snapped his fingers. “Ah! Yes! I have seen just the screws you’re looking for. If you head out to the exit, I’ll have them delivered, all right? And I’ll make sure the gentleman across the way picks up a pack of extra hardware. You should get going. Mary is probably getting dinner ready.”
The howler nodded. “Dinner. Yes, dinner.”
Patrick rubbed his stomach. “Mashed potatoes with extra butter, am I right or what?”
The howler brightened. “Oh yes! Definitely. Mary makes the best roast. Just like my grandmother.” He stepped back into the aisle, flowing with living customers. “You’ve been most helpful, young man. What’s your name?”
Patrick offered a bright grin and tapped two fingers to his forehead in salute. “Patrick, sir. Have a good dinner. Bring me the recipe some time.”
The howler nodded and turned one last time. He vanished into the crowd, leaving only a trail of smoke.
Patrick took a breath and then coughed. The cold of the overactive air-conditioning seeped into his skin. Nothing a hot shower wouldn’t cure. Patrick flicked his fingers and watched his hands, noting the graying of his fingertips. He concentrated and flexed his fingers into fists and then unfurled them. The pink of fictional blood flow returned.
Benji whistled a low note. “That was awesome.”
Patrick crossed his arms and nodded. “And that, my dear Benji, is why I’m employee of the decade.” He stalked over to the customer who’d been looking at the TV stand and reached into his own pocket, fishing around until he found a small packet of screws. He tucked them into the customer’s pocket unobtrusively. “Ten thousand saved….” Distantly the entryway bell sounded over the showroom. He nodded with satisfaction. “Ten thousand and one.”
Benji chuckled. “I gotta admit, you’re pretty helpful.”
Patrick pulled a long stretch of the shoulders and yawned. “Yeah, y’know. Some things just come naturally.” He reached to pat Benji on the back and then rethought it. He grunted with another fake stretch. “Now you give it a go.” He pointed across the floor to the living room section. Agnes sat on her usual pristine white couch, knitting away. She paused to count stitches and then nodded at her findings.
“Her?” Benji asked.
“Ten bucks says she’s not here waiting on family.”
“But money doesn’t matter here.”
“Eh. Semantics,” Patrick said and shooed Benji forward. “Go on. It’s an easy one.”
Patrick would feel guilty later, but right now he refrained from pissing himself with giggles.
Benji nodded and straightened his shirt, then readjusted his jeans. The way they hung on his hips was definitely a nice touch. Patrick tilted his head as Benji took the lead across the floor.
“Remember what I said about expending energy!” Patrick called as he hung back.
Later, he would think back on sending Benji into Agnes’s domain and marvel at the fact that he hadn’t laughed himself silly, giving away the joke. Benji strolled by her, trying to play it cool. Patrick scratched his chin. The oddball strategy was a touch charming. Patrick would work that out of Benji’s system soon. As Benji pretended to straighten items, Agnes caught on and shot Patrick a warning look. He shrugged in mock innocence.
“I hope you know how much of a shit you are,” Karin said just behind him.
“The newbie’s gotta learn, y’know,” Patrick said.
“You need to stop being so willfully oblivious. He’s more than just a newbie.” She laughed softly. “Cupcake? Honestly?”
“Get off it,” Patrick warned her.
“You’re going soft.”
“Just need something to pass the time.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Don’t you have kitchens to take care of?” Patrick scowled.
Across the floor, Agnes glared at them both as Benji approached her.
Karin whispered to Patrick. “Here we go. Three… two….”
Patrick flicked his attention to Benji just at the right second. Like an idiot, Benji reached
The howler nodded. “Dinner. Yes, dinner.”
Patrick rubbed his stomach. “Mashed potatoes with extra butter, am I right or what?”
The howler brightened. “Oh yes! Definitely. Mary makes the best roast. Just like my grandmother.” He stepped back into the aisle, flowing with living customers. “You’ve been most helpful, young man. What’s your name?”
Patrick offered a bright grin and tapped two fingers to his forehead in salute. “Patrick, sir. Have a good dinner. Bring me the recipe some time.”
The howler nodded and turned one last time. He vanished into the crowd, leaving only a trail of smoke.
Patrick took a breath and then coughed. The cold of the overactive air-conditioning seeped into his skin. Nothing a hot shower wouldn’t cure. Patrick flicked his fingers and watched his hands, noting the graying of his fingertips. He concentrated and flexed his fingers into fists and then unfurled them. The pink of fictional blood flow returned.
Benji whistled a low note. “That was awesome.”
Patrick crossed his arms and nodded. “And that, my dear Benji, is why I’m employee of the decade.” He stalked over to the customer who’d been looking at the TV stand and reached into his own pocket, fishing around until he found a small packet of screws. He tucked them into the customer’s pocket unobtrusively. “Ten thousand saved….” Distantly the entryway bell sounded over the showroom. He nodded with satisfaction. “Ten thousand and one.”
Benji chuckled. “I gotta admit, you’re pretty helpful.”
Patrick pulled a long stretch of the shoulders and yawned. “Yeah, y’know. Some things just come naturally.” He reached to pat Benji on the back and then rethought it. He grunted with another fake stretch. “Now you give it a go.” He pointed across the floor to the living room section. Agnes sat on her usual pristine white couch, knitting away. She paused to count stitches and then nodded at her findings.
“Her?” Benji asked.
“Ten bucks says she’s not here waiting on family.”
“But money doesn’t matter here.”
“Eh. Semantics,” Patrick said and shooed Benji forward. “Go on. It’s an easy one.”
Patrick would feel guilty later, but right now he refrained from pissing himself with giggles.
Benji nodded and straightened his shirt, then readjusted his jeans. The way they hung on his hips was definitely a nice touch. Patrick tilted his head as Benji took the lead across the floor.
“Remember what I said about expending energy!” Patrick called as he hung back.
Later, he would think back on sending Benji into Agnes’s domain and marvel at the fact that he hadn’t laughed himself silly, giving away the joke. Benji strolled by her, trying to play it cool. Patrick scratched his chin. The oddball strategy was a touch charming. Patrick would work that out of Benji’s system soon. As Benji pretended to straighten items, Agnes caught on and shot Patrick a warning look. He shrugged in mock innocence.
“I hope you know how much of a shit you are,” Karin said just behind him.
“The newbie’s gotta learn, y’know,” Patrick said.
“You need to stop being so willfully oblivious. He’s more than just a newbie.” She laughed softly. “Cupcake? Honestly?”
“Get off it,” Patrick warned her.
“You’re going soft.”
“Just need something to pass the time.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Don’t you have kitchens to take care of?” Patrick scowled.
Across the floor, Agnes glared at them both as Benji approached her.
Karin whispered to Patrick. “Here we go. Three… two….”
Patrick flicked his attention to Benji just at the right second. Like an idiot, Benji reached
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