Phil

e passed. He parked at his usual reserved spot beside the Khaya tree, near the supermarket entrance. Turning off the e

open to customers until 8.15 AM and his self-assigned resumption time was 7.50. Although he liked to arrive at lea

ee with his car door open in the mornings before resuming his duties. The only sound at this time was of birds singing

tching the morning shift staff walk into the supermarket premises to resume their shift. As much as he hated tardiness, this was not a witch hunt. The clock

ant was already in there. These ones were in the punctual category. They always came in before their resumption time. Then there were those

ers, pretending not to notice them. He didn't waste energy on trivialities like

ust walked through the gate. It was Miss Blue nails. She greeted the security guy with a smile and wav

ls were folded up as usual, but that shiny thingy on the ribbon caught the sunlight, causing her face to glint. He quickly looked away as she co

shift resumption time. He could bet that the girl always hid somewhere every time, looking at her watch to make sure she was not one minute too early for work. It

rted working here, he had known this one was not going to stick around for too long. It wasn't that she was incompetent. No. It was the contrary. She was overqualified

that situation. Phil tried to think of anyone he knew who loved their job. No one came to mind. The girl did her job quite we

end an interview somewhere. He did not blame or hate her for it. He was no enemy of progress. But

er soul. He was leaving the cemetery that day when he spotte

girl had sounded so low on the phone and he had believed she truly was not well. Imagine his shock when he saw her standing by th

But her hair had been tied the same way using her favorite ash-gray ribbon wi

ot she had called in sick some four hours ago. From where he stood, he had also seen

talker, he had gotten into his car and followed her till she entered a shared taxi. Fortunately, the taxi had been heading in the direction leading back to the supermarket. Once in her stree

idn't know when, at some point, he had decided there was nothing to do about it. If she was still coming

he shook himself quickly. Working as a cashier in a supermarket was not a permanent role for someone like her. Besides, workers come and go in this line of business, especially i

r to fill his mind with his job rather than the temp staff. It was better to get busy rather than sit here

f he needed to check on things there first. He kept his eyes away from all the cash points to prove to himself that this was his true reason for c

ay then?"

vacant. Phil felt his stomach go sour as he climbed up t

door to his office before