At least Friday started out a bit warmer even if the forecast was for a return of rain. Oh i've got Garde tonight but there won't be a repeat of last weeks party afterwards – which reminds me, I really should get the expectant mum a present. I'm a firm believer that the babies get far too much out of the whole birth business, the new mum is forgotten so I gift the parent rather than the child – lets face it they'll get more than enough in the years to come.

I did my best to concentrate on my classes, well after yesterday I thought I ought to, however I spent all the breaks listening to the CD Maria burnt last night with the new songs on. Lets face it, I can't stand on stage reading the lyrics next week so I do need to memorise them. The day seemed to whizz by, and being Friday I was on my own for the journey back home, lost in the lyrics of 'Glauberg', one of Stefans new songs.

“That you Gab?”

It took me a moment to realise I was being addressed then seeing who it was I pulled my earphones out.

“Hi Anna, long time no see.”
“It was only August,” she pointed out, “so whats happening, i've not seen you on here before.”
“Clearly,” I agreed as she sat down opposite, “depends when I finish college.”
“Of course, you're doing accounting or something?”
“Business Management,” I corrected, “what about you?”
“Same old,” she sighed, “so what are you up to? Oh congrats on your racing thing.”
“Thanks, you know, riding, Garde, working the kiosk.”
“You still get together with the others?”
“Not so much, hey you should come tomorrow.”
“What's happening tomorrow?”
“Hallowe'en party at the Preiser's, everyone'll be there.”
A smile crossed her face, “you remember when you wore that...”
“Not happening again,” I interrupted.
“It would be good to see everyone,” she allowed, “you still all go in costume?”
“Wouldn't be Hallowe'en without.”
“Not saying I will but its a definate maybe.”
“Cool!”
“So what're you listening to?” she pointed to my Discman®.
“BlauHase.”
“Isn't that who you sang with at that festival?”
“Yeah, they're playing the Rheinhalle next week.”
“So just getting in the groove eh?”
“Well learning the words actually,” I admitted.
“You're not? You are! Gaby Bond superstar!”
“Shush, give over, hardly superstar, I just sing a couple of songs to fill in.”
“At the Rheinhalle,” Anna observed.
“At the Rheinhalle.”
“Mum always said you'd go places.”
“I remember, usually back down to Dernau,” I chuckled.
 
“Never guess who I saw on the train earlier?” I quizzed Pia as we waited for Hannah to turn up at the Tanzklub.
“I dunno, Myleen?”
“Dur!”
“Well give us a clue then.”
I gave it a bit of thought, “begins with A.”
“Onkel Axel?”
“Why would your uncle be on the train?”
“Well he could be.”
“Anna.”
“As in Pilsen?”
“Uh huh.”
She sighed, “do you miss when we all did everything together Gab?”
“We still do.”
“Not like we used to, around each others houses, breakfasting at the bakery on the way to school, shopping trips, you remember when we went to Mayen with Claud and you ended up with blue hair?”
“How could I forget.”
“Not seen her since the camping trip, we should get together again.”
“Yeah,” I agreed.
 
Given my last week I needed to relax a bit and an hour of Garde hit the spot nicely. You have to pretty much turn everything off, comcentrate on what you are doing, as soon as you let your thoughts stray it falls apart. We shuffled, stomped and wheeled, Han clapping out the beat and offering 'advice' to miscreants.

“Okay ladies, great stuff tonight.”

We all relaxed and started stretching to release the tension in necks and arms.

“Remember its the regionals next week, you'll need to bring your uniforms down on Friday.”

There were some groans at that but I think mostly because its expected.
 
“No chance I can convince you Gab?” Hannah asked as we sorted ourselves out.
“Not this time, i've got stuff on next week.”
“She's singing,” Pia dropped in.
“I didn't know you were in a choir Gab.”

P snorted at that.

“Er, its not exactly a choir.”
“Oh?” Han queried, cheers Pia.
“I'm sort of in a band.”
“A band?”
“Well not exactly in, I just do a few songs with them.”
“Pah!” P offered, “she's the lead singer with BlauHase.”
“Am not!”
“Well they won't be looking at the men on Saturday will they?”

I'd never thought of it like that.

“BlauHase? Aren't they playing the Rheinhalle?”
“Erm, yeah.”
“I guess the Alles Stern will have to do without their star.”
“Maybe next time?”
“I'll hold you to that Gaby Bond.”

Me and my big mouth.
 
“You think they'll turn up?” Con asked as we prepared to open the kiosk.
“Dunno, Nena sent Boxxie an email with all the details from Tuesday night, I'm sure she'll remind them.”
“Well its your baby, lets hope we aren't too busy.”
“Extra hands?”
“Possibly,” she allowed, “speak of the devils.”

Well they were early at least, I'm guessing they've come up on the Express.

“Morning.”
“Hi guys, won't be a minute and I'll be with you.”
 
I have given this some thought, honest. I've got experience of teaching, twelve years of school and of course Mum was a teacher so i've seen it from the other side too. The stuff we want to go over isn't rocket science of course, general hygiene and customer interface, hand washing and serving in normal speak. Of course in the Christmas cabin we won't be cooking Pommes and so on and the coffee machine is a bit more complicated but if we've got the basics down then it'll make things easier in Advent.

Not sure how i'd feel having someone barely a year older doing the teaching but Paula, Frannie and Marguerite at least appeared to be listening. You don't need a blow by blow, suffice to say I used the tell, show, try method – a lot of food hygiene is about routine. Then of course there's the actual customer interface stuff, anyone can wash hands but serving requires accuracy and some general maths skills.

It was a bit crowded with three extra bodies about so we rotated them around, one helping Kris out on the tables (thankfully its been a dry morning), Con supervising the till whilst I did the same with the actual victuals. It seemed to work out okay, Paula struggled a bit with the till but otherwise all three were reasonably competent after a couple of hours.

“So everyone happy?”
“Well apart from that till thing,” Paula allowed.
“Its a simpler till on the market, fewer buttons to remember,” I told my charges.
“So have we passed?” Marguerite enquired.
“It was never a case of passing, just making sure you knew what you're getting involved with.”
“Do we need to come every week?” Frannie asked.
“You don't have to but practice makes perfect, if you fancy doing a couple of hours just ring me or Connie, I'm sure we can sort out some form of renumeration.”
“Is that like more training?” Paula queried.
“Dumkopf, she means wages,” Frannie suggested, “right Gaby?”
“Well something like that, maybe lunch or something.”
“Sounds fair,” Marguerite opined.
“Today?” Paula chipped in, she's sharp that one.
“Guess so,” I agreed, well i've been their age, money's always tight and its not like we can pay them the going rate is it?
 
“I've been thinking,” Con mentioned after our trainee Kabin girls had left, apparantly happy with Pommes and drinks.
“Ot oh, better take cover,” Kris suggested.
“Quiet serf.”
“Yes mistress,” Kris sniggered.
“Go on then,” I prompted.
“Well you know the Weihnachts Kabin?”
“Yeah.”
“Well we do like coffee and cake right,”
“Get on with it,” i suggested.
“Well couldn't we do some hot food too?”
“That wouldn't go down too well with the Würst and Pizza stalls.”
“I was thinking other stuff.”
“Such as?”
“Dunno, some of your pies maybe?”
“Not very Christmassy.”
“When we went skiing last year they did apple fritters and these delish melted cheese sandwich things, Raclette I think it was called,” Kris offered.
“We'd need a fryer for fritters,” Con mused.
“You got like four for three Francs,” our informant advised.
“So these sandwich things, like cheese on toast?” I asked in turn.
“Sort of, they had like these little grill things, slice of Rye bread, Swiss cheese, you could have Speck if you wanted, under the grill for a couple of minutes, we had them nearly every day on the slopes.”
“Sounds interesting, cheers Kris.”
“Hey, i'd buy some if you did them.”
“We could try them out here first,” Con mused.
“Well we have fryers here so we'd just need to get a grill from somewhere.”
“Lets do it,” Con decided.
“What about the others, we should run it by them first.”
“We can tell them tonight.”
“I want commision,” Kris suggested.
 
© Maddy Bell 21.01.2019