Little Black Book

LITTLE BLACKBOOK.

Sapphire walks into the convenience store. She notices the clerk checking her out again. She rolls her eyes at him, hoping he gets the hint that she’s not interested in him. Sapphire approaches the coolers, grabs a twenty-ounce bottle of pop. She walks down the candy aisle. “Now what do I want today? Oh, here we are my favorite choice a Cookie Bar.” Sapphire grabs a package labeled ‘RIGHT COOKIE BARS’

Sapphire glances at the counter sees the clerk just stare at her. Sapphire approaches the counter with her merchandise. “Morning, Sap. How are you today?” Clerk purred. Sapphire glares at him. “I’ve told you before my name is Sapphire, but you may call me Ms. Moonah!” Sapphire spews out. Sapphire lays her merchandise on the counter, glances at the lottery tickets. Sapphire hesitates then points at the Valentine’s giveaway tickets.

Clerk glances down and intentionally reaches for the wrong ticket. Sapphire glares at him while tapping on the glass hard above the correct ticket. Clerk winks and grabs the Valentine’s tickets. Clerk pulls too hard on the roll and pulls out two tickets. “Sorry, Ms. Moonah. You have to buy both tickets since they came out like that.” Clerk oozes those words out while he reaches for her hand on the counter.

Sapphire notices what his game plan is and pulls her hand off of the counter as she lays down her last twenty-dollar bill. “Here this should cover all of it.” Sapphire says through gritted teeth. Sapphire notices a line has formed behind her. Sapphire’s face turns red at the thought of the scene they are witness too. Sapphire spins her head around to be eye to eye with the clerk, she glares at him as he rings her up.

Cash register drawer pops open, clerk removes her change. “Here’s your change Ms. Moonah!” Sapphire motions for him to place the change on the counter. She picks up the change and her merchandise. Sapphire turns and heads out the door towards the parking lot. Sapphire approaches her car. She unlocks and opens her car door; she takes a seat in the driver’s seat. Sapphire places her drink in the cupholder and her candy on the dashboard.

Sapphire takes a coin from her change, grabs the first lottery ticket. She begins to scratch it off, it reveals she won twenty-dollars. “Yes, I made my money back!” Sapphire screams in her car. She grabs the other ticket and begins to scratch it off. It reveals it is the grand prize winner ticket. “I, I, I just won twenty-thousand dollars!” Sapphire screams so loud other people in the parking lot look towards her car.

Sapphire walks back into the convenience store. Sapphire walks up to the counter slaps the twenty-dollar ticket on the counter. “Cash it out for me please.” Sapphire flashes a grin at the clerk that makes his face turn bright red. Clerk scans the ticket register rings up the winner. Clerk reaches into the drawer pulls out the twenty-dollar bill. Clerk tries to hand her the money, she just glares at him. He nods and puts it on the counter, pushes it toward her. “Congratulations Ms. Moonah!”

Sapphire takes her money and walks out to her car again. Sapphire gets into her car reads the back of the big winner ticket. Grabs her cell dials the number on the back of the ticket. “He, He, Hello? Yes, I was wondering how I cash in a big winner scratch off?” Sapphire grabs a pen and writes some information down. “Okay, thank you. I’ll go there today and cash in.” Sapphire puts her ‘98’ Honda Civic in drive and heads towards center of town.

Sapphire arrives at the central bank; she parks her car. She gets out of her car, heads towards the bank entrance. Sapphire walks in, immediately she notices the guard who has laid his hand on the grip of his weapon. She looks at a mirrored column in the middle of the bank; she sees a tall black woman wearing sweat pants and a jacket with a strange bulge in the right front section. Sapphire places her hand on her face turns to the guard, unzips her jacket slowly and reveals her insulin pump to him. Guard relaxes and returns to watching the front door.

Sapphire shakes her head and approaches a teller. “Excuse me, I was told to come in here and cash this here.” Sapphire places the ticket on the counter. The teller glances at the ticket, then at Sapphire and smiles. “Yes, you do. Oh, wait you need to sign the back please, so that we can cash it directly to you.” Sapphire nods as she signs with the chained pen on the counter. Teller nods at her as she walks towards what appeared to Sapphire as a manager.

Manager approaches Sapphire extends his hand. Sapphire takes his hand, they shake. “Now Ms. Sapphire Long, are you wanting this in cash or would you like to open an account with us?” Sapphire smiles at the manager, “Honestly I would like to open an account if I may. Manager smiles at her “Alright, then please follow me.” Sapphire follows the manager to his office where he motions for her to sit down in a chair.

Sapphire sits down and smiles at this treatment. Manager glances at the computer screen on is desk. “Now, Sapphire, may I call you Sapphire, we need some information to open your account.” Sapphire leans forward. “Yes, you may, what do you need?” After about ten minutes of paperwork Manager reaches into a top drawer of his desk and pulls out a little black book. He writes inside of it. “Now here is your account ledger.”

Sapphire glances at the book and her eyes widen. “Is that real Leather on the outside?” The manager nods yes and smiles at her. Sapphire grins as she picks up the black book. The teller walks into the office, “Here’s her card sir.” The teller smiles at Sapphire. Sapphire grins back at the teller as she watches the exchange of the card between the two. The manager glances at Sapphire and smiles as he hands the card over, “Here’s your account debit card, Sapphire.”

Sapphire takes it and glances at the manager. “Exactly how much is in my account?” The manager smiles. “Open it up and look at the first line Sapphire.” Sapphire does as she is told; her jaw drops open. “Wait, did you pay taxes on my winnings already?” Manager glances at his screen then back to Sapphire. “Yes Ma’am, we did. I hope that was okay with you.” Sapphire nods approval as she looks at the ledger read eighteen thousand dollars.

Sapphire thanks the manager and leaves the bank. She immediately drives over to a garage. “Excuse me, how much would it cost to fix my car?” The mechanic walks over to her car listens for a second, than glances at Sapphire and he smiles. “Well little lady it sounds like you have a cylinder missing, so that will cost you about three hundred dollars.” Sapphire nods understanding. “How long will it take?”

The mechanic thinks for a second. “Well, honestly it is a two-day job but we’re slow today so I can get it done in about three hours.” Sapphire smiles as she glances across the street and sees a clothing store. “That’s perfect! Can you get started now, I’m going to go across the street and do some shopping.” Mechanic smiles as he reaches out for the keys. Sapphire giggles as she hands over her keys.

Mechanic says. “Now please go pay the cashier for the price we have agreed on.” Sapphire glances at him shrugs and walks over to the counter. “Excuse me I’m supposed to pay for some work being done on my car.” Cashier glances up. “We don’t charge until it is done.” The cashier sees the mechanic motion to accept the money. “Alright, what are we doing to your car?” Sapphire smiles. “According to the mechanic I have a cylinder missing and going to get it done in three hours.”

Cashier looks in the shop at the mechanic, who is nodding yes. Cashier glances at the register hits a couple buttons. “Well looks like the total will be with taxes, three hundred thirty dollars.” Sapphire pulls out her card and swipes it, immediately she writes into her ledger the amounts. Cashier glances down and sees the opening balance, nods and smiles as the register reacts it is a good sale.

Sapphire smiles at the cashier. “Thank you, I’ll be back in three hours.” As Sapphire walked out the garage, she grabbed her cell hit a button. “Tina, hey, girl whatcha doin? What am I doing oh I just won twenty thousand dollars and now I’m getting ready to go on a shopping spree.”

Sapphire holds the phone away from her ear. Everyone on the street looks at the phone that is releasing a loud scream. Sapphire cringes at their stares and dropped jaws. “Tina, calm down so we can talk again.” Sapphire puts her cell on speaker. “Sapphire, where are ya, right now?” Sapphire glances at the street signs. “I’m down here at the corner of Ohio Street and Fifth Avenue, Why?” Tina. “I’m on my way!”

Sapphire walks across the street to the store, she enters and immediately feels all eyes on her. Sapphire glances around at everyone shrugs and walks towards the back of the store. Sapphire sees the section with her sizes. Sapphire starts looking at clothes, finds outfits she likes. She checks the prices; her jaw drops these outfits are a hundred a piece.

Suddenly there’s a scream from behind her. Sapphire doesn’t turn around she says. “Hi Tina, took you long enough to get here.” Tina rushes her and hugs her. “Sapphire honey are these the outfits you want? Oh, sweetheart they are gorgeous. Oooh, look one in my size.” Sapphire drops her head and laughs. “You’re something else Tina yea go ahead and get it.”

A clerk approaches them. “I’m sorry may I help you two? The outlet store is two blocks down towards the courthouse.” Sapphire glares at the clerk then steps towards her, the clerk steps back. This enrages Sapphire who’s face darkens. “Now, look here just because we dress this way doesn’t mean we can’t afford to shop here, do you understand me.” The clerk’s jaw drops and immediately begins to apologize.

Sapphire takes her outfits to the register slams them on the counter. “Can you please ring these up so I can leave.” Cashier smiles and nods as she rings up the outfits, she glances at Sapphire nervously. “Ma’am, your total is five hundred sixty-five dollars and thirty-four cents.” Sapphire hands her card to the cashier, cashier runs it and it finalizes the sell. Sapphire turns and glares at the clerk.

Sapphire glances at the time sees it’s been two hours looks at Tina and says. “Tina let’s go across the street and check on my car.” Tina freezes and stares at Sapphire as Tina’s jaw drops open. “You went to that garage to get your car worked on?” Sapphire glances at Tina and nods yes. Tina responds. “My ex-boyfriend runs that place.” Sapphire eyes grow large.

Both women run across the street into the garage. Sapphire approaches the counter, notices it is a different person. “Excuse me, I was curious if my Honda was finished?” The clerk glances at Sapphire and then out into the shop. “Looks like they just finished up with it.” Sapphire smiles and turns to sit down, cashier says. “Ma’am there is still the matter of your three-hundred-dollar bill.”

Sapphire spins and glares at the clerk. “What bill they made me prepay for the work!” Clerk checks paperwork and nods. “I’m sorry Ma’am, you are correct; here’s your keys have a nice day.” Sapphire smiles and glances at her black book and notices she has two thousand dollars left.