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Anna's New Start · Season 2, Episode 4: Let Me Check November 3, 2026 · 6:10 · With Narrator, Anna, and Ms. Lopez
During breakfast service at the Harbor Lane Hotel, a guest asks Anna about a service detail she cannot confirm. Anna clarifies the request and checks with Ms. Lopez before…
Transcript Narrator You’re listening to Anna’s New Start, a fictional continuing story about Anna building a new life in a new city and finding her place there. Anna is a breakfast assistant at the Harbor Lane Hotel. After learning the breakfast routine with Ms. Lopez, she is back for another morning shift. Today, a guest has a question she cannot answer with confidence. Anna Good morning, Ms. Lopez. I checked the table list, and the tables are ready. I also put the extra napkins on the lower shelf, like we planned. Are we ready to open? Ms. Lopez Good morning, Anna. Yes, we’re ready. The coffee cups are easy to reach, too. Let’s start breakfast. I’ll be near the counter if you need me. Anna All right. I’ll keep the table list beside me, so I can check where things belong. Good morning. Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait for your table? Ms. Lopez No, thank you. I have a question about breakfast. Is the oatmeal available without milk? I can’t have dairy, and I don’t want to guess from the sign. Anna Thank you for asking. Do you mean the oatmeal itself, or the toppings too? I want to understand exactly what you need before I answer. Ms. Lopez The oatmeal itself, please. I can choose fruit for a topping, but I need to know how it’s made. Is it cooked with water or with milk? Anna I understand. I’m not sure how it’s prepared today, so I don’t want to guess. Let me check with Ms. Lopez, who is supervising breakfast. Would you mind waiting here a moment? Ms. Lopez That’s fine. I appreciate you checking. I can wait by the coffee counter. Anna Ms. Lopez, a guest asked whether today’s oatmeal is made with water or milk. They can’t have dairy. I don’t know the answer. Can you check with the kitchen? Ms. Lopez Yes, I’ll check with the kitchen. Please don’t tell the guest it is safe until we know exactly what goes into it. Some ingredients may not be obvious. Anna Of course. I’ll tell them I’m checking, and I won’t make a promise. Should I ask them to wait here, or would you prefer to speak with them yourself? Ms. Lopez You can let them know I’m checking. If the kitchen can confirm the ingredients, I’ll come over and explain. If they cannot confirm, I’ll say we don’t have a clear answer. Anna Thank you. I’ll tell the guest you’re checking with the kitchen. That way, they know I haven’t forgotten them. Anna I’m still checking with Ms. Lopez. She has asked the kitchen about the oatmeal, and she’ll come speak with you when she has an answer. I’m sorry for the wait. Ms. Lopez Thank you for letting me know. It’s better to wait than to get a guess. I’ll stay here for a few minutes. Ms. Lopez Anna, thank you for being patient. The kitchen says the oatmeal is cooked with water today, but they use the same serving area for other breakfast foods. They can’t confirm that there has been no contact with milk. I can’t tell you it is safe for someone who must avoid dairy. Anna Thank you for checking. I’ll explain that clearly. I won’t say it is dairy-free, because the kitchen cannot confirm that. Would you like me to ask whether another breakfast choice is available, or would you rather speak with Ms. Lopez? Ms. Lopez Please ask if there is another choice. I’d rather not make a decision until I know what the kitchen can confirm. Anna Ms. Lopez, the guest would like to know if another breakfast choice is available. They don’t want a guess about ingredients. Could you ask the kitchen what they can confirm? Ms. Lopez Yes. I’ll ask about the eggs and fruit, and I’ll make clear that the guest needs reliable information about dairy. I’ll bring the answer back before they choose. Anna Thank you. I’ll let them know you’re asking. I’m glad I checked first. Now I can give them the right answer, even if it isn’t the answer they hoped for. Anna Ms. Lopez has asked the kitchen about the other choices. She’ll tell you what they can confirm before you decide. Would you like to wait here, or would you prefer to look at the fruit while she checks? Ms. Lopez I’ll wait here, thank you. I feel more comfortable knowing you asked someone who can check with the kitchen. Ms. Lopez The kitchen can confirm that the fruit is served separately and has no milk added. They cannot confirm the eggs, so I would not recommend them if you need certainty. You can choose the fruit, or we can help you find another option. Anna The fruit is the only choice they can confirm has no milk added. The kitchen cannot confirm the eggs. Would you like the fruit, or would you like more time to decide? Ms. Lopez I’ll have the fruit, please. Thank you for checking instead of making a quick guess. That helped me choose. Anna You’re welcome. I’ll bring the fruit over. And if you have another question, please ask me. I’ll find out what I can confirm. Ms. Lopez Anna, you handled that well. You listened, asked me to explain, and checked with the kitchen. If you are not sure about a service question, it’s fine to ask me. Don’t guess. Anna I will. I wanted to help right away, but I didn’t know how the oatmeal was prepared. Now I understand that checking is part of helping. I’ll remember that on my next shift.
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