"All new employees started by washing dishes and busing tables. If they proved their mettle, they learned to make pizzas, cut and serve them on wooden paddles and take orders" (Adkinson paragraph 4)
"A few days later, when I reported for my after-school shift, I saw my name penciled not in the “dishes” box but in the “make table” box. I was ecstatic" (Adkinson paragraph 10)
"For one of the first times in my life, I felt empowered. By the time I was in 11th grade, Jeff had promoted me to shift manager. By my senior year, I was an assistant manager" (Adkinson paragraph 12)
"I still had not mailed it the day before it was due. At work that day, I offhandedly mentioned to Jeff that an application was due the next day but that I hadn’t mailed it. He opened a drawer and took out an overnight envelope. He told me to stop what I was doing, leave work and send the application immediately."(Adkinson paragraph 17)
"Jeff surprised me with an early graduation present: a trip to Boston. He paid for the hotel, the car and the plane tickets. We toured campus and visited Fenway Park and did some sightseeing around New England"(Adkinson paragraph 19)
"I went back anyway, and though I did my best to enjoy it, the magic was gone. The family had dispersed, and I felt free to shift my mind-set to college and the future" (Adkinson paragraph 21)