Run Mikey, Run

I didn't have my shirt, so I couldn't go into the store. William didn't need anything and didn't feel like going in, so he stayed on the rig as well. Mikey was cooking dinner for us tonight and had his shirt - he went in.

William and I enjoyed the warm afternoon sun, it's rays warming the cab of the engine. We chatted as we waited for Mikey. A myriad of topics were discussed, there was a lot of interesting things going on around us. After a while, I saw a figure dart out of the store and break into a run, heading toward the engine. There weren't any groceries in the figure's hands. "That's Mikey" I commented to William.

I examined the stack of radios to make sure that they were on and properly tuned. "Crap, I hope we didn't miss a call" I said.

I would have checked the MDC, but ours isn't working right now.

"I don't think so" William opined. "That's not a 'we got a call' run, that's a 'I'm at the register and I left my wallet in the rig' type of run.

Mikey arrived a few seconds later. "I forgot my wallet" he gasped as he jumped in the back and retrieved his wallet. He was in for only a few seconds, then slammed the door and sprinted back towards the store.

William and I speculated about whether Mikey had inconvenienced any other shoppers and whether he had enough cash to cover the cost dinner. Both questions were answered a few minutes later when Mikey reappeared and headed toward the rig at a much slower pace. His hands were filled with grocery bags.

After the groceries were secured and Mikey was safely back on board we asked him when he discovered that his pockets were empty.

"I was next in line" he said. "I reached for my wallet and it wasn't there. I made it back just as the guy in front of me was putting his wallet away. No one had to wait."

I was happy. I was happy that no one had to wait and I was happy that no one would be able to call the chief and complain that we were causing them to wait.

Who knows what a complaint like that would bring.

Thanks for reading,
Schmoe