“Have you restocked the returns yet?” Boss said.
“I was getting around to it,” Happy said.
“That’s not good enough, hi sir need help?” Boss said, turn as he spoke to the newcomer.
A customer had approached them mid-conversation pointing an invoice at them, which was normal.
What wasn’t normal was who the customer was.
“I need help with my order,” Moose said, looking at Happy instead of Boss.
“Well you’re talking to the right person. Help the man Happy,” Boss said.
Happy paused for a precious second.
“Right away,” He said, pulling the invoice out of Moose’s pinched fingers.
He read it over three times. It was for a pack of flooring. With Boos in earshot and no plan for this pick-up it was impossible to derive what to give him.
“700 square feet of hardwood flooring,” Moose said, giving him either a lifeline or a rope to hang,
”That’s a whole skid,” Happy said in return.
“Yeah I rented a pick-up truck,” Moose said, insistently.
“Well pull it around the back then,” Happy said.
Happy headed into the back of the store. It wasn’t great the Boss had heard what the customer wanted. This all rested on alibis of misunderstanding and distance. This drew more attention than was needed. Happy also usually knew about when an order was coming. That way he could scout out what was to be lifted and pre-position it to the closest spot to the loading dock to make everything as smooth as possible.
Happy got in the forklift and went to find the pallet. There were a few in the racking so he was safe to grab one without too much notice. He raised the forks as high as they could go without the top rack hitting the ceiling and slid them into place under the forward pallet. He pulled back slowly, his apparatus swaying a bit as he did due to his high centre of gravity.
Once safely away from the racking he lowered the pallet until it was a foot above the ground. Then he tilted the yaw to get it into the cradle position, turned his rear wheel drive and went to the loading dock. Moose had pulled up as expected and already had his tailgate down. He was sitting in the cab.
Happy pulled the pallet straight up into the flatbed and lowered it gently into place. Boss had told him to hand bomb things into cars but he didn’t have an hour to do that with the pallet without someone coming up to him and insisting on helping.
Moose wasn’t stepping out so Happy went to close the bed door, scribbled on the invoice and handed the carbon copy to him through the driverside window.
“Good looking out,” Moose said before putting the truck into drive.
Moose stopped before hitting the pedal, looking straight ahead.
Happy looked to see what was the issue and saw Boss standing, blocking the car.
“Can I see your invoice sir,” Boss said.
Moose didn’t move. He looked behind him to see if he could reverse but thought again. Happy looked behind the truck to see Odaine standing there.
Odaine. He was meant to work cashier. Theere was only one reason he could be here.
He snitched.
Moose graduated years before him so must’ve not recognized him, and through a rearview it was probably unlikely he could recall him again given the circumstances.
Moose relented and handed the invoice.
Boss grabbed it, read it quickly and then sat down on the hood of the truck.
In the break room Happy sits down. This is fucked. How could this have happened? Were they calling the cops? Odaine had grabbed the forklift and unlocked the truck while Boss questioned the customer.
He had to think fast to avoid getting arrested.
The loss prevention officer came in, Nick.
“You fucked up,” Nick said.
“What can we do?” Happy said.
“I don’t know, you’re fucked,” Nick said.
“I have you dead to rights too, you better help me figure this out,” Happy said.
Nick thought about it.
“I’ll lose the tapes,” Nick said.
“You need to lose the invoice,” Happy said.
Nick paused.
“I can do that,” Nick said.