Closing

   The evening had been well under way 3 hours and 3 hours remained till midnight . With out a customer left with in the grocery  store . We were all waiting for the next 10 minutes to pass till 9 pm . For at 9 pm the grocery store closes for business . At closing time  all doors of entry and exit would be  locked tight and  the stores lights will be turned off .                                                                              Waiting , waiting and more waiting  . The sudden abrupt opening  of the entry door startled all of us and broke the constant hum of the store's refrigerator units .                                                                     Sauntering in with unchallenged swagger was Blondie . The tight fitting lime colored t-Shirt was speckled from rain drops . Close cropped blond hair was dripping water  . Wearing shorts  and sneakers indicated the outside humid tropical air and temperature . Tonight there was a soft misting rain ,  there was a cold front on the way .                                                                                          Directly walking past me and moving onto the single remaining Cashier . Cashier had been hoping hope against hope  to help out a last minute shopper needing a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread or even a 6 pack of cold brew .                                                                                                                                Hay ! Exclaimed Cashier to Blondie . I have your pumpkin seeds outside in my car .  I can have Stockman  bring them in for you  .                                                                                                                    Obediently following Cashier"s words , Stockman passed us towards exit door nodding to Blondie as passing by .                                                                                                                                       Cashier resumed conversation with Blondie . " I cleaned , salted and toasted the seeds . One batch of seeds has more salt than the other . "                                                                                                    The entry door again opened and Stockman appeared carrying 2 bags of white pumpkin seeds . Handing both to Blondie saying " Here ya go  "                                                                                                   " Thanks " replied Blondie .                                                                                                                       Cashier addressed  Blondie  again .  " You can crisp up the seeds again by placing them back into the oven at 350. Remember the seeds have been salted . You can rinse the salt off before  toasting . if you want  .                                                                                                                                                        "The seeds are not for me . They are for my bird"                                                                                      My fancy became instantly tickled  . I exclaimed to Blondie  " Geronimo your parrot ? "                      Blondie looked at me replying " Yes  and she is  such a mean bitch  . Geronimo is frightened of everything , even my canneries . The canneries chase her all over the house and all Geronimo does is fly away and squawking all the while looking back wards at the canneries flying towards her . Geronimo bites me all the time for no apparent  reason " .                                                                                       The clock struck 9 pm . The 4 of us struck  into action  . Stockman walked to the electrical room to turn off store lights . Cashier signed off her register  . Blondie walked to the exit door . I walked to the entrance door  to lock it saying a goodnight to Blondie . Stockman  and Cashier directly left the store . I was left alone .                                                                                                                                  The grocery store was mostly dark now being lite  by a few lights in the  outer isles  . The refrigerator units humming motors was even louder now than before . I was left to count Cashier's  money and close down the office .                                                                                                                           My exit from the store was soon afterwards . As I  walked along Front street the misting rains began to increase . Crossing the street I noticed a car approaching from behind and slowing as it neared me . As the car slowly passed me  the drivers window rolled down . Blondie's head popped out and asked  " Do you want a ride  ?  I mean it is raining and all "                                                                         " Why yes I do want a ride ,  Thanks  Blondie "