“Your first day is going to be great!” Kiera’s grandmother says as she watches her granddaughter securely fashion her nametag to her neatly pressed button down shirt.
Kiera shrugs and makes her way to the car. She slumps into the seat of her 2001 white Ford Escape. Speckles of color are smudged into the passenger’s seat after she left M&M’s that melted from the heat during one of her road trips to Berkeley from her home in the San Fernando Valley.
It had only been a short three weeks since graduation. During her final year at Berkeley much of the conversation among her friends and classmates focused on the job hunt. Finding herself among the chatter, Kiera yearned for job security like many of her peers.
Kiera sighs and takes a swig from the plastic water bottle that has been in her car for the past few weeks. She drops two sugary tablets of Advil to anticipate the headache that is about to ensue. Kiera swishes the lukewarm water around and swallows.
Her life in the real world is about to begin.
The Ford Escape hums its way down Devonshire Street as it comes to a halt at a red light. Kiera glances to her right and notices the Baskin-Robbins where she went on her first date during freshman year of high school.
Kiera can’t help but chuckle to herself reminiscing about how she ordered the “Wild ‘n Reckless Sherbert” that stained her lips and teeth blue. That first kiss she had been dreaming about since she watched A Cinderella Story in the third grade unfortunately did not happen that night.
The light flickered green and she was on her way.
The managers at her new company were thrilled about Kiera’s arrival. Not only was she creative with a brilliant mind, but she also started her own company. Kiera was a promising new employee that was bound to flourish in her new role.
“I don’t get it. How did she pick us?” one manager explained. “She graduated from Berkeley. The Berkeley.”
“We are just lucky I guess!” said the other manager.
Kiera’s car rumbled to a stop as she found a spot in the parking lot. As she arrived at 10:00 AM, she was surprised to see there were only a handful of other cars.
She popped an Altoid into her mouth and out the door she went.
Kiera pushed her way through the large glass doors and was warmly greeted by her fellow employees and new managers.
“Welcome to the team Kiera! My name is Lauren and I am the manager that conducted your interviews,” she explained. “We are so happy to have you!”
Lauren’s arms were covered in tattoos and she had a slight food stain on her shirt. As Kiera began to glance around, many of the employees also food stains on their shirts.
She assumed that it must be a normal thing.
Kiera’s first day mostly consisted of signing paperwork and basic training. Lauren let her go early and explained that her first “real” day would begin the following day. Kiera clocked out and was on her way back home.
She woke up early to make sure she looked her best. After all, first impressions are everything and Kiera did not want to start off on the wrong note.
She arrived at the parking lot and walked through the familiar doors. Kiera straightened her nametag, took a deep breath and was ready to begin.
Her first customers approached as her breath began to quicken and a bit of sweat began to gather on her brow.
“Hello! Welcome to Sizzler my name is Kiera how many of you will be dining with us today?”
Sizzler is a United States-based restaurant chain with headquarters in Mission Viejo, California. It is known for steak, seafood, and salad bar items. You can receive chronic stomach pain and frequent trips to the bathroom at any of Sizzler’s 98 locations.
This story is loosely based on the post-graduate life of my dear friend Mallory Pittman. While Mallory unfortunately no longer works at the Sizzler in Chatsworth, she has transitioned her role from hostess to “Server’s Assistant” at a much better restaurant in the San Fernando Valley. Mallory also indeed does own her own company called The LA Yorker.
After working as editorial cartoonist of the Daily Californian, Pittman established the Instagram @la_yorker to continue sharing original comics and illustrations while taking commissions. Please feel free to follow her on Instagram and visit her website at:
Overwhelmingly Erin 