Who: Staas Mooren and Lino Vasquez Where: El Torro When: January 7, 2010 Rating: PG-13, thanks to Staas' cursing.
Warnings: Liberal use of the f bomb. Summary: Lino meets with the boss.
Staas took a final swipe at the bar with the towel, standing for a moment to admire his handiwork. It wasn't much, really, to clean the bar, as his staff tended to run a neat operation. But still. Sometimes Staas just took pleasure in doing the grunt work himself. In getting his hands dirty. He'd much needed the hour he'd just spent behind the bar, serving their two early drinkers.
But now it was time to get back to serious business, as the happily fizzing customers had paid their tab and been on their way, and Staas had a multitude of things to get to. He had the restaurant running fairly smoothly now, though it still took a lot of attention and time. But it was so much better than when he'd first arrived.
Staas knew all about the backdoor, back alley, and under the table deals. It was impossible to ignore them when living in Vegas. Especially having been employed at dive bars and a small, family owned restaurant. But he'd also seen those things go incredibly sour, and seen people and businesses fall under the heavy end of the hammer for them. He refused to be one of those people.
So he'd promised himself he'd run a clean operation when he got one. But when he'd taken over El Torro, a clean operation was anything but what he got. There were so many infractions and infringements and shortcuts and shady deals, that he simply hadn't known where to start. Suppliers had to be changed, black-market traders told to take a hike, and several staff members to fire.
Staas was eventually able to clean it all up, even if he now paid a bit more for authentic spices and ingredients, and was a quite understaffed. He piled the schedule high with evening workers, and run around like a maniac during the day, filling all the roles he hadn't been able to schedule people for. He hosted, served, cleared, tended bar, managed, cleaned, cooked, and paid bills. And in the four months since he'd taken over, he didn't have a day go by when he didn't totally rely on Lino Vasquez for one thing or another.
Seriously, that man was a fucking saint. Staas hadn't been happy about the situation with Lino. His job and role at the restaurant had been one thing Staas had been meaning to clear up, but there had just been so many other dubious things going on that had taken priority. Not to mention making sure Theo and Alida were settling well and happy. He was so glad now that he'd waited, however.
His first reaction would have been to hire the man as an official busboy, make him pay his taxes, and maybe keep an eye on him for a future position as server. But now after having watched him for four months (and okay, he may have reached the conclusion after a week, but whatever) Staas could easily see what a large mistake that would have been. The man was a seriously hard worker. He did so much more than Staas ever would have asked of him, and he did it all with a smile. His English might not have been the best, but he certainly wasn't dumb, merely quiet, and Staas suspected the man would only get better at the language thing given the opportunity and time.
As much as Staas hated doing it, he needed the kind of help and lack of worry Lino provided. He didn't have to find a janitor or cleaning service, he didn't have to find and hire busboys and an extra dishwasher, and he always had someone to fill in at a moment's notice when a server called in sick. So he'd let the situation stand for a while, though he had definitely upped the man's under the counter pay by fifty dollars a week. He would have made it a hundred, but he simply couldn't afford it.
Now, though. Now there was no reason to keep the situation going. The restaurant was still a bit understaffed, but they were managing. Things were going smoothly, and there was no reason to keep the man working like an indentured servant any longer. So Staas took a moment to search the dining area, though he saw no sign of the quiet man.
He moved back to the kitchen then, and quietly put a hand on the man's shoulder. "When you're done with that," he said with a nod down at the man's task, "come see me in the office?"
Lino turned from the dishes he was loading into the dishwasher to nod at his boss, "Sí, señor," he replied with a nod. "Of course. I will be there en seguida." Nerves made him slip up and mix English with his Spanish, which often happened around Staas, even though they'd been working together for the last four months. Staas was still the boss and could at any moment choose to fire Lino and then where would he be?
Lino's nervousness had decreased since Staas first entered the restaurant, announcing that he now owned El Torro, but a small dose still remained, mostly out of habit. Lino's relationship with the former owner of El Torro had been one of mutual dislike, though Lino refused to show his dislike should he find himself unemployed. The previous owner took one look at Lino during the interview and immediately sent him in the back with instructions to wash dishes and to keep out of the way. Despite having his green card, Lino was treated less than ideal, being paid under the table to work as much as four men, while only being paid for the work of one. However, he was used to hard work and unfair wages from his work on the tobacco fields, so he jumped into his work with both feet, happy to have the work.
Then came Staas Mooren, who had ideas of a better restaurant, far better than the one Lino had come to love. When employees started to leave left and right, Lino silently cheered to see the more worthless workers kicked out of El Torro, but he also worried about his own position. He still had siblings in college to support and he actually liked being in the restaurant, working behind the scenes to make sure even the dirtiest jobs were complete.
While the other employees grumbled about the changes being made, Lino greeted Staas into the family (as it were), despite his worries and fear of the man. He shouldn't have worried, however, since Staas proved to be an excellent boss, doing things the way they should be and actually listening when Lino explained how the restaurant functioned. Lino even received a raise, which never had happened before in the years he'd been working there.
Yes, only positive changes happened to the restaurant, but there was still a chance Lino could be let go. As far as he could see, he was the last obvious illegal blight upon El Torro, with his under the table payment. Over the last four months, he assumed his time would be coming in a matter of 'when' and not 'if'. He hoped today wasn't that day, but he prepared himself nonetheless as he headed to Staas' office once he finished the last load of dishes.
Knocking on the door frame of the office, Lino entered the office upon Staas' invitation, closing the door behind him. "You wanted to see me?" he asked slowly, taking care over the pronunciation of his words.
Staas nodded with a smile to the man, hoping to dispel his obvious nerves. "Please, man, have a seat." He continued to smile as Lino sat, and he shuffled the papers on his desk more fully out of the way. He certainly didn't want the man to worry, but this was a serious discussion, and he wanted no possibility of distraction.
"Don't be nervous, dude. I swear, you're not getting fired." His grin broadened, and he made certain not to speak too swiftly. "I'd be fucking crazy to fire you. You're the best worker I've got. But seriously, you work way too fucking hard. I mean, I'm just as bad as the last guy, letting you go on like this, and it's got to stop. Is it a greencard thing?"
Lino stared at his boss's face, uncomprehendingly for several seconds, trying to translate in his head what Staas was trying to say. Finally, after a near minute of silence on his end, Lino responded sincerely, "Gracias, señor." That had to be the best compliment he'd received from an employer, though he was still confused over the last question.
"I do not understand what you are meaning, señor." No, Lino didn't have a greencard, but he wasn't illegal in the country by any means or else he wouldn't have come to the United States. "What greencard thing?"
Staas flashed him another broad smile. Seriously, he meant every word of what he'd said. And he would hate to lose Lino, to the point that he'd devised a plan, if the man needed help obtaining his papers.
Staas shook his head at himself, still with a smile. "Sorry. I meant, why do you need to be paid discreetly? Um . . . Not normally. I was wondering if you had a greencard or visa or something."
Lino thought the answer was rather obvious why he needed to be paid illegally, as he knew how harsh the labor laws in America could be. If Lino had been paid legally for his work, he would have been forced to find another job somewhere else, then attempt to do a balancing act between the two. No unionized business would allow an employee to work more than forty hours a week (when he more than doubled that), something he had learned in his job quest a few years before. The only way to make any sort of money for a man with limited English was to either do hard labor in inhumane conditions for next to nothing or to get an education. Since the latter wasn't possible, he went with the former, though his conditions were far from being inhumane.
"I work more," he said simply with a shrug. "I make more if I work more." That was the story of his life, really. Ever since he was a teenager, he was happy to kill himself if it meant a few extra coins in his pocket. "I have a visa."
Staas nodded, very pleased indeed to hear that. Though it kind of pissed him off that the man had so badly been taken advantage of. And yes, he was including himself in that. He really should have taken care of this four months ago. It hadn't been so hard, really, to find a cheap janitorial service, and he knew he could find a few new busboys. Hell, he'd do it himself, easily, if it meant Lino could stop working like a fucking dog.
"Good. But, you know, you don't have to work more to make more. I mean, if I put you on the schedule as a regular, full-time waiter, you'd make about the same, I think. After taxes, even. Working a simple forty hour week, maybe with some overtime on Saturday nights?"
Lino stared at his boss again, though for an entirely different reason. He understood the words, but the meaning behind them was completely lost on him. A waiter? Taxes? Forty hours? This all sounded too good to be true and while he'd like to believe Staas, he was having a hard time believing that HE, Lino Enrique Vasquez Estevan, would be able to work like a normal, average American man. In his thirty years, he had been around the block more than once and he knew for an unchanging fact that life would never be fair. Yet....
"I--I...I do not understand!" He searched his employer's face for any sign that he was joking. No one was ever this nice without wanting something in return. Why would Staas want to give him a promotion after having just raised his salary a few months before?
Staas had to let out a chuckle at that. He understood perfectly that it wasn't a language barrier this time. "Look, dude, I wasn't kidding when I said that you're the hardest working guy I've got. And I know you think your English is limited, but I don't think it's as bad as you think it is. And anyway, you can smile and say hi, and you know the menu backwards and forwards, right? You'll probably end up being the best server in this joint."
He paused then, letting the information and praise sink in. "That is, if you want the position."
Lino wanted to accept the offer, but he couldn't ignore his suspicions. After all, this could still be some trick designed to give him less money than he was making now. If he agreed to forty hours and his pay decreased, then what good would that do him? He would still have to find some other job to fill in the absence.
He thought carefully about his choice of words, not wishing to offend Staas or having him retract the offer if it really was a fantastic deal. "The money...would stay the same or close with your word?" A man's word was more important than any signed legal document to Lino. A signed document had loopholes, but a promise from a decent man was a binding contract that could never be undone.
Staas was understanding of the man's hesitance, and could certainly see why he might be a tad worried about the offer. But he kind of wanted to kick in the teeth all the people who had taken advantage of this proud man in the past. Then again, it was kind of hard to kick yourself in the mouth. Though Staas did often end up with his foot in his mouth without much trouble, so maybe it was possible.
"I can't promise exact figures," he cautioned. "I mean, so much of it depends on tips. But you're a kick-ass guy, dude. I can't see anyone not liking you. Check with the other servers if you want, ask them what they make. But you'll be my main guy here during the day, so you get all the tables. And then, like I said, Saturday nights, if you want them."
He wracked his brain, trying to think of some way to reassure the nervous man in front of him. "Look, I'll make you a deal. If things don't work out, and you find you're not making the amount you are now, I'll schedule you as much overtime as I can to make up the difference. Hell, I can train you at the bar, if you want! I could always use someone there."
"Sí, yes," Lino exclaimed, rising to his feet with a broad grin on his face. He shook Staas' hand, not believing how this day had turned out. A promotion! To an actual waiter! "Muchas gracias...thank you!" The news was just staggering. No more eighty plus work weeks, no more four hours of sleep a night...and he would be paid roughly the same amount of money.
Hell, he'd be able to see more of Mateo and Third now, besides for the few hours each morning. He could have dinner with his family again and not worry about if he'd have enough to pay for his little sister's rent. What would he even do with all this extra free time? Well, if he wanted to be honest with himself, he'd probably start doing more odd jobs around town, but for today, he would only think of his upcoming break.
"Thank you, señor, " he said again, his grin still in place.
For the rest of the day, he couldn't stop smiling, and while he still didn't say much while he worked, his whistling and humming perked up in tune. He really would be like a normal man now, working normal hours and instead of falling into bed in an exhausted heap, he could look forward to time spent doing something fun. It was about time Lino had some fun in his life.
Staas shook the man's hand, his own grin feeling like it would split his face. He could only imagine how Lino must feel. "You've earned it," he said sincerely. "You'll be on the regular schedule tomorrow, but you will leave here at five this afternoon. The rest of us can pick up the slack for one day." And Staas had already contracted the cleaners to come after closing.
For the last few hours on the job, Staas couldn't help but notice the happy change in the man. Even his whistling seemed happier somehow. And when four forty-five rolled around, Staas called Lino over to the bar, and poured two drinks, toasting the promotion, and the man, before kicking him out the door.