Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
7
CARSYNN
I’m splurging today. Okay, maybe I’m not making a massive splurge, but I am getting a pair of sneakers. Not the box store special either, where they’re only twenty dollars and wear out in a few months, make your feet hurt because they have zero support. After my shift at the diner today, I counted my tips. I was left a rather large tip from Gabe. There was a reluctance on whether or not to spend the extra tip I don’t usually receive. Thirty dollars after he paid the bill was a lot. It also gave me a nice little cushion in order to splurge and not make me feel so bad. That’s why I also bought a cookie and a Coke once I walked into the mall. The last time I was here, it was for a phone and only my phone. There were no extra expenses allowed while I was trying to move into my new place. I was in and out, lickity split. I didn’t even stop and smell the fresh baked goods, or I’d be suckered in.
Olive saw me counting the money, staring at it in awe. The McCoys’ bill was barely twenty dollars, which meant he tipped more than double, and I was worried it was a mistake. She assured me there was no error on his part. After my shift was over, I asked Denny to make me a sandwich. I woofed my food down so fast I had hiccups for a good five minutes before I said my goodbyes to Olive and Denny. Nikki left after the morning rush as per usual. The drive home was downright cold. Winter is upon us, and if I didn’t make the trip today, I’d be up shit’s creek without a paddle. Plaine Hill, from what I’m told, keeps the roads cleared from snow. Ice, on the other hand, is a bit harder to control. The drive home from the diner was fast, the shower I took was at record speed, and then I was back on the road.
I slowly nibble on my chocolate chip cookie as I window shop, looking at the mannequins and the latest fashion trends. You know, those things most teenagers do. It seems I’m years late to the game. It’s probably why I’m enjoying it as much as I am right now. The sweaters, jackets, and jeans are all different shapes and sizes, the colors either bright or neutral; there’s no in between when it comes to outerwear. As for the jeans, a loser baggier style seems to be the only thing trending in the same direction as my own. I look down at my own jeans. They’re straight legged, lose all the way down, and maybe I’m more fashionable than I thought. Thank you to the last time I went to the thrift store along with the discount store before moving to New Hampshire. I paired my jeans with a long-sleeved Henley and a jacket that’s a smidge too small in the chest area. I’ll for sure need a thicker material, and one that zips up. What I have was good for Virginia, but now that I’m in a state that has a lot of winter storms, I’ll need thermals, a thick hat, gloves, good boots, and well, now I’m overwhelmed. One thing at a time, Carsynn. Sneakers first, then work on the rest. I make a mental note to look at the second-hand stores in Plaine Hill for a better winter jacket. I take the last bite of my cookie, mourning the fact that I consumed it entirely too fast. On my next grocery trip, I’m going to get ingredients to bake them at home. It’ll be my first foray into baking, and while there’s a bit of excitement at doing something new, I’m also worried I’ll screw them up.
I walk toward the shoe store, taking the last few sips of my soda, toss my cup and the cookie wrapper in the waste basket near the entrance of the store, and walk in. There’s a wall of shoes, different activity types, men’s, women’s, and kids’ areas, and now that feeling of being overwhelmed is amplified. Maybe I should have ordered them online instead of coming in person. It would have saved me gas money and the extra snack. I could have read reviews on what size to buy and which ones would work the best. Instead, I’m doing the exact opposite, not even going so far as to research what would be the best for me.
“Hi, I’m Taylor, can I help you with anything?” Usually, I’d shy away from help, but this is a whole new world, and I have no idea where to go from here. Plus, there are too many options to choose from.
“Hi, yes, please. This is a lot, and I don’t know where to begin. There are so many, and the colors, wow. Yeah, I need all the help I can get.” Apparently, word vomiting to a stranger as well as talking fast when I’m nervous is my go-to. This is weird considering my job, where I’m talking to strangers as well as my regulars daily. Maybe it’s the mall that has my weirdness creep out of me. Either way, I’m going to zip my damn lips after she leads me to the right place.