WHY ME?

my new job

I don't see the point in waking up early anymore. I don't have a job and the streets are always busiest in the afternoon. I  wake up sometime around ten am. I drag myself out of bed and get dressed in another dark hoodie and old ratty jeans. I shuffle over to my sorry excuse for a kitchen and make myself a bowl of cereal. No milk. I can't afford luxuries like that anymore. I eat crap when I'm home, but if I can afford it, I always order the healthiest thing I can find on a menu. I know my life sucks but I can't afford to get diabetes. Too expensive for me. 

After finishing my nutritious breakfast, I shuffle back to my dresser. I feel like I should wear something a little nicer for this job interview. I know it's at a bar, but hey dress to impress am I right? I pick out a button-up flannel and put it on under my hoodie. I'll just take it off when I'm done "working". I shove my shoes on to my feat and head out the door, wiping sleep from my eyes. 

Today's a good day in the shopping district. Lots of eager shoppers out on a Saturday. It's easy to swipe money from their pockets and deposit them in my own. No one pays any mind to a guy like me. I blend into the background and blur in their minds. The guy that bumped you yesterday while you were waiting in line? You can't remember his face. The guy who was walking by you while you were on your way to some store. Don't know what he looked like. 

Before long it's 3:30 and I have somewhere to be. I head across town until I find the address. It's cruddy looking building with lots of neon signs and bright lights flashing inside. This'll be fun. I head inside. There's a skimpily clothed hostess standing by the door. She flashes me a smile. "Can I help you with anything?" she asks. I think it's meant to be seductive but I'm gay so she doesn't interest me. "I have a job interview," I say. She instantly straightens. "Follow me." And then she turns sharply and walks towards the back. I follow her all the while turning my head left and right, getting a good look at the bar. It's nothing special. Stools. Booths. A huge selection of liquor. I think some of it's that illegal stuff that gets people really drunk, really fast. The hostess stops when we reach the back and opens a door for me. "Rueben will be with you shortly." She gestures for me to enter. I walk through the doorway and as soon as I do, the door slams shut behind me. I realize I'm in an office. There's a desk with a chair on either side and I sit in the one that seems meant for visitors. A few moments later a man walks in and I turn to look at him. I barely register his face before he throws a shirt at mine. "Wha-a?" I'm really confused. "Alright kid," he says, clapping his hands together. "Throw that on, your shift starts in an hour. I'll have Becky get you oriented. Bathroom's just across the hall." "B-but don't you want to interview me first?" I ask. "I'm short-staffed and from what I hear you're short-cashed. So let's go!" he says energetically. "O-okay," I stutter. I walk out of the office and into the bathroom where I take off the nice flannel shirt that I wore so I would look nice and wrap it around my waist. I pull on the black tee that I suppose is my uniform. It fits me well. I look in the mirror and see that it's very form-fitting. It clings to my arms and stomach. And there's a big red logo on the back that I think says RUEBEN'S. I walk out of the bathroom and am greeted by a bright and cheerful woman. "Hi I'm Uraraka!" She says. "Nice to meet you I'm Midoriya," I say shaking her hand. "Umm where's Becky? I was supposed to talk to her?" I ask the bundle of joy in front of me. "Yeah that would be me. Rueben just calls me Becky to be a dick. You'll probably end up Steve or something." she says matter-of-factly. "Oh okay." I say. This place is so weird. Uraraka shows me to the bar where she says I'll work. She gives me a list with all of the regular costumers and their usuals. Then she shows me how to make the specialty drink. And she shows me around the bar. Where everything is. 

Now it's five o'clock and the first costumers are coming in. After serving a few drinks, it feels natural. I'm slowly becoming familiar with my surroundings. I hate having to tell people I'm new though, even so I can figure out if their name is on the regular's list. One thing I'm noticing about Reuben's patrons is they aren't exactly the cream of the crop. Several people have tried to sell me weed or other drugs and I've seen at least five different people casually pulling guns out of their pockets and laying them on tables or counters. And these guys aren't cops. I can't judge though. I was a pickpocket until a few hours ago. As things slow down, I strike up some conversations with some guys at one end of the bar. They're a little hesitant to tell me things at first, but after a few rounds, they open up a bit more. Later Uraraka tells me the number one rule here is what happens at Rueben's stays at Rueben's. Including all conversations. 

As I help her close up shop sometime around midnight, I ask Uraraka how she came to work here. She stops cleaning the counter for a minute. "Well it was raining pretty hard, and I was out on the streets, looking for a place to duck into and warm up, when I stumbled upon Rueben standing outside his bar. He stopped me, looked me up and down and said 'You wanna job kid?' I nodded and he gave me my uniform and told me to be back by five o'clock the next day. How about you?" she asks me. "Hmm?" "How'd you find this place?" "Oh," I say shrugging. "I ran into an old friend and we caught up a little bit. When he heard I was in need of a job, he set me up here," I say. "What'd you do before this?" she asks. She's really curious. "Oh, well, I was uh. A thief."I say, looking down, refusing to meet her gaze. "A pickpocket. Pretty good one too, though not sure if that's something to brag about." I ramble on. Damn it. I used to ramble and mumble all of the time. I thought I had stopped. Oh well, old habits die hard. 

I say goodnight to Uraraka as we go our separate ways. Walking home, I already look forward to my next night at Reuben's.

So hope you liked that. Sorry for all the filler. I think it'll get more interesting next chapter. Anyways. See you then!