Fremantle (Just outside Perth)

There are two ways to get into the Fremantle Sailing Club: with a membership in your pocket or with a tray in your hand. The former costs a couple grand a month and the latter comes with a free shirt and tie. I chose the latter.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Doug Jeffery is the newest waiter at the Fremantle Sailing Club.

A guy I met in Malaysia and traveled with for a week has been working out here for the last three months at the Sailing Club. He vouched for me and got me a job, site unseen. I dont know what I am doing exactly but I think it is some kind of waiter work. Ill find out soon, my first shift is tomorrow.

Brenden, the Canadian I met in Malaysia, told his boss that I had two years waitering experience. I have none, but I am going to roll with it. My first year of college, I worked at a Pizzeria (Tony's) for 2 months, but that is about it. I worked the till behind a counter, called out names over the PA, and burnt pizza slices and myself in the oven all day. But I am confident that my 4 years of high school, 4 years of higher education, and 2 years working at a Fortune 500 company should give me a good starting point.

Ive been spending the beginning of today getting a bank account, a pair of nice shoes, slacks, socks, and belt at Target. I am the epitome of class. I was actually just thinking about not even wearing shoes because my feet are so black from beating the pavement these last few days in sandals. I handed out maybe 6 different resumes and visited 8 different work agencies. Things were looking bleak.

I met a German guy in a hostel who had been in Perth for a week and was heading back to Melbourne defeated. The only thing he had to show for it was a bad case of bed bugs. He had met three girls who had passed out 150 resumes (or so he said) over three weeks and they got nothing also.

No jobs about and every young person you see around is trying to get work too. I was applying for any kind of potential work just to get a job. I even applied for a couple construction jobs.

My grandfather owned a construction company up until maybe 7 years ago and he was a brick layer before that. And to this day, in his 80s, he still maintains his properties and equipment. My father and his brother use to help him on the sites sometimes too. But the thought of having to work a 12 hour shift in this sun . . . . . . I dont know . . . . . . . I dont think I would have had it in me.

Needless to say the waiter job saved me.