Amos Bronson Alcott 1799 –1888
he was repeating a quote of his to himself as he groceryshopped Our dreams drench us in sense, and sense
steep us again in dreams.
he really
liked it
distracted he cutsharp
past an endcap nearly rocking a woman employee walking up the aisle he enteredgrabbed
her by the arms so he didnt bowl her overdrop her on her back
You okay
I am I am I’m sorry.
Im sorry though looking
into her hand her cellphone yaoughta watch where youre driving
chuckled
Yeah. Suppose I wasn’t paying
attention to where I was going.
But youre okay
I am, yes, thank you. I’m okay.
Then off ya go he
glanced at her breast Violet stitched
in the apron Violet
A story behind tha huh
she smiled mischievously liked
her dimples There is.
he released her
she moved away dazed like a trout freed from a hook
Ill seeya around
quicklook over her shoulder said Likely.
Ahshit
he liked going to cashiers disliked the Self Checkout
but there were two extremely long lines
the people in them had one thing
in common
they had beer booze Super Bowl
not allowed through Self Checkout
but this is where corporate
coercion falls flat
while it rather people use
Self Checkout it fails to realise their alcohol rules force people to stand in
long lines and either havent the personnel to run cash registers or arent
interested in opening lanes opening fresh cashdrawers that have to be counted
at closing
MOTTO THEY
CAN WAIT people
need their groceries
Ahshit a second time Self
Checkout Sounds like suicide
he hadnt liquour
he was coerced
set his grocery bag on narrow
shelf thighhigh to the left of the scanner thighhigh to the right was a long aluminum table after careful
stacking twenty cans of catfood he balanced on a book that he would have to scan individually cashiers scanned one variety entered 4 scanned
the next entered 4 a breeze he wasnt going to be breezy
no sooner than he set the book on
the table the machine reprimanded him actually said Unrecognised
product. Remove it to continue. terse muttered
Fuckin machine
under his breath he didnt get into an
argument with it removed it to the floor
at his feet there wasnt room anywhere
else
before he began laboriously tediously scanning he looked up at the two lines
they were longer
he committed
scanning
progress
completed the catfood
produce
laid Anaheim peppers on the
scale scanner screen showed eight pictures
of vegetables no peppers beneath the pictures was written Enter item with alphabet pad.
it
wasnt QWERTY under his breath KahRist
the machine did not recognise
Anaheim
over his shoulder a voice
Excuse me.
heard that voice before
turned slightly that hair
either red dyed blonde blonde dyed red
Violet he said
We meet again. Let me help.
she Backspaced voiding his
entryrapped the eight pictured screen another
set of vegetable pictures appearedrapped the Anaheim pepper picture
This machine has a bit of a personality.
Don they all
there was that dimplepit smile
again
I believe you’re off an running
again . . .
Im Joe
Joe. Nice to meet you.
Happy New Year
It’s February.
Its my first opportunity to wish
you one
she smiled That’s true he was growing
fond of her smile Happy New Year to you.
Thank you
Think you got it from here?
Few more produce I can be a fast
learner if I like cartoned items I think
Im cool
Cool.
Who says that?
You
that mischievous smile
Violet walked away
this time he watched her go
nice
ass
accentuated
by the dangling ends of her knotted apron tie thumping it
slim waist
FINISH
AND PAY was the prompt
HOW MANY
STORE BAGS?
rapped 0
Machine voice Pay with coins first, then bills.
debitcard
tapped the screen entered his
PIN placed his bag beside his groceries
bent over
picked up his book
set it on the table
started bagging
Error. machine voice
Whafuckin
error under his breath
Error.
it repeated as if it heard him
Violets voice waft over his
shoulder
We have to stop meeting like this.
Where would you like to meet
her laughter tickled his ear
Your book, it’s your book.
It doesnt like Bolanos
Twentysixsixtysix
It gummedup the works doesn’t
recognise it.
I paid
No receipt. See. It’s refused to
process your payment.
Let me help.
she had to scan her
IDcard which hung from a lanyard
she leaned against him
Awdammit.
stood
up stripped off her ID
I’m forever forgetting I have to press
my ID to the screen to be scanned.
leaned against him
scanned down her blouse Jesus
he thought
accepted her ID
she entered some number on the
keypad
it was a long number
You’re special.
Special
Like a retard
No.
made a face that frankly looked retarded
Don make that face
What?
Nothing
Special. In thatI’d bet a day’s wages . . . you haven’t used Self
Checkout a half dozen times . . anywhere. They’ve been around for years.
I havent I don much care for their personalities
A mutual HATE HATE relationship
Hate hate?
I hate it it hates me hatehate
the machine spit out his receipt
There you have it. You’re good to
go.
By the bye By the time you pack your groceries I’ll
have punched out for break
We
could meet in my car
Love to
crossing the warm tarmacked
parking lot she parked remote
Your hair
My
hair?
It is blonde streaked red or red streaked
blonde
Play your cards right you might
find out.
it was a stationwagon Awman I love your car Thank you.
she unlocked the drivers side
swung the door open threw her apron on the seat
Plant
your groceries there.
she shut the door
opened the passenger door seats were
collapsed
You first.
he crawled in turned to face her she crawled in he didnt scan blouse was unbuttoned
he didnt find out
she was a tease
saw an esthetician
afternoon, Wednesday,
5 2. 25
1345, Monday,
10 2. 25
