Jerry’s a semi straight dude who’s been seeing that wild girl, KB lately. He’s been hanging around Beach with the rest of us for the last couple of weeks. He even owns a car. Today he has great news, "Hey everybody," he says "I just got a job at the Maui Fish house as a busboy."
We all congratulate him on his good fortune and tell him how lucky he is. We are not being sarcastic either, working at the Fish House even as a dishwasher, is a coveted position. Any of us would take a job there in a minute. We ask him how he got it.
He smiles saying, "One of the waitresses there is a friend of mine. When one of the busboys quit and went back to the mainland, she recommended me." That's about the only way you can get on there, know somebody.
The Fish House is famous among all of us locals, even though it only pays minimum wage, any of us would like to work there, but because of employee loyalty it is almost impossible to get on. It's a dinner house so it's only open from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays. Sundays they serve brunch so it's open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's closed on Mondays when the owner has a volley ball game against other employee teams from around the island at the Fish House. Afterwards, win or lose, he treats his team and any other of his employees who show up to lunch. The owner, who I have met because sometimes he comes out to Makena, is a real nice guy. According to his workers he never gets mad or raises his voice, but then he doesn't have to because no one wants to lose their job there. The reason for this employee loyalty is not the pay or even the tips, which I hear are pretty good, it's all because of the fringe benefits.
Every day before they start work and each night after all the customers have gone, the owner fires up a couple of prime numbers of Maui-Wowie just to get everyone into and out of the mood for work. During dinner about once an hour depending on how busy they are, he rings a bell and all of the employees no matter what they are doing, says to their customers, "Excuse me a second will you. I'll be right back." Then they go into the kitchen where the owner has chopped up and spread out 2 thin lines of primo coke for each one of them. After a quick toot it's back to work, a much more happier and efficient worker. They also get a toot before each volley ball game and a couple hooters afterwards before lunch. Now that is what I call a job, short hours, good pay, delicious food, an enlightened Boss and a great high.
I have never eaten there, it's way too expensive for my meager funds but the food and service must be good because the place is packed every night. The workers say that no matter how rushed it gets that bell always rings for their pick me up. Yup, that Jerry is one lucky dude.