Chapter 5

The very next morning, Joseph was well-rested

He was exhausted from work

And sleeping in is not something he detested

It's still three days before Christmas, and Joseph is still lazy

But he didn't know that things at Target were getting crazy.

It's Wear It Wednesday

And some workers might wear ugly Christmas sweaters since they may.

Some of the workers did wear ugly Christmas sweaters

Including Skylar, who collected the kids' Santa letters

After the letters got finished, Skylar read them until more came.

Cory, Sophia, and Chayce then all stood by Santa and his helpers

And they sang Santa Claus is Coming to Town without any shame.

Meanwhile, Joseph was sitting at home writing and watching Christmas shows

He's been trying to catch up on those.

While Joseph was writing, the decorating committee was uniting

They put the finishing touches on their tree.

Carolyn said, "These decorations will look great. I'm sure you'll agree. Once we get finished, you'll see."

Genevie and Teresa put on the popcorn chains

While Robin and Rylan added the candy canes.

Linda said, "It does look great. And so is this fruitcake that I just ate."

Carolyn said, "Maybe we could sell them at Starbucks if it's not too late."

The Starbucks people made gingerbread cookies and fruitcakes for the guests.

They also set up traps hoping to catch a few pests.

Tyree, Nicole, and Ed then marched by and played Deck The Halls

Sarah said, "That song reminds me of my house after we hit the malls."

Linda and Carolyn then set up nutcrackers in front of Starbucks

And Sarah made them their eggnog deluxe.

Meanwhile, Joseph's time was growing thin.

Joseph said, "Time to get my housework done before my Target work can begin."

Joseph got dressed in his ugly Christmas sweater, his only Christmas sweater.

He couldn't do any better.

It might be considered ugly, but it's referred to as lovely.

His M&M Christmas sweater was brand new.

And how people would react, he didn't have a clue.

Joseph ate a bunch while he watched a Looney Tunes Christmas during lunch.

When he finished, he cleaned up his mess.

Joseph said, "I better shower now. Since I won't be home until after midnight, I confess."

Joseph took his shower and went for a stroll around the yard with his sister's dog.

And even though it was cold out, there was no fog.

After he took the dog out,

He recorded music videos for Franco, his friend, and sent them to him.

After all, giving is what Christmas is all about.

Joseph then got layered and realized he needed his thermals when he got outside.

Since it wasn't too far away, Joseph quickly returned home and grabbed the thermals he had set aside.

He then carried them to work and decided to put them on there

Since he didn't have any time to spare.

Once Joseph arrived at work, he punched in just in time.

He then got to work and started to hear sleigh bells chime.

He looked around and saw his coworkers wearing Christmas sweaters while the guests got restive.

But none of them were ugly; they were all festive.

There was a food truck outside,

But it soon left after bringing in most of their food

Inside boxes that were ever so wide.

Joseph put on his thermals to keep himself warm

Because the temperature was going to drop

Joseph was lucky there was no snowstorm.

Joseph brought in the carts, and Nicole cleaned them.

And when he cleaned out most of the parking lot using the machine,

Joseph decided to spread baskets around the store and make a scene.

Nicole volunteered to help him and be helpful.

And Joseph let her because she wanted to, and the parking lot was stressful.

After his first fifteen, Joseph pushed more carts into the store

One guest thought Joseph was hardworking and sore

So, he gave him a twenty-dollar visa card that Joseph thanked him for.

Joseph finally got in and asked Sarah for another warm drink

Sarah said, "Sorry, Joseph, we can only give you one for free, I think. Are you willing to pay for one?"

Joseph said, "No thanks. I'll take Water for the run."

Ericka then gave Joseph Water to hydrate him

And Joseph took it since that was his whim.

Joseph left with his Water and got back to business

Joseph and Nicole then put their arms around each other and started to savor it

Because Cory, Sophia, and Chayce sang I'll Be Home for Christmas

Nicole said, "You know, Joseph. Out of all the Christmas songs. This one's my favorite."

Joseph then spoke to a lady who needed his help.

The lady said, "This ameba has reached its limits. Because it only lasted twenty-five minutes."

Joseph said, "It's dead now."

The lady said, "I know. But is there another that's fully charged outside?"

Joseph said, "I don't know if that's something I can provide."

The lady's daughter then showed up and told Joseph why they were having a holdup.

Joseph plugged in the ameba since it beeped and would only go slow.

The lady said, "Look at that. Soon this one will go."

Her daughter said, "He plugged it in to charge, so it'll go after a recharge. Now you can sit here and charge or wait for another that batteries are large. Thanks for helping us; much appreciated."

Joseph said, "You're welcome. I've gotten things much related."

After a while, Joseph saw a lady take out an ameba with a full battery. And when he found it, he drove it in and gave it to the lady on the charging one he had helped earlier, and she gave him flattery.

The lady said, "You're a sweetheart."

Joseph said, "People say I have a golden heart."

After Joseph made the lady happy, he resumed work and got the carts very snappy.

Once he got a train ready, he got blocked off.

Then he saw Diane Hegenauer, who was his brother's godmother

She took off her mask, hoping Joseph would recognize her.

But Joseph told her he recognized her with or without her mask.

Joseph told Mrs. Hegenauer that the car parked behind him stopped his task.

Mrs. Hegenauer told him that she saw it and then went inside the store

Then the car blocking the doors left, which was the moment Joseph had waited for.

After he got his last batch in, Joseph went on lunch,

But he had to wait a bunch.

During lunch, Zahraa hogged the microwave.

But Joseph was getting hungry and needed a break from the cold wave.

Joseph got some ice cream from the freezer while he waited his turn

And a few things about his coworkers Joseph did learn.

Joseph watched a video while he ate

But he barely got anywhere in it

Because talking to his friends was so great.

Joseph's coworkers were surprised when they saw him with the ice cream.

And they can have some, too, since they were a part of the team.

He also poured himself a cup of root beer

Since it was in the fridge, that was very near.

He then walked over to the microwave

Hoping it was his food's turn in the heatwave.

But Zahraa was still using them.

So Joseph just looked for a knife but couldn't find some.

Zahraa said, "No forks in here."

Joseph said, "The knife drawer is also clear."

Without a knife to cut his pizza, Joseph had to think.

Then he saw a pair of scissors,

Above the fridge where he got his drink.

He thought they'd be handy, and he was right

When he finished cutting his pizza with scissors

He put them in the sink for the rest of the night.

And they talked about what employees they could and couldn't stand.

They mostly talked about Calvin and how they only saw him walking

They never see him working.

They see each other working all the time.

But they only see Calvin telling other people what to do.

They never saw him working for a dime.

During lunch, Joseph posted a selfie of himself on his Snapchat

So people could see his Christmas sweater just like that.

After Joseph had lunch, he was positive he didn't need a helping hand.

Then Cory, Sophia, and Chayce walked by him and sang Walking In A Winter Wonderland.

Jacob was finishing his list of Christmas wishes for the kids

And Jade and Eric finished wrapping them, which no one forbids.

Fatima then delivered the presents

Even to houses that were rents.

When everyone got finished, they all went home.

Jacob said, "Well, tomorrow, more kids are coming here to roam."

Jade said, "We better get home to bed so we'll be ready to wrap the gifts that are new."

Eric said, "Because that's what we signed up to do."

Fatima said, "And I can deliver them too."

Once Joseph got home, he started to write

But he was tired because he worked past midnight.

Joseph thought he could eat a zebra cake

But he was too tired to stay awake.