Imagine a Kiwi Frozen Yogurt store in the middle of an island in New Jersey, which is still recovering from 3 foot high Hurricane Sandy waves. Now imagine that same store with Adam Lambert music playing on repeat and customers of all ages visiting for a week. This place in your imagination is where I work in the summers. While standing for hours ringing up overly-priced froyo, I’ve experienced quite a few weird occurrences on the job.

froyo

Photo by Caitlin Wolper

It all started my first summer working when a 20-year-old man came into the empty shop during the day and casually got on top of a table. He proceeded to serenade my coworker and me with his guitar, and then walk right back out after his song without any explanation. Was he the man of my dreams or just really creepy? The world may never know.

The island also tends to get really hot in the middle of summer, and even a frozen yogurt shop is not immune to the sun’s unbearable rays. One day, this guy I was working with decided it would be a good idea to take a nap in the freezer while I sweat away in the front. Usually he could have gotten away with his inventive idea, except that our boss decided to stop in and immediately went straight to the back to check on the toppings…in the freezer. Suffice it to say, he didn’t make it back to listen to an American idol runner-up singing in an endless loop the next year.

froyo

Photo by Bari Blanga

I also typically get bored during the dinnertime hours of working, so I like to people-watch out the front window (which is difficult since cars/tourists are usually on the move and only in view for a few seconds). The other night, though, I started noticing this guy with a purple bandana going back and forth on his bike. Every 20 minutes he would cross in front again, looking like he was on an intense mission, so I decided to stand outside and ask what he was doing when he came by on the 12th lap. The only response I got was “Neighborhood watch,” and then I never saw him again.

And there’s always the classic time some girls tried to give me their numbers, which they wanted me to relay to my brother when he was working with me (“Did you sit on a pile of sugar cause you’ve got a sweet…”). My summer job is just too exciting to handle.

 

Like this post? Check out these related articles: