So as of today, I am one week away from San Francisco, where I attend college. This means that I have also started telling people (meaning our customers) at work that I am leaving soon, and that it will be 4 months before they see me again (or 4 months before they get to eat my delicious desserts again).

We have so many regulars that know my family and me, and the responses I've received from telling people that I'm leaving for 4 months have been flattering. From getting wished a hearty good luck, to extra big tips for "those fun times in San Francisco!" or emotional hugs, I still have four more days at the restaurant and I think if I keep getting this kind of response, I may not want to leave home.

The relationships that I've built as a waitress are unique from my others: They are all with older people, people from as young as 35 to those as old as in their 90's. But the fact remains that they are all much older than I, and their wisdom guides me much of the time.

My family does not have much of an extended family in the US. They all reside in England or Pakistan or India, so almost as if to compensate, the restaurant atmosphere kicks in and those customers become my extended family. They inquire about my accomplishments at college or in athletics or of my artwork, my brother's well-being on tour in Iraq, my parent's health. And you would think that this must be just in politeness...but in a family run restaurant, genuine connections to customers can be made. In fact, most if not all of our family friends in Washington are our customers. With customers, we swap stories, advice, and love so freely in a such way that I have never been able to experience in any other part of my life. To feel such love, to feel that complete strangers can become family within the span of one meal....it is really powerful.

Tonight, I had to say good-bye to my "golf ladies." They are 5 well-to-do women who come in every Wednesday night after their weekly golfing social hour for dinner, usually right before closing. They always have 2 glasses of wine each, and lately I've been able to persuade them to buy some of my desserts (now they take one home for each of their husbands, who apparently love them. I have yet to meet their husbands). Unlike some of my other customers, who I have known for almost all of my life as they have been regulars from the very beginnings of our restaurant business in Washington, these particular ladies I have only gotten to know since May. I cannot explain clearly how I felt when saying goodbye to them.... like after one of them, Diana, affectionately told me how much it meant to them to have me wait on them these last couple months, or after another of them, Margaret, left me her phone number so that I would call her letting her know when I was back in December....all of them wishing me the best of luck with school, nearly bringing me to tears with their warmth and love.

I could honestly count about 10 different "Grandma's" that I have, or "Grandpa's," or "Aunts" or "Uncles," all of whom are also known as our regular customers, people who simply support our business, but also truly support our family. These people have all made such an impact on my life, just through the simplicity of waitressing.

I honestly wouldn't trade this experience, the experience of growing up and maturing in a restaurant, for anything.