Props to the Presentation

I was, by all accounts, a shitty waitress.
This is the first, but not last time, you will hear this in this blog.
In college, needing to sustain a five-time a week beer habit and occasional desire for new shoes, I sought out a waitressing job. How bad could it be, I thought? Throwing plates of food in front of people, wiping down tables, and collecting fat tips? Sounded fun! So, I ventured out and obtained employment at the bottom ladder of all eating establishments: the open-all-hours breakfast restaurant. (Think "IHOP" for the poor man). It was everything I had dreamed of in my vision: grease and syrup, stingy customers (two-for-one nights is a future blog), and dirty silverware.
But soon, I noticed that I wasn't bringing in the same money as the other waitresses. Now, I'll readily admit that I have had a lifetime problem with authority, and an inability to convincingly kiss ass. But, I was efficient, prompt, attentive - what gives? Why was I constantly being given prayer cards instead of actual cash?
The answer came to me one day, almost a year after employment. My BFF Kera, a very GOOD waitress by all standards, was arranging a plate at the galley. She always amazed me - taking time to scoop the butter ever so gently into it's little white cup (we were too cheap for those fancy prewrapped butter packs). Then, Kera selected the least-rotted of all the orange slices, and assembled it with a sprig of crisp parsley. Once satisfied with her arrangement, she gave her plate a little smile, and then whisked it away to the hungry table. Now, I had seen Kera do this ritual a thousand times before, and it was one I never understood. I never touched those oranges or parsley - in fact, for my first month of employment, I thought they were intended for some "special" I had yet to be introduced to. I slapped my butter directly on the plate, thinking I was doing "the man" a favor by skipping those pesky white cups. And I couldn't be bothered with accouterments like steak knives or soup spoons - I mean, the regular ones worked just fine, if you worked a little harder!
But that day at the galley I realized something - those little extras I wasn't participating in were making the difference to the customers, and in turn, to the tips. Kera's tables looked so happy when their food was served, and occasionally, they even said "thank you". So, I decided to give it a try: slapping orange and parsley together instantly brightened up a dull plate of eggs and bacon. And to my surprise, I realized something rather shocking: people would actually eat the plate flare! That possibility had never even occurred to me. So, I started to put butter into the cups, wipe the excess syrup off the little containers, and even throw in an extra napkin or two. Low and behold - my salvation become less of an issue, and I started rolling in the cold, hard cash.
I'm older now, and I have a finer appreciation for presentation than I did at the rather clueless age of 20. I take a moment to appreciate a plate garnished with a cantaloupe slice, or an adult beverage adorned with some pineapple. I like the big soup spoons, and am thankful when a server actually bothers to stock the yellow sugar packets, not just the pink and blue.
And to all you customers out there, I hope that you take a moment to appreciate this, too. Not every server is going to bother, or understand the fine art of plate presentation, so give props to the ones that do. And, to those of you that leave prayer cards (and you know who you are), I say this: thanks for the "inspiration", although it probably wasn't the result you intended.