Calling All Customers (Calling All... Book 3)

by Tara Ford

  “Ok, done deal.”

  Jenny thought for a moment. “Actually, I’d only need him on Saturday really. Tasha starts at eight on Sundays.”

  “Oh, I thought you didn’t want to leave Tasha on her own in the shop.”

  “No I don’t but I’m guessing that she could do it again…” Jenny pondered over her last statement and then retracted from it. “Well, ok, let’s say that Xaylan does it on Sundays as well.”

  Dayna nodded her head and grinned. “He’ll be pleased to earn a bit of pocket money, Jen.”

  “Yes but you won’t get any rest will you?”

  “Ah, I don’t mind, honestly. It might make him realise that money doesn’t grow on trees and that you have to work hard to get it.”

  “Hmm… well it can only be a temporary thing. He’s just not old enough to do it legally. I’m guessing that, until we have enough newspaper customers to make up a decent round, we can’t really advertise for a paperboy or girl anyway.”

  “No, you’re probably right. So that’s it then – Xaylan will be here at eight o’clock sharp, to collect the papers. I’ll wait outside in the car. Does that sound like a plan?”

  “Yes, it does… and thank you Dayna. Once again – and I feel like I’ve been saying this to everyone lately – I don’t know what I would have done without you around to organize me and be my back-up brain.”

  “You would have probably screamed or even cried by now,” said Dayna, winking an eye, before she walked off down to the staff room to collect her things.

  “See you in the morning then,” called Dayna as she opened the door. Then she left.

  Jenny stood behind the counter listening to the lonely hum of the fridge units, while peering through the slits of the partially open blinds. A veil of bleak emptiness engulfed the road outside, the shop inside and Jenny’s heart and mind, on all sides.

  Thump, thump, thump… thump… thump.

  Jenny almost leapt over the counter in her quest to get to the front door. She had to catch Dayna before she drove away…

  “Just give me two minutes. I want you to hear this – just to prove that I’m not going mad,” said Jenny, huffing and puffing.

  The two women stood inside the front of the shop, tilted their heads towards the ceiling and listened.

  Nothing.

  “I do believe you, Jen. Why does the noise always happen when you’re here on your own though?” Dayna was just as puzzled as her friend was. “Why don’t you just go up there? Go and ask the man, what the hell is going on?”

  Jenny was far more tactful than her colleague could ever be. “And say what?”

  “Ask him what the hell he is jumping about for?”

  “I don’t know that he is jumping about, Day. It just sounds like that.”

  “Well go and ask him what the hell he is doing, then.”

  “You haven’t met him – he’s very stern-looking and unfriendly,” replied Jenny, wishing that the noise would start again.

  “Do you want me to go and have a word?” said Dayna in her, ‘let me have a go at ‘em’ voice.

  “No, if anyone is going to say anything – well, it should be me I guess. I’m the owner.”

  “Ok, so do you want me to wait down here then, while you go up there and confront him?”

  Jenny shook her head, “No, I’ll leave it for now. I will go up there and talk to him though – I promise.” Smiling weakly, Jenny continued, “I just wanted you to hear it. You might have thought it was a different kind of sound. I just assumed it was a ‘jumping’ noise but it could be something completely different.”

  “Well it’s obviously bothering you Jen, otherwise you wouldn’t have come tearing out of the shop, to grab my attention, before I drove away.”

  Shrugging her shoulders, Jenny sighed, “I just want someone else to hear it… so that I know I’m not going barking mad.”

  “Haven’t you always been barking mad?” said Dayna, in jest, “That’s why we’re mates isn’t it?”

  The shop’s front door opened forcefully, causing both Jenny and Dayna to jump. In walked two burly men with practically identical bulging bellies.

  “You gotta cash machine, love?” asked the older looking man with a bushy beard. “John said you might ‘ave one.”

  “John?” said Jenny, “who’s John?”

  “Landlord – over there,” the man pointed over his shoulder, with his thumb, “the pub.”

  “Oh, err… no I don’t have one, sorry.”

  “Do cash-back then?”

  “Err… I can do, if you’re able to buy something,” said Jenny, moving back around the counter. “Day, I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t worry about it – I’ll record it if I have too.” Jenny sniggered.

  “Give us five a them Hamlett cigars, love,” said the man, peering at Jenny, oddly. “I’ll have 50 quid cash un all.”

  Dayna shuffled to the corner, where the window met the counter. She propped herself up against the windowsill and watched Jenny go through the transaction and pass over 50 pounds, in ten pound notes.

  The second man moved closer to the counter and pointed up to the cigars on the top shelf. “Same for me please.” He smiled warmly. “And 50,” he said, passing over his debit card.

  “Why didn’t you go?” asked Jenny, glancing up at the clock. “It’s twenty past eight, Day.”

  “I didn’t want to leave you alone while those two men were in here.”

  “Well, I hope that there will be a lot more people in here before I shut at ten.” Jenny tutted and rolled her eyes. “I shouldn’t have called you back in here, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine, don’t worry. It’s me who should worry… about you being here on your own…”

  “Day, I will be fine – I’m sure. I have got the buzzer, don’t forget.” Jenny wasn’t completely sure that she’d be fine but she had to give it a go. “No one will know that I’m on my own will they? They might think that there is someone else working out the back.”

  “Yeah, suppose so.” Dayna shrugged and hooked the strap of her handbag back on her shoulder. “Well I’d better get going then, Xaylan will be wondering where I am – no, actually, Mum will be tearing her hair out by now and begging for respite.” Dayna paused, “See you laters then – eight o’clock sharp.”

  Opening the fridge door, Jenny peered in the lit unit and shuffled some items around. A mass cull of fungal growth was required. She hadn’t had a proper meal in a week and the items in her fridge had lain untouched. She slammed the door shut with her hip and headed straight to the sofa and slumped down heavily. Turning the television on, via the remote control, she mindlessly flicked through the channels. At 10.55pm there wasn’t a great deal on, unless she wanted to watch an old western film or the sales channels. Jenny sighed and kicked her shoes off – she had to be up again at half past five, ready to leave for work at 6.15am. These late nights were going to be hard work but she hadn’t realised just how tough it could be.

  The takings in the shop had not been great past eight o’clock tonight. Previously suspecting that there may be a demand later in the evening, Jenny had been wrong, if tonight was anything to go by. Maybe she was being too hasty in her assumption and things would pick up over time. She hoped so. She didn’t have too big a window of failure, before she would have to reconsider her options. Most of the customers who had come in after eight had wanted cash. When they discovered that there was no cash machine, they asked for cash-back, just like the first two men who’d asked. When Jenny’s till had whittled down to just £20, she then had to refuse cash-back to another three people. This meant losing sales as well. Maybe she needed to hire a cash machine or she would have to make sure that she had an extra stash of money under the till’s tray. Too many ‘maybe’ and ‘possibly’ equations entered her thoughts and gave Jenny a headache. Switching the TV off, she threw the remote on the sofa and went to bed. Maybe this, maybe that… possibly this, possibly that…

  Only time would answer her qu
estions, so Jenny tucked the quilt cover tightly over her head and went to sleep… and dreamt… and met up with Aaron, over a pulled pork ciabatta and a slice of billionaire’s cheesecake.

  Chapter 15

  After the customary ‘thumpty-thumps’ from the ceiling, Jenny opened the door to J’s convenience Store with a weary hand and put the A-frame in its place. Although it was mid-way through October, a pair of House Martins were still shacked up in the eaves, above the shop. Obviously confused by the mild weather of late, the attractive, migrant breeders lifted Jenny from her glumness as they fluttered around. Just enough for her to smile, as Dolly came marching along the road.

  “Good morning – what a beautiful autumn day it is, dear.”

  “Yes,” replied Jenny, sniffing the crisp air, “it is lovely.” Standing with her hands on her hips, Jenny watched as Dolly tied the dog’s lead through and around one of the rings. “What brings you here today, Dolly?”

  “I’ve come to get my paper, dear. Is there a problem with that?”

  “No, no… not at all,” said Jenny, trying not to show her absolute surprise and shock.

  “I think you’re doing a wonderful thing, dear.” Dolly stood upright, arched her back, winced and then shuffled past Jenny, into the shop. “This will help your shop to thrive – other independent stores should take heed from your ideas.”

  “Sorry?” questioned Jenny, as she followed Dolly back through the door and closed it behind her.

  “Offers, dear – your offers,” said Dolly, before tottering off down the first aisle.

  Just as Jenny opened her mouth to ask, ‘what offers?’ the door opened again and in walked two of the familiar dog-walking, J’s community centre members. Every single morning, the clique of elderly gossipers had gathered in the shop to have a giggle and gab.

  Moving round to her usual, early morning position, behind the counter, Jenny greeted each friendly face with a smile and a ‘good morning’. From past experience, of just one week, Jenny knew that the aging tribe would be around for some time, gathering gusto and welcoming old and new members to their spot at the front of the shop. Jenny didn’t mind too much really. The small assemblage was entertaining to say the least. The mainly male group made Jenny laugh, they made her other customers giggle, the time passed very quickly, Jenny felt less alone and the shop looked full and busy, every morning. Jenny realised that this was exactly the reason why she had wanted to run a shop of her own – customers were friends, friends were customers. But then again there were also the likes of Dolly and Marj – they were a law unto themselves.

  Plonking a thick and heavy Saturday newspaper on the counter, Dolly placed a two-roll pack of white toilet rolls on the top. She held out two pound coins in her spindly fingers, ready to drop them into Jenny’s hand.

  “Err… that comes to £3.20 please, Dolly.”

  “£3.20, dear? I think you’ve got that wrong.” Dolly turned to look at the remaining two members of the clique and grinned cheesily. Turning back round, she pointed to the small printed price at the top of the paper. “No, the paper is £2.00, dear – can’t you see?”

  “Yes, I know that. Those toilet rolls are £1.20 though, Dolly.”

  “I’m sure they are dear but I’m not paying for those, am I?” Dolly tutted and looked back at the men behind her.

  Surprised by Dolly’s odd remark, Jenny also looked over at the two men and shrugged her shoulders before Dolly turned around.

  “Here,” said Dolly, waving the two coins under Jenny’s nose. “Here, take it.”

  “Dolly, the total price for the paper and the toilet rolls comes to £3.20.”

  “But they’re free,” screeched Dolly. “You’re doing a free offer if I buy my paper here.”

  “Who told you that?” asked Jenny, fearing that Dolly was just about to burst into tears and tantrums.

  “I said that I had come to get your offer dear… when I first came in. Don’t you remember?”

  “Yes, I do but I didn’t get a chance to reply, Dolly, as someone else came in the shop at the time.”

  “Oh, so you’re not doing any offers now then?”

  “I haven’t started any offers at all. I’ve only been open a week. Why do you think that I’m doing offers?”

  “I’ve been conned,” said Dolly, turning back to the two men. “She’s made me waste my time coming here, when I could have gone straight to KO Store.”

  The two men looked at Dolly and both snapped their shoulders upwards and held out their hands as if asking for forgiveness from some divine being above.

  “She’s conning me,” screeched Dolly, “I’m supposed to get these for free.” Dolly grabbed hold of the toilet rolls and waved them in the air.

  “No you’re not, Dolly. They aren’t free.” Jenny cringed with embarrassment and shook her head at the two men. “Who told you they were free?”

  “Brian and Joan told me. They said you were giving away free toilet rolls and that I would get a pack if I came in and bought my paper here.”

  “Well, I am really sorry Dolly – for a start I don’t know who Brian and Joan are and secondly, I’m afraid to say that they have misinformed you.”

  “Dolly, just get the paper, love. You’ve obviously got it wrong. Poor girl’s only been here a week – you’ll frighten her off at this rate,” said one of the men.

  “Joan said that her neighbour has got some free toilet rolls from here. Why is it one rule for one and another for others?” Dolly frowned at Jenny with her small featured, prune-like face. “I won’t bother with the paper then. I can get a much nicer service down the road. My face obviously doesn’t fit.”

  Jenny wanted to slap the wrinkles out of Dolly’s cheeks and had to stop herself from lurching over the counter and grabbing Dolly’s scrawny neck. “I think I know where this has come from,” Jenny huffed, desperately trying to please her customer but struggling to keep a smile on her face. The customer wasn’t always right.

  “Where?” Dolly puffed out her reddened cheeks embarrassedly.

  “I think it must be Marj… I don’t know if she lives next door to your friends but I did give her a pack of free toilet rolls the other day.”

  “See – I told you,” said Dolly, twisting her head right round to glare at the men. She looked like the girl from The Exorcist. Straightening herself up, she brushed down her jade green raincoat and pushed up her grey curls. Turning back to Jenny, she snorted, “Why did she get free ones then?”

  The two men behind Dolly looked uncomfortable. “Come on Doll – either get your paper here or go down to KO, it’s not fair to keep pestering this lovely young lady,” said the quieter one.

  “Well?” With her hands now placed firmly on her hips, Dolly continued, “Why did that woman, Marj, get free ones then?”

  “If you must know, I gave her free toilet rolls as a peace offering, after her little accident in here the other day.”

  “Oh my goodness, the old girl pissed her pants, did she? Hope you’ve moped up.” Dolly placed her hands across her mouth, as soon as the words had left and the two men flicked their eyes around from one person to the other, embarrassedly, before they both burst in to a raucous guffaw.

  Jenny gawped, disbelievingly, at Dolly. The Victorian, old lady’s impetuous words had shocked her.

  “No,” said Jenny, and let out an unexpected bout of giggles. “She fell in my freezer…”

  Those last five words were the funniest and they all snorted, sniggered and shrieked with the deepest of belly-laughs. Even Dolly, sniggered at the plight of a fellow pensioner’s fate.

  Dolly moved away from the counter as one, two, three people walked into the shop to get their weekend papers. Between the comings and goings of customers, Dolly, Jenny and the two men were exhausted by the absurd mirth bouncing around between them all. They just couldn’t stop the laughter.

  After the last person had walked out of the shop, carrying three papers and a receipt confirming their new paper delivery service, Jenny
looked over to the three elderly extras in this farce and began to try and explain the misfortune of poor, old Marj.

  It was of no use – no one could stay compos mentis for long enough to listen to the story.

  “… So, I gave her the toilet rolls as way of saying sorry…”

  “Got the papers?” said a little, grunting voice, from behind Jenny, making her jump.

  Turning round, Jenny peered down at Xaylan’s contorted, sleepy face. “Oh, where did you come from? I didn’t see you come in.”

  “Door,” mumbled Xaylan.

  “Pardon?” replied Jenny.

  Xaylan pointed to the door. “Came in there,” he grunted. “Mum’s outside.”

  “Oh, crumbs – I didn’t realise that it was that time all ready,” said Jenny, apologetically. “I haven’t even got them ready yet. “Go and tell your mum, I’ll be two minutes.”

  Xaylan sloped off with rounded shoulders and his head hung so low that he may have tripped over his nose, if he wasn’t careful.

  “I’ll be back in a mo,” said Jenny, scooting off to the piles of newspapers and grabbing the correct ones for the deliveries. She then looked at Dolly and said, “I’m just going to take these out to the car, hang on a minute.”

  Dayna shot a baffled glance at Jenny.

  Jenny shook her head and mouthed, ‘Sorry – yet again’.

  Dayna tutted and mouthed back, ‘Forget it – no worries’, before heading off with her petulant son and several copies of the Saturday tabloids.

  “Anyway…” said Jenny, attempting to finish her story, in her favour, “that’s why she got them – the problem is that she now thinks she can have them free at any time. I’m just waiting to catch her, to let her know that she can’t take them whenever she feels like it.”

  “I apologise to you, Jenny. My outburst of earlier was totally unacceptable,” conceded Dolly, sounding genuinely humane for once.

  “It’s no problem – please don’t worry about it.”

  “I’ll take the paper but do you mind if I put the toilet rolls back?” said Dolly, holding out the two pound coins she’d kept in her hand for the duration.