Neon District: Redux

Chapter Two: Operation Start

       Gently folding a cheeseburger in a paper wrapper then setting it down on a tray, Sam Farrow sent the tray off down a conveyor belt where a line of customers waited at the end for their orders.

       Sam watched as the line of customers slowly became longer and longer as the orders for him to complete became more and more. It seemed like most of his coworkers called in sick like they always did when they didn't want to have to clock in on a dinner rush shift. That left him doing most of the grueling work of wrapping cooked burgers into paper wraps and sending them off through the conveyor belt.

       He despised this job, but it was honest work and it left him teetering on either living on the streets or having a roof over his head at night. He wanted nothing more than to quit this job, but the person waiting for him at home made him consider otherwise. He wouldn't want to disappoint them.

       A knock on the glass startled him and he spun around to open up the pick up window where an older looking man in a nice tan suit stood impatiently. Sam felt for a paper doggy bag behind him with his eyes still on the man (one time a customer chucked a burger at him through the pick up window; never again would he make that mistake again.) He handed the man his take out order and the register machine so he can pay for his meal.

       "I swear with this poor service it's like they're paying you nothing," the man said harshly, swiping his card through the card reader. "How much do they pay you, son?"

       "Considering that you probably make ten times as much money as I do... I don't see how that's any of your business," Sam replied back, plastering a fake smile as he took back the register machine and slammed the pick up window in the man's face.

       Turning around, Sam was met face to face with a grungy looking man with graying hair underneath a wire hair net: his boss. His boss was a perfectionist through and through despite the people that he hired being the total opposite. The whole God be damned restaurant was far from being his perfect vision. It never surprised Sam when he overheard his boss complaining about firing a coworker.

       "Did I just hear you talking back to that important looking man?!" Sam's boss snapped at him, spit flying from his mouth as he talked.

       "I wouldn't call him 'important', plus he got his order and should've screwed off. I have a whole line of people to serve still!" Sam clapped back, his nose barely touching his boss's wrinkling forehead. His boss was also the type of person that thought anyone that wore a nice suit was important and should be treated with the upmost respect. Maybe Sam should buy himself a suit. Yeah, with what money?

       "I don't care, Farrow. One more mistake and you're out! Know what? Just go take the rest of the evening off; I'll take it from here," his boss ordered, practically kicking Sam out of the kitchen where many prying eyes were looking at him, no doubt experiencing the whole ordeal.

       Good, if he had to spend one more hour in this restaurant he probably would have done more than talk back to that man. Unfortunately, it also meant less money on his pay check. 

       Stepping out into the cool breeze of the outside with rain drizzling onto his sweaty face, Sam decided to just head home. Taking off his hairnet and letting his dirty blonde hair breathe, he stuffed it inside his pants pocket and headed down an alleyway.

       The alleyway had many small garages where for-hire repair men set up shop and many take out restaurants lingered. Numerous homeless people tended to loiter around for the warmth of the steam from the restaurants. Although, he noticed that there was nobody around tonight like there usually would, which put him on edge.