More time has passed since I've last seen the boy. However, it has come to my attention that the school halls have been a part of his whereabouts most recently. This is due to the fact that an autographed picture of him posing in his outlandish outfit had been shoved through a crevice in my locker yesterday. Unless of course, it wasn't actually him who set foot in the halls and he allowed someone else do his delivery work for him. Which in that case, I couldn't understand why he'd let someone else obtain such a mortifying image.
I'm sort of what they call "on the fence" about the autographed picture business. I don't know whether to be flattered that he's thought of me, to laugh at his seemingly comedic ways, or be creeped out that he evidently knows a lot more information about me than I presumed. I think I'll just take it as a joke and pray he doesn't show up at my shed or something, telling me my whole life is about to change...that would be a different story all in its own.
"Lyn!" Somebody hollers from behind me and I nearly drop the forty pound bag of dog food I'm clutching with my arms. Why I want to attempt to lift dog food with one hand, I will never know. I turn to face my co-worker.
"You need to re-stock some items for aisle twelve and then you're on cart duty," she tells me.
I sigh. "Cart duty again?"
"Again, junior," she confirms. "Hey, at least you're not Jonah. I made him do cleanup for the men's bathroom and there was puke everywhere." I wince- and that was supposed to make me feel better? Now I just feel worse being reminded that Jonah and I always get the short end of the stick.
"Sounds like somebody wasn't having a very nice day," is all I manage to muster out.
"Jonah or the puker?"
"Both," I clarify with a look of dismay.
"Hey, lady!" A woman's voice booms. I watch as my co-worker quickly excuses herself.
I plaster a huge smile on my face. "Yes?"
"Mind telling me why this store is unorganized?" She huffs.
"I apologize for any inconvenience, we try to keep the store as orderly as possible. Is there something I can help you with?" I ask sweetly.
"Are you sassing me?" She snaps, bringing two small boys with mischievous grins closer to her.
"No, I'm sorry if it seemed that way." I reply quickly staring at the bags of toilet paper they were holding.
"And you staff people... you look like you've just crawled out of the dump. Couldn't you at least try to represent your store better?" She proceeds to complain.
"Uh..." I flush red. I didn't think I looked that bad. Bathing isn't an easy process back home, but I always try to appear as hygienic and presentable as possible.
"Just shut your ungrateful mouth and tell me where the photo center is," she demands.
"Yes, right this way." I usher her and the young boys across the super store.
"Finally, I can get some service. I sent my daughter in with one of those disposable cameras for her vacation in Brazil. I expect the pictures should be developed by now," she explains in a snooty tone, which is what I anticipated from customers for working in a town with more than plenty of money. The store's prices are higher than my parents could ever dream of affording, that's for sure.
"What time did you send them in?" I ask calmly, even though she's putting me on edge. I'm worried she's going to start shouting at me and I'm not gonna know what to do.
"An hour ago."
I have to tighten my jaw to keep it from dropping. If she expects pictures to be developed that fast, she's in for some news. "I'm sorry, but photos develop slower than that."
She halts in her tracks. "What do you mean?"
"Well, we have to send them to a developer and they have to get processed there," I tell her in a brief manner.
"And how long is that supposed to take?" She looks down on me with a disapproving look.
"Somewhere around three weeks," I estimate, trying not to upset her.
"Three weeks? Sounds like laziness to me!" She criticizes. "Why would it take so long just for that?"
I nervously start picking at the pocket of my khakis. "Well, you have to keep in mind you're not the only one needing to get pictures developed. We will do our best and call you as soon as we receive them back."
The expression on her face transforms into a stormy gray." I am simply outraged at the lack of quality service in the building. And you, you and all your staff are disappointments. That's what you are. You should be ashamed!" She stomps away, her heels pounding on the floor. I stand still, motionless in place as I watch the two boys hurl toilet paper rolls at me before scampering off.
I've had people spit in my face or yell at me until I'm left shaking, but never have I had people chuck toilet paper rolls at me. That one is new. I bend over and scoop up the rolls. I fish the plastic bag out of shampoo rack trying to figure out what had all happened.
*****
Darkness surrounds me as I pull up on my beat up bike that I had gotten for my fourteenth birthday years ago. I pull out a miniature flashlight out of my pocket and shine it on my shed. After parking the bike around back, I open up all the shutters. I walk briskly back into the doorway and smile in satisfaction at the moonlight that spills across the floor. I gaze dreamily at the billions of stars in the sky from my tiny window. For a moment, I wish I could become one of those stars so I could be miles and miles away from here.
I adore nights like these. Nights where the stars so visibly light up the black curtain of a sky, nights so clear that everything emerges from the shadows and nothing remains tucked away to be discovered on a different day. Already in a better mood, I start humming to myself a soft melody. I take a left over grocery bag and wrap my cast with it to prevent if from getting wet. I drag a tub over to the far end of the shed and fill it with water from jugs I've been saving. I fill a large pot with soap water to wash my hair with. Just as I'm about to dunk my hair in the sudsy concoction, I stop short and shudder at the whailing of police sirens off in the distance.
I crouch down in the furthest corner of the room, hiding. I bring my knees closer and closer to my chin every time the sirens get louder. I tremble at the thought of them finding me. When I hear the cars pass by and the sirens start to fade my fear diminishes. I crawl out of my corner, relieved this time it wasn't for me. Each and every time I hear them, I'm petrified they're gonna take me away, dumping me back on my parent's front porch for me to waste away. Leaving me to claw my way back out of their lives just so I wouldn't have to be subjected to their malicious ways.
