Harrys Bakery.

Shorty

I avoid heading into work until I was really pushing it for time. I leave with 8 minutes to get there, hoping that Harry had done the morning shift and all the paper work and gone home. But knowing my luck I will get there just as he is leaving.

As I walk quickly to work I turn my phone on vibrate and shove it in my pocket. I wave at Tristan one of my friends from the area as he speeds on down the street in his little Ford car. I receive a toot in response.

I browse the staff car parks as I walk past to see that there was no big black Range Rover but a White Ford Capri instead. I'm pretty sure that Johnny owns a car like that so I ignored it and shuffled into the back room, shoved my stuff away then putting my hat and apron on.

I walk to the front of the shop to see Phoenix's dark brown hair and tall, broad frame standing over near the sink. I smile to myself and quietly walk up behind him and grabbed his sides as I scream. He jumped, gasped slightly and spun around before I could remove my hands from him.

'Char!' He scolded me, I giggled as he shook his head.

'I couldn't help myself. Sorry!' I say between chuckles.

'Not cool,' He smiled and placed his hands on his sides, 'Also, Harry wants to see you in his new office. Told me to tell you the second you got in.' Phoenix placed paperwork on our workbench and start to fill it out.

Sighing I head to the back toward the staff room dawdling a little. I knock at the door and within seconds I hear a deep voice telling me to enter. I take off my hat and ruffle my hair before I open the door and look over to see Harry had gotten out from behind his desk and is moving toward a set of seats. He is dressed in a white long-sleeved button up top, blue tie and black skinny legs.

'Char, come sit with me,' Harry gestured to the car diagonal from him as he leant forward and rested his arms on his knees. I shut the door and move toward the chair, Harry watched me as I move. 'I have called you in so we can have a discussion.'

I sat on the very edge of my surprisingly comfy chair and fiddle with my hat. I nod, assuming the conversation was going to be about what I saw on the weekend.

'Now Char, as you know, I use to work in a bakery myself. It was a little place and if I had not become famous I would more than likely still be working there.' He pushed himself off his knees and leant back in his chair. 'What I would like to do is talk about what it is you want to do and why you are working here, for this bakery.'

This question caught me completely off guard; I had no idea how to respond to his out of the blue curiosity. He smiled slightly as I opened my mouth then closed it again, still unsure of how to respond.

I answer his question with another question.

'How come you are so interested in what it is I want to do as a life career?'

His eyes searched mine, looking for something. I raise an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. Harry shuffled in his seat for a moment, becoming comfortable then looked straight into my eyes and responded.

'I want to get to know all my employees', I have a prediction on every worker in this establishment, all of them being true, but you. I just don't get.' I take his response as an insult, mainly because I wasn't entirely sure what he meant.

'What is that suppose to mean?' I respond making it obvious I was insulted. His eyes glowed with a hint of amusement, but he maintained his boss like interior.

'What I mean, Char, is that everyone here is predictable. Phoenix wants to be a Professional football player. Johnny, a computer technician. Kimberly, a hair dresser. Maria just wants money. The bakers, bake and the rest are after-school people who applied for the experience. But you,' He scanned my face and gestured his hand to me, 'I have no idea what you will be, nor what you want to do. You never speak of anything beside the task at hand. You, my dear, are a complete mystery.'