North America / Illinois / South Side Chicago (McDonald's): January 8th, 1984.
It was a beautiful day for the world. The birds were chirping their songs as mankind went about their daily routines with smiles on their faces at beauty of the city, but also sad looks on their faces at the horror of it whether it be financially, emotionally or physically, yet if you were to look closely in Illinois at one of the many bustling south side mcdonalds. To be more specific, inside of one of them you can see a handsome 6'1 in height young man with dark brown eyes, a dark, warm brown skin tone, a oval-oblong shaped bearded face with two ear piercings and low taper fade dark brown hair, dressed in a black mcdonald's uniform with keys hanging at right side of his pants.
(Robert's POV)
"Don't forget to mop and sweep the lobby mrs diamond." I said whisperingly into a light skinned south korean woman's ears from behind her.
Diamond jumped while holding her chest and said while taking a deep breath "You gotta stop doing that or I'll have a heart attack one day."
The lobby was absolutely silent. The sound of only the workers voices being heard.
"I'm ready to bounce. I got shit to do so hurry up so I can lock up." I said with a shit and wave of my left hand.
Diamond rolled her eyes and said "I should have become general manager."
"Trust me, you wouldn't enjoy it at all." I said while patting her on the shoulder and heading towards the back kitchen.
"LISTEN UP EVERYBODY. Your boss is ready to leave so hurry up and clean up and get your asses out of the store." I said calmly with my pitch rising slightly.
A fat white man with slightly tattooed face coughed slightly and said "Then you can help us."
The kitchen went absolutely silent.
"MY MIND'S TELLING ME NO." I said singing in a high register with grit, holding the notes mid way as I pointed at my head.
I looked back at diamond and said singing in a high register with grit and a little dramatization, holding the notes mid way "BUT MY BODY, MY BODY'S TELLING ME YES."
"BABY, I don't wanna hurt nobody." I said singing in a high register, holding the notes shortly as I slid down cleanly.
I took a slight breath and said in a high grit filled register while holding the notes longly with a long complex vocal run "BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I MUST CONFESS, to you."
The kitchen was silent.
"You all better clean this motherfucking store in 5 minutes or I'll start cutting hours." I said calmly with my right eye closed
The workers got to work Immediately.
"Good. I need to head to the gym. I've been to focused on becoming general manager that I neglected my own health for 2 years, I even have a little pot belly" I thought with a sigh as I looked down at my own little round hump belly and flabby arms.
Something poked my stomach.
I looked to my left and saw ashley…ahem, my girlfriend.
A beautiful, deep, melanated ebony skinned south african woman my age with a small diamond shaped face, buzz cut blonde hair, 5'11 in height with a overweight voluptuous heavyset figure in a black mcdonald uniform on with excellent makeup and both ears with big hoop earrings.
"Are you ready to go babe." I asked calmly as my left hand landed on top of her head.
Ashley nodded and said while putting a lollipop into her mouth "Yeah, are we heading him or getting something to eat."
The kitchen was loud.
"Nah. I'm heading to the gym and might not be back until 1 or 2 in the morning so do you want to stop by the store or head straight home." I asked calmly while resting my left arm around her kneck.
Ashley shoved my arm off her shoulder and asked with squinted eyes "Why are you going to the gym."
"To get in shape, why else would I go there." I said with a look of amusement on my face as I caught ahold of her nose between my fingers.
Ashley jolted and Immediately slapped my hand away while catching her breath and saying loudly "NIGGA, I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN."
"I love you to." I said with a chuckle as my left arm found it's way back around her shoulder naturally.
Ashely was absolutely silent. Her eyes not amused in the least.
I glanced back at the workers chatting as they finished cleaning the kitchen and thought with my eyes suddenly squinting "I still can't believe I came this far in this body In just two years. I guess when you really put your mind to something it can really be achieved"
1. I went to all the mcdonalds that I could find and made myself presentable for hire, only to get rejected and ended up searching for other places to get hired at and stumbled upon this place in the hood, of course I got hired on the spot.
2. I financially secured myself and get a 314 social security check every month. I cheated the system and it was surprisingly easy, all I had to do was mark down that I am seventeen. Poor. Disabled due to epilepsy.
Limited work capacity and low or no countable income. But in reality I am working, moving around, managing mcdonald's, and gaming the department so the income does not properly hit my disability case. So narratively, my setup is to mcdonald's I work there.To social security I am a poor disabled teenager with epilepsy. Free government oxygen. That means I can get 314/month SSI check, mcdonald's money, plus my side hustle.
Hey. We all do what we gotta do if you get the flow I'm moving to.
3. I met ashley a year ago while doing one of my many side hustle's at a park and we hit it off and went form there. I found out that she is actually saving up for college. I do love a good women with a brian and dream so me being me. I slid into the panties and locked in of course, I'm edward fucking john king, what would you expect.
4. I surprisingly got my ged this year and live at a privately owned apartment complex with ashley, of course I got my drivers license and own a black mustang, not the best but the most drivable and decent.
5. I explored the musical talent of this body an was Impressed, yes I was Impressed but also a little Irked at how someone can wast a life In prison and let their childhood define who they are as a adult. I guess not everyone is fortunate and their brain wires works differently.
"5:43 pm." I said with a muttering as I looked down at my watch.
Ashely put her purse over her should and said with a sigh "I guess I'll head with you to the gym and workout to."
"We'll just go there then since your already a member." I said calmly while signaling at all of the employees to find the door.
Ashley rubbed her smooth chin for a moment silently and shrugged while saying "I can't remember the street name but I do know that it is three streets down from the crib."
"Ah, I'll find it then." I said with a sigh as I took the keys off my pants and started heading too the front to look the doors. Ashley following behind me with a bored look on her face.
I went up to one door and turned the lock slowly.
*Click*
The next one.
*Click*
The glass door shook slightly as I pulled on it.
Locked.
Good.
I moved to the side door and checked that one to.
*Click*
Locked.
The lobby was silent.
Only the sound of the mop bucket wheels squeaking across the floor, plastic bags being tied up and employees muttering under their breaths was heard.
I looked over my shoulder and saw ashley was still following me.
My eyes narrowed slightly as I asked calmly while pulling on the door handle again to make sure it was really locked "Why did you stop working out in the first place."
Ashley blinked and looked at me.
The lobby was silent.
Ashley looked away and shrugged while saying "I saw no need to anymore."
I raised a brow.
Ashley sighed and said while folding her arms underneath her chest "It seemed like I wasn't going to get slimmer anyway. You already saw all the women in my family. They are all big bodied so it was hopeless from the start."
The lobby went silent.
"Plus, I was trying to focus on school. Working, studying, saving and then trying to force myself in a gym just to still look the same was getting annoying as hell." Said ashley while looking down at her uniform with a bored look on her face.
I stared at her.
Ashley looked up at me and asked with narrowed eyes "What."
"Nothing." I said calmly as I turned around and started walking towards the back door.
Diamond came out from behind the counter with her coat on and waved slightly "Bye boss. Don't die at the gym."
"You first." I said calmly while waving a middle finger at her.
Diamond rolled her eyes and walked out the door.
The fat white man with tattooed face grabbed his jacket and said while walking past me "See you tomorrow rob."
"Don't be late tomorrow benjamin or I'll take you off grill." I said calmly.
Benjamin paused.
The kitchen was silent.
"Man, you be abusing power." Said venjamin with a serious look on his face.
"Yes." I said calmly.
Benjamin stared at me.
I stared back.
Benjamin clicked his teeth and left.
Another worker, a skinny dark chocolate skin girl with black long braids, threw her bag over her shoulder and said "Bye ashley. Bye rob."
Ashley waved and said "Bye girl."
"Get home safe." I said calmly.
One by one everyone started leaving.
"Night." Said a mexican man while taking his cap off and leaving with tattoos and his pants almost sagging below his knees.
A pretty slim biracial waved and said while leaving as she flicked her hair "See y'all tomorrow."
"Don't forget the schedule." Said a older man while taking his leave with his hands behind his back
Said a tall skinny whit red neck man with a face full of piercings "Rob, you wrong for cutting my hours last week."
"You were late three times dj." I said calmly with a wave of my right hand.
"It was snowing." Said dj while pausing with a serious look on his face.
"You live across the street." I said with a blank look on my face.
Dj went absolutely silent.
Ashley snorted.
The employees kept walking out.
The store slowly emptied.
The lobby became quiet.
The kitchen became quiet.
The whole mcdonald's finally felt dead.
I stood near the front glass window and watched every last employee walk away through the parking lot.
Some got into cars.
Some walked down the sidewalk.
Some stood outside talking even after I told them to leave.
"Y'all better not be outside my store when I pull off." I said loudly through the glass.
They all looked back. Then slowly started moving.
"Yes, get out of my face." I said underneath my breath with a sigh.
Ashley stood beside me silently.
I looked at her.
Ashley was looking out the window with a unreadable look on her face.
The parking lot lights shined against her skin.
Her blonde buzz cut caught the light slightly.
Her big hoop earrings moved a little as she breathed.
I stared at her for a moment and said with a serious look on my face "I think you look beautiful just the way you are. You don't need to get smaller if your trying to prove something."
Ashley froze.
The lobby was absolutely silent.
Aahley slowly turned her head and looked at me with her eyes were slightly wider than usual and asked lowly "What."
"I said what I said, ever heard of the saying you don't know but now you know." I said calmly while reaching down for the keys hanging from my pants.
Ashley stared at me for a long moment before she looked away.
Her lips twitched.
*BAM*
Her fist hit me in the side.
"GAH." I said while coughing and grabbing my ribs and looked at her crazy.
Ashley walked past me with a small smile on her face and said "You need to stop trying to up your game more before I start thinking your practicing on somebody."
I blinked.
The lobby was silent.
"I don't need practice. I was born like this." I said calmly with a sigh as I rubbed my side.
Ashley looked back at me with a raised brow.
I smiled.
Ashley rolled her eyes and walked towards the front door.
I turned off the last lights.
The store dimmed.
I took one last look around.
Clean floors.
Empty tables.
Silent kitchen.
A whole little kingdom made out of grease, minimum wage and tired employees.
"Not bad, most likely not my final destination but not bad" I thought as I took one more last look before leaving.
I opened the door and let ashley step out first.
Cold air hit my face Immediately.
Chicago winter did not give a damn about anyone.
I stepped out behind her and locked the door.
*Click*
Ashley hugged herself and said with Irritation "Hurry up. It's cold."
"You wanted to come to the gym." I said calmly while pulling on the door to make sure it was locked.
Ashley stared at me for a moment and said with a roll of her eyes "I changed my mind."
"You change your mind every five minutes." I said while putting the keys away and going over to her.
"And you still love me." Said ashley with a smug little smile.
I stared at her.
*SMACK*
The parking lot was silent.
"Sadly." I said calmly while groping a handful of her ass the best I could.
Ashley punched me in the side again.
"Stop hitting me woman." I said while walking towards the car in a defensive stance.
"Stop talking then or your not getting anything tonight." Said ashley while walking beside me.
The night was cold.
The streetlights buzzed.
Somewhere far off, a siren screamed through the south side like somebody else's bad decision had finally caught up to them.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my car keys while going up to the black mustang and unlocking the door.
Ashley looked at it and at me and said "You better not drive crazy."
"I never drive crazy babe." I said calmly with a unfazed look on my face.
Ashley stopped walking.
I looked back at her.
Ashley stared at me.
The parking lot was silent.
"Okay. Sometimes." I said calmly with a sigh.
Ashley opened the passenger door and got in.
I walked around to the driver's side and looked back at the mcdonald's one last time.
Two years.
Two years since I woke up in blood.
Two years since I walked out of that apartment.
Two years since I decided I was not going too die broke, hungry, crazy or locked up because a name had a bad future waiting on it.
I stared at the golden arches.
I chuckled softly.
"From dying at a crosswalk to managing mcdonald's. God got jokes." I said muttering underneath my breath while opening the door and getting in.
I opened the door and got in while thinking "I am glad that I am not a bealiver in spirituality shit. I'm what you call very materialistic and not ashamed of it"
Ashley looked at me from the passenger seat and asked with narrowed eyes "Why are you smiling like that."
I closed the door. The car was silent.
"Nothing." I said calmly while starting the engine.
*VROOOM*
The mustang growled loudly through the parking lot.
Ashley slowly grabbed the side handle while saying with a slightly pitched voice "Robert."
I put the car in drive.
The parking lot was silent.
I looked at her.
Ashley stared at me while saying with a serious look on her face "Don't."
I smiled.
Then pressed down on the gas.
*SCREECH*
The mustang shot out of the parking lot.
Ashley gripped the seat belt while saying loudly "ROBERT."
Cold wind blasted through the open window as I sped onto the street with my left arm hanging out into the night air.
The mcdonald's disappeared behind us.
The streetlights blurred.
Chicago opened its ugly mouth in front of me.
I chuckled with a smirk.
…
THE END…