Laura's New Job

First Day of Work

            Laura’s alarm clock went off at 3 AM.

            “I hate getting up this early, but, it’s better than being unemployed.”

Laura took a shower to wake herself up. After her shower, she wore a different tank top and another button up shirt. She wanted to look more professional on her first day of work.

            “I don’t have to dress like a slut all the time,” Laura told herself.

After getting dressed, Laura had breakfast. Since she had to be there at 5 AM, Laura left the house at 4:30.

            “I rarely ever drive when it is still dark outside.”

She turned on her radio. She loved listening to 80s soft rock.

            “This is beautiful music to listen to,” Laura said to herself.

She had a car flashing its lights behind her. She slowed down and forced the car to pass her.

            “Asshole,” she said to herself.

Laura then turned on her bright lights. Otherwise the trip to Madison was uneventful. Laura pulled into the parking lot a few minutes before 5 AM. Tyler pulled in right behind her.

            “So, Laura. Are you ready?”

            “As ready as I will ever be,” Laura said nervously.

Tyler then unlocked the main door. He then showed Laura where the circuit breakers to turn on the lights.

            “First thing to do is put food on the grill. It takes about 30 minutes to heat up to proper temperature.”

Tyler also showed Laura how to make coffee.

            “Dreama comes in at 6 AM. She is really a nice person. Dreama is our shift lead. She acts a little goofy at times,” Tyler told her.

Laura laughed. Tyler opened one register under his number. We informed her of all the counts that must be done every day.

            “How are you today?” Tyler asked as the first customer of the day came to the register.

            “Not bad. I need $31.00 diesel on pump eight.”

Tyler explained where all the buttons were on the register.

            “I haven’t seen you before,” the man said.

            “I’m Laura. I’m training to be a manager.”

            “Well, Laura, it’s nice meeting you.”

Tyler had more customers. Laura stood by him to watch him ring up a few people.

            “When Dreama gets here there are other things I need to show you,” Tyler informed Laura.

Tyler let Laura ring up some customers.

            “I need to get some gas on pump one. I will be back in to pay,” a young woman said.

            “The pumps are prepay only,” Laura said.

Laura looked at Tyler to make sure that was right.

            “Yes, ma’am, the pumps are prepay,” Tyler stated.

            “I promise I will be right back. You can hold my driver’s license,” she said.

            “I’m sorry. We cannot just turn on the pumps,” Laura told her.

            “This is bullshit. f*****g b***h,” the woman said as she stormed out.

            “Have a nice day. Thank you for shopping at Speedway,” Laura said as the woman left.

Tyler laughed.

Dreama showed up just before 6 o’clock.

            “Morning, Dreama,” Laura said.

            “Morning.” Dreama said.

Laura decided to get a hot chocolate and cigarettes. Dreama clocked in. She also signed into her register.

            “I’ll get the next person in line,” Dreama said.

            “Do you have your ID?” Tyler asked.

            “Oh, my god. I am flattered. I am thirty,” Laura said.

            “You’re older than me?” Tyler asked.

Laura asked how old Tyler was.

            “I’m twenty-eight,” he said.

“I had no idea, Tyler.”

The sun was coming up. As it was getting busy, Dreama took over ringing up people.

Tyler went to get Laura a uniform shirt. He asked what size she wore. He gave her three shirts to take home. Laura went to the bathroom to change into one of them. The door was locked. Laura waited.

It was a woman Laura went to school with that came out of the bathroom.

            “Hi, Jackie.”

            “Hi, Laura. When did you start working here?”

Laura said this was her first day. Laura asked where Jackie worked.

            “I work at the health department,” she said.

Jackie said she has been there three years.

            “I like working here so far. Already got cussed out,” Laura told Jackie.

            “I’m sorry,” Jackie said.

Jackie said she would see Laura later. Laura went to change her shirt.

As she put on her uniform shirt, she thought she looked so sexy.

            “Okay, no time for playing with myself,” Laura told herself.

She then went back to find Tyler. She helped him make coffee.

            “The safe, we have to wait until about 9 o’clock. It has a time lock. We must get the previous days drops out and count them. We also have to go to the bank and make the deposit.”

            “Okay,” Laura told him.

As Tyler was training Laura, Dreama was waiting on customers.

            “How do you like it here so far?” Tyler asked.

Laura said she is liking it so far. Laura noticed the grill items are selling out. Laura went into the cooler to find the grill items.

            “Where are the gloves?” Laura asked Dreama.

            “In the cabinet under the grill.”

Laura put on gloves and put food on the grill. After she put the food back in the cooler, Laura took a drink of her hot chocolate.

            “Katie’s probably getting ready to start work now,” Laura said to herself.

Laura pushed up her boobs.

As it slowed down, Tyler asked Laura if she wanted to go outside and smoke.

            “Let me get my cigarettes,” she told him.

Laura and Tyler went outside and smoked.

            “You think you are catching on?” Tyler asked Laura.

            “Oh, yeah. It may take a little time,” Laura said.

We sure have nice weather last few days,” Tyler said.

Laura looked at her watch.

            “Not quite 7 o’clock. I understand I will be taking over the Clarksville store in three weeks,” she said.

            “That’s what Robyn told me,” Tyler said.

            “I am a little nervous about taking over that store,” Laura told Tyler.

            “You will be fine. Robyn told me when you take over that store, you will be the only female general manager in the district,” Tyler said.

            “Oh, wow. Really? Where’s the current manager going?” Laura asked.

            “I don’t know,” Tyler said.

Laura then lit another cigarette.

            “After you finish that cigarette, would you want to check the receipt tape in the pumps?” Tyler asked Laura.

            “Okay,” she said.

Tyler and Laura then went back inside after they finished their cigarettes.

            “I have to use the bathroom,” Laura told Tyler.

The bathroom door was locked.

            “Please let me in,” Laura said to herself as she really had to go.

When the door opened, an older woman came out. Laura rushed in. When she finished, she washed her hands and came out. Tyler asked her to sweep and mop the floors. Laura went to the sink and made some mop water. She checked the water to see if it was hot enough.

            “f**k,” Laura said as the one-hundred-and-fifty-degree water licked her finger.

            “You just have to get the water as hot as you can. Don’t use any cold water,” Dreama told Laura.

Laura also added floor cleaner. She asked Dreama to sweep and mop the floor.

Laura checked the cappuccino machine. The powders were full.

The cherry flavoring in the Speedy Freeze machine appeared to be low. Laura asked Tyler to help her lift the forty-pound box in to replace the empty one. She hooked it up. Tyler checked it to see if the air needed to be purged. It didn’t.

            “Can I get some Grizzly Wintergreen?” a man asked.

            “Can I see your ID?” She asked.

He tried to convince her that he is old enough.

            “I’m 24 years old.” He told Laura.

Laura reiterated that she must see his ID.

            “I come in here all the time when Lois is here. She never cards me. This is bullshit. I’ll call corporate and get your skinny ass fired,” he yelled to Laura.

He stormed out of the door.

            “Whoa,” Dreama said as she stopped mopping.

            “Is this my first day initiation?” Laura laughed.

            “I forgot to tell you that you will get cussed out,” Tyler laughed.

There were some construction workers. They came in to get diesel fuel for their work trucks.

            “I need $260.00 diesel on pump seven,” One man told Laura.

She rang him up and he swiped his credit card. The receipt printed and Laura told him to have a nice day.

            “Did you used to work at the store in Scottsburg?” He asked her.

            “No. I get a lot of people confuse me with her,” Laura laughed.

He went back out and one of his co-workers started pumping.

Two people from O’Reilly Auto Parts came over and got fountain drinks.

            “Well, hi. I’ve never seen you here before,” said the store manager.

            “This is my first day. I’m a manager in training. I’ll be here for three weeks. After that I am taking over the Clarksville store.”

            “Well, I’m sure I will see you around.” he told her.

He then went back over to his store.

            “So, Tyler, anything else I need to learn?”

            “We need to count cigarettes and lottery.”

Tyler showed Laura how to count lottery first. Three Madison police officers came in to buy a few snacks.

            “What did I do? Why are the cops here?” Laura laughed.

            “They come in almost daily.”

            “Be advised there is a drunk man on Montclair harassing people,” said the dispatcher over the police radio.

            “I’ve never seen you here before.” said one of the officers.

            “I am a manger in training. It’s my first day,” Laura smiled.

After he paid for his items he left.

            “You are really being friendly to the customers,” Dreama told Laura.

That made Laura feel good.

            “Laura, can you come in the office?” Tyler asked her.

            “Okay,” Laura nervously said.

            “Close the door,” Tyler said.

            “What’s going on?” Laura asked.

            “I just got an email from Robyn saying you forgot to do your new hire paperwork.”

            “Okay. I was scared.”

            “Why?” Tyler asked.

            “I didn’t know why you called me in here. I thought I screwed up.”

Tyler gave her the paperwork she needed to fill out. He also asked for her direct deposit information.

            “I’ll leave you in here to fill that out.”

            “Not sure if I can. My heart is about to explode,” Laura half-joked.

            “You’re doing okay. You’ve only been here about three hours.”

Laura then filled out her paperwork.

            “Is Laura okay?” Dreama asked.

            “She just has to do her new hire paperwork.”

Laura looked at her watch. It was 8:20 a.m. She took about another ten minutes to do her paperwork. After she finished her paperwork, she went to call her father.

            “Tyler, Dreama. I need to make a phone call.

            “Okay,” Tyler said.

Laura also got her cigarettes and called her father.

            “Hello,” he said.

            “Dad, I just wanted to call and say everything is going well. The store manager is doing a good job of training me. Only thing is no one told me I would get cussed out by customers,” Laura joked.

            “I am glad everything going well.”

            “I think the manager is going to show me how to do bank deposits.”

            “Okay, sweetie.” I will talk to you later.

Laura said bye and hung up. She then lit a cigarette.

            “When Tyler called me in the office, he had me scared,” she said to herself.

Laura finished her cigarette. She went back inside. Tyler called her in the office.

            “Not again,” Laura said to herself.

            “I am showing you how to do deposits. When someone does a drop, they put a slip with the money in an envelope. I’ve all ready taken the money out of the safe from yesterday.”

Tyler said he counted it. All the money was there that was supposed to be there.

            “You the take all the large bills tens and larger and put them in the deposit. I’m sure you have filled out a deposit slip before. This one is no different. Also, we take all the ones and fives, put them in rolls and put those in the safe.”

            “What now?” she asked.

Now the deposit is ready. We go over to the bank and deposit it.

            “Okay.”

Laura had her phone with her, and they went to the bank in his car. She turned on the radio.

            “Baby drive me crazy. Touch me, touch me all night long,” Laura sang along.

            “Do you like this song?” Tyler laughed.

            “I love this song,” she said.

The two pulled into the bank parking lot. They went in. Tyler held the door for her.

            “Hi Tyler,” said one of the tellers.

            “Hi, I’m Laura. I’m a manager in training. They’re giving me another store.”

            “That’s good to hear. Which store?”

            “Clarksville.”

            “That’ll be a long drive,” the teller said.

The teller then handed Tyler the deposit receipt. Laura looked at it.

            “This store took in $4,000 yesterday?”

            “Yep, normally we take in $3,000 to $5,000 in a day.”

Tyler and Laura then left the bank. Laura wanted to listen to the radio.

            “I want you to justify my love, justify my love,” Laura sang.

            “I need to pick a different radio station,” Tyler laughed.

            “Is it hot in here or is it just me?” Laura asked Tyler.

            “No comment,” he said.

They then pulled into the Speedway parking lot. Laura then remembered that she forgot to check receipt tape. She asked Tyler how to check receipt tape. He got the keys and the receipt tape. Laura followed him outside. He showed how to do one of the pumps and she done the rest.

            “It is warm out here. It’s eighty-five with a heat index of ninety,” Laura said as she looked at her phone.

Laura also done the outside trash. After she done trash, she went back inside.

            “What is this you were listening to erotic songs on the radio in Tyler’s car?” Dreama joked.

            “Dreama, I have no idea what you are talking about,” Laura laughed.

Laura put lunch items on the grill. She threw away the breakfast items.

Tyler stocked the shelves. There were dishes that needed to be washed. Dreama washed them. It was slow for a mid-morning.

            “I am so scared to tell them I am gay,” Laura said to herself.

Buck’s son happened to walk in.

            “David, how are you?” Laura asked.

            “I didn’t expect to see you here. It was nice to meet your father. My dad informed me that you are single,” David said.

            “I am,” Laura lied.

            “Laura, I was wondering if you would like to go out some evening after work. I would like to get to know you a little better.

            “I may be too old for you,” Laura said nervously.

            “I’m twenty-four and you’re thirty. Aren’t you?”

            “Yeah, maybe sometime after I get off work,” Laura said.

            “You have really beautiful blonde hair, Laura. So is your name.” David said.

            “Thank you,” she said.

            “I will see you later,” David said.

As David left, Laura was nervous about Katie finding out David.

            “I love Katie. I also want to give David a chance.”

Laura heard the store phone ring.

            “Thank you for calling Madison Speedway,” Laura said.

            “Is Dreama there?” The man asked.

            “May I ask who’s calling?” Laura inquired.

            “This is her husband.”

Laura handed the phone to Dreama.

Laura was getting sick to her stomach.

            “I’ll be right back, Tyler.”

Laura had to use the bathroom.

            “I can’t let either one know about the other. I am gay, but, I am agreeing to go on a date with a man,” Laura told herself.

“I need to get some Pepto-Bismol.”

Laura got some Pepto-Bismol. She felt better.

            “Hey Laura. I’m going to Rally’s to get something to eat. Would you like something?” Tyler asked.

Tyler also asked Dreama if she wanted anything.

Dreama wanted a chicken sandwich combo. She gave Tyler her debit card.

            “Yeah, I’ll take a Rally burger combo,” Laura said.

She got her debit card from her purse and gave it to Tyler.

            “You want to drive, or you want me to?” Laura asked.

            “It’s just next door,” Tyler said.

            “I knew that. I just thought we could listen to the radio on the way over there,” Laura laughed.

            “I’m not sure about that,” Tyler laughed.

            “Well, yeah it is next door,” Laura said.

Tyler left to go get the food.

            “Dreama, I don’t think Tyler wants to listen to the radio in his car. Something about Rally’s just being next door,” Laura said.

            “The jury is still out on that,” Dreama laughed.

Dreama belched loud.

            “That is disgusting,” Laura laughed.

            “Thank you,” Dreama said.

There were no customers in the store. Laura asked if Dreama has emptied the outside trash.

            “No, but I will.”

A few minutes later, Tyler came back with the food. Laura and Tyler went in the office to eat their lunch. Tyler gave Laura her receipt and debit card.

            “I am starting to get hungry,” Laura said.

Tyler told Laura she could sit down for a few minutes while she ate lunch.

Tyler also sat in the office and ate with Laura. Laura and Tyler talked about their lives.

            “I’m not seeing anyone. It gets lonely going home to anyone,” Tyler said.

            “I just started seeing someone,” Laura told Tyler.

            “What’s he like?” Tyler asked.

            “Her name is Katie. She works at a factory in Scottsburg.”

Tyler was surprised that Laura was seeing a woman.

            “The problem is that someone my dad worked with has a son and he wants to go out with me. I am afraid Katie will find out. I stayed Saturday night with her.”

            “You don’t have to tell us any more about that,” Dreama told Laura.

            “I wasn’t going to,” Laura told her.

Laura asked Dreama what to do.

            “You could go out with him a few times. Nothing has to come of it.”

Laura was finished eating after ten minutes. Laura let Dreama sit down. There were a few customers. Laura rang them up.

            A young woman wanted a pack of cigarettes. She had her ID.

Laura scanned her ID. She asked the woman if she wanted a receipt.

            “No, I don’t need one,” she said.

The woman left. A couple was going on vacation and getting gas for their boat. The man wanted to get $140.00 in fuel. He had a rewards card. Laura scanned his rewards card. He wanted to get that fuel on pump three. After Laura set the pump, he left.

            “Dreama, the man I was telling you about was in here earlier and asked me out. I don’t want to hurt his feelings. But, I don’t want Katie to find out.”

            “I have an idea,” Tyler told Laura, if you go out with him tell Katie you are home and now feeling well.”

For the next three hours, until Lois came in, the store was uneventful. At 1:30 Tyler shut his register down so Lois could run on it.

At 1:50 P.M., Lois showed up to close.

            “Laura, can you come in here?” Tyler asked.

            “Okay,” she said.

Tyler and Laura went to the office. Lois came into clock in.

            “Lois, can you close the door? I need to talk to you.”

“This is Laura, our manager in training,” Tyler said to her.

Lois told Laura it was nice to meet her.

            “What’s going on?” Lois asked.

Laura stood there just listening.

            “Lois, I have gotten a complaint from a customer. One person said you threw her driver’s license at her when she asked for cigarettes.”

            “It was because she got mad that she had to go to her car to get her ID. She also was getting something from the cooler. She was pissed off because she didn’t have enough money.”

            “Well, Lois, that was no excuse. I should write you up, But I won’t, not this time.

            “I just wanted to say one thing. Customers do get nasty with you. I got cussed out twice today. This is only my first day of training. No one told me I would get cussed out,” Laura joked.

            “Okay,” Lois said.

Lois then went out to wait on customers. Laura, Tyler and Dreama done cleanup around the store until 2:30. Laura put food on the grill. She asked Tyler how to make tea. Tyler explained how. Dreama had three fountain boxes to change.

Tyler showed Laura how to clean the bathrooms. At 2:30, Tyler and Dreama clocked out. Laura wrote her time down. Tyler asked for Laura’s phone number in case he needed to call her. Laura gave it to him.

            “Lois, I wrote my phone number down in the office if you need to get ahold of me.”

            “I usually just call Tyler,” she said.

            “I will see you later,” Laura said.

Laura went home and the evening was uneventful. Laura took a shower. She went to bed early, just like last night.