The Skipping Girl

Back in the 70’s a new Fast-food chain appeared in Australian capital cities and

then rapidly spread throughout rural towns to compete with Maccas. It was

named Hungry Jacks and soon it was recruiting and training staff across Australia.

By the 90’s, my daughter Jordana (or JD or Dana as she was sometimes called)

soon landed a part-time job in Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast where she was

excelling in the training. Within a few months she was nightly juggling schoolwork

from the Private school along with training at “Jacks”.

Hungry Jacks had become the biggest challenge facing McDonald’s and the

weekly turnover was increasing. The next step for Jordana was to be a front

counter girl and shortly after she was in charge of Training staff in all operations

of Fast-Food including cleaning up.

I was given the title of “Pick-up Driver” as she worked 3 nights a week as well as

doing schoolwork. Our routine was simple: Dana would text me a pick-up time

“say 11pm” and I would be waiting in the car park for her to come running to the

car for the trip home. Some nights she was held back to control cleaning

operations so the waiting would take longer. The busier “Jacks” became the more

work she was given.

Some nights she texted me to arrange a pick-up such as “Pick-up at 11.30” and

she would be waiting in the empty car park for her “Pick-up Dad!”

Most of the time it all worked well for us, and Dana would be waiting for me but

some nights I had to wait 30 minutes or more before she finished. These nights I

waited and worried that her schoolwork would suffer. I was simply a Dad Taxi,

there is no doubt about it, and some nights seemed endless as she was late

finishing, and I could do nothing but wait.

Eventually there was trouble! Her text read “pick-up 11.30. Usual spot. Dana.” I

thought nothing of this and waited! Midnight arrived but Dana didn’t. At 12.30am

fatigue was setting for me. I started my work at 7am!

Checked time again... Checked phone again ...No word.

I walked into the “Jacks” location and saw that there were at least 6 girls still

working, including Dana.

Close to 1.30am, and I could see her approaching, skipping along with a large grin

and looking like an advertisement for healthy living! How could I ever forget her

smiling face as she came to the car. My daughter fell asleep before we reached

home, and I had to wake Miss Skipping Girl beside me!

She told me later that “Jacks” had a huge turnover that night and the cleanup had

taken so long.

Please note that Dana went on to become Queensland’s Number 1 staffer at

Hungry Jacks and won the National Most Valuable Staffer Award.

3 Cheers!

John A Wilson

Pottsville 2023