Chapter 4: Work

Thanking John politely, and forcing Tina to do the same, I watched him drive off. We were right outside the store, with five minutes to spare. I checked the handle, but the door was locked. Knocking didn\x92t seem to help, either. I was just about to check for a back door, when I heard the rustling of keys. The door opened, and a tiny creature peered out. The sloth was shorter than Tina, no more than a hundred and forty centimetres, thin and wiry. He was wearing huge, thick glasses, and a suit that didn\x92t fit him very well.
"Hello," I said, not sure how to begin. "I-I\x92m looking for Mr Stone?"
"Yeah, that\x92s me." Impossible! But it was the voice from the phone, still sounding a bit surly. "You must be Mike, hello! Come on in. Did you bring your girlfriend?"
"My sister, Tina. We\x92re kind of parent-less for a few days, so I thought she could..."
"Yeah, all right! I\x92m sure she won\x92t be in the way. My office is in the back, you wait there a couple of minutes, while I try to get a hold of that speaker guy."
Before I could answer, he was gone, and I led Tina through the store, into a small, square room that could, with some imagination, be called an office. It did have a desk, carefully concealed underneath huge piles of paper. Through a window overlooking the store, I could see Stone talking on the phone, and as he raised his voice, I could almost make out what he was saying. He was not what I had expected; how could such a powerful voice come from such a small body? Maybe he was compensating for his lack of size. As we waited, an otter came in, dropping off a pile of papers. He took my hand, smiling at Tina.
"Hi," he said, grinning, "I\x92m Song, current dogsbody. I heard your introduction, way out here. You staying with us for the rest of the summer break, right? Nice to meet you, Mike. You too, Tina. Don\x92t worry about Stone, he may sound a bit harsh, but he\x92s really sweet."
"Hi, Song. Is it something special today, or is he always...?"
"No, it\x92s nothing. When he gets mad he starts shooting sparks. But, like I said, he\x92s quite harmless, once you get over the initial shock. Don\x92t let him get at you."
"I\x92ll try not to. Do you know what kind of work I\x92ll be doing?"
"Scrubbing the floor," Tina said, still grumpy.
"Not really, kid. Your brother\x92s going to be our new cashier. Last guy quit a week and a half ago, and Stone doesn\x92t really like serving people. Me, I\x92m the guy who fixes broken equipment. Got a faulty stereo or anything, bring it to ol\x92 Song."
"No, my stuff\x92s whole. Taking good care of it."
"Can you fix my old talking teddy bear?" Tina asked, lighting up a little. "It hasn\x92t worked for ages."
"Bring it here, and I\x92ll see. Keep it under you hat, though. Stone doesn\x92t like it when I work for free."
"I won\x92t tell on you!"
"Song! Get over here!" Stone shouted, waving the receiver. "You talk to that freak, he\x92s driving me insane!"
"See you guys later, okay?"
He left the office to talk to whoever the speaker guy was, and Stone came in to us instead. Sitting down, he beckoned for me to take the only visitor\x92s chair. I sat down, with Tina on my lap.
"So, four weeks, is it?" he said, his voice suddenly softer. "If you\x92re good, I could let you do weekends during the semester. Eight, six net."
"Pardon?"
"For the four weeks. Eight hundred, six hundred net. Deal?"
I mulled this over. Six hundred dollars for a month\x92s work wasn\x92t that much. Then again, it was only part-time. My mind started planning what to do with the extra cash, but I put those thoughts away for now.
"What are my work hours?"
"Full-time, three days a week, nine to six, the rest off. You\x92re doubling with another school boy."
"All right, you have a deal." We shook hands, and his mood seemed to lighten further.
"Good. Very good. You\x92ll have to sign some papers first, red tape and all that." He rummaged through a drawer, producing a contract and a pen. "Read it, then sign, and you\x92re on."
It was a very simple contract, stating my duties, work hours and payment. During work, I seemed to be insured via the tradings union, and there was a number to the nearest representative. Nothing to it, so I scribbled down my name and ID number, making it official. We shook hands again, and he gave me a copy of the contract. Ushering me into the store, he began showing me around. One of my tasks, he explained, was to keep the shelves filled, bringing new record cases from the storage room in the back. He taught me how to operate the cash register, which seemed fairly comprehensible, and showed me the drawers behind the counter where the records themselves were kept.
"Some people still nick the cases, even though we\x92ve got signs everywhere," he indicated one, "saying the cases are all empty. Right, that\x92s about it. Now, the downsides. Can you handle difficult people?"
"Depends on what you mean with difficult, Mr Stone," I answered. "Generally, I can take them."
"There will always be customers with strange behaviours and demands, even trouble-makers, and you have to be polite and serviceable all the time. Can you do that?"
"I\x92m sure I\x92ll manage."
"Good. There\x92s only one little item left, before we\x92ll open for the day. The store has been robbed three times during the four years I\x92ve had it. Nobody was hurt, but my last cashier quit after one, his nerves were shot." Stone raised his voice. "You must under no circumstance try to play hero if you\x92re robbed! Never! Just hand over the cash, and leave the rest to the police. Is that perfectly clear?"
"Yes, sir. Crystal. No heroism."
"Good. Insurance covers everything, so you\x92d risk your life for nothing. I can\x92t point out well enough how important this is. Do not risk yourself!"
"I understand. I won\x92t."
"All right. Now, what about you, little friend?" he asked Tina, smiling. "How do we keep you from getting bored?"
"I thought I\x92d let her loose once the stores open. She won\x92t get lost."
"If you say so. Otherwise, you could go back there," he indicated past the office, "and help Song with his work. I\x92ve never seen a kid who hasn\x92t loved the workshop."
"I want four hundred, under the table," Tina said, grinning. "Take it or leave it!"
"Leave it, I think," Stone said, laughing. "Come on, I\x92ll show you where our resident otter\x92s nested. Mike, you open up the store. I think there are people waiting already."
Nodding, I unlocked the door. Two boys a little older than Tina crowded in, checking out the latest pop albums, all the while chatting. I sat down behind the counter, trying to memorise the workings of the cash register. None of them bought anything, though, and they left the store after a few minutes. Stone came back, handing me a set of keys.
"These are for the store, back door and front, the warehouse and the workshop. This small one is for the cash register. Don\x92t lose them, and don\x92t abuse them. By the way, Tina loves the workshop. I don\x92t think she\x92ll get bored."
He returned to his office, pulling the blinds down. I was in charge of the store! Swelling a bit with pride, I found myself rising to meet Stone\x92s trust. He didn\x92t doubt me one bit. Customers dropped by every now and then, some buying, some just looking. One guy asked about a coming album, and I had to look up the release date in a catalogue kept behind the counter. Work seemed easy, and I found some time to browse the store myself, checking out the metal section. As lunchtime approached things got busier. People came in during their breaks, and suddenly there was a queue forming. I worked as fast as I could, though, and at half one Stone came out of his office, telling me to take an hour\x92s break. The store would close for lunch. I went into the back, finding Tina in the workshop. I could see why she liked it. Every bit of wall was covered with shelves, and every shelf was covered with electronics. On a work bench, a large stereo was dismantled, and Song was busy with a soldering-iron. Tina looked on, fascinated, and occasionally she would pick up some piece of equipment, toying with it for a while. She wasn\x92t totally willing to join me for lunch, but relented anyway. We found a burger restaurant about five minutes\x92 walk away, and after eating, we spent the rest of my lunch hour checking out stores. Tina sighed, shaking her head, as I bought a brown-black plush wolf in a toy store. It seemed as if nobody cared for my little hobby. Tina was hunting for running shoes, but she couldn\x92t find any before my break was up. Declining to stay behind, she followed me back. The afternoon was not as quiet as the morning had been. I had to do some gift wrapping, not the easiest of tasks, and there were more people asking questions and demanding to listen to an album they were interested in. At half past five, John showed up, having just got off his own shift. He tried to get on my nerves by asking made-up questions about non-existing bands, but he was at least kind enough to let up when real customers approached.
"How\x91s your day?" he asked.
"Okay, I guess. Actually, it\x92s quite fun. Yours?"
"As usual. Lunch rush is a hell, but otherwise it\x92s quite calm. Your folks coming home today?"
"No, they\x92ve been delayed for a few days. Tina and I\x92ll probably eat something before we go home. Join us?"
"Love to! I\x92ll hang around \x91til you quit for the day. Clarke\x92s is a great place for dinner as well as breakfast."
"All right, Clarke\x92s it is. I\x92ll have to talk to Stone about what days I\x92ll be working, first, so I guess I\x92ll be ready at ten past."
We sat talking for a while, barely stopping when I served customers, and in what seemed no time at all, it was six o\x92clock. Song and Tina came out from the workshop. I introduced John to the otter, who told us of Tina\x92s hidden talent for electronics. Apparently, she had learned a great deal, and she seemed very excited when she told us about how she had helped fix a broken CD-player. Song waved good bye, and left the store just before Stone locked the front door. Before I could ask him about my schedule, he beat me to it.
"I\x92ve just talked to the other guy, and he wants to work late in the week. That okay with you? If you do Monday through Wednesday?"
"Suits me fine," I said, and John nodded supportingly. "Tina might be with me tomorrow, maybe Wednesday as well."
"Okay," he nodded, turning to John. "Who\x92s he, then? Left-over customer?"
"Mr Stone, this is my best friend, John. John, this is my boss, Mr Stone."
"I\x92ve seen you before, haven\x92t I? Got a good memory for faces, I do. You\x92re a rock \x91n\x92 roll fan, if I\x92m right."
"You are, Mr Stone. It\x92s been a while since I shopped here, though."
"Too bad. Welcome back, any time. Well, Mike, that\x92s it for today. I\x92ll stay a while and call one last time for the speaker guy. If he doesn\x92t make up his mind now, I\x92ll shoot him. You hop on home. See you tomorrow."
"See you, Mr Stone!"

Leaving through the back door, we headed for John\x92s car, which was in the parking lot he had showed me on our first trip downtown. After a quick dinner at Clarke\x92s, we went home to Paradise Street, dropping off the videos I\x92d rented on the way. The house didn\x92t like being empty; it looked abandoned, an air of hurt sadness over it. I took care to turn on some lights, letting it live up. We sat down with a good movie, popcorn in a large bowl and a bottle of soda passing between us. The sort of quiet, peaceful evening I relish in. John in one end of the couch, and me in the middle, cross-legged, with Tina snuggling up to me from the other end. She was really tired, and halfway through the film she fell asleep on my lap. As the video was rewinding, we sat talking, not really saying anything, but more just shooting the breeze. John didn\x92t start work until after lunch the next day, so there was nothing to hurry us on. He was telling me about the floorball team\x92s previous season, a mixture of joy and woe, but I was just listening with half an ear. Leaning back contentedly, I was thinking about how happy I was. Sitting there, cradling my baby sister, with my best friend by my side. I had a new job, and my boss had turned out to be a really nice guy. The new house was beginning to feel like a home, and, of course, there was the chance for romance. Seeing Britanny in John\x92s soft features, I smiled to myself, not realising that I was sighing loudly.
"Am I boring you, Mike?" John asked, a grin on his lips.
"Huh? Wha-what were you saying?"
"You look like you\x92re about to join Tina in Dreamland. I didn\x92t realise floorball matches were so dull."
"Oh no, it\x92s nothing like that! I love to hear about it. It\x92s just..."
"You stared at me as if I had a popcorn up my nose."
"I\x92m sorry, John. I was just lost in thought. I don\x92t think I\x92ve ever felt this relaxed, so at peace with the world. If I could stop time right now, I would."
"Heh. Good for you, boy. Listen, Mike, it\x92s getting late. Don\x92t you start early tomorrow?"
"Yeah." I checked my watch. Eleven. "Maybe I am getting tired. I can\x92t really stay in the conversation."
"I know the feeling. Tend to drift away, myself, when I get sleepy."
"Wake up, kid!" I shook Tina awake. "Go get ready for bed, now."
Nodding, she went upstairs, still half asleep. John and I cleared the table, leaving the dishes for tomorrow. I followed him out into the hall.
"I\x92ll be here to pick you up at half nine, is that fine?"
"You sure?" He nodded. "Thanks, that\x92ll be fine. Just make sure you stop me before I start using you as a means for transport."
"I just like being of help, it\x92s no big deal."
"John, you\x92re so nice to me," I said, hugging him tightly. "You\x92re the best!"
Backing away, he turned quickly to open the door. I followed him out on the doorstep, waving him good bye as he drove off. Poor guy, I thought. Hope I didn\x92t startle him too much. It was an old habit I had developed, hugging people who were nice to me. Some liked it, others didn\x92t, and I had really teased some of the kids back home by hugging them every now and then. It was a surefire way to make someone blush. I made a mental note to myself to warn poor John before I went into hugging overdrive next time. It wasn\x92t the nicest of ways to thank him, by scaring him out of his wits. So much for Tina\x92s keen perception! I turned out the downstairs lights, using the faint light from the street lamps to lead me upstairs. Tina was sleeping soundly when I checked in on her, and my own head hardly had time to hit the pillow before I turned out.
Next morning I woke up early, before the alarm clock had even considered ringing. It was a beautiful morning, the sun shining from a blue sky, birds singing in the apple tree just outside my window and the sounds of a city not quite awake yet. After a quick shower, I shook life into Tina, and while she hit her own shower, I made breakfast.
"Mmm, bacon and eggs," she said, coming down the stairs. "Hope you made mine sunny side up."
"Sure. I know what you like. Bacon\x92s nice and crispy. Shakespeare\x92s fine, too," I added, anticipating her usual joke. She was definitely beginning to match my own sense of humour. "In fact, the whole renaissance regiment is just lovely today."
"I wasn\x92t going to say anything," she lied. "What\x92s with you today, why the good mood?"
"Look at the weather! It\x92s a lovely day. I feel like singing!"
"There are some very sharp knives in this kitchen, you know. Just a hint. Now, serve me, Igor! I\x92m starving!"
"Food\x92s right here, you just use your furry legs to get it."
"Meanie. Mom would\x92ve served me, after snatching me up from my cozy bed at such a ghastly hour."
"No, she wouldn\x92t."
Muttering, she got up to get a plateful of food, her spirit rising as she began to eat. I sat down to join her, but I barely got time to start before the phone rang. It was dad.
"Hello Mike, I was hoping to catch you before you went to work. I just wanted to tell you that we\x92re coming home tonight. Everything worked out in the end."
"That\x92s great. Any strike o\x92the clock?"
"Round about seven, I\x92d guess."
"We\x92ll have dinner ready."
"How\x92s Tina? She behaving?"
"As usual. John\x92s doctor said he\x92ll be out of the hospital in no time. Oh, the neighbours in twenty-four said they won\x92t press charges. I think their insurance covers most of it. And she\x92s smeared raspberry jam in the video recorder again."
"I take it she\x92s been a good girl."
"Yeah, she\x92s been great. Better than usual, in fact. She got along very well with John, and she seems to have made some friends around here."
"All right. Look, I\x92d better get down for breakfast now, or I\x92ll miss it completely. Your mother sends her love. Can I talk to Tina?
"I\x92ll see if she\x92s finished with breakfast," I said, as she stood next to me, bouncing. "No, she\x92s still reading the Financial Times, I guess she\x92ll be a while."
"Give me the phone, you dummy!"
"All right. Dad, here she is. Bye!"
I had no time to hear his reply, because Tina snatched the receiver right out of my hand. As she began twittering with dad, I went to finish off my tepid breakfast. It was a quarter past eight, still fifteen minutes before John would show up, so I sat down to watch the morning news. A lot of coverage was given to the delay in the Morning Star launch, and the financial problems the project was having. Besides that, nothing much had happened. The world was still out there, it hadn\x92t disappeared over night. Tina hung up, joining me.
"I told dad about Song and how we repaired things. He\x92s going to buy me an electronics kit."
"Who, Song?"
"No, silly, dad! Anyway, they\x92d be leaving soon, so they wouldn\x92t have to hurry."
"That\x92s good. What should we make them for dinner?"
"Take-out Chinese. Or pizza."
"Junk food junkie! Got any real ideas?"
"Your home-made hamburgers! With mashed potatoes. I love those."
"Heh. You always did. All right, we\x92ll have to get some minced meat, and onions. I\x92ll send you down to the corner shop when we get home."
"Isn\x92t John driving us?"
"Only there. He works late tonight."
"Too bad!"
"I told you; don\x92t see him as a set of wheels!"
"You\x92re so over-protective, Mikey. If he wants to help, let him! You see how happy he is when you accept it."
"I don\x92t think he can say no, so I do it for him. He\x92s my friend, not my cab driver."
"Let him be nice. He wants to!" She winked. "He really wants your attention, you know."
"Tina, I hugged him last night, to thank him for driving us. The poor guy nearly ran screaming from here. You\x92re way off target, kid!"
"Oh no! Don\x92t tell me you\x92ve started hugging people again! That\x92s so embarrassing! If you throw yourself around the neck of any of my new friends, I\x92ll gut you in your sleep!"
"Don\x92t worry, I won\x92t," I grinned. "At least, not too often."
"Nooo, spare me! My brother, the fur-crusher! If you hug poor Zea, she\x92ll die!"
"Relax, sis. I promise not to hug your friends, okay? I\x92m getting a bit too old for it, anyway. I\x92ll have to remember to apologise to poor John, he was really shocked."
"I can imagine."
I got up to turn off the TV, and as I put the dishes in the sink, John arrived. He was a few minutes early, and as Tina rushed up to her room to get ready, I told him to come in.
"Listen, John, I\x92m sorry about throwing myself around your neck last night. I just thought I\x92d give you a scare."
"You nearly startled the life out of me! No, it\x92s all right, you don\x92t have to apologise. Just give me a fair warning next time, or I\x92ll get an early grave. Do you often hug people?"
"Not these days. Back home, I used to embarrass all my friends like that, but I kind of grew out of it."
"Until now, though?"
"Hey, I said I\x92m sorry! I will warn you if it happens again, promise."
"Okay, I believe you. Ready to go?"
"Yeah. Thanks for driving us."
"Anytime. Here\x92s Tina. Everybody, hop in!"

John stayed with me that morning, and we mostly sat around talking when I didn\x92t have any customers. Stone was out today, and from his hurried explanation, I had gathered that he was going to vent his spite upon some poorly performing supplier. Song and Tina were in the workshop, busying themselves with Tina\x92s injured teddy. It was as calm as it had been Monday morning, only an occasional customer dropping in, and hardly anyone buying. John and I kept talking about the upcoming two days of spare time.
"The school building is open, you know," he said. "For summer courses and seminars and such. If you want, I could give you a good tour."
"We\x92ll see. I\x92m not really caring that much for school right now, what with nearly four weeks left of the break. I can\x92t believe you\x92ve shown me all of the town. Don\x92t you have any favourite spots?"
"Well, now that you mention it. There\x92s a great place to camp just beside the lake. The cliffs are quite steep, but far from impossible, and there is a ledge, really hard to find if you don\x92t know it\x92s there. The winds are constant, so there\x92s not much bugs, and no birds, either. It makes a perfect place to camp out. You don\x92t even need a tent, just a sleeping bag. The view is something extra, especially in the morning."
"All right," I said. "That takes care of Thursday evening through Friday morning. How about the rest of the time? Or do you have other plans?"
"What? Oh no, nothing planned. Well, there\x92s a great comic book shop a bit\x92s walk from downtown. I go there every now and then. Does that sound silly?"
"Not at all. I read a lot of the stuff, it\x92s just still packed down in a crate somewhere. Could we go skating again? I really had fun last time."
"You\x92re just looking forward to my famous back rub. I know you too well. Maybe we should start on your lessons?"
"Why not. If we still have time, maybe you could help me shop for furniture. I\x92m still looking for that spare bed, and a desk for my main room."
"I still don\x92t understand why you need two beds and two desks."
"Okay, so I\x92m a materialist. Shoot me!"
"I\x92d miss. Can hardly hold a gun." He chuckled. "I\x92m as likely to blow away my own foot."
"Then hang me. Knife me. Strangle me."
"Or hug you to death?"
"Yeah," I laughed. "That\x92d be a way to go!"
"There\x92s also a great swimming pool on the school grounds, open all days. You like water, fox?"
"Sure. What about you, cat?"
"Hey, I swim like a fish! Almost made the school team, once upon a time."
"So, we swim this week, instead of skating. All right. You can rub my back, anyway."
"Well, that settles two days. How about Saturday? Do you need baby-sitting again?"
"I don\x92t think so." I shook my head. "Not unless mom and dad have got plans of their own. Britanny and I haven\x92t decided anything yet, but I think we\x92re going out. Tina\x92d probably be happy if you came over anyway."
"Trying to get me out of the apartment, you sly bastard?" He elbowed me in the ribs, grinning. "Seeking to seduce my sister again?"
"No, it\x92s not like that!" I blushed. "I really didn\x92t think like that!"
"I know," he laughed. "If I\x92m not mistaken, you simply can\x92t plan against people. No matter what you say, you\x92re just thoroughly, basically good, always caring for others."
"I\x92ve heard that a few times, now. Another round in the make-Mikey-blush game. Mom\x92s still ahead, with Tina as runner-up, but you\x92re a good third, closing rapidly."
"Thinking of what Tina did to you the other day," he said in a low, almost whispering voice, "I hardly dare imagining what your mom could have done to top that."
"Trust me, you don\x92t dare. She was meaner that what could possibly be legal."
"Tell me! Tell me!" He was practically bouncing. "You\x92ve got to tell me!"
"Forget it! If we had been on a street corner, I would\x92ve held up traffic."
"Damn, Mike, don\x92t make me so curious. Tell me."
"Oh look, a customer. Can I help you, sir?"
My life-saver turned out to be a large, black wolf, perhaps a year or two my elder. He had been looking through the classical records, scratching his chin, and now he nodded.
"As a matter of fact, you can. I\x92m looking for a recording of Johann Heinrich Roman."
"Ah, Drottningholmsmusiken, is it?" He nodded. "If it\x92s not there, I\x92ll check the store room. We should have a few."
Happy to leave my nosy buddy, I opened the storage door, rummaging around for a while before I found two different recordings. The wolf picked out the one by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and I congratulated him on his choice as I handed him his change.
"That\x92s really good music. I\x92ve got the same record myself. Here you go!"
"Thanks a lot."
He left, and I tried my best to avoid John\x92s curious gaze. He kept walking around me, not really fast enough to catch my eyes.
"It\x92s no use prying, kittie! I just won\x92t tell!"
"Oh, all right, but you\x92ll have to forgive me for being curious."
"I forgive you, just lay it off!"
"You little bore!"
"Yeah, I\x92ve heard that, as well."
We kept on chatting, until he had to get to work at eleven, leaving me to face the lunch rush. I was dealing with a particularly difficult customer, who wanted to know the exact reason for why the record he wanted had gone out of print, when Stone returned. Obviously pleased, he patted my shoulder.
"Finally got rid of those speakers. Damn trouble-makers."
He went into his office before I could answer, but I could hear him sigh as he sat down. At half past twelve, I closed the store, bringing Tina with me for lunch. We quickly caught a bus to the shopping centre, stepping into the Ristorante Di Napoli just as rush hour was coming to its end. Still, there was a steady stream of customers, so John had little time to talk. He had hardly had time to break a sweat, and smiled at us as we got our food. Sitting down to eat, Tina told me how Song had mended her teddy bear in just a few minutes, switching a broken resistor and soldering a few loose wires into place. The toy now talked as well as it had when it was new. The otter had taught Tina how to use the soldering-iron, and if she wasn\x92t lying she was catching up real quick. The way she spoke about the workshop and the electronical stuff, it would seem she had her future set.
"Song says I\x92m really good. That I learn every bit as fast as he did, when he started learning electronics. What courses should I take to become an engineer, Mikey?"
"Well," I said, swallowing a mouthful of spaghetti. "For a start, you should probably take a technical programme on level two, then specialise more later. You want to be a tinkerer?"
"Why not? It\x92s fun, and Song says I\x92ve got a talent. He told me how to repair a walkman, guiding me through it, and it really worked!" She was beaming with pride.
"Well, I\x92m not complaining. If you learn electronics, think of all the cash I\x92ll save, letting you do repairs for me."

She fumed a bit over this, but still finished her pizza fast enough so that we could toss a few words with John before running to the bus stop. With more customers, the afternoon seemed to fly by, and it wasn\x92t long until we closed the store, Tina and I saying good bye to the others and making our way home. I sent her to buy groceries, then got to work with dinner, peeling potatoes en masse. As I stood frying burgers, Tina was leaning over the stove, sniffing and smacking her lips.
"That smells soo good, Mikey. I always said you were an excellent cook."
"I\x92ll let it pass, this time."
"Don\x92t you think they\x92d be home by now," she asked. "It\x92s almost half eight."
The clock ticked on, and the food began to get cold. I was hungry, but Tina insisted we should wait. At five past eight, the car engine came to a stop outside, and we ran to meet our parents. Forming a group hug, we slowly eased our way into the hall. They both seemed very tired, in fact, mom was yawning widely.
"What awful traffic!" she sighed. "I thought we\x92d never get off the motorway. Did you make dinner, guys? That\x92s so sweet!"
"It might need a little heating," I said, stuffing a full plate of burgers into the microwave. "Just be a minute."
A while later, we sat down to eat. Mom told us about the mislaid papers, which had apparently been sent to the wrong branch office, meaning she apparently had failed to show up for work at two different places, only to appear at an office she shouldn\x92t even be near. Now, though, it was all cleared up, and tomorrow would mean work as usual for them. Between burgers, Tina said she\x92d like to come with me the next day as well, and nobody seemed to disagree. John would start early that day, so we would have to ride our bikes. After dinner, Tina and mom took care of the dishes, while dad wanted to talk to me.
"Mike, have you got any plans for this weekend?"
"Not for the weekend, no, but I may have. Why?"
"Your mother and I have got Thursday and Friday off, compensating for this ruptured weekend. So we thought we\x92d take a trip down to New York. Doing the tourist thing. Want to come?"
"Would you get disappointed if I turned it down? John and I only have two days a week to ourselves, and I\x92m probably seeing Britanny again on Saturday."
"No, it\x92s fine. I know you\x92re not much into sight-seeing."
"Well, it might be okay. I just don\x92t like that walking around, looking at all the things everybody else is looking at. Another time, perhaps."
"Okay." Suddenly he grinned. "You sure we can leave you all alone for four days? Tina told me about this weekend."
"Uh-oh."
"Damn right! She said you were out all nights hunting girls, and that you were groping boys in the doorway. Is this true?" He made his face stern, but couldn\x92t hide the amusement in his eyes. "I may have to ground you for a few weeks."
"If you strike the plurals, she\x92s just about right." I grinned back at him. "Hunting Britanny and groping John. I\x92m a lion tamer!"
"You\x92re wicked, that\x92s what you are!" He sighed, shaking his head. "Now I must disown you."
"At least wait \x91til I get started!"
"Disown you, and pull out the ol\x92 shotgun."
"My dad, the caveman!"
"Let me remind you, son," he said, puffing himself up and taking on an air of importance, "as the head of Nature\x92s Way Kansas, that all non-reproductive sex is banned as a grave sin! The flames of Hell will scorch you!"
"Yeah, right." I made myself look stubborn. "Pompous, quasi-religious prude-arses! Like I\x92d ever heed anything those bastards blurt out."
"No, seriously!" He dropped the act, turning back into my good old dad. "You have fun, okay? You\x92re right not to listen to that crap."
"Dad, how can you be in that organisation without believing in it?"
"Heritage. If your granddad would\x92ve heard you were fondling a boy, he\x92d disown me for not disowning you."
"I wasn\x92t fondling John, dad. I hugged him, to thank him for being such a great guy."
"That may be, but going to bed with a girl who\x92s not your bonded mate, that\x92s also a sin. Not to mention the fact that she\x92s not a fox! Don\x92t look so shocked, Mike. Tina had a lot to tell me this morning."
"Well, add a sin to your lost sheep son\x92s list, would you? Infanticide?"
He laughed, slapping my shoulder. Suddenly he yawned widely, stretching his arms towards the ceiling. We said good night, and he went off to the master bedroom. After doing the dishes, Tina was watching the news, and mom stopped me in the hall. I\x92d hardly taken four steps since my talk with dad.
"Don\x92t tell me," I said. "Tina\x92s been at it again, hasn\x92t she?"
"Well, only partly. Your father relayed some of her news to me this morning. She filled me in on the rest now. Seems you got lucky!"
"Luck doesn\x92t cover it, mom. We didn\x92t plan it, it just came naturally. I think I\x92m in love."
"Think?"
"Well, it\x92s not as if we know each other too well, yet. I know one thing, though, she\x92s a great person, and she likes me back."
"And what about John?"
"He took it very well. In fact, he seemed to be truly happy for us."
"I didn\x92t mean that, Mike."
"I\x92ll go medieval on my little sister, I swear!"
"No, you won\x92t. She\x92s done worse than telling on you, and you\x92ve never even raised your voice at her."
"You\x92re right. I\x92ll stop treating her to pizzas. That should be harsh enough."
"So, what about John?" She smiled. "You\x92re stalling, Mikey!"
"No, I\x92m not. Tina\x92s firing blindly, and so are the rest of you. I was thanking him for the lift home, and thought I\x92d play him a little prank, so I hugged him. Nearly scared him dead."
"Well, Tina told me that, too. I just thought I\x92d push you a little bit. Watch you cringe, but you\x92re not cringing."
"I won\x92t cringe. Why should I? Right now, I\x92m happier than I think I\x92ve ever been. I\x92ve got the best friend I could ask for, I\x92m on my way to a really good romance, and I\x92ve got a job I like. I haven\x92t really dared to pinch myself yet."
"Good for you, baby," she said, kissing my cheek. "I\x92m happy for you. Sorry if I\x92m a bit nosy at times, I\x92m just one curious fox!"
"Yes, you are. I\x92m beginning to see where Tina and I get our mean streaks. Dad couldn\x92t play a joke if it were a soccer ball."
"Don\x92t call it a mean streak, Mikey. Just a good sense of humour, that\x92s all. And don\x92t call your dad humourless. Where would comedy be..."
"...without the straight man!" I finished, and we both laughed. "He told me about your plans for the weekend."
"So, you coming, honey?"
"If it were just the weekend, I might\x92ve, but now that you\x92ll be gone four days..."
"Say no more, Mikey, I understand. I won\x92t try to keep you from seeing your friends. We\x92ll leave Thursday morning."
"Hope you\x92re not too disappointed."
"Not at all. You\x92re grown enough to decide for yourself. And I know you\x92re not too fond of sightseeing."
"I just talked to dad, and we said just about the same things. He told me to veer from my sinful ways, though."
"He didn\x92t?"
"Relax, he was just kidding. At least, I hope he was..."
"Don\x92t you worry. He won\x92t bear down on my kids!" She hugged me. "You have fun, you hear! As long as you\x92re happy, so are we. If he tries to make you shotgun wed Britanny..."
"I was just pulling your leg, mom. He wasn\x92t the least bit serious about it. I promise I\x92ll be a good boy. Moderately."
"Heh. You are a silly fox. You know that, don\x92t you?"
"I\x92ve been told."
Saying good night, she went to bed, and I joined Tina in front of the TV. The news were over, and there was a live broadcast from a track meet in London. We watched people jump, run and throw as if their lives depended on it, and then morning found us cuddled up on the couch, the TV having shut itself down as it ran out of programmes. Dad woke us up, a smile on his lips, as he came down to make breakfast. Yawning, Tina and I headed up to shower and change for another day at work.

Parking our bikes at the back door, we got into the store at ten to nine. Stone nodded at us from his office, phone in hand, and Tina ran back to the workshop. I followed her, greeting Song.
"Hi, Tina. Hello, Mike. Ready for work, kid?"
"You bet!" She grinned at him. Apparently, they had both found a new friend. "I\x92m going to study electronics, you know."
"You do that, kid. You\x92ll be an expert."
"Dad has bought me an electronics kit. I\x92ll get to work as soon as we get home today."
"If you want to, you can have some oddments and spare parts I\x92ve got lying around in here. Those kits aren\x92t very exciting."
"Don\x92t spoil her, Song," I said. "And don\x92t give her anything she\x92ll short the house with."
"Relax, will you! I\x92m sure your dad\x92s insured. Besides, you should encourage her. She\x92s got talent."
"I do. I\x92ve already told her what courses to take next year."
"Good. Well, let\x92s get started on this one, shall we?" He pointed to a huge, black plastic box. "Know what it is?"
"I\x92ve never seen one," she said. "But it has to be an LP-player. It must be older than Wisconsin!"
"Not quite," he laughed, "but it\x92s still got a few thousand years to it. Not really of antique value, since it\x92s quite battered, but the owner loves it. His heart nearly broke with it."
I had some second thoughts about leaving Tina to handle such an artefact, but if Song thought it was okay, I wouldn\x92t put up a fight. I wanted to tell her to be good, but she had been for the last two days, so I let it rest. Instead, I opened up the store, letting the first customers in. One of them was the wolf from yesterday. He came up to the counter right away, smiling.
"Hi. Thanks for finding me that record yesterday. It was great." He had a foreign accent, with hard, rolling consonants and soft, almost swallowed vowels. I immediately pictured bagpipes, whiskey and huge, desolate moors.
"Hey, service with a smile, that\x92s me."
"I was wondering, if maybe you\x92d know... I mean, if there are some other good Scandinavian composers. I\x92ll be doing Swedish as my third language once school starts, and I\x92d like to read up a bit."
"Well, to tell you the truth, I\x92m not that good at classical music. Sibelius and Grieg aren\x92t exactly Swedish. There\x92s Pettersson-Berger, of course, and Stenhammar. Snöfall. Have you heard Ralph Lundsten?"
"Yeah, he\x92s one of my faves!" He lit up. "I think about three people in school know him, though."
"That makes us four this year."
"You\x92re a student, too? I thought you were the new cashier."
"Just for a few weeks. I\x92m on three-four, physics. Name\x92s Mike."
"I\x92m Claymore. Blame my dad, really, he\x92s a soft spot for the old days. Here, everybody calls me Eddy."
"I can imagine the reason. I\x92ll wager my left hand you\x92re from Edinburgh, am I right?"
"Spot on, Mike. Not everybody gets that one."
"Exchange student?" He nodded. "First year at the University?"
"There you\x92re wrong. I\x92m younger than you, on three-three, language and social studies."
"You are? I thought you\x92d be twenty, twenty-two, something like that."
"Because of my size, I\x92m sure. I take after dad, he\x92s massive. Like cut from the highland rock, he is. I\x92ve just turned seventeen."
"Then you\x92re not that much younger than me. I turn out of seventeen later this year. So," I said, glad to have someone to talk to, since nobody was buying anything, "what\x92s an exchange student doing in town with more than three weeks to spare?"
"Summer courses. I\x92ve read up on the old human social systems, mostly the American way. Thinking of becoming a historian." Suddenly, he frowned. "I don\x92t recall seeing you before, though. I\x92ve been here, well, this\x92ll be my second year."
"It\x92ll be my first. Moved in hardly a week ago."
"So you are new." He nodded to himself. "I thought so, I usually have a very good memory for people. How\x92s life treating you in the new town, then?"
"Fairly good, I\x92d say. I made a great friend the first day, that\x92s John, the lion who was with me yesterday."
"Yeah, I remember him from school. You\x92ll be classmates, I think."
"We will. He\x92s a great guy, we\x92ve spent almost all our free time together since then."
"Well, Mike," he checked his watch. "I\x92ve got to go. It was nice talking to you. See you in school, if I don\x92t see you before that."
"You too, Eddy."
It wasn\x92t until he had left the store that I realised that he had completely forgot about his records. Our long conversation had me thinking. Was everybody like that in this town? We had talked almost like I had with John and Britanny, like we were old friends. Maybe it was the big city way; back home, everyone was always so suspicious with strangers. Here, you met new people every day, and the only chance of getting to know someone was to open up right away. Or maybe the small talk was a way to keep others out, to stay shallow with people you didn\x92t want to let in too deep. I decided to go with the former thought, it was more to my liking. Eddy seemed genuinely nice, but then again, he wasn\x92t a native, so he couldn\x92t prove either theory. Just before lunch, Stone came up to me with another set of keys.
"The other guy is coming in this afternoon, to pick up these." He handed me a note with some figures on it. "Check his ID card for this number, his name\x92s Charlie, black dog with glasses. I\x92m leaving for the day, and I\x92ll be out tomorrow, as well, so tell him he and Song will have to keep everything running for the whole day."
"I\x92ll do that. See you Monday, Mr Stone."
"None of that Mister crap, Mike. Yeah, I\x92ll be seeing you. If Song tries to persuade you to close early, just whip him a few times. Bye, now."
He left, and I locked the front door behind him. Picking Tina up, we went for burgers. As we ate, she told me about how she had watched Song work on the LP-player the whole morning, and how he had told her the names and functions of every little component. She was so agitated, I couldn\x92t help smiling.
"Don\x92t laugh at me, Mikey! I really like this!"
"Sorry, Tina, I wasn\x92t laughing, really. I just like seeing how much you enjoy it, that\x92s all."
"Oh. Well, I do. It\x92s so fun. And Song\x92s a great guy. If I were a few years older, I wouldn\x92t let him get away." She grinned at me, provokingly, but I disappointed her.
"You shouldn\x92t. I like him."
"Dad said you\x92re not coming with us to New York."
"That\x92s right. John and I are going to camp, right by the lake, and I hope to see Britanny again this weekend."
"Too bad. It\x92s more fun when you\x92re with us."
"Thanks, Tina." I smiled at her. "That\x92s a nice thing to say."
We finished our burgers, then spent the next twenty minutes window-shopping. I wasn\x92t looking for something, and Tina was saving her money for the trip. When the hour was up, we went back to the store. The afternoon wasn\x92t that busy, and at four John showed up. He had made us plans for the weekend, plans I agreed to without much thinking. He hadn\x92t let me down yet. I told him I was a bachelor for the weekend, and he lit up.
"I\x92ve worked the whole summer at the restaurant, without taking a single leave. I could see if I could have my schedule rearranged, so I would have Saturday and Sunday off as well. What do you say? Or do you have other plans?"
"Nope. I\x92ll just have to set you planning again. Unless we should slack those two days. Could be nice, you know, just to relax. That\x92s what I thought I\x92d do."
"You\x92re not going out, then? You and Britty?"
"I thought I\x92d call her tonight. We haven\x92t planned anything, though. Actually, I\x92m kind of nervous about the second date."
"Why? You\x92ve already seen her, once."
"Yeah, but I\x92m wondering if she\x92s serious about us. And if I am. I\x92m really, really fond of her."
"You know, Mike, you\x92re the first guy I\x92ve heard talking about her like that."
"Like what?"
"Like, serious, or fond of. Most guys just talk about her looks, and if she\x92d go with them."
"She did go with me."
"Yeah, and I think that\x92s why. You went out with her, not with her looks. She really liked that."
"I won\x92t deny she\x92s good looking," I said, blushing a bit. "But so are many others. I wouldn\x92t have asked her out if she hadn\x92t shown a sense of humour. A bit of personality. I don\x92t know if you believe me, John, but I hardly cared about her looks when we went out. I looked deeper than that, and that\x92s when I really started to like her."
"I do believe you, Mike. You\x92re not shallow, and that\x92s rare."
"Then there\x92s her smile..."
"Hey, fox! Stay in the now, will you! You call her, and we\x92ll plan after that, okay?"
"Fine. Hey, have you checked the time? I should have closed five minutes ago!"
"Time flies, doesn\x92t it. Come on, I\x92ll drive you home."
"I\x92ll just shake some life in the tinkerers. You staying over dinner?"
"Love to. Can I borrow the phone here, do you think? To tell mom I\x92ll eat out."
"You do that."
I locked the door, wondering where the day had gone. I had kept on serving customers, hardly pausing our conversation. It turned out the LP-player was a hard case, and Song had also missed time\x92s passage. We said good bye, leaving him to keep working for a while.
"I\x92m nearly there," he said. "Just a few more bits to replace, and it\x92ll be ready tomorrow morning. I\x92ll lock on my way out."
There was a knock on the door, and I went to check it out. The face outside looked strangely familiar, until it dawned on me that I\x92d had it described to me that morning. I let Charlie in, and he sighed with relief.
"My car broke down on the way here, and it took me an hour and a half to get it working again. I\x92m so glad you\x92ve stayed late."
He showed me his ID card, and I gave him his keys. He thanked me for agreeing to his schedule, and I told him I would have suggested something like that.
"That\x92s great," he said, grinning. "Now, if you\x92ll excuse me, I have to run. I didn\x92t dare turn the engine off."
John, Tina and I followed him out, me locking behind us, and we just had time to see him disappear around a corner. His car was a newer one, not even ten years old, but it sounded like it was ancient.
"How can you treat a car like that," John muttered. "Got to love it, care for it."
"What did your mom say?" I asked.
"Oh, it was all right. What are you having?"
"It\x92s my turn to cook, so I\x92ll let you decide. Anything you feel like, John?"
"Mexican!" Tina said. "Or a great, big steak."
"Let\x92s see what you\x92ve got home," he said. "I\x92ll help you out."

Since I was the cook for tonight, nobody objected to my inviting John. Tina bounced up the stairs, to pack for tomorrow, while John and I rummaged through the fridge and cupboards. Picking among the groceries, he soon decided for me to make the same ham casserole he had loved the other day. Like then, he peeled the potatoes, while I did the rest. Talk at dinner was mostly about the New York trip, and I suddenly felt a quizzical glance from John. Since he didn\x92t say anything, I decided to let it wait for after dinner. As I was cooking, it was mom\x92s turn to do the dishes, but before we left the kitchen, she called me back.
"Britanny called just before you got home. Sorry I forgot to tell you."
"Should I call her back?"
"She wanted you to, yes."
"Care to wait a minute?" I asked John.
"Sure."
We headed upstairs, and he waited in my room as I used the phone in the hall. I let a few signals through, before she finally answered.
"Britanny."
"Hi, Britanny, remember the voice?" I said, in my best Godfather tone.
"Mike! Hi. I called you before..."
"Hadn\x92t got back from work. How\x92re you doing?"
"Just fine. Listen, Mike, we said we\x92d go out again this weekend, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, there\x92s a bit of a problem. I\x92ve got to attend a seminar in Detroit, or I might lose my scholarship. It\x92ll be the whole weekend."
"Oh." I couldn\x92t think of anything else to say, so she went on.
"I\x92ll make it up to you, I promise. Can we go out Monday night?"
"Yeah, sure. Fine! I\x92ll just have to bide my time, counting the seconds."
"You do that," she laughed, setting my heart flying. "Tell you what, let\x92s start counting together!"
"One, two, three," we began, in perfect synch, then we started laughing.
"You hanging with Johnny this weekend?"
"Yeah. The rest of my family\x92s going away, so I\x92m all alone here. John\x92s taking some days off, so we\x92ll paint the town red, I guess."
"Heh. Damn it! You all alone, and I can\x92t be there... Mike, I really hate going away this weekend, I really do."
"I\x92m not exactly fond of seeing you go. See you Monday, though. Much of you, I hope."
"That you will, foxy. Here, catch a kiss!" There was a smacking sound, and I held the receiver across my heart. "Did you get it?"
"I got it, Britanny. Ooh, did I get it."
"Good for you!" Again, that crystal laughter. "See you, Mike!"
"Yeah, you too!"
We hung up, and ambivalence struck me. While my spirit sank for not seeing Britanny, I also felt good about an entire weekend with John. He grinned at me when I opened the door to my room.
"So, how\x92d it go?"
"She\x92s going away on a seminar. I\x92m a grass widower! I told her we\x92d par-tee!"
"Are we?"
"Partying? No, we\x92re hanging out like we planned, aren\x92t we?"
"Just checking. If you plan to booze up, count me out!"
"You don\x92t drink, John?" He shook his head. "Well, me neither. Just don\x92t like it."
"Which, the drinking or the being drunk?"
"Both. I like my head clear."
"Me too. So that means we\x92ve got two more, full days. Your slacking idea seems good to me."
"Not many of my friends from back home would have a nice, quiet evening with their parents out of the house. More likely, they\x92d turn said house upside-down."
"I\x92m glad you\x92re not like that, Mike." He smiled happily. "I love nice and quiet."
"You wanted to ask me something?"
"I did?"
"Well, I thought you did, from the look you gave me."
"Oh yeah, just a thought, really."
"Shoot."
"I\x92m curious, Mike. Why\x92d you turn down a trip to New York?"
"I already had my weekend planned. They should\x92ve asked me sooner." I told him about how I didn\x92t like touristing. "Besides, I\x92m not totally fond of flying."
"Just so you made up your own mind," he said. "I wouldn\x92t be too happy if you turned down something you\x92d rather do, just to be nice to me."
"Don\x92t fret. Even if you\x92d been away, too, I would have stayed behind. I really feel the couch and the video rack calling for me."
"Four days of slacking would be too much for you, fox. You should be happy I\x92m here to whip you moving."
"Heh. I am. Just be gentle, please?"
Before he went home that night, we decided he would pick me up at half ten, to give me time to say good bye to the others, and him time to call the restaurant. The disappointment I\x92d felt over not seeing Britanny had passed; after all, I would see her on Monday, and I found myself looking forward to spending some days with John. I\x92d never met anyone I felt so relaxed with; it was as if we could talk about anything, even though we had barely known each other for a week. Listening to the receding car, I decided to have a nice, long shower before turning in. I was a bit tired after three straight work days, and the hot water did me good. Once dry, I made sure to comb all over before I went to bed. That night I slept really well, not waking up until mom knocked on my door, at half eight.
"Coming up to breakfast, Mikey? We\x92ll leave for the airport in an hour."
"Yeah, I\x92m coming."
The smell of frying bacon accompanied me down the stairs, and pulled me into the kitchen, where dad was busy at the stove. Breakfast didn\x92t see much talking. The others were already halfway to New York, and I was still a bit tired. It wasn\x92t long until we stood on the doorstep, mom and dad both encouraging me to have fun, yet behave. To my surprise, Tina tossed herself around my neck, tears in her eyes.
"I\x92m gonna miss you, Mikey!" she cried. "You\x92re the best brother I could wish for."
"You\x92ll only be gone for a few days," I said. "Let\x92s do something fun next week, okay?"
"Yeah, okay," she sobbed, wiping her tears. Then she whispered in my ear. "You use the weekend well, you hear?"
"Britanny\x92s out, otherwise I would," I whispered back, hugging her tightly. "Thanks for caring."
"Anytime. You have fun with John, though."
"I will."
Dad hugged me good bye, and helped Tina load the car, while mom took me into a long embrace. She, too, whispered to me.
"Tina\x92s had a wonderful weekend, Mikey. She\x92s made sure to tell us what a great guy you are."
"You mean to say I\x92ve helped you spoil her?"
"No, I mean to say that you are the best. You\x92ve taken great care for your sister, when you could have been out with your friends."
"I have been!"
"Yes, but still, she\x92s had a great time. Now make sure to enjoy yourself, you hear? No thinking about others! If there are dishes left comes Monday, never mind."
"Heh. I won\x92t. Thanks, mom."
Receiving one more fierce hug and a kiss from Tina, I waved them good bye until the car rounded the corner. No thinking about others? Smiling, I nodded to myself. I would think of another, for sure. Britanny had been right, it was a shame we couldn\x92t use this time better, but then again, there would be other times. Both before and after school had started. I felt the thoughts of Britanny affect me, and I quickly decided to do something about it. The shower was a good place, leaving neither spots nor smells, and I felt both relaxed and contented when I heard the Volvo horn beep for me outside.