Zero

I just finished cleaning my bathroom, wiping my shelves, sweeping my floor. Its 12:30 AM and I’m not tired. I’m sad. It’s been such a day ranging from really happy to really sad. I’m thrilled to finally make it to this day, Day Zero. Everyday felt like it lasted a week and yet at the same time I feel like I just got here. I kept looking at people excited to tell them my parents were coming today and I was going to show them where I had been all this time. I was so happy then I’d hear them say, “Oh, today is your last day?” I’d smile,” yup!” then think… wait I’ve got to say goodbye.

I didn’t do anything extraordinary today. I ate my rye bread with cheese, tomato, and wurst. Drank some coffee and walked into the kitchen to do more prep-work, more peeling, julienning, boiling… etc. My parents came. I finally got those hugs I’ve been longing for. I showed them all over the hotel, my apartment (my mom tried the mattress and she can back my statements on its hardness). We drove to Sonthofen (I pointed out the Hill of Steepness. I went to my 2 PM hair appointment and regained some of the girl in me that has been in a chef jacket and wearing a hat for the last 3 months. An hour later I joined them for a shrimp pizza at Café Orange, bought a pair of boots, and then they dropped me off so I could go to work.

This morning the Silber Distal renewed its Michelin Star. We began service with a glass of champagne. I helped when I could and got out the of the way when I needed to, waited and listened to the German conversations, kept the lobsters company as they awaited their doom, and looked at the clock on the wall every ten minutes. 21 guests became 23, tickets were fired, dishes were sent, and then it was 11:30… Another glass of champagne to finish the evening. Laughter, Cheers, smiles and yawns all around…Chef thanked me for my work. I said good night. I left.

There are so many people I haven’t told you all about. Partly because I tried to be a little vague about the staff… But as I was leaving, I was so happy that I got to see one person for the last time. One of the dishwashers. He is a funny looking man who always said hello, made funny faces, quoted random 60’s / 70’s American music lyrics, and spoke whatever English words he could whenever he saw me. He always had a smile on his face and made sure I did too. He always told me I was so polite whenever I brought dirty pots and pans to him. And tonight I shook his hand and said it was my last night… He couldn’t remember any English and I couldn’t remember any German, but we were both wishing each other the best. I’ll miss him a lot.

I still have to go back to the kitchen in the morning to get my knife kit and a pair of shoes I left in the locker room. I’ll say my goodbyes, and then… who knows. I leave that up to my parents… I’m done with decisions, thinking, being awake… I’m on a European vacation for the next 15 days. But before I can enjoy it, the truth is, I’m finally and officially tired, and in need of sleep. And I am going to do just that on this dreadful mattress. For the last time, because you know what?

It is Day Zero and tomorrow I am finally out of here!

Yay!

 Oh…