Chapter 4
It Begins
(7:40 am - 9:00 am)
Feeling a little queasy he followed Ron, who didn’t bother to look back at him. What was on his mind? He was already busy after all. Did he want to throw more work onto him? Behind the office door contained three rooms. Behind the left door sat the manager’s office, behind the middle door led to the locked up merchandise, and behind the right door sat the cash office. Kyle had never been in that office alone. After all, it did contain the safe with all the money. Ron took a seat, “please sit down.” Gazing at Ron suspiciously, “um, o…k?” Kyle took the chair and gazed at one of the two monitors. The one that caught his interest for the moment was the surveillance cameras. “Kyle,” returning to Ron, he gave a nervous smile which Ron did not reciprocate. “Kyle, it has come to my attention that Katie has been recently upset with you.” Furrowing his brow Kyle gave a simple, “oh?” Ron gave a huff and continued, “It has come to my attention that you, and Katie had a disagreement the other day?” “Disagreement,” he said now starting to get really confused. “About putting away the ink and toner at the end of the shift?” “OH ok sure, what about it?” “Well,” said Ron leaning back in his chair and crossing his fingers. “She came in here and was awfully upset about what you said. She started crying and saying that you were being unfair to her. You’ve been saying some mean things that she likes to abandon her shift.”
“Crying...really Ron?” Kyle was stunned by this, “oh yes she was very hurt. Now I don’t know if you know this or not, but Katie is on welfare. She can only work twenty hours a week.” A slight pause filled the room as Ron seemed to be waiting for sympathy. “I already knew that. I'm sorry Ron but am I supposed to feel sorry? All of us stay over, all the time, Ashley, Susan, Ilene, Keith…me, all the time. We don’t abandon shift and leave. We're a team and...” “Well, Kyle she can only work twenty hours! She can’t work over that or else she gets into trouble with the state.” Kyle sat there staring at Ron as his fingers rubbed under his chin. He was watching Kyle with a mild interest. It was a staring match between them. “If you brought me in here to feel sorry for her I don’t. I’m sorry you might think I am mean, but if she is working here like the rest of us then she should do the job equally.” “Kyle, Kyle, Kyle,” being a smart ass he wanted to reply, “Ron, Ron, Ron.”
“Did you know that Katie comes in here and counts the money every morning for the cash drop?” Kyle nodded, “yeah Ron, I am here most mornings. I can count the money too if you let me. I have been here longer and can do pretty much everything around here.” “Not everything, I highly doubt you know as much as you think you know.” Kyle smiled knowing Ron was getting upset, “well working forty hours every week for three years can really help.” They stared at each other again, “so how do we handle this problem of yours Kyle?”
Feeling his blood beginning to boil inside of him. He knew that one day he would look back at his actions and feel differently. However everything seemed to be crashing inside of him. It was like a massive car pile up. Ron's superior gaze and massive arrogance seemed to be the gas ready to set those cars aflame. Kyle knew that he was being a bit arrogant himself. Although, the truth was that all the work that he had done for Ron over the years. All the labor to make him look good for corporate. Should have placed Ron on his knees thanking him for everything. For all the bullshit that he put up with, and the fact that he was still here should say something. And it did, it made him look weak. For the first time ever he knew that it was time for him to quite, possibly mid-shift.
“My problem, my problem, no, no, no Ron this is her problem. Every cashier knows that they need to take their ink and toner back. EVERYONE does it, except her. I'm not her boss, and I don't even care if she loads them in the recycling boxes. I just asked if she could bring them to the back. This is not a big deal. I just want fair that’s all. I’m not the bad guy…” “Fair,” Ron repeated almost coldly before continuing. “Fair….not the bad guy. Kyle if you only knew half of what’s going on in her life she wouldn’t be in here…” “Ron, those are personal problems and not work related. We all have problems, and I don't bring them here into work. I have to do all the work around here! I do the truck, I do Office Supplies, I do the toner, I do Copy and Print, I do Easy Tech, I do furniture, I do UPS, and all everyone asks is for her to sort her toner before she leaves...” Ron ran his hand over his forehead cutting him off, “I can’t do this anymore Kyle get out!”
Kyle froze feeling that he had gone too far this time. However everything he said was the truth. “It seems that you and I are not going to see eye to eye on this one get out…just get out! Get out and bring me that ink pull!” Kyle stood up with a, “very well.” He didn’t know what else to say. He just stared at Ron who looked tired and exasperated. Kyle left the office and out the door, “what a fucking joke!” He made his way up to the front where Katie was now boxing up printer ink. She eyed him the entire time as his mind begged, “please let there be a PDA gun up here.” He didn’t want to go back into that office, and he sure as hell didn’t want to stay up front. Moving the lock boxes, he finally found what he was looking for. It was a long gray tablet that was used to create pull lists or take inventory. Giving an angry scowl he turned away and headed to the ink and toner. At least, he would finally be able to get some time to think.
The great thing about pull lists were they were tedious like most jobs at Clips. Scan the barcode, press the number of ink that you need pulled from lock up and move on. It was the simplest of jobs that even a half trained monkey could do. Smiling Kyle gave a quick, “maybe Joel was right? Maybe he should write a book on his experiences in retail?” He took a step to his right to begin scanning again. After all look at what had happened today alone. It would actually be a pretty funny book, “but I don’t do comedy though.” Furrowing his face he became lost in thought, “but I have done so much retail. I have so many stories to tell. I don’t know if I could fit them all in one book.” Moving to the right he began to scan the next row of ink. He continued his internal thought, “but this one is so close to being done. I don’t know.”
“Don’t know what,” gazing up Kyle saw the source of the voice. It was Akeya. She tossed her long black hair, “hey Akeya what’s up?” She had white teeth like pearls and gorgeous hazel eyes. he shook his head, “nothing, nothing, haven’t been able to talk to you for awhile.” She smiled, “you been busy?” He nodded, “well you know Ron and me!” She nods, “yeah I do.” Scanning another barcode, “so what’s up with you, nothing?” She smiled wider and lowered her head, “actually there is something. I am going to be leaving pretty soon that new girl Nicole is going to take my position until I get back.” “Oh where you going? Don’t tell me I gotta be lonely around here without you?” Nodding, “fraid so, I got called up for four weeks additional training.” “Additional training but your only in the guard, right?” “Yeah but orders are orders, my parents are watching my daughter while I’m gone.” “You can’t go Akeya! Everyone doesn’t like Nicole because she doesn’t do any work. Even I have to do some of her work, while she’s even here.”
Turning to Copy and Print and then back to Kyle, “I know everyone has already complained to Ron, but we need somebody.” “Oh,” is all he could manage to say, “well I better get back. We are so far behind it’s insane!” She gave another big smile and headed back to Copy and Print. Kyle’s eyes immediately fell to her bottom, which was seductively shaped like a large apple. He bit his lip with his mind saying, “God damn that’s fine! No, she fine!”
He turned back to the ink when another voice stopped him, “I saw that!” Looking up he saw that it was Rebecca. His mind began to talk again, “she fine too!” Her freckles stretched as she gave a cute smile, “I saw that Kyle!” Shaking his head, “saw what?” “I saw that!” “Saw what Rebecca,” “you know Kyle, you know! So don’t pretend like you didn’t.” “Whatever Rebecca, what’s up with you?” Shrugging, “nothing just had to get away from all that paper and well since you’re giving pretty girl’s attention. I thought you would maybe want to give me some attention?” Furrowing his brow suspiciously noticing a red shopping cart that she had conveniently brought with her. “And I suppose the cart of boxed ink has nothing to do with it right?” She smiled, “well, only part.” She rattled the cart into the aisle, “So are you going to help a lady?” “Well, I can’t really. Ron told me that I have to do the pull list.” Rebecca frowned at him, “you always did know how to disappoint a girl.” “I never disappoint Rebecca! I always satisfy just ask my girlfriend.” Laughing slightly, “you’re a goof Kyle!”
“So, I saw you were talking to yourself before Akeya came over.” Kyle turned red slightly, “no, I wouldn’t talk to myself.” “Mhm, so Joel was telling me about your book. How’s that going?” Shrugging, “alright I guess, I can’t get an ending.” “Joel said that you were going to write a book about all your experiences in retail. He said you got some pretty funny stories too.” Smiling, “I got a few I suppose.” “You wanna tell me one?” Shrugging, “I’m not really in the mood. It’s too early.” “Oh come on please, Joel told me that you have a really good one about you at Big Lots!” “Well, I have many stories from Big Lots, but I do have one that is really funny. It's so funny in fact that nobody ever believes me when I tell it.” “Oh really, I wanna hear,” she replied beginning to sort through the plastic boxes of ink and placing them on their corresponding hooks.
“Well, I guess I got nothing else to do. Where do I even begin? We were closing one night, and the store was empty thankfully. My boss tells me to go lock the front door, so that we can actually get out on time.” Rebecca began to smile, “So was this when you were up at college?” He nodded and continued, “So I go to lock the door when this huge guy walks up. Now mind you most of the lights are out and it is pretty dark inside. Our manager was counting two out of the three registers. So, the guy comes up and he is like the spitting image of Mike Jones…back when he was still fat.” “Mike Jones,” Rebecca repeats, “yeah you know the rapper?” She shakes her head, “no I know who he is, but he was African American too?” I nodded, “yeah, I mean like the spitting image like a clone. Anyway, he comes over and knocks on the door just as I am locking it. He says, ‘hey man you're not closing are you?’ I told him that we were, but he starts begging and pleading with me. ‘Come on bro please, please it’s an emergency!’” Rebecca returned to the cart withdrawing more cases of ink as Kyle continued on. “So, I told the guy ‘ok, but you have to be really quick ok?’ He agrees and comes in, which freaks out my manager. He said to go straighten everything and hurry him up.”
Kyle moved over as he scanned another barcode for the ink and entered the number 4 into the gun. “So I start straightening and notice that the guy is taking his sweet time. First he’s in the toy section and then he makes his way into the clothes section. So just when I am about to tell him to hurry up I see him stop. Now mind you Reb, the lights are all dark in this section. He knows we're trying to close. So, he stops and he starts looking at a plastic case. He nods his head several times, muttering to himself, ‘yeah that’s it!’” “Do you know what he grabbed?” Scoffing in a mocking way, “course I know Reb! I had to do the planogram for that aisle that day! He grabbed a plastic box filled with three male black thongs.” Rebecca started laughing, “no way, no way I don’t believe it!” I nodded, “he did, he purchased them and left the store.” Rebecca was laughing so hard that she started to turn red, “wait, wait let me catch my breath! You’re telling me that the guy’s big emergency was purchasing male thongs!” I shrugged, “I guess that was the only thing that he bought.” “I don’t believe it, I can’t believe it! Joel was right, Joel was absolutely right! You should write about your experiences if all your stories are half as good as that.”
His words failed as Kyle saw the sliding front doors opening. A white teenager with glasses and spiked brown hair came in looking around. “Look at this fool…” Kyle made his way towards the front, “um excuse me sir, but the store doesn’t open for another five minutes.” He looked around the store again and then at Kyle, “um I’m supposed to start today. I am supposed to see a man named Ron?” Kyle gave a soft, “oh,” and then continued, “Well what’s your name?” “Tristan,” Kyle nodded and then went towards the office. Opening the door Kyle walked into an extraordinary scene. A scene that any worker would hate to have seen. Ron’s head nearly hit the keyboard as he blinked several times before looking at Kyle. He had found Ron sleeping in his office. “REALLY,” his mind shouted before continuing. “I’m out there busting my ass and you’re sitting in here sleeping?” The funny thing was that this was not the first time that he had caught Ron sleeping on the job.
Ron was wiping the sleep from his eyes, “Kyle?” Gritting his teeth and praying for patience, “yeah Ron.” He gazed up at Kyle and ran his hand over his forehead. “Have you finished the ink pull list?” Shaking his head, “no I’m halfway though.” “Well that’s good enough print that and then leave it up front. I need you to do something before the truck gets here.” “O...k, if this is about finishing the chairs it’s already been done.” Shaking his head, “no, no, and speaking of that I might need those chairs all moved again. I need all the chairs on the top racks moved back to the middle racks.”
An explosion seemed to go off in Kyle’s head. A scenario entered his mind where he rushed at Ron throttling him in his office chair screaming, “WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?” The scenario left his mind, and he returned to see Ron just staring at him. “I need you to get rid of some of those metal shelves that we use too. You know the one’s that we have more than enough of? Do you know what I am talking about?” Kyle nodded with a sarcastic, “yea.” Ron closed his eyes and continued to rub his forehead as if he had a terrible headache. “I need you to clear out some space. Enough space to fill up the back of my truck. I’m going to take that crap over to the scrap yard. I need to get money to buy all of you lunch today.” Kyle looked confused, “um, didn’t you say…” His words were cut off almost immediately. Ron had not even heard him, “just pile the stuff by the dock door. I can just pull up my truck when you’re finished. I need it filled to the brim...to the very brim Kyle!” He was literally speechless, “um,” was all that he could muster. Opening his eyes Ron gazed at him again, “you, you want me to do it now? I still have to finish the pallets for the truck, do aisle two…” “Well do this first the truck won’t be here until the afternoon. The shelves won’t take that long anyway. Rolling his eyes, “very well! Oh by the way you have a guy named Tristan out there. Apparently, he is starting today.”
Marching out of the room, Kyle walked towards the warehouse. Past the pallets of paper, “HEY...Kyle!” Kyle had marched straight past Joel who had caught up to him, “what’s up, why do you look so pissed?” “Fucking Ron, fucking Ron, that mother fu….” “Whoa, whoa dude you need to calm down!” “You know what that idiot told me to do!” Joel followed him towards the warehouse, “He wants me to pull those metal shelves to sell for scrap. Oh that includes having to make a bail, fix the pallets, box recycled toner, fill aisle two,...look at the paper section! I have to restock all that before Ron even notices. And not to mention the possibility of moving all the chairs that Brandon and I…”
Joel gripped him on the shoulder, “alright dude, you need to relax!” “I can’t relax! I do practically everything around here! I mean look Katie is boxing up more ink already! Why did I have to shoot a pull list if they already pulled the god damn...” “Listen Kyle why don’t you go and take a fifteen minute break. You have been here for awhile and looks like you could use one. I can cover for you with Ron and Carol.” Shaking his head, “I wish I could, but I can’t. I am going to rush through those shelves though.” “What, what's that,” he asked noticing his name on a planogram curled in Joel’s hand. Joel gave a, “well uh...never mind. Ok, I need you to do this planogram for the book bags. You know where they all are and...” “REALLY JOEL,” clapping him on the back, “forget it Kyle!” Shaking his head, “no, no just give it to me man. What’re you up too?” “Me,” Joel exclaimed with a little laugh, “nothing compared to you!” Kyle lowered his head, “can you just tell me what you’re doing, so I don’t feel like the only one doing something. I mean, I just caught Ron sleeping in the office.” Joel handed him the planogram as he keeled over laughing. “You caught Ron sleeping!” Kyle nodded, “yeah and it's not the first time either.” “Jeez that’s not as bad as what I caught him doing yesterday.” Waiting until Joel stopped laughing he answered Kyle’s inquisitive look. “Oh, I caught him watching car videos on Youtube the other day.” “Oh god, if I hear him brag about that stupid car he built with his son again. I’m going to personally burn it to a smoldering heap.” “So violent today, don’t worry the day will be over soon. Remember the cardinal rule of getting through retail?” Nodding several times pocketing the planogram, “yea, yea, yea, I know stay busy.” Joel smiled, “yep just stay busy.” “Yea, but the funny thing is I don’t need to stay busy. I’m always already busy!” “Then you’re all good man not like some of these people. We have to scurry around to find work. Clips stays running because of you remember that!”
A minute later, he was pushing through the double doors noticing warehouse was still a mess. “Jesus, does Brandon do anything around here?” He stared upon the piles of shipping totes and half wrapped pallets. The scattered half filled boxes of recycled toner littering the floor. “What an idiot,” he exclaimed staring at the rack of metal shelves. He dragged the ladder over to the shelves wondering how Ron could relax knowing everybody was out working. Working essentially to make him look good to corporate.
Although, this was not the first time that he had caught Ron sleeping on the job. Grabbing a metal shelf and then tossed it to the ground beginning his tedious task. It was a year into Clips that he caught Ron sleeping the first time. It was very early in the morning when Kyle came in. However this time it wasn’t the team just a couple people willing to come in early. It was only Bethany, Keith, and him. Keith was one of Ron’s favorites, nicknamed “Froggy” for his supposed frog like voice. Ron and Kyle had brought a table upfront to as Ron put it, “lay out Easy Tech fliers and brochures.” Kyle left prior to Ron’s request bringing up several carts from the back. On his way back up front he noticed something strange. Ron was sitting at the table. He stopped moving the carts with a puzzled look. He moved through the ink aisle as not to disturb him. He remembered how his jaw dropped in shock. Ron had lain down on the table using his arms as pillows. Not only was Ron asleep, but he was passed out snoring.
Throwing another metal shelf Kyle felt his teeth grit in anger. It didn’t matter in the end though. Kyle took a movie of it. He vowed on that day that if he was ever going to go down he would be taking Ron with him. He laughed remembering how angry he was. In fact, he slammed the carts into their holding spot making as much noise as possible. Ron’s head shot up as he stared around the store unaware that he had fallen asleep. He saw that it was Kyle stretched widely and then prepared to lay back down. “Oh Kyle, I didn’t know you’d be up so soon. Can you make a bail before truck comes please?” “Make a bail, make a bail, really…” Kyle tossed another shelf in anger, “was he serious?” He threw another shelf and then another, “at least he didn’t talk about his car.” He smiled again at his little comment. Ron and his son had built their own little sports car, and the bragging never stopped. He always made sure to show Kyle going over every little detail about it. He grinned at him fishing for praise, but at the same time rubbing it in his face. Ron even went as far as having Copy and Print blow up a picture of it to hang in the office. “To the fool, that’s what the dedication will read in my…ah, shit!”
Kyle had thrown a shelf and the hook that clicked into the wall cut across the top of his arm. Blood gushed out as it ran heavily down his arm. “Damn that fucking hurts,” he rattled down the ladder and moved into the break room. Blood ran down the sink, “shit,” Kyle said again. His mind began to race as the cut appeared to be deep. So deep in fact that he might need stitches. Several minutes passed and blood covered the sink including the entire back of his hand. The meager first aid kit was not helping either. He took the gauze from its box and pressed on the wound hoping he wouldn't have to go to the hospital. He pressed harder and tried bandaging it up. Immediately, the band aid became soaked with blood. The cut was deep and wouldn’t stop no matter what he tried.
The other door to the break room squeaked open. Kyle raised his head and to his astonishment he saw Ron. “Kyle,” he said almost surprised to see him. They both stared at each other, “what’re you doing? What’s going on?” He held up his arm, “I cut myself on the shelves and I can’t stop bleeding. I think I might need to go….” “Ok well just hurry up and let me know when I can pull my truck around.” “I can’t stop bleed…” Ron turned from him and exited the doors. He was left with blood running down his arm and water soaking the front of his shirt. It was at that moment he knew he needed to quit and maybe it was going to have to be today. Glowering at the door, “I hate this job!”