A Rare Rainy Day in California: A Conversation with Val and Her Restaurant

It was a rare rainy day in California, but what better way to pick up than a nice lunch at Charlie's Italian food? When Chef walked in, Val couldn't help but laugh at her own nervous energy and anxiety. She turned to her mom, D, who was also present, and said, "I just don't know what to do with this nervous energy and this anxiety how are you oh my gosh." Her mom replied, "Tatiana, Tatiana yeah is uh is Charlie in no he's not oh okay the restaurant's called Charlie who is he Charlie was the original owner Charlie owned it Charlie owned it so there's no Charlie no no I used to work here as a waitress when Charlie owned it and then he sold it to another person named Simon okay great and then when Simon ran this into the ground he dumped it Simon bought it off Charlie mhm and then dumped it on you just dumped it in general and then I took it over because I've Loved this restaurant we took it over my mom and my sister."

Val, who had taken over the restaurant with her mom and sister, began to explain that she had worked at the restaurant since she was 20 years old. "I know but working in a business to running a business completely two different scenario it's completely different okay how much money did you need to get on the table before you took over Mom put all her retirement money into it really you know the house and her house my condo yeah so if the restaurant goes your houses go wow um and how much money did you put in um probably like 1,000 bucks." Her mom replied, "okay financially where are we the restaurant's in debt at this point that's not good and who makes the decisions here taana well they have other jobs as well so you have a full-time job and you come in here to run the restaurant right wow so what's gone wrong then I don't know you don't know wow so then what's the changes you made when you bought it nothing changed okay so Simon ran it in a bad way didn't give a about the customers and it was appallingly led you don't change anything that's been a major issue help me understand cuz I'm confused."

Val explained to her mom and sister that she had taken over the restaurant with the goal of improving its management. "I need to learn effective ways of doing things around here," she said. "First of all, it's so important that I catch up with what's been happening whose idea was this to run a restaurant her dream I've Loved this restaurant." She continued, "It's completely different from working in a business and running one. The risk is little on my side, but getting mamama for you and yet you're not even in control of the business right wow I just don't know what I've done so wrong like I don't know I think we've seen a much clearer ugly side of her this is the thing I don't think they trust me or they you brought them into a mess."

Val's mom and sister, D and Pat, respectively, listened intently to Val's concerns. They had been present throughout the conversation and seemed to be understanding of Val's struggles. Val continued, "What it comes down to is that she does not treat us as equals. Don't even start you talk down to me you bulldoze me you do not treat me like an equal you don't treat me like 1/3 of this restaurant well I have the burden of the money and I'm making $2 an hour she gets paid that much but she also gets a car she gets her cell phone paid for her gas wow okay so if you could get out of this would you do it looking back who did make a very you know risky and stupid decision my sister doesn't have that burden of losing her house so she's never been really responsible listen I'm down to eat nice to meet you all three of you and I'm going to see what I've got to work with thank you thank you it's emotionally draining and it's a scary situation."

The conversation continued, with Val and her mom and sister discussing the challenges they faced in running the restaurant. Val explained that she had made no changes since taking over, despite her best intentions. "I don't know what I've done so wrong like I don't know," she said. Her mom replied, "I think we've seen a much clearer ugly side of her this is the thing I don't think they trust me or they you brought them into a mess." Val continued, "What it comes down to is that she does not treat us as equals."

As the conversation came to a close, Val's mom and sister stood up to leave. Val said, "I'm down to eat nice to meet you all three of you and I'm going to see what I've got to work with thank you thank you it's emotionally draining and it's a scary situation." Her mom replied, "It was nice meeting you too, Val. We'll talk soon." The group parted ways, leaving Val to face the challenges of running her restaurant alone.

Just as the conversation had come to a close, Chef walked out of the kitchen. Val said, "my name's Gord not saki I'm not yelling at you people think I'm a trophy wife or I'm gold digging it was never like that I mean he woed me for 8 months we went everywhere we went to Hawaii." She continued, "It was nice meeting you too, Chef. Thanks for listening." The group laughed and said their goodbyes before parting ways.

As the rainy day in California came to a close, Val and her mom and sister sat down to eat at Charlie's Italian food. They shared stories and laughed together, despite the challenges they faced. It was clear that Val had a long road ahead of her, but with the support of her loved ones, she was ready to take on whatever came next.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: ena rare rainy day in California what better way to pick you up than a nice lunch right Charlie's Italian food hi when Chef walked in I just laugh cuz that's what I I don't know what to do with this nervous energy and this anxiety how are you oh my gosh and this is Tatiana Tatiana yeah is uh is Charlie in no he's not oh okay the restaurant's called Charlie who is he Charlie was the original owner Charlie owned it Charlie owned it so there's no Charlie no no I used to work here as a waitress when Charlie owned it and then he sold it to another person named Simon okay great and then when Simon ran this into the ground he dumped it Simon bought it off Charlie mhm and then dumped it on you just dumped it in general and then I took it over because I've Loved this restaurant we took it over my mom and my sister oh is this yeah hello I'm Val Val nice to see you D nice to meet you and this is I'm pat pat nice to see you my D and why don't you come over Val and Mom it' be nice to catch up and get up to speed what's happening where can we go somewhere gos if you like we let's go outside ex Tatiana needs to learn effective ways of doing things around here so um first of all it's so important that I catch up with what's been happening whose idea was this to run a restaurant her dream I've Loved this restaurant I've worked here since I was 20 years old I know but working in a business to running a business completely two different scenario it's completely different okay how much money did you need to get on the table before you took over Mom put all her retirement money into it really you know the house and her house my condo yeah so if the restaurant goes your houses go wow um and how much money did you put in um probably like 1,000 bucks okay financially where are we the restaurant's in debt at this point that's not good and who makes the decisions here taana well they have other jobs as well so you have a full-time job and you come in here to run the restaurant right wow so what's gone wrong then I don't know you don't know wow so then what's the changes you made when you bought it nothing changed okay so Simon ran it in a bad way didn't give a about the customers and it was appallingly led you don't change anything that's been a major issue help me understand cuz I'm confused the risk is little on your side get mamama for you and yet you're not even in control of the business right wow I just don't know what I've done so wrong like I don't know I think we've seen a much clearer uglier side of her this is the thing I don't think they trust me or they you brought them into a mess what it comes down to is that she does not treat us as equals don't even start you talk down to me you bulldoze me you do not treat me like an equal you don't treat me like 1/3 of this restaurant well I have the burden of the money and I'm making $2 an hour she gets paid that much but she also gets a car she gets her cell phone paid for her gas wow okay so if you could get out of this would you do it looking back who did make a very you know risky and stupid decision my sister doesn't have that burden of losing her house so she's never been really responsible listen I'm down to eat nice to meet you all three of you and I'm going to see what I've got to work with thank you thank you it's emotionally draining and it's a scary situation what you served out there I can't let you do that control you coming at me dude no don't get all into with me my name's Gord not saki I'm not yelling at you people think I'm a trophy wife or I'm gold digging it was never like that I mean he woed me for 8 months we went everywhere we went to Hawaiia rare rainy day in California what better way to pick you up than a nice lunch right Charlie's Italian food hi when Chef walked in I just laugh cuz that's what I I don't know what to do with this nervous energy and this anxiety how are you oh my gosh and this is Tatiana Tatiana yeah is uh is Charlie in no he's not oh okay the restaurant's called Charlie who is he Charlie was the original owner Charlie owned it Charlie owned it so there's no Charlie no no I used to work here as a waitress when Charlie owned it and then he sold it to another person named Simon okay great and then when Simon ran this into the ground he dumped it Simon bought it off Charlie mhm and then dumped it on you just dumped it in general and then I took it over because I've Loved this restaurant we took it over my mom and my sister oh is this yeah hello I'm Val Val nice to see you D nice to meet you and this is I'm pat pat nice to see you my D and why don't you come over Val and Mom it' be nice to catch up and get up to speed what's happening where can we go somewhere gos if you like we let's go outside ex Tatiana needs to learn effective ways of doing things around here so um first of all it's so important that I catch up with what's been happening whose idea was this to run a restaurant her dream I've Loved this restaurant I've worked here since I was 20 years old I know but working in a business to running a business completely two different scenario it's completely different okay how much money did you need to get on the table before you took over Mom put all her retirement money into it really you know the house and her house my condo yeah so if the restaurant goes your houses go wow um and how much money did you put in um probably like 1,000 bucks okay financially where are we the restaurant's in debt at this point that's not good and who makes the decisions here taana well they have other jobs as well so you have a full-time job and you come in here to run the restaurant right wow so what's gone wrong then I don't know you don't know wow so then what's the changes you made when you bought it nothing changed okay so Simon ran it in a bad way didn't give a about the customers and it was appallingly led you don't change anything that's been a major issue help me understand cuz I'm confused the risk is little on your side get mamama for you and yet you're not even in control of the business right wow I just don't know what I've done so wrong like I don't know I think we've seen a much clearer uglier side of her this is the thing I don't think they trust me or they you brought them into a mess what it comes down to is that she does not treat us as equals don't even start you talk down to me you bulldoze me you do not treat me like an equal you don't treat me like 1/3 of this restaurant well I have the burden of the money and I'm making $2 an hour she gets paid that much but she also gets a car she gets her cell phone paid for her gas wow okay so if you could get out of this would you do it looking back who did make a very you know risky and stupid decision my sister doesn't have that burden of losing her house so she's never been really responsible listen I'm down to eat nice to meet you all three of you and I'm going to see what I've got to work with thank you thank you it's emotionally draining and it's a scary situation what you served out there I can't let you do that control you coming at me dude no don't get all into with me my name's Gord not saki I'm not yelling at you people think I'm a trophy wife or I'm gold digging it was never like that I mean he woed me for 8 months we went everywhere we went to Hawaii\n"