2020-04-26 - Ziggy's Thrifty's Orientation Day - Paul, Ziggy and Lydia

Paul McLeod was in his office for once, waiting for a new staffer to do their orientation. Ziggy Alvin, Lydia’s daughter. He had to double Lydia’s tasks to keep her from trying to get in on it. He couldn’t imagine the young woman would want to be trained by her mother and Owen was pulling a double shift to get the onslaught of deliveries out. He scrolled through the orders on the computer and started printing them off. She could learn the till later. Packing orders was top priority. Ziggy was due to arrive for 12 noon. It was 11:45. He had told her she could come through the loading door and left it unlocked after Owen drove off.

Ziggy arrives at 11:55, but becomes enamored by the loading dock door.  It was so … plain …  it needs … her.  She stares for a long time, but finally pulls herself back to reality and walks in the door at 11:59 give or take 10 seconds.  On time … just ….  She looks around for her mother, but she is nowhere to be seen.  She walks up to Paul and smiles.  She is short and dark with a scarf doubling as her mask over her mouth and nose and a head wrap of contrasting colors.  She is dressed in the Thrifty uniform, except for the apron.  It is in her backpack, which is splattered with at least 20 different colors of paint.  “Hi, Paul.”  she greets him.  “I’m ready to do the ads up RIGHT!”  she is enthusiastic.  Finally .. a legitimate job!  It will help her keep her small place … which is NOT in her mother’s house.  Much as she loves her family, she was glad not to live there anymore.

Paul looks up and smiles at Ziggy behind his mask as he pulls a stack of orders from the printer “Ziggy, right on time. Your mom told me how creative you are so I have to apologize that we’re starting out a little more mundane. But after we get the orders packed we can get you making some produce signs.” He makes it sounds like writing out the price of red onions could be totally earth shattering. He jumps up from his chair and gestures to the other room “We don’t have lockers but so far nothing’s grown legs here. We’ve got some hooks and cubbies for your stuff just past the lunch table and then come meet me at the punch clock.”

Ziggy blinks.    “Mundane ….”  she pauses.  “Packed?”  for her making produce signs WAS earth shattering.  “Mom said I’d be making signs AND creating ads for Thrifty’s.”  she stares into the other room as if it’s a stygian abyss.  “Ohhhhhh that woman ….”  she grumbles as she does as she’s told.  Dropping her backpack and putting on the apron.

Paul chuckles a bit “I promise we’ll put your talents to good use.” He points at the rack of cards “The slot at the top has blanks. There’s some pens here. Put down your full name and just write the month. Keep your card for the month, it’s double sided. Press the button here that says in to punch in….and obviously out when you clock out...then just slide it under…”

Ziggy moves across a safe distance and follows directions.  “So …  I am … packing … and risking ruining my artists hands … for … what now?”  she sighs deeply and continues.  “So I don’t have to share a room with foster sisters.  Of course.”  She punches in then turns around, reaching behind her head to pull at her scarf face mask.  “Sorry Mr. McLeod.  I’ve been rude and I want to apologize.”

Paul stepped back, his plain standard mask was still on his face as always lately. He shakes his head “I think your mom knows how short staffed we are. I get that the opportunity may have been misrepresented.” His eyes crinkled to indicate he was smiling. “It’s not so bad packing. It’s a start and finish satisfying task. And it’s like being someone’s personal shopper.” He splits the stack of orders with her “Depending on how big the list is, take a basket or a cart. Check in with meats last so we don’t give anyone a funky chicken. Then meet me back here and we’ll box and label them. You’ll notice there’s boxes checked or unchecked on these for substitutions. So if it’s not ok to sub, leave that thing out. If it is, pick the product closest in description and price, make sense?”

Ziggy sighs.  “I know you are … and I’m willing to help.”  her own eyes crinkle above her multicolored scarf.  “Personal shopper, huh?  How hoity toity.”  when he says ‘funky chicken’ she breaks into exactly that dance, whether he recognises it or not.  She takes her list and looks at it, then at Paul.  “I get it.”  her brown eyes twinkle.  “But after I can design your ads, right?  And maybe … paint your loading dock door?”  this is Ziggy … by paint, she does not mean Battleship Grey.

Paul looks thoughtful about the loading bay door “Let me get back to you on the door…..let’s start with produce signs and maybe even the sandwich board for weekly specials.” He brandishes his stack “Let’s get out there and then you can move onto something more fun. I’ll be picking and packing too so if something comes up and you don’t know what aisle it’s in, come ask me. This is also a really good way for you to get to know our stock so when someone asks you, you can tell them where stuff is.”

Ziggy smines and fist pumps.  “Yea!  You got a deal Mr. McLeod.”  she heads out into the store with her list and starts by filling up a handbasket.  “Lettuce, carrots, green peppers, then paper towels and toilet paper followed by peanut butter and jelly… but there is nothing specified as to what KIND of jelly.  Of course the last thing on her list.  She looks around for help, seeking out Paul.

Paul is kneeling down by the canned goods counting out tins of tomatoes for his order “God Mrs Norris is stalking up for the next 20 years…….” He sees Ziggy coming and snaps his gaze up “What can I help you find?”

Ziggh shakes her head.  “I found it.  Jelly.  But the list doesn’t say what kind.”  she gets a mischievous look in her eye.  “Can I pick anything?”  she asks.

Paul frowns “Is it PLU number 984599? That one’s buggered. It’s supposed to be Schmuckers Grape Jelly. Messes up at the till too….” He sighs and then his cell phone rings and he pulls it out and looks at the caller ID. It says Home on it with his home number.He’s still got more cans to sort so he sets it down  and puts in on speaker “Ello lovely family?” He happily greets.

Daphne McLeod’s voice wails out of the phone “Lucy put my hairbrush in the TOILET! On purpose!”

“Daph honey, I’m sure it just fell…...take a breath now…...where’s Mom?”

“Sleeping…...I’m gonnaput her in the toilet...I bet she fit if I fold up her legs…”

Paul looked up at Ziggy apologetically ad then said sharply “Do NOT put your sister in the toilet...do you hear me? Where’s Grandma?”

Daphne huffed “She’s gardening. I told her but she says we’re giving her heartburn.”

Paul turned away from his phone and shook with laughter and then composed himself and answered back “OK sweetie…...you could wash the brush with that antibacterial dish soap or soak it in bleach….”

He was cut off by an outburst “There was poo! She took a poo and threw the brush in!!”

Suspiciously he asked “Where’s Chloe?”

Daphne said the next piece with great delight “She’s trying to poo….”

Oh god they were teaming up again! “Honey, we’re going to bring you a new brush ok? Ziggy will put it in the mailbox for you…..do you want a blue one?”

Daphne sighed. He had presented a reasonable option “Fine…...but i hope you sell barbies…..” Daphne hung up before he could argue and Paul rung his hands at the phone.

Ziggy nods.  “Well should I go get ti or .. are we not selling it because the computer is stupit or …”  the phone rings and she shuts up.  It’s on speaker so it’s not like she’s eavesdropping.  She has to put her fist in her mouth to not laugh out loud, especially at Chloe.  When Paul hangs up she gives him a mischievous grin.  “They’ll grow out of it ….  Probably.”  then she holds her hands up.  “Look at me, Theo and Simon.”  she pauses and considers.  “Look at Theodore and Simon.”  her veterinarian brother and his assistant.

Paul looks hopefully at Ziggy and then groans and laughs “Can you grab a blue hairbrush from the toiletries section please? There in an endcap past the shampoo.”  He sighs “Well everyone knows my brother...so I get it…” he laughs some more.

Ziggy laughs and relaxes.  She knew Paul was human but she’d still been tense at this new job.  “Sure I can.  Anything for the girls.”  and as she walks away she calls back, softly.  “Yea .. and none of yours is batshit crazy?  My family has me!  Maybe it skips a generation?”  She gets the brush and sticks it in her pack pocket, then heads to get the right jelly and finally returns to Paul.

Paul was pleased by Ziggy’s efficiency in picking and her ability to navigate the product on her first day. As the lined up their carts and baskets in the loading anti room, he started tossing boxes into a pile for them to label. “Ok so check and double check...the list goes in to the customer….” 

Lydia Alvin burst in and hovered nearby before Paul could finish. She was holding up a cloth lunch bag “Look at you baby girl. I packed you a tuna salad sandwich. Maybe we can eat together on your break? How’s she doing Paul?”

Paul answered briefly so mother and  daughter could talk “Great….really great…”He took a marker and started labelling. It was an obvious task he likely didn’t need to explain to this competent young woman.

Ziggy was listening .. the job wasn’t THAT bad, if she was honest.  Then her mother comes in.  Looking absolutely HORRIFIED, Ziggy exclaims.  “MOM!”  and she smiles at the compliment.  “See.  I’m doing great.  So please stop making me want to go down to the police station and kick Officer Reinhardt in the balls till he kills me.  Thank you.”  She turns to Paul and speaks conversationally.  “Into the customer …..” she urges him to finish his sentence, even as she gives her mother a little not, as if to say they were on for lunch..

Paul stayed quiet fearing this might be his own future with his precocious girls. He rapid filled a box with Mrs Norris’s apocalypse cans and waited it out.

Lydia shook the lunch bag with wild eyes “You best not be messing with Officer Reinhardt because the only thing worse than him shooting you is me digging you up so i can kill you again myself” She smiled and it was almost scary “Now I’m proud you’re doing a good job for Paul. I’m gonna put this sandwich in the cooler for you honey.”

Ziggy blinked.  “Mom!  I’m not messing with Officer Reinhardt!  He’s MARRIED!  Jesus Mom, get your mind out of the gutter!”  she turns to look at Paul.  “I apologize for my mother’s behavior, Paul.  Too many kids and not enough …”  she stops and considers, then widely just stops speaking.

Lydia just stares that mom stare that says stop fighting me now or else “You know what I meant. I’m going to go count out my float now.” And she’s off and out back in the front.

Paul smiles “Moms...watcha gonna do? She loves you though. You should hear her talk about your art.” He pushes a box her way “That should be good for the Reinhardt order...make sure we send it to the right ones…”

Ziggy smirks as her mom leaves and paul tells her that she is loved.  “I know I am … but Mom is SO EASY!”  she laughs and then blinks.  “My art?  What about my art?”  and then she shakes her head.  “Yea .. Which Reinhardts?  Are Fiona and Vincent Reinhardts too … there's like … 3 locations .. 4 if you count Logan. I know him and his boyfriend live in that add on … and it has its own mailbox.”  she wanted to live away from home … not almost away from home.  Then again she lived right beside her brothers vet clinic .. and so her brother.

Paul glanced at the order she had “Oh they’re predictable. That's Reinhardt 2 Michael and Stephanie. You can tell people by their food after a while….” He looks ruefully at Ziggy. “I can pack the rest of these. I know you’re itching to do the produce signs. Why don’t I give you the price list. Cory’s out there somewhere. He can help you if you get stumped.”

Ziggy took the price list and spent the rest of the shift working on it.  She only accomplished two off of the list, but the time was well spent.  The signs were original, eye catching and professional without being flashy.  Word might just get around and Paul might just be impressed.