Alex gave me a look, the careful squint he always pulled out when he’d rather figure it out than ask a question. I dared eye contact but had to avert and consider the air fresheners instead. After a minute he just sighed and started shutting down the register.

”’Ey Chuck,” he called over his shoulder, “Back in a sec!”

“Alex. Alex, no, don’t. It’s no big deal, really, nothin at all.” He just smirked and hopped over the counter.

Heedless to my pleas he stuck his head into the maintenance bay, whistled loudly and called, “Young, yo, it’s go time.”

“No, not Young! It’s not that big a deal,” I tried, though I knew it was pointless. Once you got Young moving, and I could hear the grunts indicating he heard and was coming, there was very little that could change his direction. He was big. He was mean. Thank the heavens he was our friend and not theirs.

I lingered in the cool of the station, as if that would stop the melee to come. But I had to go. That’s what you do when you’re in a crew.