Playing Doctor

Chapter Eleven

Some of your customers will appear to have it all: looks, brains, and money. It's okay to be tempted by the package-ahem. But getting involved is a big no-no.

-Strip Style: A Guide for Aspiring Exotic Dancers

The morning of my first day at the video store, I woke up with my stomach raging as badly as it had when I was fourteen and went off to college. I felt so queasy I couldn't eat.

Instead, I made myself some tea, got dressed in my Play Me tee shirt and a pair of wool slacks (mental note: buy some jeans), and headed to my new job.

When I got there, the store was completely dark. I knocked on the door.

No answer.

"Hmm." I looked at my watch. I was half an hour early. It was only a few blocks from Mena's but I didn't want to chance being late on my first day. Still, someone should have been here.

So I did the only thing I could think of: I leaned against the door and waited for Walter to arrive.

Twenty-nine minutes later I heard what sounded like a death rattle but turned out to be an ancient rusty Volvo. As it pulled into a spot on the street in front of the store, I marveled that it didn't fall apart.

Somehow I wasn't surprised when Walter stumbled out of it. When he saw me, he blinked as if he'd forgotten I was starting today.

I nodded. "Good morning."

"Hey. You been waiting long?" he asked as he rushed to let me in.

"Just a few minutes. I thought the store opened at nine thirty." I followed him in after he flipped the lights on.

"It does."

I frowned at my watch. "But it's nine thirty now."

He shrugged. "It doesn't take much to open the place."

My frown deepened as I surveyed the front counter. Utter disarray barely described the condition. Although part of me was looking forward to attacking the place and setting it to rights, the chaos augmented my unease.

"Um..." Walter looked around, scratching his head.

I considered asking him what he'd lost, but in looking at the mess around us it could have been anything. I decided to let him work it out for himself. Instead, I set my purse behind the counter and picked up a stack of DVDs.

"Um, Daph-"

"My name is Daphne." It was best to start a relationship on the right foot. I didn't want him to think he could take liberties.

"Um, Daphne-"

I smiled at him. Positive reinforcement works wonders.

"Those movies need to be checked in."

"Okay."

"Um. What are you doing with them?"

"Alphabetizing them." I could see my work was going to be cut out for me.

"Usually we check them in first and then just put them back on the shelves."

I nodded patiently. "But it'll be more efficient this way."

"Oh. Right." He stood there and gawked at me another minute before he asked, "Want me to show you how to check them in?"

"Please."

Fifteen minutes later, Walter was shaking his head. "I can't believe you picked all that up so quickly. Even gamers have trouble with pieces of the software."