Chapter 67

Most of the people I worked with at this hour were zombies, just like me. I had to have two cups of coffee just to be awake enough to make the walk to the store. Even the murderers and rapists were asleep right now.

I waved at Buzz as I passed the meat department. He’d been here as long as I had, and loved his job. He was a burly guy, married to the man of his dreams, and had three kids through a surrogate and adoption. He’d been the only employee to befriend me, not put off by introverted behavior. We had lunch together most days, where I listened to stories about the shenanigans of his kids, and heard all about the mercurial nature of his artistic spouse. Sounded like heaven to me.

I got to work and forgot all about the new manager until Darlene called us into the mandatory employee huddle before the doors opened to the trendy, über professionals and stay-at-home parents who would soon grace the aisles of our store.