Mom and our wives greeted us telling us we were late.

Dad said. “It happens when they like you?”

Eli scowled. “Like us? You mean torture us all freaking day. My hands are raw and all my muscles ache and I have rash and blisters from wearing wet clothes all day. I have never worked so hard in my entire life.”

Jackie said. “My poor baby; I’ll make you feel better with a nice hot bath and a massage that will put a smile on that face.”

Rhoda giggled as we watched Eli and Jackie go down the hall. I didn’t complain. I knew what to except. Rhoda said undoing my chef jacket. “And how was your first day?”

I said. “The usual, just kitchen work, but I could you those magic fingers of yours.”

She laughed. “No complaints like my bother, they didn’t work you as hard?”

I said. “Oh, I didn’t say that it's just I didn’t want to give you a laundry list of what I went through.”

She said. “How nice of you, we girls had a hard day too, stocking shelves and cleaning the new store, you’re Mom and Dr. Sars are hoping to open it on Monday and so is Mr. Vincent and your Dad opening the hardware store.”

Dotty came up the stairs and said. “Oh good your home, your Dad wanted me to go over the storeroom with you and then you can put everything away, in its proper place.”

I groaned inside, but I nodded said. “Let me get out of these clothes first.”

She said. “No hurry I’ll just be working in the kitchen slaving away over a hot stove fixing your dinner before I can go home and fix my own family our supper,” which meant she wanted it done now not later.

Rhoda said. “He will just be minute Dotty,” she nodded and went down the hall. She helped me out my wet clothes as I put on dry clothes, I cringed seeing the blisters on my feet were my wet socks rubbed my skin raw, even around my waist were my boxers elastic has rubbed my skin raw Rhoda gasped seeing the skin welts all over my body, I said I was fine as I groaned putting on dry clothes.

Eli was soaking the life out of the tub as Jackie was attending to him. I didn’t say anything as I walked back down the hall, back to the kitchen leaving Rhoda to wash mine and Eli’s work clothes. Dotty apologized for being a little rough with me, but it had been a long day for her, with our new house guest until Mom and Dad put them to work. So their parents can have some alone time together.

She said. “I know you hate basements son, but everything is downstairs, and I am not going to leave you down there by yourself. We are just going to go over what we call a build to order. You can have Eli or one of the boys put it away as long as it put in the proper place.” I nodded and took a deep breath, she said coming down the stairs “Everything down here is on a backup generator including the lights so if the power does go out the lights will stay on down here, at 25 percent and the coolers will stay running.”

I nodded seeing that it was actually pretty light in here with all the new fluorescent light fixtures; there were just a few cases lying on the floor may be an hours work if that. And the same with the big coolers they weren’t as big as they were at work, but big enough for our needs, but they were almost empty.

She handed me the clipboard and showed me that each item was listed, and what the build to level was; which meant I had to count how much I had on hand as well what I was going to use until the next delivery which would be Monday; which made sense because that’s when all the big trucks pass through here. I would then subtract it from the build to level that I should have once the delivery is made. It went quite fast and I got the hang of it quickly. 

She said. “The coolers needed a good cleaning and store room needs to be swept and mop. You don’t have to do it, just make sure it gets done, or you will be the one doing it.” I nodded and we went back upstairs she quickly went over the walk-in pantry and the fridge, and what has been started for dinner like the rolls that dough had been made but that was it, and the desert which was fresh baked apple pies and the things that weren’t like the ribs that just needed to go in the oven for hour with lots of BQ sauces and seasoning.

As well as potatoes already peeled just needed to be cut and cooked and mashed. Plus the gravy needed to be made; using the meat drippings from last night; the salad of course, again telling me I didn’t have to do it that the girls could do it.” She said. “Call the order in by 6 so they have it before they close for the day and I’ll see yea tomorrow to check your work.”  

I nodded said. "Thanks for your help." 

She nodded. “That’s what I get paid to do, besides its better than the last job I had and I like the benefits,” she said. “Burr its cold out here,” and closed the door.

I put the ribs in the oven and set the timer and cringed when I put my work boots on feeling those blister up against them, but I didn’t want to drop anything on my toes without them and went downstairs. I was just starting to work when the lights went off, I panic big time, I was alone there in the dark screaming because it was pitch black as the church basement.

I heard my father growling at me as he showed his flashlight on me then felt him kicking me in the ribs and then started beating me with his belt. I was screaming and begging him to stop, but it only made him angrier as he kept it up as I hugged myself from the blows he was giving me. I was soon blinded with light as his flashlight shot into my eyes as felt the warm blood oozing down my face. He slapped me several times telling me to get up only to knock me back down to the floor.

I heard voices calling my name and then I felt something cold and wet hit my face. I screamed no more, and stood up and started to fight back as I swung hard and deep like I was taught. I pushed my father against the wall and picked up his belt and started swinging it back and forth. Hearing the whistle and the hard leather hit its mark.

I felt something hit my neck like a bee sting. I felt woozy and dizzy before I hit the ground, the lights blinked and I found myself in the wine cellar I looked up into the corner finding Dad there huffing and puffing and bleeding. He saw me coming around asked me if I was me again, I didn’t answer as his image and the room was still shifting then when it stopped, Dad was there holding me in his arms and yelling that we needed help.

I said, Dad. “I am fine.” 

He breathed a sigh of relief and said. “Ok, a new rule you don’t come down here by your self ever,” I said agreed and he helped me up and asked. “What we're doing down by yourself anyway?”

I said. “Working, it was just easier if I did it then having to hunt down someone to do it for me.”

He laughed. “I can’t blame you for that, but isn’t going to kill you let someone else do it; you have already done your work for the day. You have tons help just sitting around the house living in luxury, now get upstairs and tell them what you want done and they’ll do it.”

He swatted my bottom and followed me. He said. “Jared, Jason, out of that pool and get dressed. You to Daren and Ben, your parents told me to put you to work, Eric has a list of things that need to be done before dinner and before you can relax.” They nodded and had them follow me and put them to work. Then the lights went out again I ran up the stairs and said. “Nope, not going to happen.”

Dad said. “Damn it to hell, what’s the deal with our power situation?” He looked outside seeing the problem the men working across from us was working on the power lines for Bishop Earl’s place.

He went outside and went to see if they were going to be long so if we needed to do something else for dinner. Dotty too came out, she looked at his face and fat lip seeing the blood on his shirt. She looked at me and was about to give me a piece of her mind, Dad said. “He’s already taken enough licks for it Dotty.”

She said. “From you maybe, but not from me.” She made her way towards me; I stood there like a man as she rimed me for it when I was told just to supervise and nothing else.