Splash, dip, swish, crinkle, bag, smile. Take change. Hand merchandise. Have a nice day.
Repeat.
Dee wasn’t going to complain. A job was a job, and it kept her on her feet for now. Working at the Dairy Queen wasn’t a bad job. There were plenty of sweets, nice coworkers, and a boss that may have been annoying (though the upside was that he usually wasn’t in the shop), but it was nothing Dee couldn’t handle.
But it had only been a week.
The days seemed to grow longer. Summer was the busiest season, but this fact didn’t cover all of the other unpleasant areas of the pseudo-pleasant job.
“HEY. I’ve been waiting here for twenty minutes. Give me my damned sundae.”
Dee winced. Cursing always made her wince, though it was everywhere. She turned quickly, standing at the counter. “I’m sorry ma’am.” Smile. “Was your sundae the M&M?”
“I didn’t order no M&M.” The woman huffed. She was a stout creature but incredibly round. Her mouth made her undeniable appearance even more evident, and apparently her grammar needed work.
Dee gave the woman an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Can you please tell me your order again? Our computer may have made a mistake.”
“My order should have been out here twenty minutes ago! You’re telling me I never ordered.”
Dee knew for a fact that the woman hadn’t been in the shop for ten minutes, let alone twenty, but she couldn’t say that. “I’ll throw in a Dilly Bar with your order, ma’am. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
“Hmph. You better.”
After she left, Dee sighed. The woman was a regular and she always seemed to have it in for Dee. There were some days where Dee would beg to switch jobs, just to get away from the rude, round woman. Her coworkers often complied; the woman was always nice to them, but the tasks that were given to Dee were often tedious.
At some point, Dee was stuck on Dilly Bar dipping duty. Splash, dip, swish, crinkle, bag, smile. Repeat.
How maddening.
[BREAK]
By the third week, Dee was losing her sanity. Dipping Dilly bars was so easy…so repetitive…and the worst part…she couldn’t eat any of it. She could feel her brain turning to goo. No. Dee was an intellectual woman. Goo was not tolerated.
She stared down at the chocolate dip and sighed. It would be okay for now. The income from this job was paying for her college tuition. In a few more days or even a week, she could just find another job and all would be A-Okay.
Months instead of days flew past.
Splash, dip, sploosh, crinkle, bag. Smile.
Have a nice day sir.
Repeat.
Switch.
Hello, take order, come to window, hand bag, smile, change.
Have a nice day ma’am.
Repeat.
Now switch; Smile, hello, take order, give change, deal with rudeness, bag, smile.
Have a nice day.
Repeat, now switch; Splash, dip, swoosh, crinkle, bag, smile.
Have.
A.
Nice.
Day.
Sir.
Or.
Ma’am.
Repeat.
Repeat.
REPEAT.
And remember to smile.
“Williams. Register.” A nameless coworker called her up.
“….” Dee held her tongue. She’d had a rough night. Her term paper had barely been finished in time for the class she was attending after work, like she always did. Today was different. There was not a patient bone in Dee’s body. Mopping would be a wonderful job for her, but she swallowed her stress-filled feelings, put on a smile and took her place at the register. “Hello. May I take your order?”
“I ordered twenty minutes ago, dammit!”
The voice made Dee freeze. No…not today…it could only be…
Mrs. Loud-mouthed, round body.
What luck.
“Well? Where the hell’s my food?” She looked disgruntled as always.
“…I’ll have it…in a-“
“NO. I’m tired of your ‘in a moment’ shit. I’m taking my damn Dilly Bar and I’m taking it now!”
Dee closed her eyes. “…Miss...please calm down.”
“Calm?! How the hell can I stay calm with some chiggaboo like you waiting on me? Too damn stupid to do anything anyway! I want the manager.”
Somewhere, an egg cracked.
