Coworkers: Part 21 - Damsel In Distress‏

     New girl, Linda or Lynne, had been hired for weekend coverage in Video. College freshman, pretty, bit intimidated. Friday and Saturday nights were riot scenes in Video, so most employees had little dealings with her aside from, "Hello," or "How's it going?"
     Most, but not all.
     Double-A and João were regular staffers in Video. Lynne's shy smile caught their eye. Double-A and João tossed jokes, romance, and suggestions her way. They fought with each other in friendly and not-so-friendly ways. Manly rivalry that modern females adored.
     Lynne gave notice and departed. João and Double-A each blamed the other for chasing off their future steady.
     João disappeared under store radar for awhile.
     Double-A sprayed the sky like a Roman candle.
     Double-A wore very thick, black framed glasses, combed his brown hair down either side of his face, like Manfred the Butler, and he was one of the finest yawners ever to push a video buggy. Initially, most employees disliked A-A. After several months, a higher percentage approved of him because of his radioactive weird factor. Newly minted high school graduate whose dialogue was heavily sprinkled with, "ehh" delivered from the back of his throat.
     "Ehh, I wish I was at home, hacking some Internet sites." or "Customer didn't rewind that, ehh." or "Ehh, stupid pen, ehh, won't write when I want it to. Ehh."
     I was not an admirer. I tended to make judgments based on work. W-o-r-k. When someone didn't pull their weight, someone else, or everyone else, had to carry them. I could understand illness or injury, I could sympathize with alcohol after effects or having a bad day, a bad week, a bad month. Life wasn't always rosebuds and festivals. Double-A was simply sorry assed lazy. Didn't like working, and tried to loaf as much as possible onto colleagues.
     He did enjoy Video, however.
     Because Pat worked back there.
     "Ehh."
     Pat blossomed easy in his eyes. Pat laughed at his inane jokes and smiled bashfully.
     She was cute.
     And ... Pat had separated from her husband. Even better, the ex was deployed overseas.
     Aside from the two lads, Pat was alone.
     "Ehh."
     Pat was the A-A's Medieval damsel imprisoned in the castle tower. She needed rescuing. If not rescue, attention. Manly attention.
     "Ehh."

     Princess Pat not remotely interested in Double-A's suggestion they lunch at McDonald's, then find a dark corner of the parking lot. Didn't want to watch Last Tango In Paris or Two Moon Junction. Didn't want to shove back when he gave her a sporting nudge.
     He could understand NO as well as anyone else. And he knew the reject's response to NO.
     Double-A began stalking.
     Parked his car outside her apartment every night. For hours. Surely, she'd understand his love was serious. She'd open the door. They'd be friends.
     "Ehh."
     Didn't happen, Pilgrim.
     Employees grew abrupt, if not rude, towards Double-A. The Boss had a sobering conversation with him. Pat quit laughing at the jokes he heard on TV.
     Gave notice. Headed out of state to college.
     Eventually that computer hacking brought him trouble.

.