stradapult

The electricity went out at the convenience store I work at today. I was making coffee while an old guy was in the back grabbing some milk. The lights flickered off, then on, and then off again. Everything died but the registers, which had fifteen minutes of backup power. I cashed the old man out and a teenager who came in to buy a blunt. He insisted on being able to grab a Canada Dry, but I was going to lock the doors immediately and I wanted him to leave. He raised his hands up as he walked to the back saying "I swear I'm not a thief." He held his lighter up searching the case in the back for it.

Right after I locked the door I called a help-line to find out what I should do. When I was looking for the number this gruff drunk walked to the store-front window. I motioned to him that we were closed. He pulled on the door handle yelling "Open the fucking door! I need a pack of goddamn cigarettes!" Then he pressed his middle-finger to the glass shouting "Fucking asshole!"

It was off for an hour and a half. Another half-hour and I could've gone home. I bought eight "C" batteries to put in the portable stereo, but it still didn't work. So I just sat there doing nothing.