Thursday, May 21, 2015

End of an Era: part 1-Domino's

Tuesday was my last day of work. I've worked at Domino's for over two years now, and that's a long time in the pizza business. A lot of our employees are in school, which means that they move away or stop being in school and leave the store. Our managers also have to move around a lot, which results in a staff that seems to completely overhaul every couple of months. I've been there for three managers, a whole host of assistant managers, more insiders than I can count, and some drivers whose names I never even learned. I started with answering phones, folding boxes, putting up labels, and helping carryout customers. Eventually I moved along from that to the makeline, and then I learned how to work the ovens. I was doing everything that could be done inside the store. I made pizzas that many of you have probably received. What I didn't expect to make was friends. Of course, I knew that I would enjoy the people there, I specifically started working there because one of the employees was my friend, but I never expected to care so much. They were only supposed to be acquaintances. For some of them, that's all they were. There were people that I got along with, but once they left, they hardly crossed my mind. Some of them, however, I still miss. Making pizzas with someone can really be a bonding experience.
Domino's is one of the most fun places I've ever been. With certain people, I was excited to go to work. Being there felt like we were all just hanging out, not doing our jobs. It was like a game to make the pizza in under two minutes, it was fun to all sing and talk together while we did it. Of course it was hard sometimes, and everyone has days where they absolutely do not want to go to work.
But overall, through the two years I was there, I loved it. I'm going to miss it more than I ever could have predicted when I walked in and asked for an application.
While working there, I learned a lot of skills that I am unlikely to ever use again. I know how to slap out a pizza and make it to Domino's standards, and I have an extensive knowledge of the Domino's menu. I did also learn a lot of things that will translate to future jobs, such as customer service and responsibility in the workplace and all of those lovely things. Most importantly, though, I learned about friendship. All through school, I've been friends with people my age. That's how it works at school, you get maybe a few years difference, but for the most part you're only with people that are your age. At Domino's we have a wide variety of ages, and it doesn't matter how old you are. It matters how good you are at your job and how much fun it is to work with you. Age doesn't matter in friendships. That's something I've learned is completely true, and I'll always remember that.
My closest friend from Domino's told me on our last day together not to say goodbye. At first I was offended, because our friendship had come to mean a lot to me. But then he said something along the lines of "no five second goodbye is going to really do our friendship justice." It's true, the small goodbye we would have gotten would not have felt big enough for how close we've gotten. So I didn't say goodbye, I just left. Hopefully that means that it's not over, that we're still friends without the store.
I don't want to say goodbye to all of those people, and I hope I don't have to. I hope I can see all of them again, and keep in touch with at least some of them. Even those who left my store before I did, I hope I can see them again.
This has been the end of an era for me, one I always knew would end, but I never expected to be sad about it. In a way, I think that's a good thing. Because if I miss it, that means it was a good thing for me. It means that it made me happy.

1 comment:

  1. And not a single mention of my name....I'm insulted hahaha! Jk mackelmore. I miss having you around. It's kinda like, really boring without you on a Friday and Saturday now. I'll never quite get along with anyone like you

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