Observations from behind the counter – Thursday Night

A few stories from my Thursday night.

A man came in and asked for a box of Newports. I grabbed one and said, “That will be $5.53.”
He said, “That’s a lot more than I expected.”
“So, you usually pay less than this?” (See how quick I am?)
He replied, “I don’t smoke. These aren’t for me.”
“Oh, so this is a lot more than you are used to paying! I don’t see how people afford to smoke.”
He said, “I wouldn’t pay this much for something that’s just going to ruin my body.”
“I hear ya, man!”


A little later a man came in talking on the cell phone. This happens all the time. And, this happens fairly often as well - in an effort not to be rude to the person he was talking to, he whispers to me and uses hand gestures to communicate what kind of cigarettes he wanted.
The cell phone has rapidly gained nearly idol status in these here parts. Rare is the person who, when coming to the counter to transact business, tells the person at the other end of the call, “Hold on for a moment.” I admit, this irritates me and I often react to them as if they were talking to me! I’ll answer their questions and respond to their statements, as in: “That’s ridiculous!” And I’ll object, “Me??” Just having fun in the middle of the night!


There are people who drink a LOT of beer. I mean, an 18 pack every night, or every other night.


Between 12:30 and 1:00 a man came in wearing a Shell uniform. There is a Shell station across the street. He was Indian (and I found out later, on his 3rd trip, his uncle owns the store and he is a recent arrival to the US). He asked me if we had a Yellow Pages phone book he could look at. I gave it to him. After a while, he asked if he could borrow it. You see, when they were closing the store the keys got stuck in the lock and they needed a locksmith. He said, “I’ll bring it back in just a few minutes.”
I thought about it and said, “That’s an odd request . . .  but go ahead.”
He said, “You want me to give you something?”
I looked at him and said, “You gave me your word, right?”
He smiled and said, “Yes. That’s good.”
He brought the phone book back. Oh, turns out the locksmith was unable to get the keys out of the lock! So he came back and bought some WD-40.


This guy came in wearing gray pants and shirt. The shirt had a logo, RHPD (Rock Hill Police Department). I jokingly said, “Oh, they didn’t give you the whole uniform, just an RHPD.” He played along, “Yeah, they couldn’t afford the whole uniform.” Then he told me he was a detention officer at the Rock Hill jail. We talked about that for a moment and as he was leaving I said, “Please don’t take offense at this, but I’m doing my best to NEVER visit you at your work!” He smiled and said, “Yes, you do that!”


Around  2:30 a woman came in and said, “Do I know you?”
“I don’t think so.”
She pressed on, “You look familiar. You work anywhere else?”
I didn’t know her and knew that I had never seen her anywhere I have worked so I said, “No, ma’am. Just here.”
“Just here?? You look familiar.”
On the way to the counter I said, “I sure feel sorry about that fellow who looks like me!”


And then the best thing that happened to me all night, at 3:00 am my relief showed up and I could go home! So, I finished up and home I came!!