Best Thing In Town - B. J. Armstrong

PAINT SHOP

Music softly played through the empty paint store as Sidney tapped her finger against the counter of the paint shop. She let a sigh out as yet another old person came through the doors.

"Oh you must be Donna and Johnny's granddaughter!" an old woman Sid had never met exclaimed as she made her way up to the counter.

"uh yeah, can I help you with anything?" Sid asked, using her fake customer service voice, adding a smile at the end so her act could be believable.

Too believable apparently because the older woman simply continued to talk about Sids deceased grandmother. "oh me and Donna go way back, I used to come here all the time just so we could talk and..." Sid zoned out and waited until it sounded like she was done talking.

"Are you going to need any paint?" Sid asked, a friendly smile on her face, and to her surprise the old lady had actually said yes. Once the older lady picked her color, after going off with random stories, Sid grabbed a blank base can and mixed the colors into the old lady's desired color. She was quick to brush some of the paint on a note card and then re-hammered the can shut. Side, as politely as possible, cut the old lady off as she told her another story and told the old lady the price of the paint.

"oh... okay then, could you be a sweetheart and carry this to my car dear?" the older lady asked, finally realizing that Sid wasn't interested in her story.

Sid gave the old lady a nod and took her money before picking up the paint can and carrying it out to the old lady's car. "Have a nice day" Sid said as she closed the door of the red car and made her way back into the store. She gave a big sigh before going back behind the counter and sitting at the beat up chair. She used her feet to push herself away from the wall and spun in the chair.

The day went by slowly, just like the last couple of days. Most of the people that had come in were interested in seeing Sids mom or meeting Sid herself. Sid's grandmother had recently passed, her grandfather had passed a couple years prior, and their home had been left to her mom. But it wasn't just her grandparents home, her grandparents had also left their paint business to her family. And here she was, making conversation with old people who claimed to have changed her diapers at some point.

Nothing interesting was happening, so Sid sat and picked at the dry paint that stained her dark green overalls.

The bell of the store rang once more and Sid gave a welcome without looking up from the dry paint she was picking at.

"Could ya give me the exact green of those overalls?" Oh. That's not an old person. Sid looked up and met eyes with a young boy who seemed to be about her age. His hair was dark and messy, cropped short.

"Uh yeah sure" Sid looked down at her overalls as if she had forgotten what she was wearing. She gave a quick nod before pouring the colors and hammering the can shut. Just as she started the mixer, the boy spoke up again.

"never seen ya 'round here"

It was a simple comment, clearly a conversation starter. "Just moved here. Sidney" she was quick to introduce herself. Sid stuck her hand out; her hand adorned with dry paint of different colors.

The boy gave her a crooked smile with equally crooked teeth. He seemed exciting, someone Sid could be friends with. "Billy Joe" He shook her hand.

Just as Sid was about to say something else, the paint mixer slowed down and the rumbling of the machine stopped. She turned around and took the can out of the mixer, cracking it open and giving it a quick stir before swiping some of the paint on a paper with a paint brush.

"That look alright to ya?"

The boy, Billy Joe, seemed to be inspecting the paint. His green eyes went from her overalls to the paint. "Perfect."