6_Restaurant Hiring

The next morning, Jimmy woke up early without a watch to tell the time, relying on nearby streetlights and the sunrise. The surroundings were quiet, even the hobos hadn't woken up. Jimmy packed his things, put them in his bag, and headed towards the Wolf House. The route had been confirmed with others the day before, quite far, about 5-6 kilometers, a long walk ahead. He had a bottle of water in a cleaned mineral water bottle as backup, strolling along the road. It seemed early, probably around 7 am, with few cars passing by. People here seemed relaxed, unlike the hustle and bustle from his past life.

He often saw people jogging or walking their dogs, mostly middle-aged, few young people around. Excluding the rare event of early risers for work, most hadn't left their homes yet. Today Jimmy didn't wear a hat, his Asian face standing out in this area. Passing people would glance at him, noticing no other Asians since yesterday, just a couple of Hispanics, a few black individuals, and mostly white people. It seemed like a conservative state, with whites dominating, unless there was a special circumstance in this community.

Jimmy pondered as he walked, wondering if he should inquire about areas where Asians gathered, assuming it would be easier to communicate and get things done there. Following the pre-learned route, he arrived smoothly at the Wolf House restaurant. It was still early, the place hadn't opened yet. Sitting on the steps outside, Jimmy watched the passing cars, waiting for the restaurant to open.

After about half an hour, a police car with flashing lights arrived at the entrance. A police officer stepped out, greeted Jimmy, checked his ID, and left after confirming there was no issue. Jimmy received a business card from the officer and continued to wait, contemplating the safety levels in the US.

Jon finally arrived after a long wait, greeted Jimmy, and led him inside for a discussion. They sat in the manager's office, where Jon explained the job details and assigned Jimmy to shadow Karen for the day. Jimmy was to start delivering meals, with a brief orientation before he would be on his own the next day. He was provided with a uniform and shown around the restaurant, meeting the rest of the staff.

The restaurant had three servers, including Karen and Annie taking orders, Erica at the cash register, and two chefs, Jacob and Daniel. The small team consisted mostly of white individuals, with Annie being Jacob's wife, confirming Jimmy's earlier observation that Arkansas seemed to be a predominantly white, conservative state.