热身词语

　　cajole: try to encourage someone to do something --- talk them into it

　　I have to be a waitress.How else can I learn about people?How else does the world come to me?I can't go to everyone.So they have to come to me.Everyone wants to eat, everyone has hunger.And I serve them.If they've had a bad day, I nurse them, cajole them.Maybe with coffee I give them a little philosophy.They have cocktails, I give them political science.

　　quota of mercury:"an amount of water" in this scenario -mercury is liquid like water

　　substitute: a second-choice person or, in this case, product, a replacement

　　drink plastic: drink sth. that tastes unnatural or false (showing disapproval)

　　theology: the study of the nature of God and of religion and religious beliefs

　　political: someone whose job involves acting and thinking politically

　　get heated: get angry

　　(not)give a damn: (not) care about something

　　speak like an Italian: notcare about one's manners

　　servile: always do what someone else says, no matter how stupid it is

　　I'll say things that bug me.If they manufacture soap, I say what I think about pollution.If its automobiles, I say what I think about them.If I pour water I'll say, "Would you like your quota of mercury today?" If I serve cream, I say, "Here is your substitute. I think you're drinking plastic."I just can't keep quiet.I have an opinion on every single subject there is.In the beginning it was theology, and my bosses didn't like it.Now I am a political and my bosses don't like it. But if I get heated, then I don't give a damn.I speak like an Italian speaks.I can't be servile.I give service.Here is a difference.

　　milady: the way you greet an important woman, such as the Queen of England

　　address: greet/say hello to someone

　　milord: same as above, but with a man or a King

　　I'm called by my first name.I like my name.I hate to be called Miss.Even when I serve a lady, a strange woman, I will not say madam.I hate ma'am.I always say milady. In the American language there is no word to address a woman, to indicate whether she's married or unmarried.So I say milady.And sometimes I playfully say to the man milord.

　　theatrical: too many extra gestures --- such as an actor gives (ways of using your hands and face that people don't use in normal life)

　　Mata Hari: a famous exotic dancer who was accused by the French of spying for the Germans during World War

　　intoxicate: make you feel extremely excited or overjoyed

　　It would be very tiring if I had to say, "Would you like a cocktail?" and say that over and over.So I come out different for my own enjoyment.I would say, "What's exciting at the bar that I can offer?" I can't say, "Do you want coffee?" Maybe I'II say, "Are you in the mood for coffee?" Or, "The coffee sounds exciting." Just rephrase it enough to make it interesting for me.That would make them take an interest.It becomes theatrical and I feet like Mata Hari and it intoxicates me.

　　aspiration: your dreams; what you want to happen in your life/to achieve in life

　　irate: angry; irritable

　　People imagine a waitress couldn't possibly think or have any kind of aspiration other than to serve food. When somebody says to me, "You're great, how come you're just a waitress. Just a waitress. I'd say, "Why, don't you think you deserve to be served by me?" It's implying that he's not worthy, not that I'm not worthy. It makes me irate. I don't feel lowly at all. I myself feel sure. I don't want to change the job. I love it.

　　Tips:I feel like Carmen. It's like a gypsy holding out a tambourine and they throw the coin. If you like people, you're not thinking of the tips.I never count my money at night.I always wait till morning.If I thought about my tips I'd be uptight.I never look at a tip.You pick it up fast. I would do my bookkeeping in the morning. It would be very dull for me to know I was making so much and no more.I do like challenge.And it isn't demeaning, not for me.

　　the man about town: a sophisticated person who likes to go out and spend money, and has a busy social life

　　conventioneer: a participant in a convention

　　There might be occasions when the customers might intend to make it demeaning-the man about town, the conventioneer. When the time comes to pay the check, he would do little things, "How much should I give you?" He might make an issue about it.I did say to one, "Don't play God with me.Do what you want."Then it really didn't matter whether I got a tip or not.I would spit it out, my resentment-that he dares make me feel I'm operating only for a tip.

　　let go of: stop holding

　　flourish: wave sth. in a dramatic way that draws attention to it

　　reticent: shy; held back from doing something; unwilling to talk

　　He'd ask for his check.Maybe he's going to sign it.He'd take a very long time and he'd make me stand there, "Let's see now, what do you think I ought to give you?" He would not let go of that moment.And you knew it.You know he meant to demean you.He's holding the change in his hand, or if he'd sign, he'd flourish the pen and wait.These are the times I really get angry.I'm not reticent.Something would come out.Then I really didn't care."Goddamn, keep your money!"

　　adept: able; qualified; means you can do something easily

　　There are conventioneers, who leave their lovely wives or their bad wives.They approach you and say, "Are there any hot spots?" "Where can I find girls?" It is, of course, first directed at you.I don't mean that as a compliment, 'cause all they're looking for is females.They're not looking for companionship or conversation.I am quite adept at understanding this.I think I'm interesting enough that someone may just want to talk to me.But I would philosophize that way.After all, what is left after you talk? The hours have gone by and I could be home resting or reading or studying guitar, which I do on occasion.I would say, "What are you going to offer me?Drinks?" And I'd point to the bar, "I have it all here." He'd look blank and then I'd say, "A man? If I need a man, wouldn't you think I'd have one of my own?Must I wait for you?"

　　Life doesn't frighten me any more.There are only two things that relegate us-the bathroom and the grave.Either I'm gonna have to go to the bathroom now or I'm gonna die now.I go to the bathroom.

　　have a high opinion: think someone is really good

　　hold it over your head: a high level of expectation established by the boss and then always used if you are not working effectively

　　club: a large wooden stick used to hit people with

　　And I don't have a high opinionof bosses. The more popular you are, the more the boss holds it over your head.You're bringing them business, but he knows you're getting good tips and you won't leave.You have to worry not to overplay it, because the boss becomes resentful and he uses this as a club over your head.

　　make a hit: please someone

　　twist: make you into a different (and usually not very nice) person

　　If you become too good a waitress, there's jealousy.They don't come in and say, "Where's the boss?" They'll ask for Dolores.It doesn't make a hit. That makes it rough.Sometimes you say, Aw hell, why am I trying so hard?I did get an ulcer.Maybe the things I kept to myself were twisting me.

　　surreptitiously: something happens without you noticing someone does something very very carefully

　　pretender to the crown: a person who makes a claim to be the next King or best person in the industry

　　It's not the customers, never the customers. It's injustice. My dad came from Italy and I think of his broken English-injoost.He hated injustice.If you hate injustice for the world, you hate more than anything injustice toward you. Loyalty is never appreciated, particularly if you're the type who doesn't like small talk and are not the type who makes reports on your fellow worker.The boss wants to find out what is going on surreptitiously. In our society today you have informers everywhere.They've informed on cooks, on coworkers."Oh, someone wasted this." They would say I'm talking to all the customers."I saw her carry such-and-such out.See if she wrote that on her check .""The salad looked like it was a double salad." I don't give anything away.I just give myself.Informers will manufacture things insgroupsto make their job worthwhile.They're not sure of themselves as workers. There's always someone who wants your station, who would be pretender to the crown. In life there is always someone who wants somebody's job.

　　cramp my style : the presence or existence of someone or sth. restricts your behavior in some way

　　I'd get intoxicated with giving service.People would ask for me and I didn't have enough tables.Some of the girls are standing and don't have customers.There is resentment.I feel self-conscious.I feel a sense of guilt.It cramps my style.I would like to say to the customer, "Go to so-and-so." But you can't do that, because you feel a sense of loyalty.So you would rush, get to your customers quickly.Some don't care to drink and still they wait for you.That's a compliment.

　　diplomacy: the skill of saying or doing things without offending people

　　There is plenty of tension.If the cook isn't good, you fight to see that the customers get what you know they like.You have to use diplomacy with cooks, who are always dangerous.They're madmen.You have to be their friend.They better like you.And your bartender better like you too, because he may do something to the drink.If your bartender doesn't like you, your cook doesn't like you, your boss doesn't like you, the other girls don't like you, you're in trouble.

　　T-bone: a large thick steak containing a T-shaped bone

　　Carrying dishes is a problem.We do have accidents.I spilled a tray once with steaks for seven on it.It was a big, gigantic T-bone, all sliced.But when that tray fell, I went with it, and never made a sound, dish and all (softly) never made a sound.It took about an hour and a half to cook that steak.How would I explain this thing?That steak was salvaged.

　　with an air: do something with a lot of natural confidence and style

　　Some don't care.When the plate is down you can hear the sound.I try not to have that sound.I want my hands to be right when I serve.I pick up a glass, I want it to be just right.I get to be almost Oriental in the serving.I like it to look nice all the way.To be a waitress, it's an art.I feel like a ballerina, too.I have to go between those tables, between those chairs ... Maybe that's the reason I always stayed slim.It is a certain way I can go through a chair no one else can do.I do it with an air. If I drop a fork, there is a certain way I pick it up.I know they can see how delicately I do it. I'm on stage.

　　I tell everyone, I'm a waitress and I'm proud.If a nurse gives service, I say, "You're a professional." Whatever you do, be professional.I always compliment people.

　　kook: means you are a bit eccentric/strange/weird but probably very interestingmake a rough road: you have beenshavingsa bad time with something

　　The next morning is pleasant again.I take out my budget book, write down how much I made, what my bills are.I'm managing.I won't give up this job as long as I'm able to do it.I feel out of contact if I just sit at home.At work they all consider me a kook.That's okay.No matter where I'd be, I would make a rough road for me. It's just me, and I can't keep still.It hurts, and what hurts has to come out.