It’s All In The Telling

Sparks Are Gonna Fly – Catherine Wheel

I watched Batman Begins for the third time on Wednesday. I either keep seeing it because I love it, or I’ve seen it so many times now that I HAVE to love it. I like to think it’s the former. I’ve been working on my Christian Bale facial expressions. He’s got that perfect “pucker your lips and squint” thing going, it’s amazing. Of course, body-wise, I will always be more like Bale in The Machinist.

*****

On Thursday, I was almost killed.

I was at work, doing my usual business of cashing out customers when suddenly I heard this buzzing sound. Then a crackle. Then an explosion! The light fixture above me had shorted out and suddenly sparks were falling all over the place. I was unshaken of course. The customers I were helping at the time freaked out and began to run away, not even realizing that they’d left their kid behind. There he was, all alone, terrified, sparks falling all around him. So I picked him up and shielded him with my body. I’ve got some pretty bad burns on my back right now, but it was all worth it because the kid was okay.

Well, that might not be entirely true. Yeah, there was a malfunctioning light fixture, but it just shorted out. There was maybe a quick pop. That was more than enough to induce a girlish scream from me. Oh, I did end up grabbing a kid too, that part is true. I needed cover from the sparks, so I picked him up and held him over me as a human shield. He suffered third degree burns all over his body and is in the hospital as we speak, but I’m fine. So happy ending there, eh?

What REALLY happened is a light burnt out, a few sparks fell onto my belts, some customers were spooked and I was like, “Oh, cool.” But how many of you believed that second story?

*****

I found some time to sit down for lattes with an old friend yesterday.

There I was, pushing around shopping carts in the hot, hot heat when I almost get hit by a car. I caught a glance of the driver and I was like, “Dirty chink!” So I followed the car, waiting for it to park so I could run a row of carts into it’s side. Who steps out but one Ms. Cheryl Cheung! She’d come to visit me, which I thought was nice. It probably helps that she lives five minutes from the store, but nevertheless, I was touched. Also, since I was outside doing grunt work I could walk around and chat with her and noone could say shit to me. Take that, boss!

Eventually the parking lot scenery got boring, so I took my break and went to Timothy’s with her to drink some stuff. I never go to places like that and like typical plebians, we ordered whatever we saw on their posters. I had an Iced Vanilla Latte, I think and she had a Mocha one. It’s not important. We talked for a while. It’s strange, you know? Cheryl is someone who I’ll always have time for. I think we had one class together in high school and the LEAD program, but other than that it’s not like she’s someone I hung out with everyday. However, I always felt there was a solid bond there, whether it’s because of shared interests or natural chemistry. Sitting in that cafe (right word?), chilling out with her, talking her ear off and catching up on things felt as normal as hanging out with Max or Jess or whoever. Meanwhile, there are some people from high school who I always thought I SHOULD have been close to, because I saw them in like 3 or 4 classes a day and ran in the same circles as them and honest to God, I have no inclination to ever see them again. I’m glad that she’s back in my world.

*****

And now, a quote from another comic book:

Run like the wind, Rex!
Screw the wind! I could outrun the wind on my worst day.