Blog #1 - Night Shift
The day started with me rolling around in my Murphy bed. I often found it hard to sleep through the hustle of morning rush hour, but this morning was different. I don't know if it was the storm, or the air of mourning that seemed to penetrate through everyone nearby but there was a strange quiet that kept me staring at the roof of my 600 square foot flat longer than normal. The blaring of my alarm clock jolted me back to reality. 3:00 PM, an unusual time for most, but one that I had become accustomed to in the past 4 months.
I roused myself, folded up my bed, looked into my wardrobe and picked out a worn grey hoodie, faded black jeans, and beaten Vans Old Skools. There was a time when I took pride in my fashion, but ever since the hurricane I have been too busy to worry about such trivial affairs. By 3:45 I had dressed and prepared for the inevitably long day -or night- and opened up my creaky door. I looked back at the pictures of my family, my mother and sister, one last time before setting off to work. I strode down Maine St. to Big Mama's and ordered the usual, a box o' shrimp and grits. Big Mama greeted me with an overwhelming hug as she always did, commenting, "Isn't this weather horrendous?" "Ive seen worse." I replied "Well i'll be damned, you sure have, bless your heart." Big Mama finished.
I walked in to MJ's around 4:45. I was always early. Mary Jane thanked me and clocked out, leaving me alone to run the store until close at 1:45 AM. I arranged the shelves and helped customers, of which there were incredibly few. Performing many, and any small tasks that Mary Jane had left for me, I felt a sense of purpose when I was working, something I haven't felt in nearly a year.
One of my favorite parts of working at MJ's is watching the sun set out of the glass windows, but today a group of about 5 or 6 walked by looking like cartoon characters trying to "act normal". They all stared at me then pointed and laughed at one girl out of the group. I brushed it off as nothing and kept mopping the already-spotless floor. Little did I know the night had only begun.
I roused myself, folded up my bed, looked into my wardrobe and picked out a worn grey hoodie, faded black jeans, and beaten Vans Old Skools. There was a time when I took pride in my fashion, but ever since the hurricane I have been too busy to worry about such trivial affairs. By 3:45 I had dressed and prepared for the inevitably long day -or night- and opened up my creaky door. I looked back at the pictures of my family, my mother and sister, one last time before setting off to work. I strode down Maine St. to Big Mama's and ordered the usual, a box o' shrimp and grits. Big Mama greeted me with an overwhelming hug as she always did, commenting, "Isn't this weather horrendous?" "Ive seen worse." I replied "Well i'll be damned, you sure have, bless your heart." Big Mama finished.
I walked in to MJ's around 4:45. I was always early. Mary Jane thanked me and clocked out, leaving me alone to run the store until close at 1:45 AM. I arranged the shelves and helped customers, of which there were incredibly few. Performing many, and any small tasks that Mary Jane had left for me, I felt a sense of purpose when I was working, something I haven't felt in nearly a year.
One of my favorite parts of working at MJ's is watching the sun set out of the glass windows, but today a group of about 5 or 6 walked by looking like cartoon characters trying to "act normal". They all stared at me then pointed and laughed at one girl out of the group. I brushed it off as nothing and kept mopping the already-spotless floor. Little did I know the night had only begun.
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