How To Be A Waitress

Emma Johnson

Guest Contributor

Jessica Rasinski is 21 years old and a hostess at one of the most popular restaurants in Manhattan, the Waverly Inn and Garden. She went to a prestigious all-girls school on the Upper East Side and, never went to college. People then and even now, continue to ask her, “How did a girl with so much potential end up a hostess?” When they ask, as they commonly do, Jessica calmly replies, “a series of fortunate events.” This response, as intended, “Usually creates even more curiosity and alleviates any potential tension.” She proudly explained. “Important people walk through that door every night so consumed with the other so-called VIP’s and what they think that they usually don’t even look up to say hello or acknowledge my existence. When one of these “important people” happens to be the father or mother of one of my close friends from high school it usually takes them more than a minute to make the connection.”

As she continues a smile widens across her face, “Mr. Bronfman? I’ll say and he will look up at me as though he were looking at a sign and not a person until I make clear, “Its me, Jessica, I went to school with your daughter Hannah”, and then the light bulb goes off.” She says as she makes the hand motion of turning on a light with her hand. “Its like he suddenly realizes I’m one of them and instantly wants to help me across the divide. Like he was looking at a countryman in a foreign prison camp. Its so weird.” She explained what she meant by “across the divide” she seemed ready for the question, or at least my ignorance. “Like eager to sugar-coat the situation – my situation. And make it seem like it fits into their standardized track to success. They will say, ‘Oh – wow! I didn’t know you were working here… how cool!’ or ‘So are you an actress?’, fishing for a way to put the pieces together now that I have aligned myself with their children and therefore them – its suddenly in their interest to posh-up my position and place in life… especially in front of their friends.”  Jessica seems confidant, especially in regard to her understanding of values based on wealth and their often inverse relationship with moral fiber.

In a world that is rapidly changing, with the fist black president about to take office and, the financial back lash of generations of Americans dependent on easy money about to take its toll; the life of Jessica Rasinski seem not only reasonable but almost desirable. “I like what I do and I’m really good at it. I love the people I work with and we don’t all have our heads up our asses. We are reminded constantly that we are all serving somebody, that humility is the only way to live this life gracefully, and with the most friends. I look at what’s happening with Wall Street and our relative inability to undo the misguided choices made by guys like Alan Greenspan and I feel terrible but at the same time kinda validated. I know it sounds bad, but I think this country needs a reality check.” And boy doesn’t that seem to be the consensus.

“My job is to help people feel comfortable. I greet them as they come in and, show them that its ok. I show them where their table is and, how to sit at it. If there is no table available for them, I show them where to stand and how to feel good about the wait. In many ways, I feel like President Obama and I would have a lot in common if, we ever sat down and went through it.” Jessica said in a joking yet, challenging tone. “I mean, I work at a restaurant that is always overbooked, that doesn’t have a phone line, that only takes reservations two days in advance and almost always – even if you do go all the way to Waverly Place to make one – will only have tables available for you at six o’clock or ten thirty pm because the space is so limited and the demand is so high.” Sound familiar?

Both Jessica’s mother and father went to college and, although she is not following in their path she feels confident in her decision. “I am deeply grateful to be able to work at a place like Waverly. At times the job is demanding and stressful but it has been entirely worth it. Since working here my eyes have been opened to how many possibilities there are in life.”