The struggles that these women went through were incredible. But a unique struggle that they, and many waitresses, as research shows, struggle with is a sense of isolation. As studies have revealed, many waitresses only benefit from a social network of fellow waitresses, bar tenders, cooks, and the like. As Hearn and Stoll have found, waitresses do not have the benefit of social gatherings with neighbors like picnics, barbecuing, or birthday parties. The diversity of a waitress's social network is extremely limited. This can lead to feelings of isolation. It is also very healthy for individuals to benefit from diverse pools of friends, and because waitresses do not commonly have this luxury, they suffer further. I found this to be a trend within the "Restaurant." We all called our manager "mama." It was a beautiful thing having such a supportive, loving woman to work with, but it made me sad to think that perhaps many of these women lacked a mother, and so relied on this woman for compassion. I also observed that these women regarded one another as best friends, and spent time together after work, or on days off. Many women have also lived together when times were really rough. They all regarded one another as family, loved one another, and relied on one another for support. It was so wonderful that they had one another to rely on, but there was an element of sadness in their brokenness and isolation. I do not think that these women had any other friends than themselves. Whereas people in my neighborhood would get together, these women didn't have traditional neighbors in their apartment complexes or trailer parks.

One woman I worked with was divorced, poor, a struggling alcoholic, and a resident of a local trailer park. One day, we were discussing how we were both single. I told her not to worry, that she would find someone someday. She said, "Really? I just don't know anymore. All I have is work here, and no one when I go home." It just about broke my heart when she told me this. Here was this beautiful, talented, friendly, loving woman; but most likely banished to isolation for the rest of her life. It was a brutal cycle. She had to continue to work to live, but with work, she could not meet anyone; she could not live. She was destined for a life of serving others, but never herself.

And in conclusion...