Belly Literary Universe (part 2)

Myre's Enthusiasm Part 32: Training

It was a beautiful day. Due to the pacific winds, the weather in Cliffrun was never really bad, but some times of year were obviously better than others. It was one of the first real perfect days of spring. And it was a Friday on top of that. It was fitting that Erica was in Myre's shop to train. There were plenty of customers to keep her busy.

Erica chose a black sweater to match Myre's black work shirts, but that proved to be her undoing. All the movement to get everybody what they needed made her sweat in the thick outfit. The pink work apron didn't help either. Despite this, she kept up with Myre, processing transactions as quick as Myre could prepare them.

During a brief lull in demand, Myre gave Erica instructions on preparing ice cream in a bowl. The process was simple, but Myre felt she had to be specific in her training. She couldn't let her first employee learn things the wrong way and distribute the improper amount of ice cream.

The opportunity to test her new skills came immediately. An older woman with styled white hair, and a knitted shawl pushed open the front door to allow a young boy to run into the shop. He ran in circles around the wireframe patio furniture before jumping at the glass of the ice cream cooler mouth first.

Erica clutched her hands against her brown hair and round face. "Uh hey kid - uh boy - sir - can you please stop."

The child looked at her right in the eyes, then licked the glass where the chocolate ice cream was labeled.

Erica let out a despondent grunt.

Myre suppressed a chuckle. She got behind Erica and whispered to her. "You can do it! He'll be fine. You'll be fine too. Remember, be friendly!"

Erica looked back in horror.

"I'll be nearby if you need help. But I know you can do it!" She smiled back.

Myre retreated to the middle of her workshop and loaded ingredients into a churning machine.

Erika gulped. "Uhh. Hi! Welcome to Myre's Ice Cream. I'm Erica. What can I get for you?"

The old woman swatted at her grandson. "Cut it out Aiden. You're being a little gremlin again."

"Oh... It's not a worry we can... Clean it. What can i get you?" Erica asked.

The old woman swatted the child again. "Aiden what kind of ice cream do you want? Tell the nice lady."

"Buttuh-skoth." He said with his mouth trying to open wide enough to swallow the whole cooler.

"Aiden! You've never even had butterscotch before." The old woman lamented.

"Yes I hab." He asserted with the cooler interfering with his speech.

"When?"

"Gradpa gabe it to me."

Erica grimaced. "I don't think..." She looked back at Myre who shook her head no. "Yeah we don't have butterscotch. I'm sorry. Is there anything else you or him might want?"

"Aiden, they don't have butterscotch. What other flavor do you want? They have chocolate or vanilla? Strawberry?"

Aiden pulled away from the drool coated portion of glass. "Orange. Blue. Green. Cherry. Blue. Lemon. Chicken and french fries," he said listing all the flavors he knew.

The grandmother sighed. "Aiden you can't get that many flavors. They don't make chicken ice cream."

The child shrieked from having it's will disobeyed.

The grandmother scowled while Erica covered her ears and grimaced.

Myre came in from behind for the rescue. She grabbed a small plastic spoon, and scooped something from one of the tubs below. Leaning over the counter, she offered the plastic spoon. "Hey Aiden. I don't have any chicken, but I have something with all those colors." She bluffed. Her local sherbet, Cliffrun Collision, didn't have anything blue in it. She hoped he wasn't as attached to the specifics as he was to getting his way. "It's rainbow sherbet. It's got all the colors in it see? Try it!"

The child quieted down, took the small spoon and sucked on it. He smiled and nodded at his grandmother.

"Oh thank god." She said massaging her wrinkled temple. "I'll have a bowl of that for him please."

Erica nodded and shuffled to the side to get the order. "Is there anything you'd like?" Erica smiled.

The old woman laughed and whispered while Aiden climbed on a chair behind her. "Actually butterscotch sounds quite pleasant. But if you don't have that, something with caramel in it would be nice. In a cone."

"Uhhh -" Erica groaned as she thought. "We have Caramel Crunch - it's got peanuts in it too though."

"That would be lovely dear."

Erica smiled and prepared both their orders. Soon they had paid and left. Erica gasped for air and let out a sad laugh. "What was THAT?"

Myre chuckled. "You get needy customers in any business." She said after grabbing a spray bottle and cloth to clean off the drool from her display cooler.

"How did you think of that? I just froze up!" Erica beseeched.

"It's just practice," Myre smiled. "I thought you did just fine. You won't get much worse than that. Hey! Just think of it this way: The day can't get worse than that. Hahaha, I'll bet you remember that little kid for the rest of your life. Especially when you're trying to sleep"

"Maybe... You're definitely going to be a great mom though."

"Hmm?" Myre stood up straight and cocked her head.

"I said you're going to be a good mom. When are you due?"

Myre blushed and grasped her stomach.. "Oh. Oh!" She looked down at her chubby belly stretching her shirt and apron. "Ohhh no. I'm not pregnant. I've only been with my boyfriend for around a month. I'm just... Unusually shaped. Round." She let out an awkward laugh.

Erica's face turned as red as the strawberry ice cream in the cooler. She pulled up her sweater to cover her face. "I just did that. I can't believe I just did that. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean-"

Myre laughed. "Nooo stop that. It's fine! Hah. It's an easy mistake. I have something of a strange build to my body, I know. I just - I get round haha! Don't feel bad. I know you were trying to be nice."

"Just kill me..." Erica shook her head.

"Now you'll have two things to remember! Don't worry about it. I'm not mad or anything." Myre wrapped her arms around Erica and patted her back. "The best way is to just laugh at yourself sometimes. Crazy things happen in customer service."