Rumors (standard:Fan Fiction, 1549 words)
Author: Chrissy	Added: Nov 04 2003	Views/Reads: 3634/2319	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Inside the mind of an employee at a hat shop on a Saturday afternoon.

3:30 p.m., only one more hour to go before I can get out of here.  Today
Mom is out on a short vacation with Dad, and I felt it my daughterly 
duty to open her shop and see if I could sell a few things for her.  
“Just Hats” was always a dream for her, and now that she's doing pretty 
well on business, she doesn't close the store unless it's a Sunday or a 
holiday.  She doesn't want to disappoint the customers, she likes them 
happy with open wallets.  It's a pretty cool store, but I don't get 
into all the gigantic, lacy, ribbon type hats.  Not that it is a bad 
place to work, but it is just rather boring and there is so much more I 
could do with my Saturday, like say, sleep, or sit around and watch the 
Lifetime network (my usual Saturday routine).  However, I'm stuck here, 
but only for fifty-seven more minutes. 

The business in the store is pretty amazing considering that we live in
such a small town.  When I say small, I mean small.  Only about five 
thousand people, and it just so happens that I know most of everything 
about all those five thousand.  “Just Hats” is not only a shop, but it 
is a rumor mill.  People jibber jabber to mom, and she jibbers it right 
on to me.  I'm her only outlet since she doesn't want to get in bad 
with the customers, and I don't tell people.  Okay, well I tell my best 
friend Gabby, but she doesn't count cause she's like the same mind with 
a different body.  Back to the business:  we have people come from all 
over the state because they've heard such great things about the store, 
and usually those people come from a little bit of a wealthier 
background.  So, mom sells her hats and I spend her money. 

The store has been fairly slow today.  I sold a few things this morning.
 You know how those old people are, they wake up early and get 
everything done.  Nobody's been in for about half an hour.  So I've 
turned up my XM radio and am jamming out to some of my favorite songs 
of the sixties.  I brought a book that I thought maybe I would be 
interested in reading, but I'm finding more enjoyment in watching the 
people walk through downtown.  That's where “Just Hats” is located.  
Downtown is nothing special as you can imagine for a town in this low 
of a population.  There are a few furniture shops, jewelry places, 
little restaurants, a car dealership, and a brand new tattoo parlor.  I 
guess this town is trying to modernize itself.  It being such a 
beautiful fall day, more people are out than usual.  I've already seen 
a few people I know and have herd about.  It's so nice to be in the 
loop. 

Forty-five minutes left.  That's like watching an episode and a half of
“Friends,” and it goes by fast.  I can do this.  Across the street 
there is a restaurant with tables outside.  I love that I can see who 
is eating with who.  And what do you know, there is Ms. Taylor eating 
with a man that I recognize neither has her son or her ex.  Rumor is 
she divorced her husband because he played too much golf.  It looks 
like she's back in the game now.  I really hope this guy isn't an avid 
tennis player or anything like that.  And there goes Mr. Stewey the 
local car dealer, I feel so sorry for him.  He is one of the nicest 
people I have ever met.  His wife, a teacher at the elementary school 
in town, cheated on him with her boss, the principal, who just so 
happened to be married to a teacher at the high school.  A few years 
ago, they ran off together, and all Mr. Stewey does is mope around and 
sale his cars. 

I'm beginning to wonder if I should be looking forward to my married
life, or if I should just stop while I'm ahead.  These people must have 
been doomed from the beginning.  Still no customers, I wish I could 
shut this place down a little bit early, but Mom would have my butt.  I 
can start washing the windows, it is imperative that I do this, it 
makes the shop look attractive, and maybe people will want to come in.  
Then maybe they will dish out a few more things to me so I can share 
them with Gabby, and of course Mom. 

There goes Sam, he's one of my ex's.  This was a long time ago ex
though, so there is no nervousness when I see him.  I hate to say it, 
but I just kind of used him anyway.  I was bored, and I was lonely, and 
he seemed like a great guy to hang out with.  And he was, I remember 
how fun he was, and his laugh was just one of those laughs that made me 
laugh all the time.  Then I discovered that intellectually, he wasn't 
the brightest.  His sister told me that even after two months of dating 
he didn't know how to spell my first name.  I could understand more my 
last name because it has French roots, but my all-American first name, 
that's not so difficult.  When the true love of my life came along 


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