first day at work

originally posted in to 'the wind and the trees'

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today is my first born's first day at work. all of 17, he's got 2 months before he gets into his final year of high school and is doing an internship in a local 'star hotel' kitchen to see if he can kick the food bug, or if he cares enough about it to succumb and go to culinary school.

he's working split shifts - 10am - 3pm, and from 7pm to when ever the restaurant kitchen closes - close to midnight, i think. between golf in the morning, and an hour of gym in between his shifts at the hotel, he's got more than his share of things to keep him busy.

today, he came home after shift 1, and gave me a colourful picture of the workings of a hotel kitchen (i'm glad i'm not vegetarian, and even so, i wonder if i will ever eat here again!) 

here's a snippet of conversation between washer-upper and my son - 

washer-upper - dai, entha ooru, coimbatooraa? (where are you from, coimbatore? there's no word that describes the 'dai' accurately. suffice to say it's an extremely disrespectful way of addressing someone)

my son - aamaa, yaen? (yes, why?)

washer-upper - athan, vaaya thoranthale theriyudhu, pattikkaadu! (it shows the minute you open your mouth, bumpkin!)

after i picked myself up from the floor, wiped my eyes, and stopped laughing long enough to speak, i asked him if he minded. after all, he was used to being addressed as 'thambu,'  a form of thambi (younger brother) a term both respectful and affectionate, by the staff.

he shrugged, 'why should i!'

yes, this holiday/ internship would definitely do him good, and if nothing else, it certainly should be interesting!