Friends in Low Paying Places

My foot was in the door now I just had to land the interview. Easier than I thought apparently. My future boss was running late for our interview, a bad impression for me, but she finally came out of the back room and we chatted. She practically threw me into the position. Banquet Server. For those of you who have no clue what that is, it is just like being a waitress, only you serve food to lots of people all at once. I had 2 days to find a tuxedo shirt and vest, which I eventually found in the children's section of Burlington Coat Factory. As I got ready for work I put my new uniform on, looked in the mirror and began to cry. This is not what I went to school for, this is not what I wanted my job to be. My boyfriend helped me pull myself together and dropped me off at work (He was really from Maryland at the time and just visiting.) It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, I worked with a bunch of older women who loved me (I was good for heavy lifting) and I eventually became quite the popular worker, granted there was only about 10 of us. Over the summer, business slowed down and I managed to pick up a second job at The Body Shop. It was a nice change, make-up and pretty clothes were part of the uniform and I got to work with girls my own age (19-20) for the first time in my life. I usually have worked with all men or older women. In between all this I made some sundresses, new raving clothes, and a few costumes. My roommate received a new addition to our apartment, she ended up being crazy too... I spent my second Christmas away from home, the first one being when I was in Georgia. This one however was the first I spend with my boyfriend, he had moved to Charlotte 6 months earlier when he got transferred at work. It rolled around to July again and I was on the cusp of receiving a promotion at work. Well, I received the promotion, I just hadn't gotten the pay raise to go with it. I was made a Banquet Captain, meaning I was in charge of people and making things happen. Awesome! It went well for a few weeks, but going to school full time plus a full time job and a part time job and a not so perfect diet finally caught up with me. On October 26, 2007 I fell ill. At first I passed it off as food poisoning, then by four in the morning of the 27th I had chills and kept running to the bathroom. I woke up my roommate and we went to the hospital,