Pushpins

Steve the Salesman

Evening approached as most evenings do at the end of a day. They almost drove through Illinois and were coming up to Iowa when Papa made a stop at a gas station. When Mama wasn't looking, Elowyn and Tony snuck from the van and approached Papa.

"Could El and I go into the store and buy some snacks?" Tony asked, cheekily. Tony was good at asking for things. He had a way of speaking that made people listen to his requests.

Papa regarded Tony then glanced at the van. He discreetly whipped out some cash.

"Make it quick," he said with a wink.

As the kids rushed into the store Papa called out, "Also, make it somewhat healthy for Mama's sake. Oh, and get me a coffee!"

The inside of the gas station had aisles upon aisles of treats, none of which would fit under the category of healthy. The floor needed to be swept and one of the ceiling lights had burned out. In summery, it was like every run of the mill gas station.

Elowyn picked out some gum and Tony grabbed a bag of chips. They were about to depart when Elowyn remembered the coffee.

"Excuse me, sir," she said to an old store clerk behind the check out table, "Do you sell any hot coffee?"

The clerk lifted one bushy eyebrow and considered them with a cold look.

"Aren't you kids too young to be drinking coffee. It stunts your growth," he grunted. A full gray beard grew on his face, giving him a cross, weathered sea captain look. His nametag read "Steve."

"It's for Papa, actually," Tony corrected, nervously.

Steve drew his eyebrows together and snorted. "It's in the corner by the soda. Creamer and cups are there too."

The kids mumbled thanks and found the coffee maker in the corner by the soda, just like Steve had said.

"Steve stands for stinky service," Tony whispered in Elowyn's ear. She couldn't help but giggle, even though it was an immature thing to say.

"I think he's just sad," she whispered back, pouring the hot coffee into a cup.

"Sad and grouchy."

She watched the creamer swirl about in the coffee. "Wouldn't you be like that if you worked in a gas station? Think of all the long, colorless hours spent in this crummy station with costumers that never say thank you and are always in a hurry. Besides he probably thinks we are teen vandals."

Tony was silent for a moment. "I think we should try to cheer him up then."

"How do you suppose you'll do that?" Elowyn laughed, pressing the lid on the cup of coffee.

"Watch me."

Before she could blink, Tony was at counter where Steve slouched in his office chair. He smiled a big smile.

"What do you want kid?" Steve grumbled.

"Oh, nothing at all and my name's Tony by the way."

Steve raised a bushy eyebrow.

Tony fidgeted. "I just wanted to tell you that it's a beautiful day and you're doing a good job!" So maybe it wasn't completely the truth, but it sounded nice to Tony.

"It's cloudy outside," Steve stated.

"There's nothing wrong with clouds. They only hold the rain so the flowers can grow."

After a gruesome moment, the corners of Steve's mouth twitched. His eyes grew wide and his face turned beet read. He looked like a ticking bomb that was seconds away from exploding.

Tony ducked away. What a mistake he had made.

But Steve didn't explode – he laughed. He laughed and laughed until tears were in his eyes. The drops rolled down his cheeks and onto his sailor beard. He clapped his great hands together like cymbals and howled like no tomorrow.

At first, Tony was dumbstruck by the scene before him. Steve the stinky service guy had changed into Steve the sunny sailor. Soon, everybody had joined into the lovely chorus of laughter.

Steve wiped his eyes and sighed. "You mind if I buy you kids some pop?"

Elowyn and Tony exchanged surprised looks.

"Why would you want to do that?" Tony asked.

"I never do anything in this gas station so I might as well start doing something."

The children didn't know what this meant, but it sounded like words that belonged in a book. Without further conversation, Steve went to the fridge and brought out two sodas.

"It's on me," he insisted. "When somebody says something nice, I don't know rightly what to do. I suppose being here all day everyday has made me a grump. Shabby floors and rude costumers is all I ever have to deal with."

"Luckily, the world isn't always that bad – only a little," Elowyn deliberated, "And I suppose if there's a little bad, there's got to be a little good somewhere."

Steve chuckled. "And you just proved that to me."

After checking out the junk food and coffee, he shook their hands.

"Steve Terry is my name and it is certainly a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Tony Adkins," Tony said.

"I'm Elowyn Adkins," Elowyn said.

After that frank farewell, the children rushed out of the store, hoping that they hadn't taken too long. As they hustled into the van, they recounted their experience to the adults. Papa whipped out his journal and said they wouldn't leave until he had written it down. That is what it is like to live with a writer.