Marauders - Always - Part One

Summer 2015 - 18-4245

AUGUST 2015

Work was absolutely crazy. I never felt so overwhelmed in my life. There was a huge music festival happening downtown that weekend - the end of August - and it seemed like everyone and their grandmother's second cousin was coming into town unprepared and needing stuff printed. The phone was ringing off the hook all morning and I was still learning how to use the system, so I was slow putting together quotes and looking up specs for jobs. It was driving me crazy, I felt a bit like I was failing and I'm a bit of a perfectionist - especially back in 2015, fresh out of college and new on the job... 

I was sitting at my desk, eating my lunch, trying to keep a low profile when the front door jangled and I could hear my boss talking to someone at the front counter about a business card design. She came over a moment later after some rumbled talking and tapped me on the shoulder. "Are you still at lunch?"

I nodded. "Why?"

"There's a customer with a design they wanted to talk about. But he asked specifically for you."

"For me?" I asked, confused. I'd only been there a week - how'd this person know to ask for me? I wondered. These days, it happens somewhat frequently that someone saw my name on a review of the shop or by word of mouth and they ask for me. But back then, nobody knew who I was or that I even existed, much less to ask for me when they came to the shop.

"Yes, he asked for you - by name. When are you back?"

"About fifteen minutes," I answered.

"Alright." She started back up to the front counter. I could hear her talking to the person at the counter and thought I heard her offer a chair and a bottle of water while they waited. 

Curiosity got the best of me and I peeked over the wall of my cubicle to see who was at the front counter. I gasped and sat back down quickly before he could look my way. It was the blue haired guy from my front door the week before. I couldn't help myself, I got up and went over, even though lunch wasn't technically over yet. At least here I had witnesses if this guy was a creep. 

"Hello," I said hesitantly as he turned around and looked at me - like last time, he looked surprised by me. He thought a moment, then came over and leaned against the counter, a grin coming over his face as he tossed his hair back. He was wearing the same garish orange team jersey as he'd been wearing last time I'd seen him. 

"Hello," he said.

"How can I help you?" I asked.

He smiled. "I need some business cards. Can you help me to design some business cards?" 

"Sure," I said. I reached for a notepad and pen. "What's the company name?"

"The Electric Company."

I wrote it down.

"No, with an A. A-L-E-C-T-R-I-C. Alectric."

I rewrote it as he spelled it. "Alright.... Do you have a logo?"

"Nope."

"Ok... well, do you know what information you want on the cards?" I asked.

"Well. My company name, for starters," he said, all the while staring at me, eyes slightly squinting as though trying to decide what to make of me.

"Okay. Anything else? Phone number, your name, business address, email, website...?"

He thought a moment, then said smoothly, "Just the company name, then centered under that - 'Sparking Public Relations for the known witch or wizard since 1979. Just a tap of your wand will summon all the energy you need to spin watt - that's w-a-t-t like a light bulb, darling - is happening in your direction. Between the hours of eight and seventeen most days. Two times the charge applies on holidays.' That's it."