night shifts at the gas station by Bogdan Dragos

oh, how silly were all those
idiots who
entered the
gas station
and approached her
cash register
complaining about the rain
outside

'Just because you think
that the rain
sucks
doesn't make it a
universal truth, asshole,' she
would've told the last
one if she could

But as it was
she just nodded
and forced a lame smile
and took the customer's money

The gas station
was alright most of the time.
All that was not alright
were the customers

Nothing like being locked
behind a counter
and forced to smile
and greet people
while having to listen to their
stories

old ladies
and families with kids
and truckers
and the occasional homeless
who stumbles in
drunk

The worst of all
were those who
engaged in casual conversation
That was the bane of her
existence

most of ‘em went
like:

"Nice ring you got
there in your eyebrow, didn't
it hurt when you put it? Don't
you find it uncomfortable? Oh, I
know I'd beat the hell out of
my daughter if I'd
see her with one."

"That's the problem with
today's youth. They've
too strong a penchant for
self-destruction. The price
we pay for
banishing God from our
schools. See? You see? The
devil takes over!"

"Yeah, I'll have a
pack of cigs as well. The cheapest
you got. And, uh, can I also
have your number? What
time you end your shift?"

"Um, excuse me, there was, like,
a big dog outside at
the pumps. You guys
have to do something
about it. We've kids in
the car. Like, seriously."

"Hey, you watch anime?
I can tell by your
makeup and piercings. Haha, don't
tell me you also play
video games. Heh."

She would've liked nothing
more than to
be allowed to fake a
disability. She'd fake being
deaf-mute. Like the guy
from 'Catcher in the Rye' wanted to do.
She tried it too, but
the boss wouldn't have
any of that

Well, shit. She wanted to quit
anyway
because she was no longer allowed
to work only
night shifts

She had an understanding with
her colleague that
she'd work all the
night shifts. Who could
refuse such an offer?

Well, apparently the new guy
did. Some new dude
replaced her old colleague
and he wanted to take
all the night shifts just as well

Could it be true? Finally
someone who
thought like her? Someone who
hated people
just like her?

Well, perhaps. She only knew
that she was still
working here
because she planned to
find out

Who knows,
maybe... maybe...