The Convenience Store

When you can’t leave without buying something

“Shit, I hope I have enough money left on my card.” Brock always found himself needing gas two days before payday and usually when he was down to his last $20. He looked up at the price of gas. $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded.

That would take most of what he had to get a half a tank.

For Brock, that wasn’t the only problem. Every time he stopped for gas, he’d remember something or make an excuse to buy something he just had to have from inside the convenience store. This is what really bothered him.

He could never just get his gas and leave. He would get a taste for a honey bun, a Monster Drink, cigarettes, chewing gum, or something else that caught his eye. No matter how hard he tried, he always bought more than gas.

After he pumped his gas, he heard himself saying “get in the car and drive away.” He only had $9.50 left, but knew that he wouldn’t be able to resist spending some of it inside the store.

He walked in and heard the familiar sound of the bell over head ringing to let the cashier know someone had entered the store. Although, he didn’t see anyone, he knew they were there. Probably in the back bringing more enticing items out to the front for customers like him.

He looked down the aisle of chips and selected a big bag of Cheetos, then he walked to the back for his Monster Drink, then onto the next aisle he went.

They had every flavor of chewing gum and today he wanted spearmint and picked up one large pack. He tried to add everything up in his head and realized he had enough to get one or two more items.

Just as he was going to the next aisle, he saw the clerk putting a new item on the shelf. The packaging looked like it contained some kind of supplement. After picking up the package and reading the back, he knew he’d have to try it.

According to the package, Vladiator was a brain inhibitor. It helped to keep you focused and allowed you to relax. It also had a disclaimer that said, “be prepared to throw all your cares away.”

Brock laughed as he read the ingredients, some of them he’d never heard of. He took the Vladiator and all of his other items up to the counter and asked the cashier if the Vladiator worked like the package said.

The clerk simply nodded his head up and down and started to ring everything up.

Brock’s total was $12.50. Knowing he didn’t have enough, he tried to decide what he’d put back. He told the cashier to take off the Cheetos. He did, and the price was now $11.25. Still not having enough money, he reluctantly asked him to take off the Monster Drink.

He was now at $9.75. He figured with the change in his pocket and what was left on his card, he had just enough.

Paying for his items, Brock went back to his car. “Well, who couldn’t use more focus and relaxation?” Brock said and pulled the two capsules out of their packaging. He swallowed them quickly and placed a piece of gum in his mouth.

He turned the radio on and headed towards his job. Five minutes into his ride, Brock felt amazing, he began to sing with the radio and drive like a madman.

He had somewhere to be, only he couldn’t remember where that was.

As he weaved in and out of traffic, he felt so free, so happy, so relaxed. He saw the sign up ahead saying “Road Closed.” He now remembered where he had to be.

He went right through the sign and kept going. He was now more focused than ever.

He could see up ahead that the road was out, and he smiled. Just as he went down into the ravine, he thought,” I never could resist buying something in the convenience store.”