Just For Christine

Kootie and Koobert were out late one night not so long ago, and quite happily amusing themselves with a cash register that some thoughtful clerk had left on after the little store had closed. Though it was dark outside, and also in the store, the blue-ish light from the electronic display provided exciting illumination to the buttons, and the two adventurers hopped from one button to the next in a joyful dance of number patterns and little beeping sounds. One, One, Two, Three, Five, Eight … Kootie and Koobert took turns hopping around the keypad in one of their favorite patterns, then Koobert would hop to the big “Enter” button to be rewarded with a rattle as their newest creation was forever committed to an ever lengthening ribbon of paper. It was glorious, and their laughter echoed in the darkened room.

Ka-Ching! The drawer popped open with a happy jolt as though the cash register was enjoying the game too. This set off a whole new game as the pair hopped on more buttons trying to figure out what had caused the drawer to open, and what would close it again. The paper tape rattled in delight.

“Koobie, we gotta figure out how to close this drawer,” Kootie observed matter-of-factly.

“Somebody’s coming! Let’s hide and surprise them!” Koobert replied. I think it’s fair to say that Koobert has never been one to let coherency interfere with his conversational style, but in this case his timely change of subject was followed almost immediately by the sounds of a key being fitted uncertainly in the front door lock.

Koobert wasted no time diving into a bin of scripture gum on the counter and knocking it over as well as a nearby rack of keyrings with inspirational slogans on them. Kootie, lacking a better idea, or Koobert’s appetite for chewing gum, decided to stand very still right where she was and pretend to be a collectable figurine. Neither had time to worry about the cash register drawer, or the yards of paper tape, or the mess on the counter before the front door pushed open.

In walked a pretty young lady. Or maybe staggered is a better word.

“More like drifted,” said Kootie, correcting me in a rare verbal rescue that both compromised her clever disguise, and utterly disregarded the rule that characters never talk to the narrator.

“Is she sleepwalking?” Koobert whispered.

Apparently she was.

The young woman was dressed very casually in a sweatshirt with a hood drawn loosely over her flowing blue hair. She swayed a little as she moved about the darkened store tidying up a little here and there as she went. If she noticed Kootie or Koobert she gave no sign, but when her directionless wander brought her near the cash register, she pushed the drawer closed with a practiced flip, tore off the paper tape, and set Kootie down onto the shelf next to the bookmarks. Kootie held very still, confident that her disguise was working perfectly.

Then the young woman opened a drawer under the counter and withdrew a large binder labeled “Schedule”. Though her eyes were closed, she flipped the book open and her head gently rolled like she was studying the pages carefully. “I love my job,” she half mumbled-half snored. Then she wrote the name “Christine” in wobbly script in the center of the page, dropped the pen noisily on the counter and drifted out of the door. Kootie relaxed and sighed as the lock on the door shot home.

Koobert emerged from his hiding place with a mouth full of gum and a fresh, minty grin. “That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Kootie hopped back down to the counter and examined the book carefully. “Maybe we can help the lady with her job. If we do her work, maybe she can stay home and sleep at night.”

“Yippee! Just like the cobblers elves!” cried Koobert. “I’ll go first!” Koobert picked up the pen, flipped a page in the book, and wrote “Christine” on it, right in the middle.

Kootie and Koobert spent the rest of the night taking turns helping the lady with her work. I’m sure the lady was blessed to know that Christine was scheduled for every shift for the rest of the millennium, and could therefore relax and have a good night’s sleep.