The life and times of a bus person

Sampling restaurants can be a fun endeavour. You get to select from an array of eateries where you want to go according to what you feel like eating. On entering, your presence is graciously acknowledged by those at the restaurant reception. You can ask for a glass of water or a napkin or two; they stand by waiting for your request. After having your meal, you gather your items, put aside a tip and ride home. Your journey is about to conclude. Someone elseÕs voyage however, is just starting. Someone has to be at the ready to clean up after you to make it pleasant for the forthcoming customer. The person in charge of this is the busboy.


Eateries usually have busboys to attend to look after the preparation of each table before and after a customer uses it.


Busboys are not usual in America. Some offer to serve customers snacks and beverages even before the customer takes the initiative to do so. They may assist in the serving of food if necessary.


Bussers usually are not paid very well. It is the tips that they look forward to every day.


Many who are employed in smaller, less renowned restaurants carry bus boxes with crockery and utensils piled one on top of the other to carry back to the washer with considerable ease. In high street restaurants, they carry every dish individually. This takes a lot of time but helps uphold the image of fancy restaurants.

A number of celebrities have worked as busboys when they were young to make money.


Al Pacino was a bus boy at a time. This was eons before he struck gold as an actor.


Alec Baldwin worked at Studio 54 in New York.


Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh was a Òbusser at Bostons Parker House Hotel.


Jon Stewart was a Òbusser at a Mexican eatery.


Johnny Depp, well known for his role as ÒCaptain Jack SparrowÓ in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, was a busboy prior to his acting career.


 When you are eating out next, remember that the cleanliness of your table and the area as a whole is the result of hours of work put in by busboys employed there. They make their living off tips so a generous amount left by you will be of great use to them. Besides, there is always a chance that if they become famous someday, they will recall your kindness.