She seemed to not really want to get ahead in life. Yeah she dreamed of a singing career, but with a teen son to feed and take care of, was Alice lazy or selfish in not trying to get a better job than a waitress?

I do not think that she was lazy or selfish. I imagine that she only had a high school diploma and she probably did not have many choices as far as jobs went. She was trying to better herself by going to night school and did attempt some side singing jobs. She did have dreams of being a singer and she finally made that happen.

She was a waitress at Mel's Diner for years, since this is what the show centered around.

They all were losers in my opinion-LOL


As grown women, why were they content working in a diner for 10 years without advancing in education or trying to develop other skills so they could get a better job? How can someone be comfortable with serving food for a decade?

But you know this IS how REAL LIFE is sometimes, and this was a different time. I think now days TOO MUCH emphasis is put on one's career, it seems like in this country you are totally defined by your CAREER. If you're not a doctor or lawer or something like that, you're just a loser!

And too much emphasis is put on AGE, like if you're a certain AGE you MUST be doing THIS or else you're a loser. I mean who cares?! Everything has to be so to standard in this country. At 20 year old you move out of the house, get a job, go to college to be a doctor or lawer, get married at about 25, at 30 you should be settled into a high paying carrer and have at least 1 child by this age, at 40 you should have advanced in that career even more, 50 blah blah, 60 start thinking about retirement and grandkids *as your children repeat the same process* 65 retire, 75 die.

God forbid anyone deviate from this wonderful NORM, b/c if they do there's something WRONG with them!

I'll admit, I take care of my 92 year old grandma now and the family pays me for doing so and prior to that I worked at years serving popcorn in a theater, I'm prolly a loser in most people's eyes, but I don't give a damn, I have a good character and am a good person, IMO those things are more important than some high power, prestigious career.

But you know this IS how REAL LIFE is sometimes, and this was a different time. I think now days TOO MUCH emphasis is put on one's career, it seems like in this country you are totally defined by your CAREER. If you're not a doctor or lawer or something like that, you're just a loser!

And too much emphasis is put on AGE, like if you're a certain AGE you MUST be doing THIS or else you're a loser. I mean who cares?! Everything has to be so to standard in this country. At 20 year old you move out of the house, get a job, go to college to be a doctor or lawer, get married at about 25, at 30 you should be settled into a high paying carrer and have at least 1 child by this age, at 40 you should have advanced in that career even more, 50 blah blah, 60 start thinking about retirement and grandkids *as your children repeat the same process* 65 retire, 75 die.

God forbid anyone deviate from this wonderful NORM, b/c if they do there's something WRONG with them!

I'll admit, I take care of my 92 year old grandma now and the family pays me for doing so and prior to that I worked at years serving popcorn in a theater, I'm prolly a loser in most people's eyes, but I don't give a damn, I have a good character and am a good person, IMO those things are more important than some high power, prestigious career.


But a waitress job for 10 years?-lol I would think after 5 years someone would get sick of it. You are on your feet all day long

But a waitress job for 10 years?-lol I would think after 5 years someone would get sick of it. You are on your feet all day long


Like I said I worked 8 years at a theater serving food, and I can relate kinda, I got tired of running around on my feet, BUT after you work at a place for SO LONG it's hard to leave b/c it becomes so familiar to you, it's almost like you're "scared" to try something new.

I can understand how Alice and the rest might have felt, Mel's Diner was more than just a job, they really formed a LIFE there and it was their life. I can understand how it might be hard to quit and how they might always find themselves returning like they always did.

BUT actually I think working at Mel's would be GREAT! Those women did whatever they wanted! Where else could you tell the boss to "kiss your grits!", "stuff it!", etc... come and go as you please, YELL at him, tell him whay you are and are NOT going to do? Every boss I ever had would have fired you if you did just ONE of those things. Mel might have seemed rough, but he was pretty indulgent.

I don't understand how with what Alice was making at the diner she can wear very nice clothes.

I know for myself I'd rather work at a place like Mel's Diner where I have great friends and it's a really family type atmosphere where you can tell the boss to "go to hell" if he's being a jerk and he and I still love eachother and I don't lose my job for it, that to have some big career just for the prestige and just b/c it's the "normal" all-American thing to do.

I know for myself I'd rather work at a place like Mel's Diner where I have great friends and it's a really family type atmosphere where you can tell the boss to "go to hell" if he's being a jerk and he and I still love eachother and I don't lose my job for it, that to have some big career just for the prestige and just b/c it's the "normal" all-American thing to do.

No, but very nosey!