Over 3,000 Miles

A Day to Remember

        As I walked into the small music shop a few streets from where I lived, I knew that today was going to be another slow, boring day. I had to work almost the entire day, from 9:00 in the morning to 5:00 when the shop closed. There were a few days every month where I had to work from opening to closing and I hated them more than anything. No one ever came into the shop and there wasn’t much you could do besides straighten the already straight albums. I felt bad for my supervisor who did this almost every other day that I didn’t.

        Playing with a string hanging off of my uniform shirt, a black t-shirt with the store’s logo and phone number on it, I said a quiet, “Hello,” to my co-worker Lilly. Her full name was actually Lillian but she claimed that “that name sounds too old lady-ish,” so she tells people to call her Lilly.

          “So, you ready for another long, mind-numbingly boring day Clara?” Lilly asked as she walked behind the checkout desk where I was seated behind my assigned register.

        “I guess so,” I laughed. “What about you?”

        “Oh, absolutely.” Lilly responded, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

        “Is there anything we are supposed to do today?” I asked looking up at Lilly, who was counting the money in her register to make sure that it was the same amount as last night.

        Putting the money down and closing the drawer she responded with a simple, “Not that I know of.”

        Great, I thought, an entire day to just sit here and do absolutely nothing. 

         With a sigh, I stood up and stretched my arms above my head. I let my arms drop down to my sides, my hands hitting my thighs as I spoke.

         “I’m going to go walk around for a bit. If someone important walks in, make it seem like I’m doing something significant.”

         “No problem, Clara. I’m just going to count the money in your register. Hopefully no one broke in last night, although I doubt anyone would want to.”

         I stood up, laughing quietly at Lilly’s comment as I headed to my favorite section, as I called it, the “only section with tolerable music.” Don’t get me wrong, there was other good music, but I preferred to listen to the music laid out here; the pop-punk or punk-rock section. I smiled walking down the aisles, occasionally picking up an out of place album and moving it to its correct spot.

         Just as I picked up an album to move, the door opened suddenly, making the bell at the front of the store ring. My head shot up, making sure it wasn’t my manager or the owner. As I had hoped, it was only a customer. However, I had never seen this boy before. Most of the people that came in here were recognizable due to the small size of the town, but this boy had never been here before. And quickly, I realized that this boy was not from here (or anywhere near here) as soon as he opened his mouth.

        The boy groaned as a distant yelling was heard from outside. Leaning out the door, he yelled, “Yes! I will hurry! God Calum, I will be out in a minute!”

        His words sounded different to me, his Australian accent clear as he spoke.

        The boy closed the door, giving Lilly an apologetic smile as he ran his hand through his golden blond hair. It was quiffed, with every strand of hair in its exact place. The boy’s eyes scanned the ends of the aisles as he began walking towards me, or more like the section I was standing in. I placed the CD I was holding onto back in its rightful spot as I took a step backwards, heading to another section of the store. I would have stayed, but I didn’t want to disturb the already frazzled boy. Although when I thought about it, I didn’t know how I could disturb him by standing ten feet from him.