These Are the Things He's Learning

Daniel began a new job this week. He worked at Target for two years and we enjoyed that because we enjoy Target. But he had to go and upset the apple cart by getting a different job for the summer. He likes Denny's, so he got a job there. They're going through this massive orientation this week because our Denny's is not a very good one and corporate is determined to set this aright, so he is benefiting from lots of training though he will only be there a little less than three months. And here is what he is learning.

He has learned to say "yes." Daniel tells me that Denny's policy is to say yes to customer requests as much as possible, say 99.8% of the time. If you ask to sit in a particular booth, yes you may. If you ask to substitute pancakes for that side of toast, yes you may. If you ask to have a specific waiter, yes you may. Yes, yes, yes. I like this. I think we all need to say yes 99.8% of the time. Good PR, if you will. And mighty nice too.

Daniel is also learning how to tie his own apron in the back. When he was at Target he pulled the long apron strings around to the front and tied it there. But Denny's wants their employees to look sharp so they must tie their strings in the back. Now this is a no-brainer to me, this tying the strings in the back without any assistance. But then I grew up, like most little girls, tying my own dress sashes with no problem. I really hadn't considered that boys never have the opportunity to master this important skill until Daniel proceeded to practice over and over this evening, even timing himself and checking the results in the mirror. Here, here! Let's hear it for the boy! He's learning something new that girls can do in their sleep. But hey, he's willing and he's taking it seriously!

And finally, Daniel learned this morning to iron his own uniform - his idea, not mine. He learned quickly too. That's right, the guy we had to threaten with his life to get his haircut, beg to wear a decent pair of khakis to church, and coerced to wear a belt maybe once a year, is now willingly dressing in nice black pants that he has properly ironed each day! He wears a neat black undershirt under his pressed button-up uniform shirt, tucks it all in, puts on a belt, and finishes it all off with a pair of nice black shoes he bought with his own money. Moms, there is hope. Hang in there. I'm amazed, proud, thankful, and trying really hard not to put too much stock in all this. After all, his room is still and mess and he still doesn't know how to make his bed! But he's got a great learning curve!