Annals of the Homestarmy

I had a short morning shift Tuesday morning with Kim. It took me a while to ask her if anything catastrophic had happened the night before as Ben and Erica shared their first shift. I didn't want to seem nosy. I finally decided to just work to it from a sideways direction. "So. Ben seems to be working out pretty well here. Dave seems to have really bonded with him."

"I told you he was a good kid. My biggest worry at this point is not showing favoritism," she beamed.

Right, I thought. "Guess I'll have to redouble my efforts to be your favorite, then," I sort of half-joked.

"Oh, Rhys. It's not about who's my favorite. We're all just supposed to really enjoy selling books."

"And getting paid in them too, I suppose."

She laughed. "Good thing my husband pays all the bills. Otherwise I couldn't afford to work here." Continue reading "Benoni (Section 4)"

I had the closing shift two days later with Dave. He was a college student so he had weird hours, but he was the one person in the store who loved reading non-fiction, especially biographies and history books. I was pretty sure that was the main reason he still had employment with us. He wasn't much of a self-starter and he often conveniently forgot to finish everything you gave him to work on if you weren't constantly checking up on him. But he was genial enough and customers shopping for non-fiction loved him, because he could almost always find them exactly what they were looking for. Kim had worked the morning shift with Ben, so I chattered with them as their shift ended.

Ben seemed even more confident and I watched him help a shopper find her husband the latest military thriller; he even talked her into buying a Book Club selection. It was one of those romance books that was kept in the fiction/literature section because the author was famous. When he finished helping her and she left the store, he asked me about the book he noticed me carrying into the store.

"Oh, it's a mystery book. One of those by-the-numbers serials where the protaganist has a supernaturally helpful dog that always points him in the right direction at just the right time. It won't win a Nobel prize, but it's pretty entertaining." Continue reading "Benoni (Section 3)"

Does this remind you of anyone? I know I sure had some flashbacks to the inter-net-solutions offices.

It was inevitable that I'd still be giggling at those two chuckleheads a while later when a customer approached me to ask where the Young Adult fiction section was located. He seemed a little miffed that I laughed at his question, but I didn't really think he'd be happier if I explained so I led him back and helped him find a book about a fictional baseball player for his son. I guided him back up to the registers after unsuccessfully trying to get him to bite on a few related titles. Kim had Ben ring him up and I was impressed by how quickly he'd picked up on the system. I mean, it wasn't brain surgery or anything, but it had taken me several shifts to get as comfortable as he seemed to be after just a half hour or so on the training machine.

By the end of the shift, I was so impressed I asked him if he'd ever worked for this bookstore chain before.

He smiled and replied, "No. Computers and books have always come naturally to me and Kim is a really good teacher. Besides there haven't been that many customers and I'm sure you'd have handled them better."

"Uh. Sure. But let me tell you, I sure didn't pick up on the store system that fast." I was serious. Guy was a whiz. Maybe Kim hadn't been exaggerating about how smart he was.

She apparently believed what she'd been saying, as she stepped in, "Rhys, you're embarrassing him." He blushed as if on queue. "But as you can see he's picked up on things quite well, so if you want to take off a little early, we'll take care of things. It won't take much to close things up."

I shrugged. A half hour off my shift wouldn't make much difference on my next paycheck and there was a movie I'd been hoping to catch tonight anyway. "Sure. It was really nice to meet you, Ben. If half of what Kim said about you is true, it'll be great working with you."

"Thanks, Reese! That's really nice! It was really nice to meet you; you're much more funny than Kim said."

I wasn't sure what to make of that. I'd already been half-turning to go pick up my stuff from the break room so I just continued on my way and mumbled, "Thanks." I tried not to think too much about what Kim might or might not have said about me as I took off my bookseller apron and grabbed my purse. Continue reading "Benoni (Section 2)"

Author's Note: I started this during the writing game from a couple months back. Since things have slowed down at work, I'm thinking I might get to finish it. No promises.

I knew this must be Ben from the little squeal Kim unleashed on him. He had dark, curly hair cut close to his head, no doubt to prevent it from poofing out like he was Ronald McDonald. It seriously looked capable of going all clown on him. The slight upturn to his nose didn't help, but he had dark brown eyes and the kind of pale skin you get from living in a place with almost constant cloud cover. He had an average build, definitely not an athlete, and was about average height. He certainly wouldn't stand out in a crowd. He walked through the door with a vacant expression on his face and I didn't think he'd last the shift, let alone stick around long enough to have a lasting impact on my life.

They briefly hugged and Kim brought him over for introductions.

"This is Benoni, Rhys. Benoni, this is Rhys," she pronounced with a big grin on her face.

"It's nice to meet you Reese. Please call me Ben." He extended a hand, and seeing no other option, I shook it.

"Nice to meet you too, Ben. I understand we'll be working together now." I was beginning to feel a little awkward. She was smiling so much I was afraid it might break her face. Continue reading "Benoni"

Sent at 9:32 AM on Tuesday
Ancient of Days:
Which PA storyline did you vote for?

The Mad Giggler:
Lookouts

Ancient of Days:
I've been calling everyone I know and having them vote for Automata

The Mad Giggler:
h8chu

Ancient of Days:


The Mad Giggler:
it was my least favorite

Ancient of Days:
Lookouts was mine

The Mad Giggler:
that's because you are a jerkface

Ancient of Days:
A jerkface who doesn't like the soft, girly-like colors and lines of Lookouts, but prefers the harsh, bleak choices made in Automata



Sent at 9:44 AM on Tuesday
The Mad Giggler:
Have now voted 4 times for Lookouts. Continue reading "Always with the IMing"

Why?

I finally figured out how to counter all this Star Trek stuff going on here at the Homestarmy. Yoda.