“Veronica, don’t forget to put the soup in the oven and then I want you to take the chickens off.”
“But wafer needs to be filled…”
Wafer was the pre-sliced meats and cheeses customers could get instead of waiting for it to be cut fresh.
“Don’t worry about that, let one of the others do it,” Shelly, her manager called, walking away.
Veronica groaned in frustration. Why was it her manager wanted her to do fifty fucking things at once, and then wanted to bitch when they all weren’t done on time? She was one damn person for crying out loud! Turning she made her way back into the kitchen.
“Veronica, I need some help out here!” Amy, one of her co-workers called.
She took a deep breath and turned, making her way back out on counter, pulling on some gloves. “Number twenty three!” She yelled.
“Veronica did you get the soup in the oven?” Shelly asked as she made her way back over.
“No, I had to come and help Amy out.”
“I’ll stay, you go and get the soup in the oven and the chickens off, they’re gonna burn,” her manager called frantically, pulling some gloves on.
“I’ve already got a customer though…”
“I’ll take over,” she called, moving in front of her.
She tried desperately to hold in her anger as she turned and walked through the kitchen to the cooler in back. She knew working in a deli was crappy, but it was a job and she needed the money. There had been no response to the dozen odd resumes she’d send out recently, which was frustrating in itself, but it didn’t help to have her friends and family telling her that she was wasting her degree slicing cold cuts. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t putting effort forth, it was just that the effort wasn’t paying off as quickly as she wanted it to, and she’d be damned if she quit before she had another job lined up. She wasn’t stupid. Grabbing two bags of soup from the cooler, she brought them out to the kitchen and threw them on the counter, then found two pans and a can of non-stick spray and heavily coated the insides of the pans.
“Veronica, they could use some help out there,” Kathy, another co-worker called.
“I know, but Shelly told me to do this.”
“Well, it’s getting bad, they could really use you.”
Shelly was the deli manager, and Veronica really didn’t want to risk going back out there and getting her mad at her. She continued prepping the soup and slid it into the oven before she made her way back out on counter.
“Shelly, do you want me to stay and help before I get the chickens off?”
“No, any longer they’re gonna burn Veronica! Just do the chickens,” Shelly snapped.
She spun around and went back into the kitchen to get the oven mitts, cursing Shelly under her breath. Just a few more hours to go and she’d be able to head home, she hated days like this, hated them. Sighing she picked up a thermometer and made her way over to the rotisserie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Veronica turned the key and opened the door, God she was so exhausted and glad to be home. She shut the door and slumped against it, her eyes fluttering shut. There would be no problem falling asleep tonight, hell, she could fall asleep right there and not even care. The dull throbbing in her head that had started when she left work had intensified, and she could feel the tension throughout her body, a nice a bath was the answer. Wearily she stood and made her way over to her room, slipping her coat, hat and gloves off, tossing them on the floor. She should’ve taken them off downstairs, but at this point she just didn’t care, she had been so cold and wanted to stay warm for as long as possible.
New York was well known for it’s unpredictable weather, and the winter was the worst, she was not looking forward to the snowstorms and freezing cold weather. She stripped down and pulled her robe on, she’d eat first then take a bath after. Veronica made her way out and back into the kitchen. Pulling a bag of salad mix out of the fridge along with the dressing and she then got a large bowl down. Her stomach was too tense to eat anything more and she really didn’t want to take the chance of eating heavy so late. She ripped the bag open and poured the contents into the bowl before adding the dressing. Opening the cabinet door, Veronica grabbed the bag of croutons and mixed her salad. Taking it and her glass of water, she made her way into the living room and flipped the TV on, grabbing the phone and dialing.
“Hello?”
“Hey.”
“Hey Veronica! How are you?”
“I’m alright, tired as hell. I had the worst day at work, I’m so close to quitting.”
“Veronica…”
“I know Lynne I know, I won’t, I’m just sick of it.”
“I know you are, but ya gotta hang in there till something better comes along.”
Veronica sighed, it wasn’t anything she didn’t already know, but sometimes hearing it again was good.
“Yeah.”
“Try not to let it get to you, just try to ignore it.”
“Easier said than done,” she sighed.
“I know V.”
“Well, how was your day Lynne?”
“Eh it was alright, same ole crap ya know? I had classes this morning was almost late, got stuck in traffic cause the weather was so fuckin’ bad.”
“God wasn’t it though? Could barely see two inches in front of me.”
“I know, but luckily I made it there safe and sound and still in time for class. There were a few people late, but the professor was cool about it.”
“Well that’s good, glad ya made it there safely. Look Lynne, I’m gonna let ya go and eat and get in the tub, I’m exhausted.”
“Alright, give me a call tomorrow.”
“I will, later.”
“Bye.”
Veronica hung up and started in on her salad, trying desperately not to fall asleep. A few minutes later she turned the TV off and set the bowl in the sink. Heading into her room, she got her pajamas up together and made her way into the bathroom.
