The Clock Shop (ORIGINAL VERSION)

1

The Clock Shop.

     Just your ordinary antique clock shop...

     Which was what I first thought when I applied for a job there. I thought I was going to work a typical evening shift at the antique clock shop, just three blocks from my small Victorian-esque townhome.

     I applied for the job just 3 months ago after getting fired from my job at the local mechanic shop working at the front desk after being accused of something I did not do by a stuck-up and snooty co-worker. Did I ever think clock stores needed employees? No, I didn't even think they were still around, that's what the phone and tablet stores at the mall are for. I also didn't think I would be fired from my old job. I was not prepared for this.

***

The shop did catch my eye; I love antique furniture and the Queen Anne and Victorian styles. But the 'HELP WANTED' sign caught my eyes even more.

     When I walked in, there was just an old man (most likely around the ages of 70 and 80) who was asleep at a little antique table in the back of the shop. He had big round thin-rim glasses and was wearing a sports team cap. I wasn't sure if I should wake him, so I ended up looking around at all the hundreds and hundreds of clocks that lined the walls and were scattered around the store.

     The shop was cluttered and didn't seem organized one bit. Clocks of all types were all around the store just scattered around. I had to admire the very detailed work on the clocks. Grandfather clocks stood around the store with cuckoo clocks, pendulum clocks, and all sorts of other clocks I didn't know existed lined the walls from top to bottom. Some had tags and labels of prices, prices of hundreds, and some even a thousand dollars, and others with no price at all.  Surprisingly, they also had not a speck of dust on them, the old man must clean them all day (assuming he has no employees to do so for him).

     What felt like 20 minutes later, he was still conked out at the little antique table in the back. I was starting to feel a little hungry and tired, so I ended up waking him up. He snorted and immediately stared at me with a startled look and then started to ban barred me with questions about that clock I might be looking for.

     "Hello, young lady! Are you looking for a nice handmade clock?"

     "Well-"

     "Do you want a Cuckoo clock? Maybe a grandfather clock? Or perhaps you need a Sundial?" The old man went on and on about all the clocks he had to sell.

     Why would I or ANYONE else need or want a sundial? When he finished asking about what clock I might wish to purchase, I finally could just ask what I wanted in the first place, just very awkwardly.

     "Sorry, but I am only here about the job."

     I had been searching for a job for less than 24 hours and I was sure I got lucky with this sudden opportunity. But now I wasn't so sure if it was going to happen.

     "Oh! Yes," he raised a brow, "job?"

     "Uhm, yes," I said, clearly a little puzzled. Had this old man forgotten about the sign outside his store? "I saw the 'HELP WANTED' sign outside your store, and was wondering if I could apply by any chance?"

     "Hmm, okay. But you will have to answer four questions," he stated confidently.

     I wasn't so sure about why I needed to answer four questions. "Uh, okay..."

     "Question number one, what is your name?"

     Easy question, "Hannah Mancini."

     "Okay, number two! Do you like clocks? Or could you say, perhaps you LOVE them?"

     "Sure. They're neat, I guess," what type of question is that? I guess he wants to make sure a clock lover is working here. It was either that or he just wants to know if I want to buy a clock or possibly make one. "I like to notice and admire the detail and uniqueness of each one."

     He squints at first then goes back to a smile, "Question three... are you prepared for any situation? You must!! Hmm, you wouldn't want anything bad to happen," he mumbled that last part.

     "I mean, I'll try," I shrug, but I had no idea what he meant by that. What kind of situation? What 'bad' is he talking about?

     "Okay, it's good to try," he closed his eyes for a few seconds, then he asked the final question: "Question number four, do you want this job?"

     "Of course... that's why I'm here!" I was a little frust- rated at how long this was taking. He kept pausing, I was just wanting an interview to get the job, is this what came before that?

     He could tell I was getting a little frustrated and tired, and that I didn't really care for that last question, "Okay, well you can start in two days."

     "On Wednesday?"

     "If that's what day it will be in two days," he sighs as he looks under the table for something. "I'll write you a check every Friday for your work. You will work from 3 pm-9 pm every weekday. I will be going home after 3:30 pm, so, that means you will be closing the shop up, cleaning, and taking inventory once it closes."

     "Sounds great! Thank you," I was relieved, I guess that was the interview.

     "Bye-bye," He smiles, "are you sure you don't want a clock?"

     "Maybe later," I smile back, "Goodbye Mister..."

     "Mr. Clifton."

     As I was walking out, I was extra cautious as a result of what he had said. Did he just say that to make me nervous?

***

I went home happy that evening to have been hired at a new job after being fired, although unknowing of what was to come at that clock shop, what bad stuff would happen, and also unknowing of my paycheck. Something I was hopeful for was to be able to admire the clocks some more. It also seemed like an easy job, despite the whole "being prepared for anything" part.