Thursday, October 7, 2010

An Eventful Night

It started out simple enough. I arrived about a half hour prior to my shift. It allows me to get an idea of what needs to be done before I jump right in.A couple of bums, who I've kicked out for multiple incidences, decided to try their luck to get in. After a brief argument, they started to walk away. I watched them as they walk away and noticed a black silhouette on a 6" concrete riser on the front of our building. I walked over to it only to discover it was a phone. I took it off standby and looked though it a bit to see if it was something I could use.

It seemed good enough to keep for myself. Touchscreen, qwerty keyboard, camera, and GPS. It was all around a good phone. I started thumbing through the pictures and it seems to be some young girls phone. I figured I'd return it since I'm not one to be that problematic for women. I search though the recent calls and found the main one for the day. I called the number and told the person the situation, telling them the location of my store, and requesting them to contact the owner to come to retrieve it. 15 minutes later the phone rang. I answered it. It turned out to be the owner calling the phone. I gave her the location and informed her that she would have to retrieve it due to the fact I give it to the owner, not a friend. An hour later she came by, picked up the phone, after answering my ID question on it to ensure it was her's.

About 45 minutes later, a customer came into the store. He asked me if we had any anti-inflammatory medicine.

"You have to be a little more specific then that. We have a bunch of different meds here," I responded.

"Just an anti-inflammatory is all."

"Is it for a headache or something"

"Yes."

"What exactly do you need then? Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Naproxen-Sodium? Which are you looking for?"

"I'll take the Acetaminophen."

I rang him up, told him his total, he paid then left. He came back about 30 minutes later looking quite angry. I ask what's wrong. Maybe I shouldn't have asked that...

"I'll tell you what's wrong! You sold me the wrong shit! I don't need this, I said an anti-inflammitory drug, not this! This'll do more harm then good!"

"I gave you a small list of medicine, of the three options, you chose that."

"I don't give a shit! Now do you have that I want or not!"

I sighed, turned around, and pull the other two options.

"Now, these are the other two I listed. Ibuprofen and Naproxen-Sodium. Now, if you specifically wanted an NSAID, you should have said so."

"What the FUCK is an NSAID?!"

"Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug."

"They don't say anti-Inflammatory on them."

"You know what, I've already explain this to you. Since you can't pay attention because your head is so far up your ass, you can get the fuck out of here." I pulled the two meds front the front counter then tossed them on the back.

"You can't tell me to leave. You don't own this place. I don't give a fuck about what you say! I'll go after I purchase what I want! " At this time, he was too much of a risk.

"Know this now, THIS," I gestured around the store, "is private property, and I'm sick of having to deal with you. You have exactly 10 seconds to either get out, or I'll deal with you myself..."

I reached under my shirt then slid my hand back on one of my knives. I made the gesture deliberate enough to show I wasn't kidding around. His eyes lit up slightly then he booked out the door. Two of the customers behind him breathed a sigh of relief. I took my hand from under my shirt then facepalmed.

"What were you reaching for?" One customer, a regular no less.

"My late-night special."

"A gun?"

"No, a knife."

"What do you mean, your knife it's still in your front pocket, right?"

I shook my head no and grabbed the knife in question, a 12" dagger. His eyes lit up as he asked to see it. I chuckled while saying, "No." I sheathed the knife and locked it back into place. At least for the next 3 hours, it seems normal until I heard a loud screeching noise.

I walked around the store thinking it may have been our 'refer' units, our drink machines, or even a leak in the Co2 lines to the machines. I finally decide to step outside confused until I lit up my cigarette and noticed the sound was much louder. I looked down the street and upon turning the corner, I saw a shower of sparks. And SUV was driving down the road with it's front driver's-side tire at a 90 degree angle, scraping the rim. The tire itself was nowhere to be seen. He came to the intersection, did a u-turn, drove a block down, did another u-turn, and just repeated it for a half-dozen times before turning and driving down another street. I pulled out my cell, called the police, reported the incident, and finished my cigarette. I began making the morning coffee and continued somewhat normally for the last 2 hours of my shift. My coworker came in and ask how the night went.

"I'm not sure if you want to know."

28 comments:

  1. Crazy eventful night man. Good to hear you're prepared in the event of an unfortunate incident :)

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  2. @njohnfixes

    What can I say, I'm more prepared then a boy scout camping.

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  3. You best be careful gesturing towards a knife. That type of threatening gesture can make an already irate customer go for his weapon, which might be a gun and have a tad more range than you.
    Be safe!

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  4. sounds like you work at a grocery store?

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  5. there are some strange people out there

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  6. I have to agree with you here. Check out my other TS blog, Swift Fanatics!

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  7. People are fucking ridiculous sometimes, did you ever find out what was going on with that SUV?

    -NH

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  8. I think you try to hard to help clueless idiots out The SUV sounds awesome tho you gotta get pictures

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  9. This is exactly how third shifts operate. You see crazy shit happening and experience some of the worst people ever, its like clock-work.

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  10. lmao it sounds like a fun night =D

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  11. "third shifts" you say? =s you mean late ngihters? =D

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  12. @Slumph

    Third Shift, Late Shift, Late nighters, Graveyard Shift, they all work. If the shift falls somewhere between 10pm to 8am, You're one of us.

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  13. i work nights at a grocery store..well, i used too anyways

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  14. whahah, man, i need to step by your store sometime :D

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  15. That's hilarious, what a night...

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  16. What is exactly a third shift?

    I thought there were only 2.....day and night.

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