The bells jingle as the door closes
the last customers of the day heading out. The Old Man wipes down the counter
as he looks around the gas station; the isles bear, the soda fountain running
on its last bit of coke. The depression hasn’t been too nice, less people were
coming in to get soda. People really didn’t buy cars anymore and if they had a
car they would sell it for money. Pop’s Shop gas station had been the most
popular place in town. Kids would stop in after school for a soda. New
customers coming in as they filled up their gas tank. The Old Man couldn’t wait
to hear about the new people, where there going and where they have been. He can
still see the kids sitting at the soda bar enjoying a good laugh.
One time a man came in dressed in
an all-white suit. The poor guy was the best man at his best friend’s wedding
and forgot to pick up the ice. That would have been no big deal if it hadn’t been
98 degrees that day. The Best Man was freaking out he didn’t know how he was
going to get the ice in the car and drive it over to the church without the ice
melting. The Old Man just smiled the whole time knowing that all the best man
needed was a cooler.
The old man walked over to the door
gave the gas station a finale look and locked the doors for the last time.
I've seen this scenario in real life--the best man or someone else dashing for a last minute forgotten item. At my wedding, the groomsmen had to run to Dillon's to buy all new flowers about 30 minutes before the ceremony when the florist delivered the opposite of what I had ordered. It seemed like a huge deal at the time.
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