It was my first night on the job. It was a pretty simple task; it was at a gas station. Just work the counter on the night shift. Nothing to it, right? Wrong.
It was about 2:00 A.M. when it happened. I was just standing there, bored as hell, waiting for someone to come in. A completely innocent convenient store clerk. Never did anything wrong. That was it. End of story.
Yeah, but sometimes bad things happen to good people.
You see, it was that moment, 2:13 in the morning, Tuesday, I think, maybe in June-- my mind's kind of foggy now-- that a single person drove up to the store, stepped inside, and walked up to the counter.
No, he didn't rob me. Yet.
"Hey, buddy, you got a telephone I could use?" he asked.
"Sure," I said, pointing to the telephone in the back of the store. At that moment, I didn't know what was going to occur in just minutes.
It's funny how a few minutes is all you get sometimes to know that you're going to die.
So, he got on the phone. Called a friend. Started having a pleasant conversation. I wasn't paying much attention; I was too tired to care. But then, the guy looked over at me, and I looked back. Just then, he said three words. Three simple words that happened to be enough to wake me right up and make my blood run cold.
"Just keep smiling."
What? What did he say? What does that mean? Was he saying that to me? Does he have a gun? Is he going to rob me?
Am I going to get murdered?
These were the questions that were swimming through my mind.
Okay, stay calm. Don't look scared. Let's analyze this for what may be the last few moments that I live.
He always could've been talking to his friend.
Yeah, but he was looking straight at you.
It happens. Maybe he was just glancing around. You weren't paying attention until he looked at you.
Still, there's a possibility. Hey, should I push the alarm?
No way! He probably wasn't talking to you; even if he was, who says he's got a gun?
Well, he looks pretty big. Even if he doesn't have one, he could probably take me in a fight.
Well, maybe he was making conversation.
Making conversation? What the hell kind of conversation is that? He must not be a very good peoples' person.
Okay, let's say he robs the store. Why would he kill you if you just give him the money?
Once in a blue moon, it happens.
It's still unprobable.
Yeah, but--
The voices in my head were stilled by the man hanging up the phone.
That's when my life started flashing before my eyes.
He walked up to the counter.
When I woke up today, I never thought for one moment that this day might be the last I had on Earth.
He stopped for a moment. Gave me a weird look.
To think, what I could've done with my life. All the feats I could've accomplished, all the places I could've visited, gone with the push of a trigger.
He opened his mouth to say something, reaching into his pocket.
Here it comes.
...And then he pulled out his car keys.
Keys? He's going to stab me to death with keys! Oh, what a world! I'll miss you, Mom!
"Well, thanks, buddy. Have a nice day."
I look at him.
"That's all?" I said. He gave me another odd look.
"Oh, sorry; is the phone for customers only?" he asked, confused.
"Uh, no. No, never mind. Have a nice day."
And then he left. Walked out, stepped into his car, started it, and drove off.
Well, that was that. I quit after that day. Wussed out, couldn't take it. A guy says something that could or could not mean he's going to rob me, doesn't rob me, and I quit in case some other idiot decides to rob a convenient store in the future. Sad, right?
Well, you know what they say; better safe than sorry.
__________________________________________________
Well? How was it?
It was about 2:00 A.M. when it happened. I was just standing there, bored as hell, waiting for someone to come in. A completely innocent convenient store clerk. Never did anything wrong. That was it. End of story.
Yeah, but sometimes bad things happen to good people.
You see, it was that moment, 2:13 in the morning, Tuesday, I think, maybe in June-- my mind's kind of foggy now-- that a single person drove up to the store, stepped inside, and walked up to the counter.
No, he didn't rob me. Yet.
"Hey, buddy, you got a telephone I could use?" he asked.
"Sure," I said, pointing to the telephone in the back of the store. At that moment, I didn't know what was going to occur in just minutes.
It's funny how a few minutes is all you get sometimes to know that you're going to die.
So, he got on the phone. Called a friend. Started having a pleasant conversation. I wasn't paying much attention; I was too tired to care. But then, the guy looked over at me, and I looked back. Just then, he said three words. Three simple words that happened to be enough to wake me right up and make my blood run cold.
"Just keep smiling."
What? What did he say? What does that mean? Was he saying that to me? Does he have a gun? Is he going to rob me?
Am I going to get murdered?
These were the questions that were swimming through my mind.
Okay, stay calm. Don't look scared. Let's analyze this for what may be the last few moments that I live.
He always could've been talking to his friend.
Yeah, but he was looking straight at you.
It happens. Maybe he was just glancing around. You weren't paying attention until he looked at you.
Still, there's a possibility. Hey, should I push the alarm?
No way! He probably wasn't talking to you; even if he was, who says he's got a gun?
Well, he looks pretty big. Even if he doesn't have one, he could probably take me in a fight.
Well, maybe he was making conversation.
Making conversation? What the hell kind of conversation is that? He must not be a very good peoples' person.
Okay, let's say he robs the store. Why would he kill you if you just give him the money?
Once in a blue moon, it happens.
It's still unprobable.
Yeah, but--
The voices in my head were stilled by the man hanging up the phone.
That's when my life started flashing before my eyes.
He walked up to the counter.
When I woke up today, I never thought for one moment that this day might be the last I had on Earth.
He stopped for a moment. Gave me a weird look.
To think, what I could've done with my life. All the feats I could've accomplished, all the places I could've visited, gone with the push of a trigger.
He opened his mouth to say something, reaching into his pocket.
Here it comes.
...And then he pulled out his car keys.
Keys? He's going to stab me to death with keys! Oh, what a world! I'll miss you, Mom!
"Well, thanks, buddy. Have a nice day."
I look at him.
"That's all?" I said. He gave me another odd look.
"Oh, sorry; is the phone for customers only?" he asked, confused.
"Uh, no. No, never mind. Have a nice day."
And then he left. Walked out, stepped into his car, started it, and drove off.
Well, that was that. I quit after that day. Wussed out, couldn't take it. A guy says something that could or could not mean he's going to rob me, doesn't rob me, and I quit in case some other idiot decides to rob a convenient store in the future. Sad, right?
Well, you know what they say; better safe than sorry.
__________________________________________________
Well? How was it?
