I get a mindbump

It turns out that it is common for aspiring writers to not be able to think of things to write about.
I know this, because I googled it. I found a site called "mindbump" (the opposite of a brain fart) that helps people like me think of things to write about. A terrific resource. Here is my first post from a prompt.

suggested by Spelling Search

"Describe your very first job and what you learned from it."

My first job was as a busser at the Chinook Inn. I must have been a good busser, or they must have been desperate, because I quickly moved up to waitress.
The Chinook Inn is a Chinese restaurant in a very small town, Chinook, Washington. I am going to guess that the population of Chinook is about 500... if the RV park is full of seasonal sport fishermen. Year-round residents are either commercial fishermen or work in the canneries. They hold their noses and tolerate the annual month-long invasion of sport fishermen, because the City Money keeps the tavern, bait shop, and Chinese restaurant in business for the rest of the year. Chinook Inn waitresses hold their noses and tolerate Chinook residents because they smell awful. I learned early on that in Chinook, the thick, heavy stench of dead fish is the "smell of money".
I worked at the Chinook Inn for at least 4 years. I remember that when I started, I wasn't 16... I was probably 13 or 14... and my mom drove me to work. I suppose I only worked weekends, I really don't remember now. What I do remember is that it was a 45 minute drive, each way. The Chinook Inn was owned by Claude and Muriel. Muriel cooked American food, and I'm not sure what Claude did. The Chinese cook was named Clem. There were two separate kitchens, one American, one Chinese. Claude and Muriel had two grown waitress daughters, Sue and Laura, who acted like they owned the place. They were intimidating. I remember that Muriel would sing while she cooked. She had a really pretty, churchy voice... and the busier the restaurant got, the more soothing her singing became. It was cool.
The next summer, Muriel and Claude sold the restaurant to Clem and his wife Trudy. I thought they were the perfect couple to own the Chinook Inn, because they were half American, half Chinese. Clem was such a good cook. Trudy had a big laugh. We had fun. Clem taught me a few Cantonese phrases, like how to say thank you (phoentically, doe-chay). Trudy taught me how to make the best grilled cheese sandwich ever.
Over the next few summers, I learned that it's important to look busy. I learned that keeping a cup of coffee full is appreciated. I learned that it's easy to be nice to people. I met people that I will never forget, ever. Those are stories for another day.