Side Story 1: A store

Rustle

Sounds of stuff being moved echoed in the small store, the clerk, a man in his forties and the owner of the humble store, was organizing the stuff inside, he always liked everything very neat and tidy, clean and refreshing. Finishing one place and then the other, he finally arrived to the place were cigarettes were stored, mumbling dissatisfied as his son was the opposite from him, always pretty chaotic, so the cigarette's boxes were all mixed. As he moved his hands towards them, the image of a man came to his mind.

'It should be around this time that he comes for another package…'

His expression grew a bit sad when remembering that man. Always calm and low profile, he was also quiet and stoic normally, he didn't know him too well, but he had heard about his story and his background from all the gossiping that runs around here. He got to meet him a couple years ago when he put his store here, and since then, the man became one of his regulars, buying a package or two of cigarettes from time to time. Remembering those listless eyes when buying them, he could not help but shake his head, he knew what the man was doing and knew it was one off the few things he did to cope his solitude, instead of simply immersing in despair.

'Maybe… I shouldn't sell him more…' sighing while thinking that, the shop owner continued organizing all the packages. Lost in thoughts, he didn't notice that he had already finished, everything being neat and tidy. Knowing that not selling him more cigarettes wouldn't really solve the fundamental problem, he couldn't help but shake his head.

Ring ring

A sudden ring, coming from the entrance of the shop, surprised him, jumping a bit. He looked at the entrance and saw the man he was thinking about.

The man was smiling, his expression was serene and his eyes lively, there seemed to be a bit of dust around his robe, but he didn't seem to care much. The sight of a cute small cat on his shoulder was funny, and there was a stray dog behind them man, wagging his tail as it looked around the store, smelling the food and his eyes full of eagerness to throw itself to eat to his heart content.

"Hello, Don. I came to buy food for these two, do you have any? Oh, right, groceries…" The man paused at the end, remembering that he forgot to bring bags to buy groceries for himself.

Don, the shop owner, whose nickname came from the intimidating way he looked, was still a bit dumbfounded by everything as he said, "Ah… yes, I have, I'll bring you some. I'll lend you a bag…" as he picked a random bag and gave it to the man.

"Thank you!" The man said with a bright smile as he received the bag. The dog was a bit rowdy, moving everywhere as if impatient to eat already and the cat seemed to close its eyes to sleep on the man's shoulder.

Moving to the back to fetch food for cats and dogs, Don thought, 'Today seems to be a strange day'.

Coming back with the food, the man was already done getting the stuff for his groceries, leaving the money on the table for Don to fetch, each coin and bill being organized neatly.

Don smiled satisfied at the sight and gave the food for the man's companions. Then, his sight strayed for a second to the cigarette packages besides the counter involuntarily, the man hadn't bought any packages.

Noticing that, the man smiled deeply at Don and said as he turned around, "Thank you, Don. I owe you one, see you later".

The dog looked at Don with its tongue out and its tail wagging, then turned around chasing for the man.

Don looked at the back of the strange trio and muttered, "Today seems like a strange day…"

Then remembered the expression of the man, sparks of life vibrant in his eyes, and continued as he smiled softly.

"…But it sure is a great day"

He had lost his regular buyer of cigarettes, and that made him strangely happy. Perhaps, he was the strange one.