Re - Parented

(2) Yes, Papa

"Do you really need to walk me there! It's not like a forgot how to walk just because I got arrested."

"Yes, because the last time you walked by yourself you went to jail. Plus I don't trust you to make it there on your own without skipping out." dad said as we walked toward the store.

It was so early in the morning the sun hadn't even come out yet. Why would anyone ever wake up this early on purpose!

As we approached the Starbucks my stomach got tight with anxiety. This is so stupid! I'm just going to be so bad at this job they HAVE to fire me! But then how will I pay the $15,000 and get my college fund back?

I shook my head in frustration with my predicament. I thought parents are supposed to make you feel better, not make you work stupid jobs and cancel your schooling!

"Alright. This is it. Listen to me, and listen good Mark because you don't want this to go badly. You're going to walk in there and whatever they tell you to do, you do it. You don't complain, you don't yell, you be nice to EVERYONE even if they are rude and you DO NOT LEAVE. Understood!"

I felt stupid having my dad yelling at me like a kid in the street. I knew arguing with him would only make him keep yelling and I didn't need anyone else seeing me get berated in public.

"Okay okay! God just, stop it okay. I'm going in now."

"Good boy. I love you. See you at 4:00."

"I have to work all the way until 4 o'clock!"

"Have a good day...." his voice fading out as he started walking home.

I walked inside anxious to see what I would be doing. I figured there would be a lot of people but it was just one girl behind the counter moving around frantically. She looked to be about my age. I hope she's the only here. The less people the better.

"Umm.. hey.. I'm..."

"You're the new guy?" she said, not stopping whatever she was working on.

"Yeah. I'm Mark."

"Cool. I'm Kelly. Grab a rag and wipe down all the tables and counter tops."

"Umm. Okay."

I didn't immediately see any rags but I assumed they would be behind the bar where she was. I found a wet one in a bucket of soapy water and hoped it was the right one.

I began wiping everything down, which seemed pointless because they had obviously already been cleaned the night before. I finished pretty quickly and went to ask Kelly what to do next.

"So what's next?"

"You can go clean the bathrooms."

"Really?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No, I just...  nothing, it's stupid."

"Well you have to tell me now."

"I just thought, that like, you had people who do that stuff."

"Oh yeah no we totally do!"

"Oh! Cool... then why are we doing it?"

"Because it's you!"

"Because it's me what?"

"I mean it's you. You are the people who clean the bathroom. Now hurry up and clean it. We'll set aside another time later today incase you have an other dumb questions." she said half jokingly half serious.

I liked her, even if she was a little rough. She was one of those people who could say what she was thinking but not make it too serious.

I opened the door to the bathroom and saw it was a mess. The toilet was dirty, the ground was sticky from where people had peed on the floor. The trash was overflowing and there was no more toilet paper.