From Serving in Florida AP Lang Quiz

written by: Barbara Ehrenreich started out as a scientist then became a writerchapter excerpt titled "From Serving in Florida" in her book "Nickel and Dimed (2001)"a study of the working poor in the USshe relocated to several citiesworked as a server, maid, and salesclerktried to live on the wages she receivedJerry'swork six to eight hour shifts with no breaks except to sit and pee on the toiletwash hands, but rarely all three soap, paper towels, and toilet paper all togetherkitchen is filthy staff uses hands to move food from one plate to another, toss salads, etc.no break room (3 chairs by toilet- unisex bathroom)around toilet area lies workers' ash tray with their burning cigarettes so they don't have to waste time when they dash to the back to relight use cigarette addiction to subside hunger pains/remindersworkers are surprised she comes back after first day- say most people don't explains why they basically ignored her the first daywould take days, maybe months, to fit into their "sorority" as many as six out on the floor, running around in pink and orange Hawaiian shirtsconversations last as long as about 20 seconds with customers/coworkers8am to 2pm shiftmore professional than Hearthside except for Joy/BJmoods change per shift, or even during shiftplump, blowsy woman in her early thirties says Barbara spends too much time speaking with customerscustomers start asking for more "too much"Barbara starts seeing customers as the enemy as well and begins to identify thema-hole types (frat boys), age, diabetes, literacy issues, people on their high-horse concerning their religion, huge groups of 'after church goers' who leave little tipsspeak of men, children, nothing expensive with coworkersform alliance to protect one another from ridicule of management decides to help Czech guy George Englishgets into trouble by B.J.Hearthside2pm (arrives at 2:10) to 10pmpicks up a spicy chicken sandwich at Wendy's drive-through window on the way therekhaki slacks, rust-colored polo3-4pm (dead time)finally gets to siteats bowl of chowder (gets yelled at)informs her boss that she's going to quit her coworker says she may follow her to Jerry's but then is offered to live in her truck in hotel parking lot, which inclines her to stay (cause hotel security = safety)speaks about partying and only partying with coworkers servers can get into a "rhythm", or as psychologists say, "flow state"where signals pass from the sense organs directly to the muscles, bypassing the cerebral cortex, and a Zen-like emptiness sets inone time, male server she's talking to worked three shifts in a row, got off, had a drink, and had beautiful sex with "his girl" after pain is a very big aspect of waitressingtossing back drugstore-brand ibuprofens as if they were vitamin Cfour before each shift switch to Aleve if tylenol doesn't work for longer than 4 hoursbegins to become foreign to go back home to her old lifegetting email and phone messages come from a distant race of people with exotic concerns and too much time on their handsneighborhood market she used to peruse becomes like a Manhattan yuppie emporiumpaying bills that seem two and three figures higher than paycheckdecides to move closer to Key Westbecause of drive (gas is eating 4-5 dollars a day with 45 min commute)tips only average 10 percent for the average waiter at Jerry's averaging only about $7.

50 an hour when sharing tips with the busboy and dishwashers had to spend $30 on regulation tan slacks worn by Jerry's serverseveryone who doesn't have a working boyfriend or husband has a second jobmoves to a trailer park (very dangerous one- "the Overseas park is a nest of crime and crack")Jerry's job takes a toll1. hotel bar, the Driftwood, is off-limits to restaurant employeesb/c 23 year old mom of three (who trained Barbara) slipped out there for a drink during a shift and returned impaired2. Vic, assistant manager caught George the Czech (dishwasher) stealing something out of storage closet —> storage closet is locked until new dishwasher is hiredBarbara considers defending George and is shocked to find herself moving on, because she doesn't see the worth in defending himis concerned the low-wage American workplace will turn her into a completely different person in a month or two- maybe even one who would have turned George in herself

set needs two terms apparently (ignore this card)