Flashback Friday - Sonic Stephanies

Sonic...ahhh...where I spent most of my time as a teenager. (For my mid western and northern friends, Sonic is a fast food restaurant that has curbside service.) I started working there when I was 15 and continued to work there throughout my high school years and even worked there some during my college summer breaks. I made great money there, for a teenager, so it was hard to walk away. On a good weekend day or night, I could make $100 in tips. Typically, I carhopped, meaning I took the orders out to the cars. I know what you are thinking...you're suppose to tips those girls. No, you don't have to, but it is sure nice when you do. I feel sorry for the girls these daya as most people pay with their credit card and there's not a spot for a tip and no one carries cash...poor girls.  

I have some great memories from Sonic and became friends with lots of people that I probably would have never gotten to know otherwise. For instance, in the picture, is Stephanie.  (Yes her name is Stephanie Ann just like me) She was 2 years younger than me in school, so we would have never been in the same class to get to know each. However, through the world of Sonic, we became best friends.  She moved to Ohio at the end of my senior year. Her family moved up at the end of the school year, but Stephanie moved in with us for the summer.  We both quit Sonic the same day. I was going to college, and she was moving to Ohio.  Before she moved, we racked up some funny times especially with our manager, Kevin, who was quite the prankster himself.  Some of our pranks on each other: Kevin vs the Stephanies and on other employees include: 

• having new employees mop the freezer floor (the wet mop would stick to it)
  
• asking employees to go on the roof to pick bananas off the tree (our owner was so tight we'd joke that he grew a lot of his own produce)
  
• Kevin firing me in front of everyone for using too much toilet paper. 
  
• Me faking a seizure by gurgling whip cream and water in my mouth then falling to the floor and letting it spill out of my mouth. Stephanie was yelling for people to get my purse and my medication.  (The prank was on Kevin, he was freaking out) This was the best one! (not too funny for those who actually have seizures, I am sorry)
  
• Kevin laying on the floor with a knife squeezed between his arm pit and ketchup on the floor as all the employees came back from the street after watching the Christmas parade. 
  

That's just a few of them. I am sure there are a lot more. Hopefully some of my old co-workers will read this and add a few more in the comments section of this post. 

There were also perks to working at Sonic.

• Half priced food - not to mention a lot of added free extras if you could cook your own food, which I could.  I would ring up my food then go back and cook it...add some bacon, some cheese, more fries, etc. 
  
• Free drinks and shakes if you would scoop off any extra from other shakes you made. Meaning some one orders a shake and with the collar on the cup you could make a lot more. After mixing it, you just slide the extra over in another cup. Ta Dah!
  
• On hot days, you could go stand in the walk in freezer to cool off. Don't you wish you had one of those at your house.  You're outside mowing the grass and then walk in to 32 degrees..ahhh! That's were this pic was taken, in the freezer. Stephanie and I were eating from the tub of crushed heath bar that's used in Sonic blasts. (I am pretty sure this was a health code violation)
  

I still think of my times at Sonic, and I smile. Some of my greatest friendships were made there...Stephanie, Andrea, Brandy, Heather, Wendy and Angela just to name a few.  Angela was taken home almost 10 years ago and it's been weird not seeing her around. I treasure the time we spent together growing up and working together at Sonic. As I do, with all of the guys and girls I got to know there.  Thanks for the memories!

P.S. Stephanie just moved back to town recently.  Yea!  We lost touch for a while, but I am hoping to pick up where we left off.