Gisèle

"It all began with the purchase of this house in the Ahuntsic neighborhood. And then, the mortgage started weighing on the family budget. So Gisèle had the idea to return to the workforce, just to breathe a little financially and make sure her children lacked nothing. The classic scenario. Since the early 1960s, the number of married women returning to the workforce has been steadily increasing. The consumer society is running at full speed, bombarding citizens with advertising and new products. The myth of the bucolic French Canada nestled in the shadow of its church steeples is over! Aspirations are changing. Quebecers live in the age of the American dream: suburbs, bungalows, cars, TVs, leisure… nothing is denied anymore. But to satisfy these ambitions, a single family income is becoming less and less sufficient. It now falls to women to go out and earn the necessary supplement outside the home. Of course, career possibilities remain limited, especially when the original plan was to stay at home as a mom."

"Of course, working at night comes with small inconveniences. But the young woman quickly turns them to her advantage. It allows her to be home during the day when the children leave for school and at noon when they come home for lunch. Furthermore, the nighttime clientele can certainly be turbulent at times, especially after the clubs close. Fortunately, Gisèle “has a way” of defusing crises. When the situation escalates, the other waitresses quickly get into the habit of calling her for help. Her approach is simple but effective: gentleness, politeness, and firmness: “Sir, we are here to serve you. So don’t give us any trouble. I guarantee you’ll be well served. What do you need? You’ll have it, it won’t take long.” Dismayed, the rowdy customers practically eat out of her hand."