Beyond the Surface
Chapter One
"What do mean you can't take it?! It's my ID!" A male customer with a red baseball cap and sunglasses yelled.
"Sir, it's expired. It's not valid. I can't take it," Philip responded as calmly as possible. It was a good thing it was expired. Philip could smell the alcohol on his breath, and telling a customer under the influence that they couldn’t buy alcohol because it was the stores policy not to sell to anyone who could be intoxicated, was always difficult.
The customer ripped the card from Philip as he tried to hand it back. Then proceeded to hold it next to his face. "It says Doug Mathews." He points to the picture then points to his face. "I'm Doug Mathews. I'm 22 years old. I have tattoos. I’m old enough to buy alcohol."
"I'm sorry, sir. I can't take it. It's policy." Philip took the bottle of alcohol and stashed it under the counter away from Doug’s reach. Philip used his peripheral vision and realized that the store was empty. Not a good sign. Other customers tended to be good buffers if something went wrong.
"You know I'm of age. I know I am of age. Why don't you just let this one slide? There is no one else here to bust you." Doug gestured to the entire store with a sly smile on his face.
"It's policy. I'm on film. I could get fired, fined, and or jailed," Philip replied nervously. Erin, another employee, had just ended her shift and Philip had a half hour till Robert, one of the graveyards, was there to relieve him.
"And what are you going to do if I go back there grab another cold one and just walk out?” Doug stood up straight and towered over him. “You going to tell me to stop, or you going to tackle me,” Doug taunted.
"How about a trip downtown," another male voice offered. Philip looked up and gave a sigh of relief. Officer Meridian Gale stood behind Doug. He must’ve slipped in at some point.
"And who do yo..." Doug spun on his heels ready to confront the other customer. He suddenly stopped whatever he was going to say and do. "Officer," Doug said pleasantly. Officer Gale arched his eyebrow. "I was just messing. Me and,” Doug looked over his shoulder at Philip’s name tag, “Philip are old buddies.” When Officer Gale didn’t bite, Doug went with his second option. “I’ll just be going." Doug was out the door in a flash.
"Hey Phil." Officer Gale nodded to Philip. Philp gave a short wave back. "I’ll be right back."
Philip watched Officer Gale follow Doug go out to his car. Lucky for Doug he got in the passenger side seat or he might have gotten a DUI. Philip watched on as Officer Gale questioned the driver and flashed his light into the backseat of the truck. Whatever he saw led to the driver taking a sobriety test.
After passing the test, the guys drove off. Not before giving Philip a vengeful glare. Officer Gale walked back in and got himself a coffee and a chocolate bar.
"You okay Phil?" Meridian came up to the counter and paid for his haul.
"A little shaken up, but otherwise pretty good. I mean, we have people doing that all the time," Philip finished. Yet, not all customers left a bad taste in his mouth as those two did.
"But they don't all threaten you." Meridian sipped his coffee.
"That’s true. But I doubt they’ll be back." Philip shrugged, hoping what he said to be true. He glanced at the clock. Philip was done, maybe it was those guys or just the day catching up to him but he suddenly felt exhausted.
"Off soon?" Meridian asked pointing to the clock. Philip could see he was trying to make small talk, but didn’t want to talk much.
"Yip. Going to go home and sleep like a rock." Philip hoped that would be enough of a hint that he wasn’t going to be much for conversation.
"I have another couple hours myself. Watch yourself." Officer Gale gave a parting smile as walked out. Officer gave one last wave as he pulled out of the station.
Philip was used to getting those rude customers. Every day he would get one or two it was part of the job. It was just hard for those on the other side of the counter to understand that it was his job to do what he did; it wasn't like he was trying to be rude or he had anything against them.
"Sir, it's expired. It's not valid. I can't take it," Philip responded as calmly as possible. It was a good thing it was expired. Philip could smell the alcohol on his breath, and telling a customer under the influence that they couldn’t buy alcohol because it was the stores policy not to sell to anyone who could be intoxicated, was always difficult.
The customer ripped the card from Philip as he tried to hand it back. Then proceeded to hold it next to his face. "It says Doug Mathews." He points to the picture then points to his face. "I'm Doug Mathews. I'm 22 years old. I have tattoos. I’m old enough to buy alcohol."
"I'm sorry, sir. I can't take it. It's policy." Philip took the bottle of alcohol and stashed it under the counter away from Doug’s reach. Philip used his peripheral vision and realized that the store was empty. Not a good sign. Other customers tended to be good buffers if something went wrong.
"You know I'm of age. I know I am of age. Why don't you just let this one slide? There is no one else here to bust you." Doug gestured to the entire store with a sly smile on his face.
"It's policy. I'm on film. I could get fired, fined, and or jailed," Philip replied nervously. Erin, another employee, had just ended her shift and Philip had a half hour till Robert, one of the graveyards, was there to relieve him.
"And what are you going to do if I go back there grab another cold one and just walk out?” Doug stood up straight and towered over him. “You going to tell me to stop, or you going to tackle me,” Doug taunted.
"How about a trip downtown," another male voice offered. Philip looked up and gave a sigh of relief. Officer Meridian Gale stood behind Doug. He must’ve slipped in at some point.
"And who do yo..." Doug spun on his heels ready to confront the other customer. He suddenly stopped whatever he was going to say and do. "Officer," Doug said pleasantly. Officer Gale arched his eyebrow. "I was just messing. Me and,” Doug looked over his shoulder at Philip’s name tag, “Philip are old buddies.” When Officer Gale didn’t bite, Doug went with his second option. “I’ll just be going." Doug was out the door in a flash.
"Hey Phil." Officer Gale nodded to Philip. Philp gave a short wave back. "I’ll be right back."
Philip watched Officer Gale follow Doug go out to his car. Lucky for Doug he got in the passenger side seat or he might have gotten a DUI. Philip watched on as Officer Gale questioned the driver and flashed his light into the backseat of the truck. Whatever he saw led to the driver taking a sobriety test.
After passing the test, the guys drove off. Not before giving Philip a vengeful glare. Officer Gale walked back in and got himself a coffee and a chocolate bar.
"You okay Phil?" Meridian came up to the counter and paid for his haul.
"A little shaken up, but otherwise pretty good. I mean, we have people doing that all the time," Philip finished. Yet, not all customers left a bad taste in his mouth as those two did.
"But they don't all threaten you." Meridian sipped his coffee.
"That’s true. But I doubt they’ll be back." Philip shrugged, hoping what he said to be true. He glanced at the clock. Philip was done, maybe it was those guys or just the day catching up to him but he suddenly felt exhausted.
"Off soon?" Meridian asked pointing to the clock. Philip could see he was trying to make small talk, but didn’t want to talk much.
"Yip. Going to go home and sleep like a rock." Philip hoped that would be enough of a hint that he wasn’t going to be much for conversation.
"I have another couple hours myself. Watch yourself." Officer Gale gave a parting smile as walked out. Officer gave one last wave as he pulled out of the station.
Philip was used to getting those rude customers. Every day he would get one or two it was part of the job. It was just hard for those on the other side of the counter to understand that it was his job to do what he did; it wasn't like he was trying to be rude or he had anything against them.