the irony of the word connections.

i have been brought up to respect/love connections. it really does not matter whether you’re from the east or west, this particular word weighs heavily in both parts of the world. however, sometimes you probably just wish you never had something called connections. once you have connections, you have to nourish and fertilise it as to stop it from withering. be it money or fake smiles, you just got to use it to make it work. the irony.

i have been working at this particular restaurant for a year now. it was my first part time job (apart from working at my bro-in-law’s previous accounting firm) and i was eager to make it work. i started building connections with chefs (to put it in a rough way) and also other waitresses/waiters around me in that restaurant. a wonder was that i became friends with some of them too. yes, there were times when i wanted to rip the chefs or colleagues apart.

the management can be very er, shall we say ‘not very smooth’. it’s quite challenging to communicate with some of the chefs and sometimes, waitresses/waiters just get some extra bombs for no reason at all. the so-called manager behind it often get into disagreements with some of the chefs. she does not hide her emotions about things and simply portrays it on her face.

two months ago, a very influential and good chef left that restaurant. he was the force behind the restaurant and God, I swear he makes the best roast pork ever! he’s very talented and i feel extremely proud to be from the same country as he is. it’s an extra plus that he’s very friendly and kind.

i was walking past some shops with a couple of friends just a while ago, and there he was. apparently, he’s starting his own restaurant with a couple of partners and he mentioned that the management of the new restaurant will be ‘revolutionary’ (very different from the place i am working at now).

he invited me to go and work at his new restaurant. now, the chefs have been gossiping for a loooooong time about him (who left) and i’m pretty sure if i join him, i’ll be one of the targets for gossips too. the question is, do i need to care or should i just not care? joining him possibly will severe my connections with the restaurant i am working at now. what do you think?