"I am SO late!" I yelled, running at maximum human speed to catch the bus.
I was watching a series last night, and it was so interesting that before I knew it, it was morning.
I'm so SCREWED!
And, I was right, I arrived 10 minutes late to work. I could feel my older colleagues giving the stink eye. Come on, guys! I work in retail, I am not a fricking heart surgeon!
I know it, I'm gonna hear from my manager about this on my next sitting with him. I can completely tell from the smiles my colleagues are giving me, yep, they are totally gonna rat me out!
Great way to start the day, I guess. I have this weird feeling that the entire day is gonna be chaotic!
I was told to stack the shelves. I was at the candy aisle, desperately looking for the empty spaces to shove all the candies quickly, before they lodge a complaint number 2 about my stacking speed.
" You look like u just ran a marathon." I turned to see Marlene with a sticker printer in her hand.
"Trust me, got enough cardio for the entire week!" I said with a tired sigh.
"Need a hand?" she asked, pointing to the big box of mini easter eggs in my hand.
"I got this!" I turned to pour them into the empty box.
TSHHHHH
The bottom of the cardboard box broke, and all the easter eggs fell and dispersed in different directions.
"Can I get some assistance at the checkout, please?" I heard through my earpiece.
UGH! Great. Now, should I clean up this mess or go to the checkout?
I wanna go to the break room and cry my eyes out!
"I'll go to the checkout. You sort this out," Marlene said, giving me a thumbs up.
"Thanks, Marl!" I am SO glad you are the one who saw this!
I was busy chasing easter eggs down the aisle, before they get crushed to death by a random customer passing by.
"Excuse me!" I heard an elderly voice.
No! Not now, please! For the love of god, leave me alone for five minutes!.
"Yes! How can I help you?" I turned to face them with a smile.
"Can you show me your coffee machine? I can't find it!" At least that's what I made out from her thick accent.
"Yes, of course, follow me!" I said chirpily and led her to our coffee machine.
"No, I want to buy a coffee machine!" She insisted.
This is a grocery store! A FRICKING. Grocery. Store.
"No ma'am, we don't sell coffee machines!" I replied with a diplomatic smile.
"Can I speak to your superior?" She asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
YES! I AM FREE!
"Yes! Let me call them for you!" I said, conveying it over my earpiece.
I ran off to sort out the remaining eggs as soon as I saw my manager walking towards the old lady.
"Someone has spilled easter eggs on aisle 5," I heard my "rules-before-everything" colleague Andy say over the earpiece.
I went to the aisle, totally prepared to receive a lecture about handling stocks. I was lucky, it was her break time, and she walked off without a fuss.
I picked up all the eggs from the ground, at least that's what I thought, when I saw a kid eating two of them, one in each hand, and his mouth covered with chocolate.
Please tell me he didn't come with a person who will throw a fit!
"Timmy! Who gave you the chocolates?" I heard a shrill voice, and I knew what was about to happen.
The kid, Timmy, gave his mom an innocent look, pointing towards me.
Great, Timmy, Great!
" I am sorry, ma'am, the box broke and the eggs fell. I am afraid he picked it up." I tried to reason with her. I know it's gonna go downhill. Listen, if I'm about to die, at least let me go down swinging!
"You are saying that my Timmy ate something off the floor!" She argued, pointing a finger at me!
No, I made it worse. I should've kept my trap shut.
"No ma'am, the eggs were wrapped. They are not off the floor!" I still tried to reason.
"The audacity to say stuff like that! I wish to speak with your manager!" She said, placing her hands on her waist.
I am about to go from underpaid to jobless! Best day of my life!
I sighed and called for my manager AGAIN.
My manager, Dave, walked to my aisle in a hurry, his hair messed up, revealing his bald spots, visibly annoyed with my constant summoning. I gave him a helpless smile and tried to explain my side of the story. He sighed deeply and turned to apologize to the customer, and asked to compensate her.
Guess I am not getting fired!
I got out of his field of view to look for any remaining stray eggs, which could end my career here.
"Looking for this?" I heard a deep voice.
It was HIM! Looking dapper in his usual leather jacket.
No, not now! I look like I came out of the desert. I could feel my hair sticking to my forehead with all the sweat, and my glasses foggy with all the heavy breathing.
Just when I thought the day could not get any worse!
"Thank you!" I said, giving him a small smile, grabbing the last egg from him with my shaky hands.
I am SO pathetic!
I met his honey colored eyes, they were looking at me amused.
Of all the days, why are you giving me attention TODAY?
"Rough day, huh?" he asked with a chuckle.
"YEP!" I agreed instantly, shrugging.
"Take care, love!" he left, giving me his signature smile.
That! That made my day.
I was having the worst shift a person could possibly have, and all it took was a single word and a cute smile, and I melted like a block of butter in the sun.
If THIS is not a superpower, I wonder what is!