My Panera Bread HORROR Story
It was a warm, sunny day. The trees were, treeing? And the wind was, um, blowing? — Yeah, I actually don’t remember or give a fuck about those details of the story. But it was a sunny day, I mean, it probably was because this story took place in August of 2023 in Walnut Creek, California, where it is ALWAYS hot. Too hot sometimes. Anyways, I worked at Panera Bread over the summer before school started. I was going into my Junior Year of college, and my shifts were 6 am to 2 pm. I didn’t mind them, surprisingly, because I had the rest of the day to do whatever my 20-year-old self did…which was probably sleeping and watching reality TV. Aren’t I so impressive?
Being a cashier at Panera Bread was NOT easy. There was always a line out the door, coffee needing to be replaced, and phone calls that needed to be answered. I was also in charge of stocking bagels, pastries, and cookies, while baking soufflés, all before 7:00 am. All of this is very doable, but when you are about to shut your eyes and fall asleep at any given second (while standing up), it gets quite difficult. I then proceeded to fill up two empty bins of hot, very hot, piping coffee. As I walked back to the coffee station to replace the empty bins with new bins, I then found myself slipping on some sort of watery, steam, I don’t know — but I do know that it was a result of those damn soufles in the oven that everyone loves — and accidentally poured the bins FILLED with coffee down my leg. I fell backwards, rolling onto hot coffee, burning my ENTIRE body. Picture a banana peel slipping accident, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. Picture the ground of a crusty Panera Bread kitchen covered with burning hot coffee, and a goofy 20-year-old girl rolling around in it. I don’t know what’s worse: The fact that it is 7:00 am, or that as I got up, I slipped again and burned myself AGAIN. A few seconds later, I got up without slipping again TGOD. As tears rolled down my face, I was too embarrassed to admit I was hurt. WHY JAMIE WHY? I cleaned up my mess with a mop, and was given a new shirt to change into by my manager. I proceeded to take orders once I got myself somewhat cleaned up. Customers were very concerned, I mean, as they should! For the next 20 minutes before my break, I trembled shakily, the words “What can I get started for you today?” as tears ran down my face. A good/bad quality of mine is that if I need to cry, I WILL CRY. Oh yeah, that is also the case in public. Flash forward, it was then my break and I ordered some sort of breakfast sandwich … oh my, they were always so good, especially good being free. (Benefit of being an employee). I still reeked, and my socks were filled with watery coffee. I decided to take my socks off and squeeze everything out. I then looked at my ankle. And my jaw dropped, my eyes started to water, and I gasped as I looked down. There on my ankle: BIG. BUBBLY. LARGE. GROSS. BLISTERS. I yelped in disgust and pulled my jeans up to see that my leg had the same image of gross bubbles…Which also appeared on my butt, unfortunately. My managers took a look and sent me home so I could go to Urgent Care. I was given cream, I believe, and treated it right away. I feel like with every story there are always lessons or takeaways, so here are mine!
Always wear proof shoes to work. EVEN IF THEY ARE UGLY.
How the FUCK do I manage to sustain BURNS from a part-time job at a fast food restaurant?
My “horror” story did make a lot of people laugh. Should I be insulted that my pain is funny to people?
And, yeah, I guess that’s it.
THANKS FOR LISTENING/READING! :)