It’s nearing 9 PM and Wal- Mart’s Subway is almost empty except for two women nestled towards the far right corner. John Mayer’s “Assassin” off his new album Battle Studies plays over the speakers setting the mood for conversation or relaxed silence. The song is mellow, but is playing loud enough to get caught up in.
Large Nathans sign adorns the front of the shop featuring, pretzels and nachos and chips as well. The brick design surrounds the front counter and the entire shop.
Crystal, Subway’s sole employee on shift is preparing for the end of the night. She swiftly wipes the cutting boards to ensure the cleanliness of the establishment. She carefully drags the rag against the board and repeats this for two others. She cleans out the metal bins and lets them clash together, the sound audible throughout the entire establishment.
The ice machine clunks and rattles as one woman waits for her cup to fill and converses to the women at the table across the room. Once they’re both seated at the table the conversation continues. They share stories of when they were young and went shopping with their families.
In saunters Thomas, a Wal -Mart security guard and one of the women tell her, “don’t be nice to him.” The two interact as she continues to swipe clean the cutting boards and proceeds to send flirty comments his way. The security guard laughs with Crystal and then walks away.
One of the women says, “Keep trying to kiss up to him, he’s my manager not yours. Call him Thomas Joseph.” The women keep talking to Crystal and it is revealed that the Subway will be shut down for three months.
Crystal shakes the covers of the food and gets all the utensils ready to be put away. Another employee makes her way to the front right corner of the Subway. The metal chair scrapes the ground as she pulls it out from the small circular table. She doesn’t interact with the other employees.
The employee up front sips her drink surreptitiously and faces away from the other employees, choosing not to joke and laugh with her coworkers. She is clearly younger than the other two women.
Crystal’s ringtone, Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” blares she quickly scuffles across the floor to silence it and then continues breaking down what she can of the shop.
As time passes, the broom and mop come out. The swish of the broom, combined with John Mayer’s soft tones. The sounds of the shoppers at Wal-Mart, rolling their carts past the shop are only noticeable for short time. And what is going on in the subway is all that can be heard. It is routine, sweep from one side to the other. She disappears into the back room to finish up the closing of the shop
Leave a comment