THE ONE WHO NOTICED

TWO

It's any normal night. Business starts slowing down about an hour before I get to leave, and this group of people walk in. I cuss them out mentally, of course, because I really don't want to do anything right now. But I walk to the register. "How are y'all?"

And as usual, none of them acknowledge that I've just said anything.

So I just watch them on the camera. The two girls are being loud, and two of the guys are talking to each other. The other guy just walks around looking at bottles of bourbon. So I try again. "Can I help y'all find anything?"

The only one to say anything is the guy looking at bourbon. "Nah, I'm just looking at what you got here." He grabs a bottle and walks up to me. He looks good, so I just keep my face down. I can tell he's of age to buy alcohol, and I don't want to be more uncomfortable if I eye him down. The rest of his group walks up behind him, and one of the girls starts messing with him. Guess that's his girlfriend maybe, the way she was putting her hand on him. They all finish their purchase and start to walk out.

Once they're gone, I make my way to the door to smoke a cigarette before I start closing down the store. And as soon as I light up, the bourbon guy walks back up. "Sorry, forgot to buy me a pack of smokes myself."

"No, you're okay. Come in."

"Nah, go ahead and finish up. I can wait."

"No, it's okay, sir. Come on, I'm about to close anyways."

"Not gonna give me a chance to talk to you, are you?"

I'm stunned and don't really know how to respond. "Whatcha need to talk to me about?"

"Well, I wanna ask your name and why you look so out of it?"

"Well, ain't you just blunt as ever! I'm just having a rough day. What kind of cigarettes do you need?”

"And you cut me off. Don't wanna talk about it with a stranger—I can understand. Let me get the red Marlboro Shorts, and a name."

"Just one pack?"

"Yeah. Still no name?"

"Seven forty-five, and my name is Kasin."

"That's a cool name. I'm Jayden. Keep the change. I'll see you around, Kasin." He smiles at me and starts to walk out.

"You know you just gave me a fifty, right?"

"See you again soon."

After he left, I kept replaying it. It was a normal transaction, but something seemed different about it. I couldn't remember everything him or his group was doing or saying. I just felt that something was different about it all. And he left me a big-ass tip. I was a little confused, to say the least.

When I got home that night, something about it was bugging me. I doubt they stole anything—they all bought pretty big, pricey bottles, and he left me a big tip, more than most people do. He was tall with that sexy sun-toned skin, muscular but not the over-the-top kind of bulky. Country boy style meets bad boy greaser vibe. Black hair. Can't really remember his face since I only did a one-time look for age.

Finally, I give it a rest and chalk it up to: I was just in a mood, and he triggered something.