american tragedy

Chapter 8 (1)
Chapter 16 (1)
It was the situation: the Griffiths - exceptionally inexperienced in economic and social situations.This couldn't be more beneficial for Clyde.No matter Asa or Elvira, they don't know the actual situation of the job he wants to do.What this errand would do to him.They have never stayed in a hotel above the fourth class in their lives, and as for restaurants, they have never been to other than those suitable for people with financial difficulties like themselves.It never occurred to them that a boy of Clyde's age and temperament would have other jobs than carrying guests' luggage from the hotel door to the counting room and from the tent to the door.They naively thought that such an errand, no matter where it was, must be paid very little, not less than five or six dollars a week, which was actually more than what Clyde should have been paid according to his ability and age. lesser.

Mrs. Griffiths, who had always been more practical than her husband, was very concerned about the financial interests of the children. Mrs. Griffiths really wondered how Clyde could suddenly go so hard in order to change places, because according to him In my own words, working as an errand in a restaurant, although the working hours are long, does not necessarily make a lot of money.He certainly said that changing jobs might give him the hope of being promoted to a higher position in the future, such as being a clerk, but he didn't know when it would be realized, but the original job could make his hope come true sooner. , and more secure, at least in terms of money.

But she was a little happier when she saw him rushing straight up on Monday afternoon, saying he had found the job, had to change his tie, change his collar, get his hair cut, and report back.Because she has never seen him so excited about something, as long as it can satisfy him, instead of being depressed sometimes like in the past, that would be fine.

But his working hours are so long now, from six o'clock in the morning until midnight.Except for a few nights, when he didn't work and was willing to go home earlier, he came back earlier. According to his explanation, he got off work a little earlier.And his eagerness and restlessness, his constant desire to leave the house all day and night except when it was time to sleep, dress and undress, puzzled both she and Asa.Restaurant! Restaurant! He was always obliged to hurry to the hotel, and say how much he liked it, and how he thought he was doing well.This kind of work is much better than running around the soda counter, and may make more money soon, well, he is not sure about that, and besides that, he is either unwilling to talk about it, or has some difficulties that he can't express .

The Guthfies, they felt at all times that they should leave Kansas City after what happened to Esta.But now that he has a good job, he still has to keep working.If they moved, he could get a room somewhere and be fine.But the idea didn't appeal to him at all.

At this moment, what a change came to Clyde's life.From that first night, at five forty-five, when he stood in front of his immediate superior, Mr. Whipple, who was thought to be all right, not only because his new uniform fitted him well, but because his whole appearance was not bad, he The world has completely changed.He and seven others lined up in a servants' passage next to the lounge, just behind the counting house, and were inspected by Mr. Whipple, and at the stroke of six the eight of them marched down the passage. Go to the door to the lounge on the landing (Mr. Whipple's desk is on the landing), then turn around in front of the general registration desk and go to where the bench is on the other side.A man named Mr. Barnes took over from Mr. Whipple as the second waiter.The waiters sat down, and Clyde sat at the end, but they were immediately summoned to perform various tasks one by one.Meanwhile Mr. Whipple's party was taken, as before, into the back passage of the servants, and disbanded there.

The bell on the clerk's desk rang and the first attendant went.

"Dang lang!" The bell rang again, and the second waiter went again.

"Come on!"—"to the middle door," cried Mr. Barnes.A third waiter ran to the door in the middle of the long marble floor to pick up a customer's handbag.Clyde's unprofessional eyes could have seen the visitor's small white beard and brightly colored Scottish suit from a hundred feet away.Immediately a mysterious and divine vision emerges - tip!

"Come on," called Mr. Barnes. "Go and see what [-] wants. I think it needs ice water." The fourth waiter went.

Clyde moved forward gradually on the stool, close to Hegglund, whom the man had been ordered to instruct him, eyes, ears and nerves strained.He was so tense that he couldn't breathe, he was always fidgeting, his limbs were shaking, and Hegglund finally called out, "Hey! Take it easy. Just be careful, okay? You can do it. You're so pompous, just like I was the same when I first started, very nervous. But this is not okay. You have to take your time here. You should learn as if you don't see anything, and just pay attention to the things you need to help.

"Come on!" Mr. Barnes called, and it was difficult for Clyde to pay attention to what Hegglund was saying. "Number [-] needs paper and pen." The fifth waiter went again.

"Where should I go to get the paper and pen that others want?" He hurriedly begged the person who instructed him, as if a dying person is begging others.

"I told you, just get it from the desk with the keys. He's over there on the left, and he'll give it to you. If you want ice water, go get it in the aisle we were queuing at, and at the other end, there's A little door. You've got to give the guy a dime after a while, or he's going to be mad."

"Dang lang!" It was the clerk's bell again.A sixth waiter went there in silence to take orders.

"Remember now." Hegglund reminded Clyde one last time because it was his turn, "If you want any wine, you can go to the bar over the restaurant to get it. Be sure to find out the name of the wine, Otherwise, people will lose their temper. If the guests come to the room tonight, draw down the curtains and turn on the lights. If you get anything from the dining room for the guests, you have to find the head waiter over there, and the tip belongs to him , get it."

"Come on!" He stood up and walked.

So Clyde was number one, and number four was already sitting next to him, but he was looking around cleverly for anyone.

"Come on!" it was Mr. Barnes calling, and Clyde got up and went up to him.No one came in with a handbag at this time, thank God, but he was worried that what they called it might be something he didn't understand, or it might not be done quickly.

"Go and see what No. [-] wants." Clyde walked towards the one marked "Employees and Servants Only" among the two elevators.He thought to himself that it must be right to take this elevator, because he took this elevator to go up to the twelfth floor.But another waiter who came out of another elevator reminded him that he had gone wrong.

"To the guest room? That's the elevator for passengers. That one is for the servants with luggage or others."

Clyde hastened to correct his mistake and make up for the time he had lost. "Eighth floor," he said.There was no one else in the elevator, and the black man who used the elevator greeted him immediately. "You're new here, right! Why haven't I seen you before."

Clyde replied, "Yes, I just came."

(End of this chapter)