Dollar Store Adventures

For about a year, I worked at a Dollar Store in Union Gap. I started working there because a guy I met at the Denny’s near there was the manager of the place, and he needed some help. So, I filled out an application, and started work almost immediately.

I started as a cashier, and eventually worked my way up to Assistant Manager. Not a bad gig, I guess.

I met so many people working there. Some were good, some were bad. But there were a couple of people that I met that really stuck in my head.

While working at the cashier, a Hispanic man walked in and said hello. I had a long line of customers, so I only gave him a nod, and continued working. This man walked to the food aisle, picked out the biggest box of Corn Flakes that we had, and got in line. He waited at least 15 minutes to get to me.

Once he got to the counter, he asked me, “Quanto?”, which means “How much?”. “Un dolar.”, I replied. “Gracias”.

He then went back to the food aisle, put the box of Corn Flakes back on the shelf, said “Adios” on his way past me, and left.

So, let’s get this straight. A man walked into the DOLLAR STORE, got a box of corn flakes, waited in line to ask how much it was, and then left. The only thought that went through my head was, “Is this a joke? Did this guy just do that on a dare or something?”

Another day, I was outside smoking a cigarette. A man and his wife pulled up in a ’53 Rambler. She got out of the car, and walked into the store. The man got out of the car, sat on the hood and said, “So, the wife’s mother has to go to the hospital again.”

“Excuse me?”

He repeated himself, and continued on, explaining current events in his life. We had a very in-depth conversation about the state of medicine, and how much it sucks to have a family member in the hospital. We ended up chatting for about 20 minutes, then his wife came out of the store.

"Time to go, I guess."
“Well, see you later Ray.”

“See you later, Jim.”

He and his wife got in the car and started to drive off. While they were backing out, I could tell what they were saying to each other. She asked him who I was, and he told her. She then asked how he knew me, and he paused. For a full minute. He even stopped the car.

He looked at me, looked at her, then back at me. Shook his head, said, “You know what? I really don’t know.”, and they drove off together.

We had talked to each other that long, as if we were old friends. And we had never met. That sort of thing used to happen to me all the time.