As you read before I was incredibly shy so my mom knew the man who owned a McDonalds near my home. I had to go in as a work student. My family were hoping that it would give me confidence. McDonald’s is a great first place to work and yes they teach you many skills. My first day there I was petrified and of course they want to train me on cash and customer service. The lady who trained me told me I need to yell down to get people’s attention that I was open. I just had no idea. To top it off I had to talk to the people and get their orders. It was so over my head. I liked making salads and burgers and I disliked making fries because when I was on that station it was always busy. After I got the hang of everything except drivethrough that terrified me even more. You got pins and prizes for doing well in breakfast, lunch and dinner rushes. I was taught about customer service and how to handle food. I was taught a lot of great skills that I could take out into the world and use. You work hard at McDonald’s and you learn responsibility.
The people who worked at McDonald’s became my friends and we started to hang together. I met three sisters who worked there. I become close with them and hung out lots with them and their dad. A lot of the manager’s there and staff liked to go out and party so I would go with them. Of course I was a nervous wreak when we went out. Terrified and so awkward. I loved going out with the crew and that’s where I had my first drink was at a nightclub. I realized that drinking gave me liquid courage and so I drank everytime we went out. During that time I had been having terrible nightmares and would wake up terrified. I kept thinking I was setting my dad and step mom and they were coming to get me back. I refused to sleep so going out and partying suited me fine because then I didn’t have those nightmares. I seemed to have them often. They haunted me night and day. I tried so hard to keep ahead of them and for many years I could. I ran and ran and ran.
Unfortunately though one drink turned into two and three and then after a while it was never enough to block out the feelings. I would drink so much and not remember anything. I realize now that I’m very grateful for Dena and God to protect me from what my drinking could have done to me and others. After going out every night for a year I realized long before that, that I was addicted to alcohol. I tried to stop but I couldn’t. For three years I drank, worked and went to church. I lived the triple life. At the beginning it was easy to juggle all your lives until you couldn’t. I will write more about that later.
McDonald’s served me well and it helped me pay for my first year in college. I needed more in my life and I was starting full time school that September. I did work the occasional weekends but then it was too hard with school. I still keep in touch with those I worked with. I left the world of McDonald’s and the partying world. Instead I joined a church.
Beauty from Ashes. 