As The Station Turns 6/11

When I went to work at the Haunted Station I started selling lottery. For years I've heard stories from people who "won big" but I always wondered how much they spent to get that big win? So I figured I would do an experiment, buy one ticket a week and keep track of the amount I spent versus how much I won. The thing was going fine but then I started buying tickets because the numbers looked right, or someone had just bought a bunch of one game and it was due to hit. There was also a guy who came in, told me what he wanted, I repeated it back to him and when I printed them out he told me they were wrong and I had to redo them, and pay for the tickets. So I figured I would start the experiment over in January, then I got sent back to the Truck Stop. This was a good thing because I wasn't tempted to buy more tickets than just once a week, on Friday I would drop by the Haunted Station and buy a single ticket. However the Late Guy has been annoying me lately, he keeps bragging about how much better things are over there since he took over, does he realize that he took over from me and I can see the mistakes he's making? 

So I figured I would get up early on Thursday and buy my weekly ticket from the Weekend Guy, who is working the morning shift at the Haunted Station. The problem was that I couldn't fall asleep and woke up late. By the time I ate breakfast, cleaned up for work and took care of my daily stuff I didn't have time. Do I want to deal with the Late Guy on Friday or should I just go to a different station and be judged by the people for gambling? I'll decide tomorrow, plus it might rain so if I go out I'll have to take the truck.

I went out to hop on my Bad Hawg and discovered that the battery was dead. It was too late to walk so I took the Jeep. Of course the Unstable Guy came by and saw it parked on the lot, a few days ago I told him it wasn't mine. Now I have to worry about his cheese slippage and an unwelcome visit. 

When I got to work I found that the New Guy had shown up last night but he had logged on to the register at 11:30 PM, I guess he doesn't get off his other job until 11. This should get interesting. However he counted his drawer wrong and left me way too many $20's and not enough small bills, not to mention a $1.50 in quarters so I had to drop a roll right away. I guess the Late Guy didn't properly train the New Guy. Thankfully someone else will get his drawer today and they can complain.

The Crazy Lady was at the station even though she works the Graveyard Shift. The cappuccino machine started leaking the other day so they shut off one of the flavors and marked it out of order. Well, the Late Guy came by and for some reason he pushed the button, which started it leaking again and the Manager didn't know how to stop it, so she called the Crazy Lady since she got it off the last time. It makes me laugh.

There was a French family at the station today that was a pleasant change. I had to laugh, the windows have a heavy tint on them so when you're outside during the day all you can see is your reflection in the glass. So they had come in the building to buy snacks and had seen the windows but now they were outside and the girls were mugging at their reflections, and then doing their "model walk". They didn't realize I was watching, and laughing.

An older guy in an RV couldn't get his card to work at the pump, he came in ranted, complained, and I knew there was no use in my trying to explain it. He left his card and then paid when he was done. He wanted to make sure I passed his complains on to the owners, you bet pal.

There was a little plastic Jesus on the rack where we keep people's credit cards while they fill up, then it disappeared. I found it a while later and put it back. When I went in today there were two of them. The thing is multiplying. 

Yesterday the Tow Truck Driver was telling me he was on his way to pick up the heavy duty mower from the golf course, it had caught on fire. Today they called to ask if he had already hauled it to the junk yard but he still had it, the nearest scrap yard is on the other side of the mountain so he wouldn't be able to haul it there until next week. They want to see if it's covered under their warranty. I was laughing because the fire had been in the clippings container, they probably ran over something that sparked up into it and it hadn't been properly cleaned after its last use, not a mechanical issue. The Tow Truck Driver asked them if they had updated service records on the mower and they said "hu?" I don't think they will collect. 

A cop was pulling someone over. For some reason they stopped right in the middle of the pumps, plenty of space in the area but nope, gotta park at the pumps. Oh well, I got a front row seat for the show. btw, if you're coming through my stinky little town know that the State Police Academy sends their new recruits to my area to train them and they write a lot of tickets here. Drive the speed limit.

So I had loaned the Storyteller $20 when he had to register his car by the end of the day, however the guy has memory problems thanks to a crash he was in when he was younger, the older he gets the less he remembers, so I figured the money was a gift, not a loan. Anyhow the Universe wanted to thank me for my generosity and I started to keep track, today I topped $20 in found money. The universe will pay you back.

Yesterday I noticed we were low on something on the shelf but there was a new box of the stuff under the counter. I went to put it out but I got busy, then forgot. Today I remembered so I got the box out and I got busy again. This time I kept it near the register so when it slowed down I went to stock. Again, why can't I do this with the lottery? The next time I go to buy a Powerball ticket I'm going to think really really hard about sweeping the floor.

A regular came in and was asking about the people who had been on the afternoon shift. He was shocked to hear the news, I guess he hadn't been there in a while. I think he's working again so he hasn't been by during working hours.

Late in the day I got a call, Stinky was calling in to say he had been throwing up all day and wouldn't make it in on the Graveyard Shift. I told him it was no problem, I didn't point out that he had been fired last Friday and didn't have to come in ever. Either he was really drunk or something interesting is going to happen on Friday night. 

The Boss came in and was talking about how people wanted off on the 4th Of July, he said he wanted me to cover the Downtown Station again. I told him I didn't want to go anywhere near that place because of the big mess, once people started gathering in for the parade, the street dance and the fireworks the only business he was going to do was a bunch of people coming in to use the restrooms and not buying anything. He actually listened to what I said and is considering closing at 4 PM. Today I realized that the second problem was going to be a lot of people parking in the area making it difficult for people to get to the pumps, it would be best if he closed down in the afternoon. He's now considering having me cover across the street because the Random Woman also wants the day off. He'll still have a problem because he'll have to have someone cover my shift, I think he forgot that the 4th is on Saturday, not Friday. 

Once again the New Guy hadn't come in by the time I left. I have yet to meet the guy. 

6/12

I got up early this morning so I figured I would take my fat butt out for a walk. I stopped by the West Side Station to say hi to the Weekend Guy and get the gossip. It turns out he's pissed at the Late Guy. The Late Guy is always complaining about how the Random Woman leaves the place, messy restrooms, unmopped floors, full trash cans and so fourth. So the Weekend Guy had to cover the Monday afternoon shift and he came in after the Late Guy, who left the trash cans full and the no paper in the restrooms. I told him that the Late Guy had the same attitude when I had to work with him at the Truck Stop, if he could put work off he did. I can't help it, I love the chaos over there.

The Weekend Guy told me that the Part Time Woman is scheduled to have knee surgery in July, but she hasn't told the Boss yet, that's going to create an even bigger mess when two people take off for the Fourth. I also mentioned how the manager of the West Side Station had taken Monday off. He was telling me that she's less and less committed to the job and has been taking more time off. I'm wondering if she's been having health problems, and I expect her to quit next. I told the Weekend Guy they were going to make him the manager, and he didn't like that idea.

And I needed a lottery ticket for my experiment, so even though I said I wasn't going to I went by the Haunted Station and said hi to the Late Guy. I told him how Stinky had called in and we had a good laugh. I told him that I'd probably see him on the 4th but I didn't tell him about the Part Time Woman, I don't think he knows that she's planning on taking time off. This is going to get interesting. Anyhow the Late Guy was busy so I took off, and found a 1/2 socket on my way home. Now I'm looking forward to tomorrow to see if Stinky showed up.