Broke-Ish [Completed]

Chapter 3

PROSECCO PEASANTS

Yaz, Jasmine, Kara, Liv

Liv: Work is a killer today man, people will not stop asking me questions FFS

Jasmine: Really? Maybe they think you work there or something

Liv *not interested face*

Yaz: Tell me about it! Must be something in the air

Jasmine: omg chem trails

Kara: Ermm I don't think chem trails were designed to cause people to ask you where the beans are Liv

Liv: So you admit they exist?

Jasmine: How's the hoeing going?

Liv: How's Michael? 14.18

Jasmine has left the chat

I squint through the cracks in my screen then put my phone back in my pocket, I do not have time for her negativity today. I walk from the breakroom back to the aisle actively avoiding eye contact with any customer that cannot be bothered to read the signs that clearly state where the cheese is and where the cleaning products are. Or my favourite, those who ask me which sandwiches are included in the meal deal and I love the look of embarrassment on their face when I tell them hey, it's the ones with the sticker on that says I'm in the meal deal but then what usually follows is an explanation as to why they didn't notice it and then queries over why Ploughman's is included but BLT isn't and me telling them that's just the deal doesn't ever seem to be enough. I think I'd prefer to be on the tills today but when I arrived Brenda, floor supervisor of many decades, said it would be more "effective" for me to restock the shelves today as we are busy which basically means I'm slow. She's not wrong but her use of the word "effective" just felt forced and absolutely unnecessary.

Ed the Currency Trader was the first in a long list of sugarless time wasters more suited to swipe right or left then ignore all messages apps. After getting and sending out a few messages I got asked for nude pictures, if I was interested in hotel meets, if I could bring a friend, why I'd never considered a boob job, what my thoughts on the theory of evolution were, did I prefer cats or dogs, who was my favourite Marvel character 'let me guess Storm or Black Panther right?' I was close to giving up but then came Mr J. Mr J said I appeared to be a lady with beauty and intellect and he appreciated how "direct" I was in what I was looking for. It only occurred to me after looking at some of the other ladies profiles that it could have well been a copy and paste message sent to everyone because there isn't a women on there who isn't straight forward about what she wants, I mean there's an entire section asking what exactly you are looking for. After a few message exchanges Mr J suggested we meet to see how well we connect and I liked his wording but I'm not sure if he understood that the only connection I needed was from his bank account to mine. Either way I agreed and we will be meeting tomorrow.

"Excuse me, do you know where the milk is?" I see a pair of pre-white trainers caked in mud and despair just inches away from me, I hope they aren't contagious. I push the tin of corned beef in my hand to the back of the shelf, the bottom shelf because whoever designed the shelving system wants people who eat corned beef to suffer from locked knees and a back only WD40 can fix and I don't blame them.

"Over there," I point without looking up.

"Oh," she laughs "They've moved it since last time I came," which is true, we have. I think they do it to get customers to look around the shop more and buy things they don't normally see and I have no idea if it works but what I do know is that it causes more work for me. I look over and see Reena getting pally with the new girl and I feel an unexpected wave of jealousy. Why would she need another friend here when she has me? Then I remember its Reena and talking to people is one of her favourite things to do outside of trying to cook Jamaican food. The last time she brought cutty goat In I had to remind her that when cooking enough goat to feed yourself, your man, your mans friend and your unsuspecting work colleague, it isn't necessary to use the entire packet of curry powder and don't get me started on the jerk seasoning. By time she was finished half the bottle was gone along with half my taste buds, burnt down into nothingness. I leave Reena to connect with new girl and return to the task at hand. Maybe new girl can take over as royal food taster and save my eyes from weeping.