You and your Selfless Heart (SEQUEL)

Chapter 2

Albert looked through his glasses at me with a frown as I stepped into the shop. "Can I help you kiddo?"

I pushed the sleeves of my navy long sleeved top back down and nodded. "Indeed you can. I was wondering if you had any jobs going?"

"Jobs?" he croaked looking confused. There were no customers in the shop at this time, only me. "What's your name?"

"Jonas," I spoke up again looking around the incredible shop. I had never been in there until that moment because I preferred buying my music from the market stalls. But I wished I had given it a chance before.

He pushed the record player he was trying to fix away from him and stood up, peering at me. "I'm Albert. Why here Jonas?"

I cleared my throat. "I love the idea of working around music. This place would be ideal."

"Right." he mumbled. "You start Monday at ten."

I frowned at him, "Wait, that's it?"

He raised his eyebrows and nodded, pulling the record player back towards him as he sat back into his chair. I chuckled to myself not understanding how it was that easy.

"Don't you want my number or my last name?" I asked, that's what other jobs would want right?

"Not particularly," he chuckled to himself with no sight of a smile.

I frowned again but nodded, taking a step back. "Well okay then. I guess I'll see you Monday."

Albert didn't even blink as I took a few more steps back keeping my eyes focused on the confused old man. But I didn't care that he wasn't like any other shop owner because I had a job and that's all that mattered. A job which was surrounded by something that I loved and that Marnie loved too.

When Monday came around, I walked into the shop five minutes early and looked for somebody to address. I instantly spotted Albert sat on his chair, a crease between his eyebrows as he stared down at the desk. I peered closer and realised he was doing the same as he was yesterday - fixing the record player. I cleared my throat and said, "Need any help with that?"

Albert jumped at the sound of my voice and stood up. "James."

"Jonas," I corrected him as he looked oddly at me. I made my way closer to him when I realised he wasn't going to say anything else. He had his arms behind his back and he was slightly rocking side to side whistling along to a song that was quietly playing in the background. "Did you need help?"

"Oh," Albert mumbled. "I've done this for years. I know what I'm doing."

I raised my eyebrows. "I see. Is it a hobby of yours?"

"A hobby? I wouldn't quite call it that," just as I was about to ask another question, a customer walked into the shop. Albert gestured for me to stand next to him behind the counter. "Watch and learn."

I watched as Albert nodded at the customer when he entered and he discreetly watched as the man fumbled around for some records. Once he was ready to pay, he walked over to Albert and said hi to him. Albert mumbled something back as he scanned the music items. He placed them in a bag and passed it over to him. "Thanks."

I didn't feel as though I needed to learn anything from Albert. He was simply scanning items the customer wanted, slightly grunting at them and then bagging them up and passing them back to them. Not exactly hard. I, however, would be slightly more talkative. We didn't want to frighten the customers away, we wanted them to enjoy shopping in Albert's store. Purely so they would come back. I hadn't even started serving customers, but I already felt a passion for the shop. I don't know what it is about it, but I had an instant connection.