Chapter 5
Kyle Versus The World of Clips
(9:00 am – 10:00 am)
It seemed to take Kyle a life time to fix his arm. It was bandaged and taped up like he had been in a battle. He stacked the rest of the shelves in peace and quicker then he would have liked. Ron drove a tiny red pick up truck, so the amount of shelves that he pulled was more than enough. Already sweaty and gross he decided that it was time to return to the store.
As soon as the double doors closed behind him a customer approached. He had a sluggish walk but appeared to be in a daze. Kyle knew the man’s question before he even asked it. There were three questions that the majority of Clips customers always asked. The first was where the ink or toner was for printers. He often shook his head in disbelief. “Really,” he would exclaim pointing to, “the whole section is over there by that large sign Ink and Toner.” He loved their faces when he would explain this. Their snarls at him treating them like simpletons. He couldn’t help himself. People now-a-days didn’t use their heads and always needed assistance. The worst customers were the ones’ with money. The ones’ that thought you were nothing but a lower life form for working a retail job. These were the customers that wanted personal shoppers, and he would never sink to that level.
The second question that was frequently asked was the location of manila filing folders. The man approached and sure enough, “hey son can you help me find those manila folders you use for filing?” Kyle pointed to the opposite side of the store, “Aisle thirteen were it says filing. Letter will be on your right, legal on your left.” The third and final question that customers asked was the location of accordion files located in aisle fourteen. “I wonder how many times I am going to get asked those questions today?” Retreating to the front he saw Katie’s round figure standing in front of the register. There she was the old lazy brown noising loaf that he despised nearly as much as Ron.
He watched her say good bye as a customer made her way out the door. Groaning slightly, he watched her smile slightly. “Are you my relief? Thank god you’re here I need a cigarette break!” “Well actually I need to talk to Ron have you seen him?” Katie nodded at the door, “he’s in the office with Gene.” “Oh,” said Kyle unsure of what his plan was now. “So can you give me a cigarette break? I am dying for one!” “Yeah, I’m sure you are. You’ve been up here less then twenty minutes.” He made his way around the corner of the counter, “did you say something Kyle?” Shaking his head, “nothing just go ahead and take your break. I still have a ton of work to do before the truck gets here. It's not like I’m busy or anything.” “Well Gene came back and were still waiting for Will and Robert.” Nodding again, “yeah, I gotcha.” He seemed utterly uninterested as she gave him a look of disgust. Katie walked away leaving him alone at the register. Trying to get comfortable, he watched the door to the office open and his friend Joel come out. His black and green Easy Tech shirt hung like worn out laundry. Cleaning his gray glasses in his shirt he approached Kyle, “Hey what’re you doing up here? Ron was just in the office complaining about how you aren’t restocking aisle two. Whoa, what the hell happened to your arm?”
Kyle just shook his head, “well, he should know! I was back there stacking those shelves so he can sell them for scrap. Now I am up front because Katie wants another cigarette break. Despite the fact that she has been working only seventy five minutes up here. And my arm...my arm, I cut it on those frigging shelves! I think I need to get stitches, but he needs those shelves done!” Joel gave a shocked, “You need stitches?” He waved Joel off, “I don’t think so. I think I got the bleeding to stop.” Joel gave a relieved, “Oh, well I think Ron is going out for a cigarette too.” “Yeah he would, what’s this make his third…fourth? How are things going with Gene, the corporate stooge?”
Joel came around to the employee only printer, “Alright, they're just on a conference call. I think something is going on. I’ll keep you posted if I hear anything. You got a customer.” Joel pointed to the register to reveal an overweight woman with hair like a sopping wet mop. Accompanying her Kyle hoped was her husband. An overweight man himself with a walker looking more like a walrus that had passed an evolutionary stage. “Morning,” she said as he replied with a faint, “good morning.” “Sorry we got a lot of stuff,” he nodded disinterestedly, “I guess so.” Their cart was filled with large one hundred count boxes of manila folders. Instead of handing over the folders, he noticed the stack of other products that they began to spill over the counter. He saw his hope for a quick transaction pop quickly like a balloon.
Scanning the items he noticed the woman’s eyes mysteriously never left his hands. When the bag started to fill she snapped, “alright that’s good now boy!” Kyle gave an “o…k?” Grabbing two boxes of legal folders he placed them in a new bag, “No, I want the legal folders separate from the letter ones!” Rolling his eyes, he began to do what she said until she began to speak with every movement he did. “Yeah just stuff those all together like that! No, no you silly boy put all those sponges with the soap they're cleaning supplies aren’t they?” The bags exchanged hands in such confusion he thought nobody could understand it. Folders were moved and bags were exchanged for bigger one, “No put all those boxes into the big bags! How can you expect those little ones to hold all that stuff?” He shook his head trying to ignore her. The woman made his attention entirely focused on her until she grabbed her receipt with a “Now make sure you remember to use those big bags. It’ll make your life much easier.” “Yeah thanks, I’ll remember,” the woman gave a little smile as she waddled out the door. Kyle whispered a soft, “fucking yutz!”
There came a coughing behind him and upon turning he found the source. A man in his forties with dark skin and a heavy Indian accent stood with a demeanor of such politeness. “Yes sir, how can I help you,” retrieving a piece of paper he handed it to Kyle. “Yes, I brought in some ink cartridges for the exchange program that you guys have?” Kyle nodded and the man continued, “I was wondering if I could use this?” Kyle took the check, “oh they're rewards points yeah of course you…” He froze when his eyes landed on the expiration date. It was over a year old. Kyle handed it back, “I’m sorry sir, these points are expired you can’t use them.” “Come again,” the man said. “The rewards points are expired. I can’t accept them.” “What do you mean you can’t accept them? I have the check right here in my hands.” Nodding with a, “I see that sir. It’s just, well…look at the expiration date.” “I don’t understand why it’s not good!” “Sir, it’s over a year old I can’t accept it. Maybe if it was a month or two but a year, no I can’t.” The man’s face began to grow stern as Kyle knew an argument was coming. The man was trying to be polite, and Kyle’s refusal seemed to make him stiffen in anger. “I didn’t see that in the rules for the program,” now it was Kyle’s turn to be confused. Who actually would waste their time sitting and reading the fine print of a Clips Rewards Program? “Sir whether it is or isn’t is irrelevant. The fact is the check is expired.” “Irrelevant, irrelevant, it is not irrelevant! The fact is that I have these points and should be able to use them anytime I want!” “It’s over a YEAR old, I can’t accept…” The man’s temper rose as he reached over and grabbed one of the Clips Rewards Program brochures. “I want you to show me...” his finger slammed against the brochure. “Sir there’s no reason to get upset. You had a whole year to use them, and you didn’t...” “SHOW ME!”
Kyle heard the office door slam and saw Carol walking out of the office. She scanned the store like a rooster in a cock fight. Her beady eyes narrowed at the man screaming in Kyle’s face. “I want you to show me! Show me in the rules where it says that there’s a time limit!” He practically threw the brochure at him. “Sir, I don’t think it says anything, but the expiration date clearly…” “Ah you see, you see it’s not in the rules! So, I should be able to use these points correct?” Kyle gave a frustrated, “Sir they’re just rewards points there’s really…” Carol waddled over to the front of the Customer Service Desk. “Hello sir what seems to be the problem?” “Yes, the problem is that your employee here won’t honor my rewards points!” Kyle turned to Carol and handed her the check, “take a look…” “Excuse me, I think that I can talk for myself!” “I had these points and just forgot about them until now. I was looking to purchase some ink and I just wanted to…” Kyle smiled when Carol cut him off just as rudely.. “Well sir, these points are over a year old.” The customer gave a frustrated, “I know that! I’m just trying to use them!” “Sir you had a whole year to use them.” “This is absolutely ridiculous! It doesn’t say ANYTHING about that in the fine print!” “Sir, it doesn’t need to on the corner of the check that Clips sent you it gives you an expiration date…see?”
The customer’s face fell slightly. His gray glasses slightly askew. He stared almost wordlessly at her. The seconds seemed to tick by as he tried to put everything together. “So, you’re telling me that you aren’t going to honor my check?” Carol handed him back his Rewards Check, “I’m sorry sir, it’s over a year old. Do you know how much trouble I would get into. You can call the number on the back, and they will reissue you the points.” “Very well, very well,” reaching into his front pocket he removed what looked to be a very small notebook. He took out a pen and wagged his finger at Carol, “I want your name!” Kyle was surprised by how easy Carol gave it, “Carol Bradt.” The man began to write furiously as he turned pointing at Kyle. “And you, what is your name?” “Kyle,” he said in a whisper. “What was that” he snapped. “Kyle,” he repeated more confidently, “I suppose you want my last…” The man turned ignoring him completely, “I’m going to see that corporate hears about this!” The customer shut his notebook in what he thought was a rude way. He glared at the both of them as he stormed past Carol. “Sorry Carol,” said Kyle as she waved him a, “don’t worry about it! You got another customer dear.”
The day had barely begun, and he was already frustrated. Taking a breath he turned to see an older lady standing by the register. Hunched over she was staring down at a Hewlett Packer Inkjet Cartridge. “Can I help you,” “yes...question?” She said as she handed him the cartridge. “I have a Photosmart All-In-One model and was wondering if this was the ink?” Kyle shrugged, “well I don’t know off the top of my head. You didn’t look at the cartridge number before you left?” Shaking her head, “yes, I need a 940 cartage.” He pointed to the numbers on the front of the box, “well, this one is a 940.” “Yes, I just feel like they’re different, because I can also use a 125 on them.” “Well I don’t know if you can do that, but you’re sure a 940?” The woman nodded, “yea I’m sure.” Kyle was about to remove the security box covering the cartridge when the woman gave a, “You know what forget it! I don’t want to buy it if I’m not sure.” And just like that she turned and left the register without a second glance. “Where the hell is Katie?”
Kyle tried to calm his frustration as he placed the ink in the “go backs”. Katie had made it a habit to abandon her post leaving mainly Kyle to pick up the slack. He clenched his fists as he waited for her return. He lowered his head resting his body on the ledge. Katie waddled through the front door with Ron. They must have slipped by him when that customer was yelling at him. “Figures,” he muttered. The “brown nosing” Katie had always been a favorite to Ron.
She had returned to her post with an “until next time Ron!” A smile clear and wide on her face. “Kyle let me know when I can bring around my truck!” “Well, you can now it’s all ready.” No expression on his face as he headed back to the office. Kyle gritted his hands on the counter. Katie seemed to pinch every nerve in his body. He hated everything about her down to her wrinkled face to her stupid attitude. “That guy out there was yelling at Ron about you and Carol. You know what I would have done if it were me. Here, here let me teach you something.” Closing his eyes he gave a quick, “no thanks Katie! I don’t need you teaching me anything. Remember I’ve been here longer than you. If anything, I should be teaching you things!” He wished he could have memorized her face. His anger was calm, but he knew he had touched a nerve. He even cracked a smile, when he heard a simple, “oh” escape her.
Unperturbed by her scowl as she watched him walk around the counter. Bethany thankfully had returned to her normal Clips uniform. A red top with black pants, but that was not what made him turn in disgust. Once again, Bethany had never bothered to put on a bra. Her enormous chest hung like sagging torpedoes that wobbled as she walked. He had to shudder slightly at the thought of them as Bethany yelled, “hey Kyle!” Regretfully, he turned as she give a, “You better be heading to aisle two for those stickers and dots! Ron’s still all over my ass about it!” Shaking his head a little, “I have to load up Ron’s truck with…” “Ron’s in a meeting with Gene and Carol so go over there and…” “Yeah, yeah I’ll head there now!” “Where did you put the list for the toner boxes?” “I haven't been able to finish them!” “Jesus Christ, what the hell have you been doing,” she yelled as he entered aisle two. Upon his arrival he saw several hooks empty of sticker products. Groaning slightly he retreated to grab the ladder beginning his tedious search.
The searching of stickers and labels was not the highlight of his day. His mind began to drift towards his book again, and the stories he wished he was writing. Up the ladder he went to retrieve labels and down he walked with them. He filled up as much as he could, before mid-stock began to run thin. Many of the hanging hooks still lacked any type of products or item. Double checking mid-stock knowing Ron would get on him about the empty spaces. His mind now aimlessly running over his book, and the difficulty he was having with the ending. He seemed to talk to himself a lot when trying to think of ideas. He always felt talking out the book helped in creating it. He needed an ending something that hooked the reader’s attention. After all, the ending was one of the key parts in making a great story. “Damn,” he whispered gazing down to see an older woman with coke bottle glasses. “Hi,” she said in a shaky voice, “where can I get file folders?” Kyle groaned but tried to give a polite, “they’re in aisle thirteen under filing.” She headed off with a quick, “thank you!”
He returned to mid-stock pulling down more items, when a figure came around the corner. It was a person that he least wanted to see. Ron slightly grimaced at Kyle, before he returned his gaze to the empty hooks. Kyle knew that look. He knew it all too well. Ron returned his gaze up to him, “You seem to have forgotten these?” He pointed to the empty hanging hooks. Kyle couldn’t help but roll his eyes. He knew that it was coming, but he wasn't prepared for it. “We don’t have any of those up here. I double checked.” Ron returned his gaze to the hooks and then back up to Kyle, “So, you’re telling me that if I get the gun and scan these items I wouldn’t find anything in the entire store?” Kyle knew that question and knew that it was a double edged sword. He had to think about his answer. The question wasn’t simply, yes or no. The question was, was he confident enough to guarantee his answer? He thought for a second, “Like I said Ron there are no more left up here.” Ron gave him a final look and then disappeared around the corner. “Wow,” Kyle said to himself. “That...that's amazing I really didn’t think he would take my word!” He smiled as he returned to mid-stock “now, where are those stupid mailing label things?” He searched through boxes and under piles of letters until something caught his attention again.
Ron had returned from around the corner. The PDA gun clearly visible in his hand. Shaking his head, “what an ass!” He whispered as Ron began to scan the bar codes. Kyle couldn’t wait to hear his reaction. He scanned over the first item without a word. Kyle began to smile feeling more confident at Ron’s unresponsive reactions. It told him that he was right, but would Ron admit it? He scanned the second, and then the third. The gun dropped to his side as an unusual look appeared upon his face. Was it disappointment? Yes, it seemed like disappointment. It made Kyle smile wider. He wanted to eat it up like it was thick as porridge. He leaned over the ladder staring at him “So, did you find anything?” Kyle tried to hide his excitement, but his smile grew wider. Ron never answer the question. He walked around the corner and disappeared literally speechless. “What an ass,” he repeated.
RINGGG! RINGGG! The loud warehouse bell almost made Kyle tumble backwards down the ladder. Signaling the arrival of shipment, Kyle gave a little sigh of relief. He didn’t know how much longer he could pretend to be taking labels down. Locking up the ladder, he made his way towards the warehouse. Well, it wasn't his fault that the back room wasn't prepared. He thought about the pile of metal shelves by the overhead dock door. Deep down Kyle knew somehow in someway he was going to be blamed.
“Yes, um sir,” a woman with tiny glasses approached. “Where can I find ink in this place?” Kyle pointed down the aisle, “yeah if you go down the aisle here. You’ll see a giant sign at the front reading, Ink and Toner.” “Could you show me? I didn’t see it on the way in.” Kyle groaned waving her down the aisle pointing to the hanging Ink & Toner sign. She laughed, “right in front of my face huh…thanks!” Kyle turned seeing a man approach, “hey son, where can I find file folders?” “Aisle thirteen sir, letter will be on right and legal on your left.” It was almost robotic like it was programmed in his head. The man gave his thanks and disappeared. Just as he was about to head in he was stopped by another woman. Her outfit was not the reason for his smile, it was her question. “Hi do you guys sell pillows here?” “Pillows,” he repeated trying not to laugh, “Well we have those travel pillows for planes and cars.” Her lips pursed together, “no…no, that is not what I am looking for. I need a full pillow you know?” “Ma’am we're an office supply store! You should try Bed Bath & Beyond. It’s right next door.” Disgruntled, she turned murmuring to herself.
Kyle entered the double doors to see Joel already letting in the driver. A short man, who did not seem suited for his line of work. The man had a backwards brown hat and large white teeth that came out like a horse. “Hey buddy what’s up,” Joel shook his hand adding a quick, “You’re running late.” The driver’s voice was high and boisterous. He could have spoken from a podium. “I know buddy, I know! Things are going crazy downtown right now! Whoa, you got a lot of shit here!” Turning to Kyle, “what the hell Kyle? How are we supposed to unload the truck with all these shelves in the way?” Kyle shrugged, “Hey I just did what Ron told me to do! He said that the truck wasn’t supposed to be here until the afternoon.” The driver smiled, “oh he must have looked at the report yesterday. We updated it this morning.” Kyle turned from them, “Jesus,” he muttered angrily. “Where am I supposed to put all this stuff Joel? How come you didn't tell me about this?” Waving his hand Joel muttered, “just…I don’t know! Put the shelves on the trash pile, ok?” They moved the metal shelves one by one throwing them on top of the trash pile, “you know Joel this is going to rip up the bags.” Joel threw another shelf, “we’ll deal with it later.” “We’ll deal with it or I’ll deal with it?” Joel gave a firm, “WE will now stop complaining and help, please?”
With the space in front of the overhead dock door now cleared, the driver pulled the seal off the truck. “So, what were you going to say earlier.? What crazy shit was going on?” Kyle was grabbing the pallet jack as the driver began, “Well one of our drivers was robbed this morning. He was running a job for you guys.” Kyle chuckled as Joel thankfully asked the question that he was burning to ask. “You have to tell me about it!” The driver went about his usual routine, while explaining the story. Kyle leaned onto the pallet jack watching the driver’s expression turn into a smile. “The driver was making his usual delivery over in Stony Island.” Kyle gave a laugh, “yeah that sounds about right!” The driver continued as if Kyle had said nothing. “So, the way the dock doors sit the driver has to back the truck in. So, he gets out to open the back door and then reverses towards the loading dock. As he’s backing up he notices two kids start to wave him down.” Kyle began to chuckle louder repeating, “Yeah that sounds about right!” “The driver then glances at his rear view mirror and sees two other kids digging in the back of the truck.”
Slam! The back of the driver’s truck opens to reveal two rows of large pallets. “So, the driver gets panicked right and jumps out of his truck. He runs directly into the yard locking the gate behind him. Therefore letting the kids have a field day with his truck. Four kids got away with three boxes.” “Damn, three boxes,” said Joel. Kyle just shrugged, “that’s it?” Ignoring him the driver continued as he began to lower the ramp to the truck. “So, the driver returned to the truck and assessed what was taken. You wanna know what they took?” Shaking his head as Joel gave an, “You can’t get away with much, you know? You really have to know what you’re looking for.” The driver began to laugh, “They made away with three boxes of those recycled toner boxes. You know the ones from that program you guys offer.” Joel began to laugh as Kyle said, “God, I would LOVE to be there when they opened those boxes!”
Joel continued to laugh as Kyle brought the pallet jack over. “I would just want to be there just to look down at their disappointed faces and be like you fucking idiots!” Joel laughed even harder as Kyle added, “I mean, what can you do with that stuff? There is nothing you could do with it, right? It serves no value of any sort!” Joel wagged his finger, “that’s not true dude! They could open a card with us and recycle ten a month. You know they’d get twenty dollars from it.” The driver slapped his knee in utter hysteria continuing, “They’d have to open like a hundred cards! Could you even imagine?”
Joel took the pallet jack from Kyle, “go find Brandon and get everything ready, will ya? Get these pallets outta the way and finish wrapping them.” He gave a frown as Joel gave a nod, “alright...please?” Smirking he turned and began looking for Brandon. Joel became a pain when he needed to put on that professional manner. He hated to be talked down to like that. Thankfully, Joel was a good friend that understood his problem with it. It didn’t take long for Kyle to find Brandon. He was already in the warehouse with them sitting on a stack of pallets. His attention entirely in his phone. He was totally uninterested in the driver’s story, “Jesus Christ have you been here the entire time? Hey Brandon …Brandon…BRANDON, you coming to work?” Brandon glanced at him, “Yeah Kyle jeez!” He hopped off the pallets, “We could have used you when we were moving all those shelves. Did you even hear the news...Brandon?”
Raising his eyes from his phone Brandon gave a loud, “WHAT man?” Kyle shook his head, “What the hell has got you so wrapped up?” He smiled, “talking with a girl that I met the other night.” “Don’t...don’t you have a girlfriend?” Brandon nodded as he returned to his phone. Arranging the pallets in an uninterested manner saying simply,“Yep!” “So you hooked up while you have a girlfriend”? Shaking his head, “No man, I asked my girlfriend out last night. I screwed this other girl the night before that. I totally wrecked her!” Kyle began to laugh. Brandon always loved to brag. “I’m sure you did,” Brandon stopped and shouted, “I did!” Kyle nodded, “No I know, and I believe you.” Flipping his phone around Brandon gave a snide, “read that!”
[Message from Sung]
Yeah you really hurt me. It’s hard for me to walk. My Va Jay Jay is really sore.
His silver lip ring shone brightly under the fluorescent lights as he smiled widely. “Yeah that’s right!” Kyle handed the phone back, “is that her picture?” Brandon nodded with his smile widening, “you like that don’t you?” Giving a shrug, “yeah, she’s alright.” Brandon nodded more slowly, “yeah...you like it!” “Can we just get everything together? We could have used you when we were moving all those shelves.”
Unloading the truck was always a different experience. Pallets moved off the truck as other pallets were moved back on. It was grueling work pushing a literal ton of paper or cased water. Brandon continued to text as Kyle dropped a pallet of furniture with a slight groan. The driver waved good bye after signing the paperwork. Kyle quickly began to tackle the red shipping totes. The red totes contained randomly shipped items. “Bring the high risk items up front when you can!” He nodded at Joel knowing the routine. Brandon continued to text on his phone smirking slightly with his almost frantic typing.
“Hey you gunna give me a hand?” Brandon slipped off the printer he was sitting on. “What’s so funny,” asked Kyle as Brandon shook his head, “nothing.” Green tagged totes meant the totes were filled with ink. The black tagged totes meant high risk items. The minutes passed as silence came between them. Gripping a tote, Kyle felt it slip from his grasp as Brandon asked, “so Kyle…ever take anything?” The tote clattered as Kyle began to laugh, “Are…are you serious?” Brandon looked at him seriousness was clear in his face. “No, it’s too difficult.” Brandon scoffed, “Too easy is more like it!” Nodding his head, “yeah, yeah Brandon. You certainly can talk the talk can’t you?” “Talk, the talk…please!” Kyle smiled, “What have you taken? A pack of pens...a zip drive at most?”
“I can take anything I want,” smirking Kyle gave a simple, “sure you can.” “You don’t believe me,” he said dropping the last black tagged tote on the U-Boat. “No, I really don’t. If you get caught with anything $25 or over they can prosecute you.” Brandon’s eyes mashed with his face as his smile grew ever wider. “Man, I have taken GPSs, hard drives, software, cameras. You know that old Nikon we had for like $349 dollars? Who do you think got one of the last clearance ones?” Kyle shook his head in disbelief, “how’d you do that?” Brandon wagged his finger, “no cameras in the security room. I was back there one day. Karen let me in and...yoink! Somehow the camera slides down my pocket and out I stroll.” Shaking his head again, “Impossible, there are cameras all over the security room There has to be after all it’s the security room.” “That’s what I thought, but have you ever really looked for them.” His thoughts on the subject didn’t take long. “No, but I am always in there with somebody.” Brandon nodded, “yeah well if you look carefully there are none. There are only six on the floor. You see the screens every day when you go into the office, don’t you?” “It’s the security room it’s gotta…” “It’s gotta have nothing. It has nothing!” Kyle’s face furrowed, “how long ago did you do this?” Brandon waved his hand, “HA before you ever set foot in this place!” Nodding his head as Kyle grabbed the U-Boat muttering, “yeah that’s what I figured.”