Anita left to go meet up with George who was at the corner of the room and on seeing her a happy smile broke on his face and he pulled her close.
Jasmin rolled her eyes and turned away from the couple because the last thing she wanted to see was happiness, she might as well just gouge her eyes out while at it.
She saw three ladies and two young men wearing the same uniform as she was and she approached them.
“Is there something we should be doing at this moment?”
“The organiser would be giving us orientation once it’s seven O’Clock,” the female waitress with the Sandra name tag replied with a polite tone.
Oh, she thought and turned around to the organizer who was still much occupied with his wife, smiling like an idiot, but she couldn’t blame him or her, love seemed to always make fools out of the best of us. She glanced at her wristwatch and muttered one more minute under her breath.
“Is this your first time waiting?” The other lady with Gloria name tag asked curiously.
“Yes,” it wasn’t her first time, but she couldn’t make it for the waiter’s orientation last time because she lost her way and it took her almost an hour to reach the venue.
One minute came before she knew it and George cleared his throat to get every waiter’s attention.
“The dinner would soon begin, I would like every one of you all to be at your best formal behaviour. Your duty as a waiter is to attend to the guest that will be arriving, attend to their request and orders. As to the ushers, we are expecting you to tender to the guests need and be prompt about your duties, and we will be having a successful night and smiling while going home. Any questions should be asked now.”
Jasmin raised her hands, “Are we going to serve as ushers as well?” She asked because ushers were usually dressed in different uniforms and she wasn’t seeing that tonight. She also noticed that the waiters were close to twenty if not more, which was more than they were the last week.
“This dinner requires every attendant to be dressed in the same uniform, but each knows their position and duties,” George replied, settling her confusion.
The night surely would go smoothly from here.
The dinner kicked off at exactly eight p.m., although not all the guest were present, over two-thirds of them were already present and available and with the available guest, the dinner kicked off while in anticipation of others. There was music, art and comedy, as well as a brief talk section and the dinner, was going to be filled with fun activities than last week birthday party from the look of it.
The ushers were in charge of directing the guest to the table, while the waiters served the guest already seated. George was right, although they were in the same uniform each of them knew their various roles for the night and it was carried out in perfection.
Jasmin noticed that Anita and she were the only waiters from their restaurant as the rest faces weren’t familiar and when she told Anita her observation was affirmed.
“You’re right, Jasmin, we are the only ones from Royal Palace restaurant.” Anita confirmed and moved ahead to explained, “the host, Mrs Richie, requested for waiters specifically from Grand Square, but since it was good money, George thought to inform and include me and in turn, I fought to bring you on board.”
“Oh,” was all Jasmin could say.
“What’s wrong?” Anita asked looking a little weary as she stared at her friend.
“Nothing, I just think what you did was nice, you know, including me and all.” She finally admitted. She knew Anita was fond of her since the first day they met, but she didn’t know she would gown the extra mile for her and it causes her heart to tingle.
Anita smiled and pulled out a bottle of red wine from the freezer and set it on the stainless tray on the counter in the centre of the kitchen, she then grabbed two wine glass and set them beside the bottle.
“That’s what friends do.” She picked the tray up and made her way out.
The host of the show went up the stage for the second time tonight; the first being when she kicked off the show about an hour ago. Mrs Richie was a fifty years ago businesswoman and philanthropist. She was very famous for her numerous charity organizations across the country and according to Anita, the dinner was aimed at raising fund for the families who lost a loved one in the bombing of the car park about three weeks ago which took countless lives. Mrs Richie was an angel of her time and she always did her best to raise fund immediately after the news broke and even up to this moment. She had enough influence to bring together the rich and the wealthy to support and make provision whenever the need arises.
“Hello and good evening to every distinguished guest present today. Just like the invitation stated, we will only be here for three hours and an hour is already gone, leaving us with two more. Bear in mind this dinner is aimed at raising fund for the families affected by the bombing of the Mile-two park and all contribution you make, as little as they may be, is important. Enjoy the night because there is more to come.”
Musical performances were the next in line while Jasmin and the rest waiters served the guest present and unlike thirty minutes ago, there were more guests present now and the hall was almost filled up.
“The last table to your left need coconut rice and chicken with a bottle of red wine,” announced Beatrice one of the waiters as she stepped into the kitchen where Jasmin was getting a bottle of red wine out. “Is that for my order?” She asked and Jasmin almost rolled her eyes.
“No, this is for table six at the front roll, since you took the order. Why not just take it to them?”
“I have other orders as well.” She mumbled.
She didn’t have orders and Jasmin knew it because she had already done that to her earlier, although their job was to take orders and to wait, Beatrice wanted to give instructions instead of doing her job and the first time was the last time for Jasmin. “We all have orders you don’t see me giving you mine do you?” Jasmin turned and began heading out
She scoffed and shook her head, “You aren’t even supposed to be here.” She sneered under her breath.
Jasmin heard and turned to her, “Oh well, I already am.” She backed her words up with a hard glare before walking away to the table that was supposed to bring her order.
