I work in the food and beverage industry as a cook in a pub downtown. The number one priority of my job is the customer. Now, the owner of the business may sign my paycheck but when it comes down to it, it is the customer who signs his.

For any of you who have not worked in a kitchen, it is a very messy place: flour, batter, oil, sauces, charcoal, the list goes on. The last couple of months I have been working nights and it is my responsibility to have everything wiped down and sparkling for the next morning. If I don't, the place could very well be shut down for breaking health code regulations.

Until just recently I have had very little help at nights (as a matter of fact, I was the only night kitchen employee at one point) so it meant a lot of overtime hours. The problem with overtime, is it gets expensive for the company and as the night manager, I have to have the company's best interests in mind. This opens up the world of working against myself in one of the most non-fulfilling, counter-productive jobs one could ask for.

When I start my shift I start planning how I can break down the kitchen as fast as possible and clean it so I can go home at a decent hour and not stay past 4:00am (which I have done on occasion). However if I break down and clean something and then need it for an order later, then I'll have to re-clean it and just wasted my time earlier and I don't have time to clean everything after we close. I want lots of customers so I can get better tips and the business will do well, but I don't want to have to re-clean the same salad station six times a night. On top of that I'm trying to get out of there as fast as possible. Just so I don't get too many hours which is bad for the business, but at the same time reducing the amount of money I get in my paycheck. This battle of discipline against myself is starting to define my life at the moment.

Recently I've been accepted into a University in Ontario and will have to move away in a couple months so needless to say, I am getting fairly sentimental with the people around me. However getting too attached will only make it harder to leave so I've been sucking up the majority of my emotions and ignoring them. Hanging out with friends has never been more difficult since working six nights a week and not many people want to do things on a Sunday night. I'd book a day off of work to do so, but then that would be less money that I will need for when I move, not to mention there is no one that can fill my shift.

So as I watch my friends enjoying their weekends in their youth, and I drip tzatziki sauce on the once sparkling stainless steel counter, I remind myself that this is temporary and have a little faith that my youth won't be worked away in vain. But if it, boy, there's gonna be hell to pay!