Chapter 1 - good for nothing

When she had started working at the Fast Food Restaurant she had felt victorious. She had proofed her mom wrong that she couldn’t get a job with her appearance nor would ever find her dream work with her low school marks. It had been six months since then and today was her last day of trial work. At first she had been at the order counter. Her boss had given her clothes in size 14 but because she was allowed to eat the restaurant’s food while break the belt quickly reached the last hole and she had turned to size 16 two month later. When she reached size 18 four weeks ago her boss removed her from the counter and front work with the guests and put her in the kitchen instead.

Her clothes now were always drenched in oil and food because she had to push her ass and stomach into the tables whenever one of her colleagues wanted to walk past her, they had such narrow aisles. It was hard work all in all but worth the food and the money was ok. As she was still living with her mom and paying no rent she spent almost all of her money for food after work, sometimes even sitting in the restaurant enjoying her favorite fast food. Her colleagues sometimes looked annoyed and didn’t understand her but she was so used to being ignored or being everyone’s gossip topic that she didn’t mind much. After her shift her boss called her to her office. Drenched in sweat and panting slightly from hurrying she noticed a good looking man with well-trained upper body waiting in front of it. „I think your appointment comes first, Sweetie“, he gestured her forward, smiling and giving her a wink. She blushed, tried to order her shirt back into the belt as it always sneaked out when she was picking something up at the kitchen, and still was squishing and tugging at her shirt and pulling her trouser up when she greeted her boss.

Her boss looked disgusted at her appearance and closed the door. “Today was your last day of trial work as you know, but don’t hope for more. You are a better customer than worker for our restaurant and the way you are racing through clothes – you aren’t fitting in in more than one way. I don’t have oversized clothes. You misunderstood this place as your food palace but look at you! You are a shame and our customers will have a good laugh when I would continue to let you work here. I’m sorry but you are fired! Bye!” Shocked by this outburst and feeling humiliated as if her mother herself had spoken to her she stuttered some words of sorry and excuse then ran for the door as tears welled up and her voice broke. Back in the changing room she fought with her clothes, squeezing her thick belly into her skinny jeans and stumbled outside and to her car where she paused exhausted, not knowing what to do now and how to tell her mom.

A knock at her car window brings her back to reality. The man from the front of the office stands beside her car, gesticulating her to let the window down. Rubbing her puffy eyes quickly on her shirt (and revealing her folded fat rolls) she does. “I’m sorry, Sweetie, I couldn’t avoid listening to your boss earlier, the walls of the office are thin. She was mean to you! No one deserves to be made shameful of himself. You are a beauty just the way you are and people who think that all humankind has to be thin are stupid and boring. There’s so much more to you than your body, I could see it in your eyes immediately. Seemed to me like you need someone who will listen to you, understands you and accept you as you are. I just don’t want your day to end like this and I would like to invite you to some friends of mine for the evening for shelter from this bad world.” “Friends of yours? But, I don’t know…I don’t know you, or your friends. Your words…thanks…you seem kind…” “There’s a garden party at my best friend’s house with a community that doesn’t judge nor enjoys a life full of social rules everyone is supposed to live up to. There are some girls your age I think, some older couples, too, with their kids. You are over 18, right? I don’t want to make your mom worrying where you stay.” “Of course I am, silly. I’m 23. It sounds nice, I would like to come, can you give me the address? I just want to change my clothes and take a shower and then I would come, if that’s ok?” “Sure, I can’t wait to see you again.” He smiles warmly and gives her the address, only 10 minutes away from home. “Thanks, see you in a bit”.

As she opened the door her mom awaited her, embracing her and asking how it went with her boss. “Don’t have much time mom, I’m going to a party. And if you must know I’m fired. They don’t have a permanent position for me due to austerity measures. My boss knew it all the time but didn’t want to tell me beforehand.” “Of course you would be the first to have to go then”, her mom nodded. “I told you to get a grip on your self-discipline and lose some weight instead of piling on more pounds. Your jeans looks like she is ripe for ripping any moment!” “Thanks for your understanding. As I said before, I’m in a bit of a hurry.” And 30 minutes later she was on her way to the party in her favourite summer dress, leaving her mum sulking and grumpling behind.