Another Day, Another Reality by Rebeca Warner
Oh no! It’s already 8 o’clock and I was supposed to open the shop today. My clothes are so wrinkly and messy. Surely this is only a one time thing. Got to hurry before Mileka, the owner of the shop, calls and complains. “You need to get your act together,” she says. “Stop walloping around like a walrus,” she says. It’s not as easy if you only have a social and personal life centered around an old shop, My Little Convenience. Why not chat with friends or family you say? Why don’t you ask someone with a flexible schedule such as yours? Catching a break is as rare as me asking someone for help. Oh no, she’s reached here before me. First day of fall and everything goes to crap. I felt a cold yet crisp breeze past my shoulder, I shivered as her gaze became more intense. I hurried to open the door with such anticipation to already leave from this life-sucking job. It could be worse I guess. At least I’m not a nine to seven businessman coming home to a cheating wife. Here continues one of my many miserable day to day lives. The sounds of the clock get louder as the day progresses, tick tock tick tock. This is what my life looks like most of the time. Well, my best friend, Clover, kept me company but he is off in a new world with the “perfect” everything. Cool breezes, smoky hot BBQs, block parties with no arguing or fighting, it’s everything you could wish for. Except for the fact that now he doesn’t have someone as amusing and lovely to keep him company. But, he’ll realize that it was a misrepresentation of thinking the “perfect” world could be something so pleasurable. My ear is ringing and feels as if it’s about to bleed a stream. Huh? Oh, it’s a customer, has he been there the whole time? A pack of cigarettes? Oh, ok. I get you’re gonna kick the bucket but no need to rush the process. Maybe he’ll come to realize to cherish his loved ones and the times he has left here. I wondered, what about the people I cherish. One went away far from reach, another . . . another nothing. Another, nobody but myself and this poor, old, dusty shop. Wow. Well let me hurry up and finish working then I’ll have time to overthink what poor decisions led me here led me here. Another day, another mentally drained me. Almost there gotta hurry, but the rain is pouring. 47
