Fiction by Phil Holt
Cindy was checking her watch again and again. She hated slow days at her job working in the Women’s Section. For her, the time seemed to drag on forever before it was finally time to go home.
Norman walked up to the counter. She thought he looked shy and nervous.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I would like to purchase a silk blouse for my girlfriend. Would you help me?”
Cindy looked up from her cash register right at him and smiled.
Cindy looked up from her cash register right at him and smiled.
“Certainly, what size does she wear?”
“Well, you see, we haven’t been going out that long and I’m afraid I don’t know,” Norman said.
Norman looked down at the floor.
Cindy smiled. She remembered that he had been here before.
“Could you tell me how tall she is?”
“She’s about your size.”
Cindy paused. She was so bored. Stilted. She felt something well up inside her. It felt reckless and wild. She decided to take a chance, something she rarely did. She decided to follow her impulse.
“Let’s go find something that you like and I’ll try it on for you.”
Norman was surprised.
“Really?”
“Sure.”
“Thank you,” Norman said.
She tried on three blouses for him. They decided on a blouse and she talked him into buying a red scarf as well.
“I’m sure she’ll love it,” she said.
“I hope so,” he said.
“You have excellent taste,” she said.
Norman blushed.
“Thank you,” he said.
Norman left the store clutching the glossy red bag by the white rope handles.
***
Several months later, Norman walked up to the counter of the women’s clothing section. He’d been there many times since their first meeting.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I’d like to purchase a skirt for my girlfriend.Would you please help me?”
Cindy looked up from her cash register and smiled.
“Certainly,” she said.
She tried to help him pick out the perfect skirt. They couldn’t find anything in her size.
“Maybe you could check back on Saturday,” she said. “We’ll get our new shipment of merchandise then.”
“Well, her birthday is tomorrow,” he said. “I really need to find something now.”
“Well, there is a store right down the hall that has nice blue skirts. Maybe we could find something there.”
Norman was surprised.
“You’d do that?” he said.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’ll go on break in a few minutes. I’ll join you in front of the store.”
They met in front of the chic store with its tall white walls and techno music urging you to walk quickly. Its headless mannequins holding their perfectly aloof and superior attitudes.
Cindy tried on a number of blouses.
They found the perfect one.
He smiled as they left the store.
“Thank you for all your help,” he said.
“No problem” she said.
“Would you like to come to Stacey’s birthday party?”
Cindy paused.
“What?”
“Well, you know. She’s heard a lot about you because and all of the clothes I got for her at your store,” Norman fumbled.
“Really?” Cindy asked.
“She thinks it’s hilarious that you’re the same size,” Norman said.
“Ah, I don’t think so,” Cindy said.
“Please just think about it,” Norman said.
He handed her a card with the apartment address.
They parted ways and Cindy went back to her store to greet another customer. As she drove home and during dinner and into the night as she lay awake, she thought about the invitation and wondered what she should do.
***
The next day there was a knock on Norman’s apartment door. He opened it and Cindy was standing there.
“Hello, Cindy,” he said. “Please come in.”
“Thank you,” Cindy said. She stepped into the apartment and immediately she froze. No one else was there. She saw no guests, no party. She only saw glossy red bags with white handles placed all over the apartment. All open, with the merchandise still in the bags.
Pants and skirts
Blouses and blazers
The bags lined the walls of the small apartment.
Her eyes jumped from bag to bag. She looked up at Norman.
“Happy birthday?” he asked.