Bella Milano is a nice Italian resturaunt located in Edwardsville Illinois on Rt. 157. My parents always enjoyed going there for dates and get togethers with friends and they told me it would be a great place to work and would look awesome to have as a reference if I could get a job there. After applying in August 2006 and talking to an assistant manager I was pretty confident. I got a call the next day and I was hired. I would be the newest busser at Bella Milano. Boy was I proud!

 

From August 2006 to December 2007 I worked hard. I was constantly promised by the manager Mr. Tom Guarino that i would be moved up to server and that I had been doing a great job. I was promised this after feeling like no one noticed me and asking him. I would be out in the front room busting my butt, going above and beyond everything in the busser job description. Where was our manager of this fine establishment? On numerous occasions I would find him out back with the cooks in cars. I assumed they were getting high and I confirmed it one night. I was actually off the clock and leaving when I walked out the door and ran into Tom. Right in front of me he was emptying his pipe into the trash can and telling me to have a good night. Now I know they were smoking the whacky tobacco but I can only imagine what they were doing when their heads were down in the car.

 

The only person at the resturaunt I trusted was an assistant manager who had been there from the beginning. I won't mention his name. He would always notice me working hard and would put in good word to Tom in hopes that this doped up bachelor with daddy's restaurant would pay me some attention. This guy stood up for me on numerous occasions and once even saved me from losing my job. I had been cheated out of money on a daily basis by the waiters, made fun of and insulted for everything imaginable by the cooks, completed every dirty job asked of me without ever complaining, and finally it was the last straw. I had only stayed there because the assistant manager had talked to Tom. We all had a meeting, and finally after we all talked, Tom said he would move me up to waiter after Christmas 2007 if I didn't screw up. When we were talking he looked high as a kite and didn't respond much. He seemed more interested in his chicken strips but thats beyond the point. I kept working hard. A year and 4 months I'd been there and my hopes were higher than ever until one shift when I heard that the assistant manager was fired. The one person I trusted had been taking money from the company and they caught him. Realizing I would be stuck with only Tom I finished that shift and made it my last. I realized I would have no reference but I didn't care. I had taken enough over the past 16 months. The next week I applied at around 30 different places. I finally found a new job. When I went in to Bella Milano to pick up my last check Tom felt that he would get the last word and tell me off. I know he was wanting me to flip out because he wanted to get the best of me. His sarcastic tone and rude words didn't make me respect him any more. As he insulted me and tried to make me feel bad for leaving this wonderous company I nodded my head. He wouldn't hand me the paycheck until he was done talking. I said nothing much but "Okay" and "Maybe I made a mistake." The last thing he said was not to use him as a reference and I waved and said "See ya later." Walking out of the restaurant and into my car I felt proud. The man I despised had just told me off and I had the perfect chance to go off on him. It wouldn't have mattered what I said either way I was getting no reference. The thing that did matter though was that I was the bigger man. I know what goes on there and I would never eat there or recommend anyone to. I was there for the money and once things got completely out of hand I left. I don't want a reference from a man who neglects his employees to get high with his buddies in the kitchen.