Chapter 2 - A Day In The Life.

George is slicing cherry tomatoes in halves, on a green board with a green handled knife, putting them in a tub to share over all three sections. The head chef is walking with a tray of defrosted pizza dough, putting them on a shelf underneath the marble. After he sieves‘Double O’flour with semolina on to the marble in to a mountain. George finishes cutting the last cherry tomato, he picks up the 4-liter container, containing the cherry tomato halves within, full to the brim, he shares them around all three sections, the kitchen porter walks in to the kitchen in a black chefs uniform to keep the kitchen clean also fill up the dessert section. George pouring the rest of the cherry tomato halves into the metal container on the pizza section, he cleans his green knife and board, along with putting the dirty plastic container upside down into the dishwasher grey tray. George puts the clean green board back onto the damp thin blue sponges, that keep the chopping board from sliding all over the place, he grabs the two washed cucumbers, top ‘n’ tails them, slicing through the middles, then through the middle again but length ways, with a teaspoon, he scraps the insides of the cucumbers into a small metal bowl, putting that to one side, afterwards he grabs his knife, tapping it on the board then speedily slicing the hollowed out cucumbers, not even looking as he slices the 8 halves because he is talking to the Andrej about football. The head chef is making them some breakfast which is pizza dough cooked into a kind of loaf, cheese on top mixed with black pepper, sliced in half once cooked, after sliced into four quarters, some rocket with salami along with a chopped up buffalo tomato slice in the middle, trust me you have to try this mate, if I had the money I would have a stool in town, selling these bad boys. George putting the evenly sliced cucumbers in to a plastic container, that is lined with a blue food bag, puts the lid on after he takes the pen from behind his ear, writing a date label, putting it on the container, after he puts it in his fridge. George busting a little dance move to the musical beat while walking over to the pasta section, 3 big saucepans of boiling water on the stovetop, salt trickling from his finger tips, into one of the saucepans boiling water below, he does this a couple of times, after pouring penne from its industrial five kilo packaging, stirring.

George, the head chef along with the kitchen porter are outside the back, having a break before the restaurant opens, George with a smoke lit hanging from his lips, one eye closed to avoid smoke going into his eye, looking like pop-eye the sailor. He stands throwing darts at the board, on his second dart hits bullseye.
He turns saying to the head chef“I am on two bro.”
George turns throwing the the third dart, triple two the dart is sticking out from, which means George is on five now, while Chef stands up from his seat, stubbing his roll-up out, George collects his darts from the board, after fist bumps Chef as he goes to throw his three darts. George smoking while drinking his coffee, sitting on the wall at the side. On the chefs first dart he hits the bulls eye. George says“Nice but luckily I got the triple two because I would be back in the middle.”
They are playing a match called ‘Around the world.’ Chef throws his second dart hitting the three, as they carry on playing until one is crowned the winner.

A ticket is being printed out from a black ticket machine, which is next to some burger trays that are already lined with branded tracing paper, they are white with the brown company’s logo on, dotted around. George’s hand takes the ticket from the machine, putting it in a grey ticket holder strip. For starters it is just mozzarella garlic bread, which the head chef starts making. Followed by two burgers, which George is slapping on the grill as I speak.
The head chef with his back to George, says “I have found an old music artist, I think you will like him bratr, I will put him on in a second.”
George responds saying “Anything has to be better than drum ‘n’ base bro.”
The chef scoops up the raw mozzarella bread, putting it inside the pizza oven with the silver pizza scoop, the pizza oven is currently three hundred thirty seven degrees. George is setting up a tray for the burgers, while over his left shoulder the pink burger are sizzling on the grill. He puts three quartered gherkins in the middle, fills up a dark brown pot of burger relish, putting it beside the gherkins. After he gets the sliced in half burger buns, toasting them in the grill until they have the square grill marks, putting the bottom bun on the tray with the top leaning up against the tray. After he puts burger sauce on the bottom bun, lightly squashing it down with lettuce also a slice of buffalo tomato. The chef is flicking through his mobile, putting it on the side while a song starts to play. George turns the burger to the side with the spatula, making the square grill marks.
After he asks the head chef“Who is this?”
The head chef taking the bread out from the oven, onto a wooden board, he slices into six quarters with the black handled pizza slice, after pressing a black door bell to get a waitress or waiter to take the food.
The chef responds saying“Rodriguez -Street Boy.”
The assistant manager comes in quickly taking the food after leaving. Oh yeah I forgot to tell you that George won the game of darts, so for today they are on one-all.
George says asking "I Like this guy, you think he is still alive?”
The head chef responds saying "No bro I think he is dead, I have one of his albums, I will put it on.”
George turns the burgers on the grill, revealing nice squared grill marks as the other side starts to sizzle.

After a busy lunch service, all the customers have been fed, paid to leave. George is sitting next to a white door on his break, eating a pepperoni pizza with BBQ sauce drizzled over the top. He has a cup of coffee beside with an open A4 lined notepad with a black inked pen in his hand, he is writing, with the other hand he is eating slices of the pizza, he is nodding to a musician playing within his headphones.

George is putting his plate back in the kitchen, the kitchen porter has gone home, more staff will be in for the evening shift.
George says "Thanks brother for the pizza, it was sexy.”
The head chef responds asking "Your welcome brother, quick smoke also game?”
George sipping his coffee after nods in agreement, they both leave the kitchen.
The assistant manager is walking towards them, asking George“Can I have a cigarette please?”
George takes his packet of cigarettes from his pocket, taking one out, giving her one, along with a cigarette, I wink but of course I am joking, he never gave her a cigarette, only joking anyway she takes the cigarette from George’s fingers. While the head chef holds the glass door open for them.

George is back from lunch, while the head chef has gone for his lunch, the restaurant is empty which is usually the case between the hours of three to six in the afternoon. Some music is playing while George with blue gloves on, is putting some grated cheddar from a full container into half blue bags, on red scales as they read different numbers each time but have be close to eighty grams, he will split the full container in half, eighty grams which is for the Haddock risotto, the other half will be forty grams, which is for the Cobb salad. Jackson walks in to the kitchen, wearing his casual clothes but George does not notice him, too busy dividing the cheddar. Jackson tries to sneakily scare him but by the look on George’s face, he isn’t fazed.
George says“Ciao bratr, got to try harder to scare me.”
Jackson responds asking“Ciao bratr, I will get you! How are you?”
George takes his blue gloves off, after he puts the divided cheddar into separate boxes lined with blue bags, while he does this he responds asking...
“No chance bro, I am feeling good today, payday so I treated myself to a pack of smokes. How are you brother?”
Jackson responds asking“Every payday you do that, anyway I am good bratr, busy today?”
George responds "Always, I work for it otherwise just paying the bills, got to treat myself. Usual Friday lunch bratr.”
Jackson responds asking“I second that got to treat yourself, quick break?”
George responds saying“Of course bro, one minute.”
George goes to the pizza section where the different day labels are kept on the wall, he rips two Monday labels off, taking the blue Barkley’s Bank pen from from behind his ear, writing the date on them, after peeling them to put each one on the divided cheddar.

A similar beginning to the next morning, weather wise as it has begun. The only difference is that George is standing at a bus stop, not far from his home, along with the obvious that is, he has changed his clothes. An elderly lady with a walking stick stands not far away waiting for the same bus, I would presume. There are houses all around opposite the bus stop through the middle like an island is a long green, with trees dotted up it, that is used to act as goal posts, for when George used to play footie growing up with his younger brother, but you have to be careful where or how you shoot the football because there are parked cars all along its left side, luckily they never smashed a car window, defiantly would of ran back indoors then hope the person would not of came knocking at the door, would have not of mattered to George’s pocket money if mum had to pay for the smashed car window, as he did not get any, parents are not made of money, makes him appreciate what he earns, also he smashed a window when he was a younger playing with a golf ball, when he stayed at his dads which was situated down a cul-de-sac, smashed through some mans front door.

A bus comes around the corner followed by a dark blue saloon car, as the bus pulls into the lay-by to pick up its first passengers for this trip around. The bus doors open, George lets the elderly lady go first, the blue car pulls around the bus, George puts his thumb up in the air towards the people, in the honking car because they are his next door neighbors. The elder lady walking deeper in to the bus to find a seat while George hops on to the bus.
He asks the bus driver“Yo bud, can I have a day rider please?”
The bus driver responds saying“Certainly, four pounds fifty please.”
George passes him a fiver from his left jean pocket, passing it too him through the hole in the glass, to protect us from the violent bus drivers, of course I’m joking apart from the road rage they may encounter because of other idiots on the road. The bus driver fiddles around on the ticket machine for a second, a ticket prints out from the machine that George takes, after takes his fifty pence piece change.
George says“Cheers.”
He goes deeper into the bus to find a seat at the back.

The bus arrives into the towns city center, more multi-cultured people have got onto the bus during its journey. It stops at the second bus stop in, of the four bus stops. Different cultures waiting to get onto the bus, George grabs ahold of his backpack putting it on, where it belongs. He walks down the walkway of the bus, joining the line of different people getting off, still some people are sitting down, that elderly lady that got on with George got off three stops back, while getting off to the bus driver.
George says“Thank you.”
George puts his earphones back in, after fiddling around on his mobile for a second, a favorite song starts to play through his headphones. He starts walking through the town towards his place of work. Walking past a bank while feeling the vibe of the rapper in his ear. A guy in raggedy tattered clothes begging at the side of the street, more people around this morning. Across the road is Christ college, you can really see the beautiful collection of architectural buildings, the attention to detail is incredible of these colleges also churches in my city of Cambridge.

As George is walking to his place of work, David2Marseille, he lights his smoke after puts the lighter back in his pocket. Some broken glass on the pavement from a smashed bottle, most probably from a messy night, most probably the cause of George’s flat tire, two open cans of some branded alcohol in front of the wall that George is walking past, I am sure the walking homeless, will scoop them up before the council put them in the bin or anyone for that matter walking past them, the homeless would have to sniff them before consumption, just incase it’s piss. I’m not judging them I personally wouldnot do it but live your movie mate.

Jackson is sitting on the restaurants step, the same age as George twenty four. They sideway bump fists after George takes a cigarette from behind his ear, he lights it while Jackson stands up, George takes the pack of cigarettes out from his pocket, offering Jackson one, he accepts taking the packet off of George, three empty bins to the side of the restaurants step, Jackson passes the pack of cigarettes back to George, while Jackson sparks the smoke, George puts the packet back into his pocket.
Jackson says asking“Bro what happened? I see you walking up here, not biking?”
George responds asking“Flat tire bro, how are you?”
Jackson dressed in casual clothes responds saying“I am alright, yourself?”
George watching passers-by.
He responds asking“Not too bad bro, can’t wait for my day off tomorrow.”
Jackson responds saying“Oh right, I hope you have a nice day, I have Monday off.”
George asks“You up to much?”
Jackson responds asking“Treat my lady to some dinner then cinema, you bro?”
George responds asking“Nice what you thinking of watching? I’m seeing my little lady, going to pick her up from her mum’s, park then a bite to eat, she likes to make her own Sub, her way.”
A black six-seater taxi pulls up...
Carlo the pasta chef alongside the Romanian kitchen porter called Cezar. They all smack their hands together bumping shoulders, while the black taxi door slides open, the assistant manager, Aida gets out from the back.
She says in her thick French accent,“Sorry guys for being late, I had a early morning of drinking.”
The chefs take ahold of the bins, while she walks up to the restaurant doors with keys in her hand, to unlock the white doors. Carlo is from Brazil, he has short styled brown hair, dark brown eyes, a few tattoos of loved ones on his arms, also a tattoo of a wolf on his left upper arm, he is wearing shades with a black vest top, grey tracks bottoms. Five o’clock shadow, good geezer but when pissed off turns into a real life pissed off wolf mate, I would like him on my side if shit kicks off.

Old school garage music playing from the portable speaker. George along with the other chefs are dressed in all black chef uniform, the time is 11:37am. Prep for lunch is nearly finished, there is steaming pasta in a massive sieve, that is sitting in a big silver saucepan. Aida puts a tray with coffees on down on top of a silver top chest freezer.
Aida shouts over the music “Coffee guys!”
She walks out of the kitchen, you can see her anchor tattoo showing either side of her black dresses strap, that is on her left shoulder blade, her shoulder length dark blonde hair, blue eyes, she has a curvy figure. Jackson picks up an expresso from the black tray, turning the music down.
Jackson asks “Smoke break before the place opens?”
George says“I will never pass up an opportunity to smoke brother.”
While George takes his apron off, Jackson grabs his packet of cigarettes off from the side.

They are standing outside the kitchen door, George is putting three cubes sugars in his coffee, stirring with a long silver spoon, he stirs his coffee while the other three chefs are sitting in a booth, with red leather seats, they are rolling cigarettes. Amelia, a waitress is walking towards them, a beautiful petite figure with bushy ginger hair, light green eyes, she is wearing jeans with a Liverpool football team shirt, (Not as good as Cambridge United or Manchester United) but, that is where the rest of her family is, she is young with cute facial features.
She says“Morning all.”
She puts her bag down on the table after Amelia hugs George. They all go for a cigarette apart from Amelia because in her spare time she does ballet so she does not smoke.

The same style of music is playing, it is halfway through a busy service, restaurant is nearly full, on the pass is a seafood risotto, lamb burger with a pepperoni pizza beside, that an Italian waiter Anthony, a muscle head pretty boy, with slicked black hair, he is taking the food from the kitchen to the customers. George puts down a basket of fries into the scolding hot oil of the fryer. After he turns a burger with a spatula, with yellow tongs he takes a butterflied breasted chicken, from the grill placing it on to a black tray, after brushing oil mixed with salt, pepper also parsley over the chicken, he puts the tray into the bottom pizza oven.
Jackson says“Carlo, Two minutes for table six!”
Carlo puts his thumb up from across the kitchen.
George says asking“Bro five for table seven alongside fourteen!?”
Jackson responds saying“Yes bratr!”
George is preparing plates for the upcoming tickets, he has a line of tickets, the ticket machine sounds while it prints another one, George puts a pot of relish down on a paper lined tray. He takes the ticket, his eyes scanning over, he passes it to the kitchen porter because it’s a dessert ticket, Jackson has his back to George which is alongside Carlo, that is putting a teaspoon of garlic, in a scorching oiled pasta pan, after adding the same amount of diced red chillis in oil to the pan, it sizzles away, while the flames flicker up the pans sides. Jackson is filling a calzone, with some Cajun spiced chicken, the calzone was my favorite pizza to make, I perfected them, but being on the pizza section is fucking hard mate, I went on it a couple of times on Saturdays, I can happily say I failed more than a couple of times, there is a art to it, although I can make a pizza but under that pressure is mad, because you are basically in charge of everything in the kitchen while maintaining quality of food, which I can do until I start running out of shit, it’s never a quick thing to prep then quickly get back into the flow of service, then run out of another thing, oh man. That’s why Jackson also his brother usually work on the pizza section, also that’s why their so skinny.

The end of the night is on for the restaurant staff, not much of a busy day. The head chef along with Andrej has joined them for the evening shift. It is ten o’clock at night. The manager Chris went home an hour ago, but the assistant manager is still here in the office, Amelia along with Anthony are cleaning the restaurants table also bar, every so often bringing in things to be washed. Also the Hungarian bar man that is cleaning the glasses, he is a big geezer, really short hair, brown eyes. The waiters also waitresses wear black jeans or trousers with a black company t’shirt, also a green waiters apron, that they put their white ordering pads also pens, inside the pouch at the front like a kangaroo which keeps her young.
An hour has passed, the kitchen along with restaurant is clean. The kitchen staff along with waiting staff are having a drink at the bar before they go home, George drinking Jackie D whiskey mixed with coke, the ladies drinking white wine while the others are drinking beer from bottles. Everyone is in there normal everyday clothes. Anthony flexing in the mirrors that are in rustic frames all over the restaurant wall.
He asks“Who is up for going out to a nightclubs?”
Before anyone can respond, a figure at the restaurants doors catches their attention, his face pressed up against the glass.
George says“If this guy fall down there, going to sleep because he is too pissed, I will break his legs to get out.”
Amelia says“Maybe he has been in a fight.”
Carlo says“Looks like he lost.”
Leaving blood on the window in the shape of his face, smearing downwards.

© Homeslice19