I am a volunteer in a very busy church cafe open to the general public. When we work more than four hours over lunchtime we are provided with a meal and a ten minute sit down. Today I arrived at 12 very hungry after an energetic morning and popped into the kitchen to ask if they could save me a baked spud for my lunch. The head cook told me I had a cheek coming straight in to work and asking for food, so I explained I didnt expect a meal straight away, but I would need to eat at some point because I wasnt finishing until 5pm. Then the second cook told me they were busy and I wouldnt get anything until at least 2pm, so I asked if I could go over to the shop to get a sandwich. I was told the cafe was too busy. I was pretty fed up because I am not good at going without food when on my feet rushing around all the time, I run out of energy, and I am not in the first flush of youth either (65). Nor, I have to say, did I appreciate being spoken to like a skivvy, although I have to say that is fairly normal, because no distinction is made between paid and unpaid staff. Eventually about 1.30pm a baked spud was produced rather grudgingly and I got a ten minute sit down. I am debating the issue of whether to leave this job on the grounds I was really upset over this incident, and I cant quite figure out why I am giving my time to be rushed off my feet and spoken to so sharply for no real reason. Am I being childish about this? I work very hard, have tried to fit in and be flexible about my shifts in the three months I have been working there, and have never complained or asked for special treatment. However I dont want to be walked all over like a doormat, which has happened to me sometimes in the past through trying to be too accommodating, and I admit I find it hard to be firm and assertive nicely. I have another volunteering job I love and they are so nice to us, but I took this on as well so I could meet some local people (other job quite a distance away).
