After only six days on the job, and his first night up as a server, waiter in Maine gets First Family’s table.

By Stephan Burklin, MaineWatchdog.org, July 17, 2010

BAR HARBOR, ME – Most waiters would be anxious if you asked them to serve The President, especially on fifteen minutes’ notice.  But Mark Currier had another compelling reason to be apprehensive Friday: it was only his sixth day on the job.

Currier, who serves at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, a quaint waterfront restaurant, was originally scheduled as a food-runner.  The team, however, was short on staff for the night, so Currier’s manager enlisted him as a server.

Though confident that he could handle his new responsibilities, Currier told MAINE WATCHDOG Saturday that he wasn’t prepared for his manager’s next notification: “You’re going to be serving President Obama.”

Currier said he responded in shock: “You’ve got to be kidding me.  You do realize it’s my sixth day here.”

But his protests were unavailing.  Currier’s manager had already told secret service agents that the first family would be sitting in his section.

When the first family’s boat docked, Currier was disconcerted: “Oh no,” he thought as Obama approached.  His manager cheered him on: “You got ‘em.  Just act like you always do.”

Currier, who had never worked as a server before, said his heart was throbbing when he took the first family’s orders:  “I was terrified.  I was shaking and stuff.  The first few words on my notepad were pretty hard to read, but I calmed down eventually.”

Currier said that the First Lady and President Obama both ordered Lobster; Malia and Sasha had shrimp baskets, and split a blueberry pie for dessert.

Currier declined to divulge the amount of a presidential tip, saying only: “He took good care of me.”

Jeff Buffington, Stewman’s General Manager, was very pleased with Currier’s performance: “He did a really good job.  For someone as inexperienced as him, he acted like a pro.  Michelle gave me two thumbs up when they left.”

Though accustomed to high-profile visits (George Mitchell dined there last week), Buffington said Obama’s visit was particularly exhilarating: “It was definitely exciting.  It was an honor to host the president’s family.

On Friday morning, the day of Obama’s unannounced visit, Currier said that he woke up feeling “very tired,” thinking: “I really don’t want to go to work today.”  He said he had “no idea that I was going to serve anyone, much less the president of the United States.”

After the Obamas left, he said his coworkers were incredulous.  One of them said: “I can’t believe that you got to serve him.  That’s so cool.  This is your sixth day on the job and I’ve been here six years.  I can’t believe you got that.”

Currier, who graduated in May from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Hospitality Management, said the experience was a confidence boost.  “It’s a good thing for my resume.  It’ll be the first thing on my list,” he chuckled, “even before my name.”

After the Obamas departed, Currier said he told the hostess not to seat his tables right away: “I’m going to need a little break.”  He called his mother, sister, and good friends in Florida to share the news.

He said the first thing he did when he got home was to update his Facebook status.