Listen to a conversation between a student and a food service manager.
Excuse me, Mrs. Hanson. My name is John, John Grant. I work as a waiter in the campus dining hall, in the faculty dining room.
What can I do for you, John?
Well, I work week nights, except for Friday. I was wondering if I could switch from working the dinner service to working at lunch.
That's going to be a problem. I am afraid we don't have any openings at lunch time. A lot of students want to work then, so it is really rare for us to have an open spot at that time of day.
Oh, you see, I have joined this group, the University Jazz Band, and the band's practice time is right around dinner time. You know, it is so hard to get into this group, I must have auditioned like ten times since I have been at the school, so I am... Anyway, so I was really hoping to have the dinner hour free so I can go to practice.
Well, we do have other open times, like breakfast.
Uh, that won't work, I am sorry. I mean that, I can't work that early. I have this very important music class I got to take, and it is like, first thing in the morning.
Well, if you don't mind working in the kitchen, we've got some pretty flexible hours for students doing food-prep work, anything from early morning to late afternoon.
What's prep work?
You prepare food for the cooks. You know, like cutting up vegetables for soup, or cleaning greens for salads.
Oh, that doesn't sound, I mean... Being a waiter, I get to see a lot of the professors, like in a different light, we joke around a little you know. In the classroom, they always have to be pretty formal, but...
Well, the money is no different since we pay students the same amount for any of the jobs here in food service, so it's up to you.
Oh, man, I always thought that sacrificing for my art, well, that'd mean working long hours as a musician for, like, no money. I didn't think it'd mean, peeling carrots.
Let me see, I am offering you something that has the hours you want, it is right here on campus, and you make as much money as you did being a waiter, quite a sacrifice.
I am sorry, I know you are just trying to help, I guess I should look into the food-prep job.
Ok, then, I'll tell the kitchen manager that you will stop by tomorrow to talk about the job and schedule your hours. And I will let the dining hall manager know that he needs to find a new waiter for the evening.
Oh, ok, I guess that's it. Thanks, Mrs. Hanson.