Ocean Vuong

And yet it's the moments after the shifts, having the cigarettes, after being slammed, people being diagnosed with cancer in the middle of the shifts, getting on the phone calls.

In my time at Boston Market, that I'll still, I think I'll, it's been almost 20 years and it's still in my head. And it'll probably be in my head until I die. I didn't put it in the book because it's too dramatic. You know, sometimes as an author, you said life is more dramatic than fiction can allow, you know, be too, too pressurized. But I was being trained early on. by this man named Ruben.

In my time at Boston Market, that I'll still, I think I'll, it's been almost 20 years and it's still in my head. And it'll probably be in my head until I die. I didn't put it in the book because it's too dramatic. You know, sometimes as an author, you said life is more dramatic than fiction can allow, you know, be too, too pressurized. But I was being trained early on. by this man named Ruben.

In my time at Boston Market, that I'll still, I think I'll, it's been almost 20 years and it's still in my head. And it'll probably be in my head until I die. I didn't put it in the book because it's too dramatic. You know, sometimes as an author, you said life is more dramatic than fiction can allow, you know, be too, too pressurized. But I was being trained early on. by this man named Ruben.

He was in his 50s and he was training me. And the first thing he taught me was how to eat a spinach croissant in under 30 seconds. He says, if you're hungry, you don't have to take a break. You can slip two croissants in your apron and then you can go into the freezer because nobody goes into the freezer. You can't go into the bathroom because a customer might see you.

He was in his 50s and he was training me. And the first thing he taught me was how to eat a spinach croissant in under 30 seconds. He says, if you're hungry, you don't have to take a break. You can slip two croissants in your apron and then you can go into the freezer because nobody goes into the freezer. You can't go into the bathroom because a customer might see you.

He was in his 50s and he was training me. And the first thing he taught me was how to eat a spinach croissant in under 30 seconds. He says, if you're hungry, you don't have to take a break. You can slip two croissants in your apron and then you can go into the freezer because nobody goes into the freezer. You can't go into the bathroom because a customer might see you.

That's really odd to see someone eating a croissant. And then the next hour later, we're cleaning out the freezer. And there's something that's so peculiar with what I was talking about with circumstantial family. We have our backs to each other. I'm 19 years old. We're cleaning the freezer. And we're talking about family. We're talking, oh, you have a brother, what have you.

That's really odd to see someone eating a croissant. And then the next hour later, we're cleaning out the freezer. And there's something that's so peculiar with what I was talking about with circumstantial family. We have our backs to each other. I'm 19 years old. We're cleaning the freezer. And we're talking about family. We're talking, oh, you have a brother, what have you.

That's really odd to see someone eating a croissant. And then the next hour later, we're cleaning out the freezer. And there's something that's so peculiar with what I was talking about with circumstantial family. We have our backs to each other. I'm 19 years old. We're cleaning the freezer. And we're talking about family. We're talking, oh, you have a brother, what have you.

And to this day, I'm haunted by what happened because he's talking about his sons. And he just says something. He says, you know, I can't tell my wife this. And I thought, oh, my God. You know, like, am I going to hear a crime of God or a crime of the law? Yeah. He says, I have three sons, but I only love one of them. Wow. And I'm 19.

And to this day, I'm haunted by what happened because he's talking about his sons. And he just says something. He says, you know, I can't tell my wife this. And I thought, oh, my God. You know, like, am I going to hear a crime of God or a crime of the law? Yeah. He says, I have three sons, but I only love one of them. Wow. And I'm 19.

And to this day, I'm haunted by what happened because he's talking about his sons. And he just says something. He says, you know, I can't tell my wife this. And I thought, oh, my God. You know, like, am I going to hear a crime of God or a crime of the law? Yeah. He says, I have three sons, but I only love one of them. Wow. And I'm 19.

I don't know what to say other than give an affirmative kind of like, uh-huh. You know, like, I just don't know what it meant. Uh-huh. And he says, you know, there's no true connection I have with Jake. There's no reason for this. And the others do good by me. I do good by them. But I'm coming to realize it's such a strange thing that I only love one of them. Do you ever feel that?

I don't know what to say other than give an affirmative kind of like, uh-huh. You know, like, I just don't know what it meant. Uh-huh. And he says, you know, there's no true connection I have with Jake. There's no reason for this. And the others do good by me. I do good by them. But I'm coming to realize it's such a strange thing that I only love one of them. Do you ever feel that?

I don't know what to say other than give an affirmative kind of like, uh-huh. You know, like, I just don't know what it meant. Uh-huh. And he says, you know, there's no true connection I have with Jake. There's no reason for this. And the others do good by me. I do good by them. But I'm coming to realize it's such a strange thing that I only love one of them. Do you ever feel that?

And I said, I don't know. I don't know. I'm 19. Yeah. Yeah. But I think there's something about labor. There's enough anonymity. He knows that when we clock out at 6 p.m., I'll never see him until the next shift. I don't know where he lives. I don't know his sons.

And I said, I don't know. I don't know. I'm 19. Yeah. Yeah. But I think there's something about labor. There's enough anonymity. He knows that when we clock out at 6 p.m., I'll never see him until the next shift. I don't know where he lives. I don't know his sons.

And I said, I don't know. I don't know. I'm 19. Yeah. Yeah. But I think there's something about labor. There's enough anonymity. He knows that when we clock out at 6 p.m., I'll never see him until the next shift. I don't know where he lives. I don't know his sons.

And there's something really unique about modern life and maybe all of life where that kind of laborious intimacy allows us to say things we won't even say to our priests, our loved ones, our family, our best friends, because there's no judgment.