Goal: In swing Conflict: Odaine Disaster: Suspicious


Happy went downstairs to the front entrance where Boss was speaking to the new hires. It was early in the morning and the store had just opened so there were few enough customers that a gathering of 5 recruits didn’t get in the way.

Happy stopped in his tracks upon seeing the class. On one end was Odaine from his school. The last time he’d been this close to him he’d been lining up a kick that missing him while he lay on the floor at school. Since there Odaine had shown up rarer until he stopped showing up before the end of 9th grade.

“Happy, can you take these guys one by one through the warehouse?” Boss said. He was chubby and broad-shouldered with a thick Newfoundland accent. He called Chicago Chicargo and things like that.

Happy didn’t miss a beat.

“Sure thing,” Happy said, beckoning to Odaine to follow him.

He figured he better handle this head on.

“You remember me?” Happy said as they walked.

“Yeah, you were in Grant’s class,” Odaine said.

“Yeah it was wild back then. How you been?” Happy said.

“I’ve been grinding. I got a few jobs. Trying to make this one stick. Got any tips?” Odaine said.

“Yeah for sure, I know the best ways to slack off,” Happy said, winking.

“I ain’t trying to get in shit. This needs to pay for my kid,” Odaine said.

“You got a kid?” Happy said.

“Yeah,” Odaine said.

“Oh, cool. Well how it works in shipping is you get handed slips from customers for things that aren’t on the store floor and are in the warehouse instead. You say thank you and tell them it’ll be 10 minutes, even if it’ll be a little less or more. Then you find the item by the serial number, and it’s in all these racks in a designated spot, like when you go to the library,” Happy said.

They passed by an upturned pallet of flooring with some pieces clearly cracked.

“What happens when it’s damaged and all we have left,” Odaine said.

“Yeah that happens a lot because they don’t do the inventory super often here. You can offer them a substitute and mark it on the bill. Things go missing here all the time so it’s all explainable. Don’t stress. We can usually write it off. So if something is missing and I’m on shift, just tell me and I’ll take care of writing it up,” Happy said.

“OK sounds good,” Odaine said.

“Have you driven a forklift?” Happy said.

“Yeah but I don’t have a license,” Odaine said.

“Aight, but have you been taught how to do donuts while driving it?” Happy said.