A whole week of training - and Axel being annoyingly close to me - passes by and I think I'm finally ready to do this alone. Until a customer opens their mouth and I regret ever applying to this dumb job.
I would do one wrong thing, and before I even have the time to call anyone for help, all I feel is someone's long ass arms reaching over me to fix my mistake. This wasn't once or twice, or even seven times; it's been at least a dozen. Even if he was the flash - which he isn't by the way - he wouldn't get to me that fast. I just want to know why the heck he has me on his radar. I'm sure Cooper and Lara need more help than I do.
A week of being overly nice to me and compensating for my shortcomings brings us to day: day 4 of week three.
"Excuse me. Can you hurry up. Some of us have a life to get to." Yelled a customer.
"Exactly. If you're so incompetent, why are you here?" Said another.
"You don't have to be so rude young man. It's ok you're trying your best dear." Said an old lady. She gets me.
I picked up the phone - yet again - to call grocery - yet again.
"Grocery to cash 4 please. Grocery to cash 4!" I said through gritted teeth. I know my stuff and I'm not incompetent, but of course I can't lash out at them because the customer is always right. Who the hell came up with that dumb saying? Just because you want to raise your sales, doesn't mean you should let random people walk all over your own employees.
I finished cashing out the old lady's groceries but one item didn't have a barcode and no one wants to come check the price. While I was frantically looking around, the phone rang.
God. Finally.
"Yes hello." I say picking up.
"Everything ok?" Asked Cooper from two cash registers over.
"Dude no one wants to come check this price and this lady really wants this thing. People are getting mad and calling me incompetent and stuff. It's a tough world out here." I say, fighting back tears. As I said, I'm so non-confrontational.
"Hold on." He said hanging up before I could ask what he was thinking.
Three seconds later, a blur of blonde was standing next to my cash register.
"Hello, I'm so sorry I am late random person who isn't my friend. It is a problem on grocery's end and not yours. You are not to blame. I repeat, you are not to blame. You are not incompetent, you are in fact very competent and so not incompetent." He said, smiling.
Nice save there buddy.
"Thank you kind sir. Would you mind getting the price for this...." Before I had the chance to say the item's name, a familiar vanilla/cinnamon sent filled my airspace and all I saw was a hand reaching out from behind me to type on my register screen.
Insert price -> $8.90 -->Department: grocery.
"I'm sorry I took too long. Something happened in the back." He whispered in my ear, which meant he is literally all up in my business. Then looking at the very patient, sweet old lady he continued, "I'm so sorry for the wait Mrs. Jameson. You know how crazy it gets in the back. That would be $107.76. How would you like to pay?" He said ever so sweetly, placing his arm an inch away from my back.
"Of course dear that's not a problem." She replied waving her credit card around.
"So what would you click on Sophia?" He said a little too close to my ear. I'm sure that this is supposed to be a teaching moment, but like dude, step back a little.
"I, um..... I." I stuttered like a dimwit. So instead I just clicked on the Credit/Debit button and motioned for her to proceed since my brain lost the wiring that connects it to my mouth.
YOU ARE READING
The Corner Store
Teen FictionI fell for a boy with the kindest blue eyes, and a charming dimple. He made me feel loved, and cared for, and most importantly he made me feel safe in his presence. He came right in the middle of a tornadoe and managed to turn it into blue skies. He...
