Miranda

Chapter Twelve

"I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different." -Omer Washington

~Miranda~

It is Black Friday, the absolute busiest day of the year. The runner up would be the day after Christmas, when everyone is trying to return or exchange most of their presents. We are one of the stores in our district that clears over a million dollars in sales every Black Friday. Yes, you heard me, a million.

We have every staff member available working today. I came in at 2am to prep the cash room and was now running around trying to mitigate all the potential disasters that were bound to occur.

"All Management to the office for a strategy meeting, floor staff prepare to open the doors in 15 minutes." Nick's voice comes over the headsets.

I hand the new name tag I just made for one of our Holiday hires at the register and head to the back.

"I have decided to split the store up into two sides and have a manager responsible for each, that way we don't all get bogged down in a single side and chaos ensues." Nick pauses to make sure that he has our attention. "Now I will be handling the Men's side of the store and Justin will be on the Women's. Floor managers will be in their zones, working with which ever one of us is on their side." He looks over at me and the two other customer service managers, Julie and Cassidy. "Julie, I want you on the Men's side with me, Cassidy, you are going to cover the woman's. Miranda, I want you free to run change and do pickups. Help cover the booth and be ready to pull and run electronics from the cage." He hands me a key from his pocket. "Put this on your keyring, it's to my office, I have some of the bigger electronics stored in there." He looks around our assembled group. "Today is a big one gang, I trust each and every one of you to make good judgment calls, our goal today is to make every single customer who walks through the door happy. Realistically that won't happen, but we can certainly give it our all. Now, GO TEAM!" he gives a couple of fist pumps in the air and a few people shout back at him jubilantly.

We all head out to our assigned areas while Nick and Justin go to unlock the doors. It is four in morning and the number of people in line outside is insane. The doors open and the droves of people come pouring in and I am running from one end of the store to the other for the next four hours straight.

"Miranda?" I hear Nick in my headset. It has been 4 hours since we opened, and the crowd is finally thinning out.

"Yes?"

"If everyone in the booth has had a break, you go next, we have a lull at the moment, and I want everyone recharged for the after breakfast crowd."

"Yes sir, everyone has had a break, I'll keep my head set on just in case you need me."

"Thanks Miranda"

I've been working here for nearly six months and despite my attempt at getting people to call me Mira, no one has. So much for reinvention.

I head back to the break room where we have bagels, donuts, and coffee set out to feed the staff, Nick's theory is that fed people are happy people. And to tell you the truth he is not wrong. I've just sat down with a bagel covered in cream cheese and a cup of tea, I don't really drink coffee, when I hear more chatter on the head set.

"Nick, I am going to grab a cup of coffee and then pull some of the bonus buy stuff out of the stockroom. I have grabbed a few people off register to restock before the next wave comes."

"Got it, thanks Justin"

Justin saunters in the break room and heads over to the coffee area. He pours himself a large cup and adds sugar, stirring he turns back to me, leaning against the table.