Standing in Bench

I went to a mall earlier to settle my telephone bill. It's Saturday and I do not have any scheduled activity so I decided to stroll some more before finally heading home.

After some difficult years brought about by some personal experience happened and nourished in that company, I usually had second thoughts of going inside that boutiques or any branches it has. Now, since everything is OK and I am sure that I had moved on, I had no second thoughts of going inside the vicinity of the store. Finally I felt liberated, all this time I usually associate it with the love that had blossomed in that place, but lost it somewhere at some time. That was painful. Now I realized that other than that I have a lot of things to be thankful for.

As I entered the boutique, I saw young guys and girls giving the warmest greetings while some are busy making sure that the items are properly arranged after some customers would try to look around leaving the order disturbed : ) I saw myself in them a few years ago... I smiled. Then there was a flashback.

I was blessed to have a scholarship and at the same time my sister was helping me finance my studies. However, I have this adoration with my classmates who are working and studying at the same time and I was amazed how some of them even excel at school given the pressure of studying and working at the same time. I told myself I wanted to be like them. Not just for the money I will gain, not just for the things I could buy from those earnings but more of self fulfillment having experienced the best of both worlds.

Nobody told me it was easy. I see some mates who fall asleep during classroom discussion and some would even stop studying/working to prioritize one way or the other. My mother was discouraging me, compelling me to focus on my studies so I may enjoy the educational assistance I am getting. She was too worried that  work will get into the way of good grades. But in the end, I won that argument saying that I would want to buy myself a mobile phone out of my own money and once I had saved money for that item I will resign from work. Of course, I didn't mean that.

My first Job was good for 2 days. I didn't know how to cook and to clean up that dirty sink. Too bad, I realized it was too physical to work on that kind of set up. I practically do not have a training. I must have practiced at home so I could have performed better. I resigned.

I really had so much respect for my colleagues who can work on that labor intensive jobs at the fast food stores, however I would practically loose everything if I decide to work as a service crew but it doesn't mean that I gave up cause my pride is at stake because surely my parents will tell me those famous " I told you.." thing.


So, I decided to find something else less demanding. Something that will not require me so much energy. I applied in Bench, a leading local retail shop. Good thing they are offering part time positions. It was not easy either. I felt like it was an audition at first. In their central recruitment center in Pasay, you have to wait under the sun for your turn to be called by the HR staff, then they will look at you, measure your height and if you are unlucky you will get back your resume. Good thing I was able to pass the initial process then afterwards the interview.

I was assigned in Glorietta which is one ride away from my school. So at least, I told myself everything will be better. I need not to suffer the heat while cooking, the cold when getting stocks from that giant freezer and less the anger of tenured staffs when I would accidentally place a chicken turn over that will drip some liquids down under the breads that are to be baked.

But it was not easy as I expected. To stand for 4 or more hours straight is painstaking. You have to smile all the time or else that operations manager once he caught you not giving superb customer service treatment to the customers, will look into you and will haunt you down. Plus you have to replenish all your stocks every time you run out of items for display.

Nonetheless, it was all fun. At first, I really had to find my balance with work-study duties and responsibilities. I was the only part timer in that branch during that time so some people would not understand that I cannot extend some more hours because I had to go to school.They never realized that I would want to do more other than what I am doing...nonetheless, after some time everything work out smoothly. I had lots of memories going back.

It was such an eye opener for me. I learned to further give importance to my studies because people there are constantly giving me a piece of advise that I must continue to finish my degree so I can achieve more in life. It was a very humbling experience. I lost contact to all of them except for that one lady guard that once caught me bringing some snacks inside the store (Me and my big appetite) Sometimes she would be assigned in Mega mall branch, and she would always greet me the loudest possible way whenever she would spot me....we would talk anything old and new about the company that I was once part of, but never of that cookie perhaps she had long lost forgotten it : )