10

Still, you manage to clear your throat and ask:

"Um…what are your other options?"

"Oh—well, we have plenty!" the girl says happily, after the tiniest hesitation. "Another popular brand is Bessie's, just here." She gestures to the next shelf down, where you see a row of neat boxes proclaiming "Bessie's Best" in only slightly less fancy lettering. The prices are, however, even more intimidating. "This is another local brand," the girl helping you is saying, "with proteins, nutrients, and flavors that cats can't resist!"

She turns to you expectantly, a hopeful look in her eyes. You start to feel desperate—is shopping always this hard?

The girl pauses, her hopeful smile freezing on her face. You see her wring her hands together for a second, her upturned expression beginning to fall.

"Oh…I don't think there are any discounts at the moment. Of course, this food is worth every—oh, but I guess it's a little expensive. Wait, um—okay, so instead, what we have is—"

She stares at the shelf for a few more moments before seeming to deflate, knotting her hands together nervously.

"I'm sorry—it's my first week, and I've been trying to learn everything, but I'm just not sure what to do. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay," you say quickly, trying to reassure her. "Maybe you just don't have what I need."

"But the Tall Tails Employee Pledge is to let no customer leave unsatisfied." She looks earnestly between you and the shelves, at the same time growing more and more desperate. "We're supposed to do whatever we can for every customer, but…"

Just then, someone else comes around the end of the aisle. Noticing the sudden appearance of this new person, the girl turns around and looks up in relief at a girl about your age with silver hair, prominent tattoos, and multiple piercings.

You find yourself distracted by her tattoos—particularly one beautifully intricate illustration of a bright yellow lizard on her forearm—but you quickly realize this silver-haired newcomer is also wearing a store uniform. Unlike the girl helping you, however, her expression is more tired than excited.

Nevertheless, when she catches sight of the girl's desperate face, she stops.

"Everything okay, Vada?"

"Oh hi, Nic!" Vada says, quickly trying to seem professional. "I was just helping a customer, and—um—well, I was trying, but—"

Nic shakes her head, smiling patiently.

"You're doing good, Vada; don't worry." Nic slips her hands into her pockets and comes to stand by her. She greets you with a smile—genuine, but tired—before turning back to her coworker.

"Why don't you walk me through the problem?" Nic asks Vada, watching her attentively.

"Oh. Okay." Vada takes a deep breath. "See, I was helping this customer look for pet supplies, but I couldn't find the right thing, and the Employee Pledge—"

"Oh, that stupid pledge," Nic says with a sigh. Vada puts a hand over her mouth. "All that pledge is good for is letting managers blame employees when they can't make something appear out of thin air. In the future, Vada, if we don't have what a customer is looking for, don't be afraid to suggest another store they can try instead. And if they're rude—just come get me. Not that you're being rude, of course," she adds, turning to you. "But you'd be surprised how some people react when we tell them we don't have something, like their being angry will complete the ritual that's going to make it appear out of the sky."

Vada manages a small laugh. Nic looks briefly from her to you, and you catch a glimpse of a smile around her mouth.