Stressful Sundae

Amelia Hawkins

4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream: Make sure there is an endless supply of vanilla ice cream containers in the back freezer. There will never be enough vanilla ice cream. You will always run out due to the massive amount needed for each sundae. When an order comes in, run to the freezer to restock the vanilla. Your hands will freeze carrying the heavy load behind the bakers in the kitchen. Do not slip on the water leaking out of the dishwasher. Dance your way behind Chris and Katie making their beautiful cupcakes, sliding along the wet floor, going to the beat of the blasting radio. That was your two minutes of freedom. Kick open the door to get back into the scoop shop. Come back into reality, and dig your fists into that rock hard container. Scoop as hard as you can, and look over your shoulder at the line of people waiting out the door. 

Generous Drizzle of Hot Fudge Sauce: Grab the heavy cup of overfilled ice cream and turn your back to the boiling hot sauce container. You may accidentally touch the curved metal edges and burn your right palm, but continue and work through the pain. Squeeze the hot fudge bottle as hard as you can to get the last droplets left at the bottom. You realize this is not a generous drizzle. Instead, it’s a few drops of all we have left. Look up for a second, worried. Notice the customer staring right over the counter at the sundae with three drops of fudge sauce you are making for him. Stay calm. Think, maybe he doesn’t even like fudge? 

2 Handfuls of Cookie Dough Pieces: Move over to the right and start adding the best topping of all. Flip open the container full of cookie dough, and make sure you get a good smell. Be thankful that you get two large handfuls, and dump the pieces on top to cover the depressing amount of fudge. Tell yourself, this sundae might actually be okay. Start moving onto the next ingredient, but get interrupted by the deep undertone of that man’s voice, watching your every move. “Excuse me!” He shouts over at you, trying to be heard in the buzzing shop. He looks right into your eyes, and demands “there needs to be more cookie dough! You barely gave me any fudge!” Dang it, he noticed. Rush back to the toppings and dump two more handfuls to gain his approval. He smirks in satisfaction. 

Whipped Cream: Jog around Natasha and Belle to reach for the fridge handle. Pull open the door and feel the cold air hit your arms. Grab the metal container and hit the nozzle hard to circle the fresh whipped cream all over the top of the messy sundae. This will make it look much better. Don’t go too fast, or else you will have white splatters all over your clean shirt, just washed the night before. Run over to the sink and wipe up your shirt to at least look presentable when you serve the sundae. You think that no one saw your embarrassing mistake, until that deep voice starts laughing in your ear over the counter. 

1 Maraschino Cherry: The final touch. In that same fridge, pick up the cherry jar, making your hands stick to the filthy edges. Twist open the jar with all your force, because whoever shut it last clearly did not want anyone else to open it. Finally, get the top off and reach to the bottom to spoon out a cherry. Look down and realize it’s the last cherry. Your heart rushes to think that this will be the last sundae with a cherry for the day. Don’t let the future disappointment of customers worry you. Plop that last cherry on top with pride. Meet eyes with the customer over the counter, and hand over the sundae from one sticky hand to another. Don’t look at his reaction. You are instructed not to engage with the difficult customers. You have completed your task, and take a sigh of relief. Realize this job may not be so “fun” after all, as you look down at the 20 more orders of stressful sundaes written on the slip.

Amelia Hawkins is a senior at MBS