Describe the working conditions the author experienced while waiting tables in Florida.

 Ehrenreich begins a stint as a waitress at Hearthside. She works from 2:00 to 10:00pm for $2.43 plus tips. On the first day she follows Gail, a waitress, to learn the tricks of the trade. She quickly feels overwhelmed by the work, and mortified by her lack of competence. “Of the twenty-seven tables, up to six are usually mine at any time,” she writes, “though on slow afternoons or if Gail is off, I sometimes have the whole place to myself.” Two problems soon present themselves to Ehrenreich. First, the restaurant’s management is oppressive; the assistant manager, Stu, sits around watching for any moment of relaxation on the part of the employees, swiftly diving in when he sense things aren’t moving quickly enough. His only job seems to be to make sure people are always working—even when business is slow and the restaurant is empty of customers. There is always some duty that can be fulfilled: vacuuming the floor, freshening up the desserts, rechecking supplies, folding napkins, etc. Check out the link below: