Rumors Of Their Closing Are Greatly Exaggerated

The Gas Station Chicken Store has taken the signs off their door. The signs advertising that they are accepting applications, and that their new hours are 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

I KNOW! I almost have to set an alarm to get there before closing time! Those hours just started this weekend. The workers on Saturday and Sunday? Man Owner and Woman Owner. They have a new gal who works 2:00 p.m. to close on the weekdays now. My regular hours of patronage.

Anyhoo... Sunday, Woman Owner was sitting on a stool with her head in her hand as I drained the soda fountain of my magical elixir.

"I had to rush to make sure I got here before closing time!" [It was 2:40 p.m.]

"Well, we thank you!"

"I need to get up earlier and get moving. Maybe this will help."

"I am so tired of telling people we're NOT closing! They keep saying, 'I hear you're closing.' No. We can't keep any help. Do you know where those rumors are coming from? The package store up town."

"Maybe they WISH you were closing!"

"Two of our old employees work there. They're the ones saying we're closing. I bet you remember Cheerio. She worked here for years! I know you know her. She worked in the kitchen, and out front."

"OH! Yeah. The real outgoing one, always cheery. She was here off and on. Sometimes years in between."

"Uh huh. But we had to let her go. And you surely know Fussin'. He was good, but he got in a fight with his dad out on the parking lot, and was so upset that he just walked out. Just LEFT! Walked off with nobody here."

"Yeah. Can't have that."

"So as soon as we can hire people who will show up for work, we'll go back to our regular hours. They don't need to be spreading that we're closing."

Monday, I noticed a new sign posted on the clear plastic protector divider at the register.

 

WE ARE NOT CLOSING, DESPITE WHAT IS BEING SAID AT THE LOCAL PACKAGE STORE. [she named it] CONSIDER THE SOURCE. WE ARE HIRING. DO YOU WANT TO WORK?

I'm glad I don't go to THAT liquor store for my scratchers! Those ex-employees were nice enough. I don't know if they're disgruntled, bored, or just misunderstanding the sign people have told them about on the door.

Woman Owner ain't havin' it!