The Missing Cashier

I sat at the kitchen table considering how to make fifty dollars stretch for the next ten days until I was paid again. At least the bills were taken care of, now how was I going to take care of breakfast, pack lunches, and dinner every day. I wasn't asking for help for Eric that's for sure. It's all I could do to keep him away now. No more late-night arguments, no more money disappearing, no more drama, I don't care what it takes.

" Mom, there's a field trip next week, I need twenty dollars." Eve glanced at me before grabbing her backpack and gliding out the door for the bus stop.

" Great, something else to worry about, well, I guess I better get to work.

Super J on a Wednesday, I met my trainer Belle by the time clock. She was nice enough, although her thoroughness drove me a little crazy at times. She always had advice on bagging customers' items. I never realized how something so simple could require so much detail. Super J carried a large variety of items including perishables so I found I had to be mindful to pack cold with cold, dry with dry, and so on.

I ran the register all morning with minimal criticism from Belle and so we were folding t-shirts to stay busy through the afternoon.

After lunch, the store had a slow afternoon. Cathy and myself were instructed to straighten the candy in front of the registers. A few registers down a couple of the long-time cashiers were gossiping about another employee, because what else would they do?

Dottie and Lyanne were always discussing the latest piece of local news going around. Dottie had worked at that Super J since the store opened back in 95. Lita had been there since 2000. They knew everyone who worked at that Super-J past, present, and possibly the future.

“Has anybody heard from Ellen?” asked Lita.

Dottie rolled her eyes” No, that girl ain't called in three days, I don't know why they hired her in the first place.

“Cuz she young and cute that's why”

Lita and Dot gave each other a look that seemed to express more than their words did.

Overhearing this conversation, I thought maybe it was inappropriate behavior to gossip but still listened, but Cathy quickly saw where my attention was and brought me back to the sweaters. I should mind my own business anyways.

Jerry walked by at that moment with a cart full of returns. Not wanting to hear Cathy go on about the virtues of proper sweater folding. I started a conversation with Jerry.

“Hey Jerry, how's it going?”

I knew this would open up a longwinded and strange conversation but anything to kill time was ok with me.

“Hey, did y’all hear about Ellen?’

“Only that hasn't been coming to work and she's now a no-call no-show” Cathy responded.

“Well, apparently she's disappeared.”

Cathy and I looked at each other, now curious.

Jerry's face became serious.

It's true, and I live in the same trailer park as her mother, Darleen. She said she went to Ellen's apartment two days ago and she wouldn't answer the door. When the police came and opened her apartment there wasn't a trace of her there. Her car was outside and her purse was in her apartment. No one knows where she went.

I stood there stunned by Jerry's story. I felt worried for Ellen and I felt pain for her poor mother. As a mother I could not imagine anything worse. Sympathy would not answer the question of what happened to Ellen.

I hope you enjoyed this installment. Please check out my other stories including, Confessions of a Retail Demon Hunter. Thanks Again!