“Two hours!” I sighed and leaned my chin on the high part of the cash register, but not before checking the area around me to see if my boss was present, she wasn’t.

Just as I was about to fall asleep a mother pulled through my lane with three items. I groaned under my breath, three items? Couldn’t she just go to the express lane? My eyes darted over to register two, my colleague had left. Probably went to do returns while I ‘rested.’

I scanned the AA batteries, an kiwano fruit, – “People actually buy these weird produce things?” I think as I type in the code – and a glass porcupine. “What don’t we sell?” I wonder as I make a mental note to see what other glass animals we are now selling.

“14.52.” I tell the customer. She looks at me like I’m an alien – I’m used to this by now – and opens up her purse. Several post-its fall out along with an express train ticket to New York.

Handling me the cash she snapped at her pre-teenage daughter, “Put that Spanish book down, Umblefumble and carry the bag.”