So You Want to Be a Slushie Slinger!

It's summertime in Neopia! The days are hot, Tigersquash Ice Cream is the treat of choice from the coffee cave and of course Altador is the place to be. Neopets from near and far flock, swim, fly, and even run for the games, souvenirs and pure excitement of the Altador Cup. Zoeple was one such Neopian for whom the draw was too strong to resist and she quickly learned that the all important tickets and souvenirs for the Cup came at a price: her bank balance. Zoeple was wondering how she was going to be able to buy the rest of the team jerseys she still needed when fate intervened...

Help Wanted: A fast, efficient and cheerful Neopet to work the Slushie Stand at the Altador Cup.

Zoeple knew this was the answer to her Neopoints problem! If she worked the Slushie Stand, she could be at every game and might even be able to watch part of the games on her break!

"So you want to be a Slushie Slinger, eh?" came a voice from behind her. Zoeple turned and saw a Neopet dressed in traditional Altadorian robes and very curly hair. Zoeple felt a thrill along her back; it was the famous red Tuskaninny Slushie Slinger herself!

Stumbling over her words in the presence of fame, all Zoeple could say was "Well, umm...yes, errr... maybe. I need, well I'm low on Neopoints, and..."

The Tuskaninny Waitress smiled. "Well in this job, it's imperative that you are able to work well under pressure. I remember I was looking for work a few years back when I stumbled along this very sign. I thought it would be an easy part-time job... Little did I know! I can give you some tips, if you'd like."

Zoeple nodded eagerly and pulled out a program and a pen.

"Okay, well, first you need to know the background of the business. It's always sunny in Altador, but when there are thousands of Neopets packed into the stadium all screaming and stomping, the already warm temperature becomes nearly unbearable! Neopets have actually fainted in the past from heat exhaustion, and that's where we come in. We serve the three most refreshing and delicious slushies in Neopia. When it really starts to get hot at the game, our slushies are the only relief Neopets can get, and they come stampeding to the slushie stands by the hundreds.

"Next, you need to know about your stand. There are three entrances where Neopets can line up to put in their orders. From the slushie dispenser to the Neopets is a rolling line. My job is to pour a slushie and sling it down the line to the Neopet who ordered it. The rollers keep the slushies moving, and these same rollers are used to send the empty cup back. When an empty cup comes back, it's my job to catch it and toss it in the recycle bin before it falls to the floor."

"Why do you have to recycle the cups?" interjected Zoeple.

"The cups are recyclable and my boss is trying to do her part for a cleaner Neopia.

"Now when I see a few Neopets start to trickle in, I know that they are just the first of many. I serve them their choice of slushie as quickly as possible, but it never seems to be fast enough; eventually there is always a long line of overheated Neopets. After being in the hot stadium doing their part for their team by making some noise, many Neopets come in close to heat exhaustion and extremely irritable. They might not even bother to read your name tag when they shout their orders; I'm known as 'Hey you, Tuskaninny Waitress!' Try not to take it personally. You haven't seen cranky until you've seen a Tonu out three hours in the heat who has to wait three minutes for a slushie. The coolness of our slushies soon returns their good humor and they are able to go back and enjoy screaming their head off for their team."

"Wouldn't having more than one Neopet at a stand lead to shorter wait time and increased efficiency?" Zoeple asked, pausing in her note taking.

"You know, I suggested that very same thing, but my boss says that two Neopets would bump in to each other in the small stand and she's probably right. If you think you will have trouble keeping up with the orders, maybe you should see if the souvenir shop is hiring. She's a good boss, but she expects your absolute best! I've learned a few tips I can give you so that you'll be as quick as possible!

"If there's a huge line, for better efficiency I serve one type of slushie to as many Neopets who want it as I can. If the majority seem to want a Chokato slushie, I will be serving that kind until another slushie is demanded by the majority. Some Neopets will get mad if they're served out of turn, but when the lines are that long, your main concern is increasing efficiency or everyone will be waiting too long for their refreshing slushie. Plus, once they've got their order, most Neopets don't mind that they got it after someone who was behind them in the line over. Some Neopets will also be too hot to mind if you give them the wrong type of slushie, but that's highly unprofessional and should be avoided. I've suggested that we should get signs declaring what line to stand in for a certain type of slushie because I think it would in decrease serving time, but my boss decided it wasn't a workable idea. She figured most Neopets wouldn't even notice the signs and some would get in the shortest line in an attempt to be served faster, and I suppose that's true.

"Now for my biggest serving tip: you can grab an empty cup in one hand and recycle it while at the same time serving a full slushie with your other hand. I know this sounds rather unimportant, but it saves a lot of time! Just be sure not to serve the empty cup and recycle the slushie!" she added with a laugh.

"If you think you want to join the Slushie Slingers, there's -"

"Slushie Slingers?" interrupted Zoeple in some confusion.

"Oh, that's what we call ourselves," explained the Tuskaninny. "Anyway, if you want a job here, there's one thing that you always have to do. Ya gotta smile, even when the customers are being rude. Remember that in the case of most Neopets, it's the heat and thirst that's making them act this way.

"With a smile, strong arms and quick legs, or tail," she added with a wink, "our slushies help Neopets cool down and restore their enthusiasm for the game. Because of this, I've found my job to be very rewarding. Rest assured that Slushie Slingers are a crucial part of the Altador Cup! ...Well, rest on your break anyway," she added, looking at her watch. "I'm about to get back to my shift, but if this sounds like the job for you, send your resume in a Neomail to my boss, whose contact info is at the bottom of that flyer. I've gotta run, I've just talked my entire break away! I guess I really must like helping people, which probably is why I'm still working this crazy job, eh?" she asked with a laugh.

Zoeple watched her zip through the crowds and disappear. She had been a little strange, but was very friendly and extremely helpful. "I'll have to mention to her manager how impressed I am with -" Zoeple suddenly realized that she never got the Tuskaninny Waitress' name. "I'll just have to introduce myself at the next Employee Meeting." Zoeple smiled and headed back to the stadium with a cheerful feeling. She was looking forward to watching the rest of the game and would make some extra noise for her team, knowing that the Tuskaninny Waitress would be there to help cool down a sore throat.