3 Minute Fiction #3 - Give Me Three Minutes and I'll Give You a Story

A Steemit Original -

Stockers -

Ryan James Robinson -

"And I'm telling you, so help me God! If I see those ear
buds in your ears again there's going to be hell to pay. You got
me?"

"I got you."

"Now get back to work!"

Rodney smiled. He turned and walked back to the shelf he was stocking as slow as
he could muster. He could feel Assistant Manager Bill Wallace's
eyeballs burning into his back. He was waiting for the snide
comment to come rumbling over his shoulder, but to his amazement
he heard only the distinct rustle of all 350 pounds plus of the
manager waddle off in the opposite direction. Rodney, without
looking back, popped in his ear buds and jostled back to the
cracker aisle.

Rodney was banging to a little hip hop when Erick came up on him
from behind.

Rodney half jumped out of his skin and flew into some sort of
makeshift martial arts stance, "Don't sneak up on me like that, fool,
you're liable to get chopped!"

"Sorry about that bro. Yo, you see Bill today? That dude's sweating like
a mofo. I swear bro, a workout for that guy is picking up a twinkie."

Rodney said, "That dude puts in work. Eating is a full time job when you're
that big."

They laughed.

"What are you stocking?"

"Shampoo."

"Is it as enthralling as crackers?"

"Definitely."

They laughed.

Just then Tommy came around the corner, "I thought I heard
you two fools. Yo, you see Bill today?"

They laughed.

"Did you hear Bill was here when this place got held up last
year? He got pistol whipped supposedly."

"What a pussy," said Erick. "I'd never let a dude get a drop
on me like that."

"Me neither," said Rodney. "I'd punch that fool right in the
throat then pistol whip him with his own gun," he frantically
punched at the air.

Tommy started yelping like Bruce Lee and did a crazy kick at
the shelf. Boxes of cereal went flying everywhere.

They laughed.

Rodney programmed in his best machine gun rap, and popped
his buds back in his ears. He then went into the karate kata that
he somewhat remembered from his yellow belt days when he was at
summer camp as an eleven year old. Erick and Tommy mock boxed.

"Hey check out this app," said Erick.

He fiddled with his phone and then all of the sudden the
sound of a machine gun ripped forth.

"Wow," that sounds real," said Tommy. "And loud too."

"Ya I downloaded this app to make my phone louder too."

"Very cool."

The three ran amok doing anything but the stocking job they
were getting paid to be there for.

"We never get any work done when we are all here," said
Tommy in a pant.

"Bill's the one that's stupid enough to schedule all three
of us together," said Erick.

Over in produce, Bill shuffled around. He noticed every
customer he came into contact with was in a particularly
good mood. It was even starting to rub off on him.

"This isn't so bad," he thought to himself. "Nice people,
air conditioning, fresh food, what else do I need?"

In the bakery, Bill saw the pretty woman who was always
nice to him. His mood elevated even higher.

"Hello," he said, nodding his head slightly. "And how are
you this fine day?"

"I'm fine, thank you," said the woman. She smiled.

Bill heard at his back when he was well past, the woman
giggle and say to her companion, "He is so fat! My God is he
gross."

Bill's mood greatly soured.

He went to check on his juvenile stockers.

He found himself in the vacant cracker aisle. Boxes of crackers
lay strewn all over the floor. He could hear tremendous commotion
coming from the neighboring aisle. He stood still and listened.

"Yo, this is Bill's face! Boom!"

He heard merchandise being knocked to the floor.

Bill's smile was now completely upside down.

Bill turned around and went back to the office. He found his
duffle bag and pulled out his glock .40.

The first thing he saw coming from the office was the
beautiful woman and her friend turning the corner on to another
aisle. She notice Bill and smiled.

He drew the glock up and shot her in the face.
Her friend turned and high tailed it. She was
clipped in the back. Bill then shot four more patrons.

Erick pretended to shoot Tommy with his phone. Rodney air
punched enthusiastically.

"Man, I'm in a good mood," said Rodney.

"Not a care in the world," said Erick.

"Must be something in the air," said Tommy.

They laughed.

Suddenly Bill was on the aisle.

"What's the good word Bill?" asked Rodney.

"Looking good Bill," said Erick.

"You're a little out of breath Bill," commented Tommy.

They laughed.

Suddenly Bill was on their aisle.

"What's the good word Bill?" asked Rodney.

They laughed.

Bill moved closer with zero mirth.