AKA: Trash

Clem - 2

Chapter 2: Life

I honked my horn aggressively and made a vicious face at the car before mine.

"Is it so hard to follow freakin' road rules you pile of crap!?" I raged.

Never was I ever the happiest driver. Who could blame me? Why should I be happy about being cut off by an L-turner who doesn't know the sole purpose of indicators? And I ranted my frustrations;

"That's why it's called an indicator moron! When were you gonna let me know that you were turning?!" I blared.

It didn't matter that he was already in the turning lane, or that I had already passed him. All that mattered was what he did. The nerve of people. I unknowingly pressed the gas pedal harder, zooming down the street. It was around 11:50am and I was supposed to be at the bakery by noon.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph." I chanted to myself with the assurance that somehow that was going to get me to the bakery on time.

And maybe it did.

Up ahead was the familiar olive building that owned the corner of a small intersection. I clicked on my right indicator and turned into the parking lot behind the building which was mostly reserved for employees. The customer parking lot was on the other side of the building.

I decided to go in through the entrance. The front of the building was flat despite it being shaped like the corner so that outside tables could be placed in front. Vines twisted their way up the building to give it a rustic appeal.

Patty and Pierre's Pastries was the name and it twisted its way across the top of the doorway in iron cursive. The bakery was started and owned by Patty and Pierre Foibes. They were in their sixties by now and visited the bakery most of the week to help bake.

Thankfully I did not have to bake today, I relished as I stepped into the shop. My heels clicked on the brown, stone, tiled floors. I wore black slacks and a peach, silk button up shirt with a frilly collar.

The bakery was busy. We typically got more customers in the mornings and noon than we did into the evenings. Since it was the morning-noon threshold, we'd be running around like ants.

"Clem!" I heard my name being called. I looked left, where I heard the voice and saw that it was Tina calling my name.

Tina was your average college girl trying to sustain her funds. This was the highest paying job out of all the ones hiring so she took this one.

She was working the cash register.

"I need your help! There are a lot of people coming in so can you just work this other register please?" She asked exasperatedly as an older fellow looked behind the glass at pastry options.

"I'm on it!" I told her, making my way behind the counter and next to her.

Almost immediately half of Tina's line moved to me and I was greeted by an older lady. She wasn't a regular so she took her time looking through the varieties of treats she could choose for a nice brunch. Her foundation caked face scrunched in contemplation and her red lips twisted in thought.

I decided to assist her, "Do you know what you'd like miss?" I asked gently. She was elderly.

Her eyes glanced at me, "Well I'd like something that'd go nicely with oatmeal."

Go nicely with oatmeal? "Well why don't you look at our breakfast options?" I suggested moving to the left of the display case. She followed me. "We have donuts, bagels, scones, tarts, strudels and streusels, and pound cake."