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That week was really tense at the Cook n' Brooke. If it got a bad rating, business would fall dramatically. I learned that from Brooke, who spent most of the week pacing nervously.
Kristy Lee Cook came down with the flu on Wednesday, and Brooke just about had a panic attack.
"What if he comes TODAY?" Brooke cried. I gave her my iPod and told her to listen to that and calm down while I thought about the situation. I put everyone's name in a bowl again and picked one. I stared at the name on the paper.
Eliza.
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. There was no turning back now. Now the pressure was on me. I thought of all the bad 'what if's'.
What if I stuttered when I spoke to the critic?
What if I accidentally brought him the wrong thing?
What if I dropped the food or drink on him?
What if I disappointed Brooke?
That was the worst 'what if' question ever. I wished I had never thought of that. Then I tried really hard to think of a good 'what if.'
What if I made Brooke proud?
That made me feel a littel better.
"Brooke, I'll wait on the critic," I told her, reluctantly.
"Eliza, are you sure?" she asked me, "I don't want to put all that pressure on you."
She was awesome.
"Yes, I'll do it," I told her, trying to sound confident, "and don't worry, I won't let you down."
"I never doubt that," Brooke replied, smiling.
It felt good that Brooke trusted me. I felt like I could wait on that critic without any problems.
I paced anxiously with Brooke all day. She let me hang out with her in the lounge until the food critic came. I paced and waited all day. The critic never came. I was relieved and I hoped Kristy Lee would be back the next day. As I mentioned before, I was not good under pressure.
The next day, Kristy Lee was NOT back. I was scared, because Carly told me that critics usually come on Thursdays.
About ten minutes before noon, the door opened and a man entered dressed in a suit.
Brooke started hyperventilating.
"That's him!" she cried, anxiously, "Eliza, that's him!"
HIM.
The critic.
Kristy Lee Cook came down with the flu on Wednesday, and Brooke just about had a panic attack.
"What if he comes TODAY?" Brooke cried. I gave her my iPod and told her to listen to that and calm down while I thought about the situation. I put everyone's name in a bowl again and picked one. I stared at the name on the paper.
Eliza.
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. There was no turning back now. Now the pressure was on me. I thought of all the bad 'what if's'.
What if I stuttered when I spoke to the critic?
What if I accidentally brought him the wrong thing?
What if I dropped the food or drink on him?
What if I disappointed Brooke?
That was the worst 'what if' question ever. I wished I had never thought of that. Then I tried really hard to think of a good 'what if.'
What if I made Brooke proud?
That made me feel a littel better.
"Brooke, I'll wait on the critic," I told her, reluctantly.
"Eliza, are you sure?" she asked me, "I don't want to put all that pressure on you."
She was awesome.
"Yes, I'll do it," I told her, trying to sound confident, "and don't worry, I won't let you down."
"I never doubt that," Brooke replied, smiling.
It felt good that Brooke trusted me. I felt like I could wait on that critic without any problems.
I paced anxiously with Brooke all day. She let me hang out with her in the lounge until the food critic came. I paced and waited all day. The critic never came. I was relieved and I hoped Kristy Lee would be back the next day. As I mentioned before, I was not good under pressure.
The next day, Kristy Lee was NOT back. I was scared, because Carly told me that critics usually come on Thursdays.
About ten minutes before noon, the door opened and a man entered dressed in a suit.
Brooke started hyperventilating.
"That's him!" she cried, anxiously, "Eliza, that's him!"
HIM.
The critic.
