Smoothies

Little Books for Cooks: Smoothies by Jane Stacey
2000
Weight: .8oz
Method of Disposal: Donating

I began working, illegally, at the age of 12.  I worked at a smoothie shop.  I will withhold the name of the company, as my boss was a pedophile with a theft problem and no one knew.  He was a bad egg but it was not the company's fault.  Luckily, the worst he ever did to us was to rub my best friend's ears, and his wife frequently propositioned me and tried to get me to go home with them.  I always said no and never felt bad about it.  It was not violent and not even why I call him a pedophile.  I call him that because, after leaving that job for the bookstore, someone found the police record.  I guess we were lucky.

Despite all of that, we loved working there and had a lot of fun and a lot of freedom--because, as I said, our manager was awful.  We ran that place.  He was almost never there.  We closed the store down at night, we opened it, and we were there for all inspections.  We have so many stories.  We were also able to barter smoothies for Arby's fries, cookies, and free piercings from the attractive woman at Claire's I would write poetry to, and she would blush. 

My friend purchased me this book after I left to my new job selling books. When you pressed the button a man would exclaim, "Deeelicious!"  We found this hysterical for some reason.  I am fairly certain that, if I make it to 80 or 90 years old, I will be able to hear that voice clear as day.  It is burned into my memory.

The Science of Self-Realization

The Science of Self-Realization by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

1997

Weight: 8 oz

Method of Disposal: Tossing

 

 

This one has been chewed on by critters, and so I do not think it is safe to sell, donate, or give away.  It isn't in great shape but, even if it was, I am not sure I would know what to do with it. 

When I was in high school I worked at a smoothie shop in the mall.  I met all sorts of people while I was working there and a lot of them were up to no good.  There was an overwhelming number of adult men and women who were interested in sleeping with a kid like me.  And I do not mean sleeping in the adorable, sweet sense.  I really believe I had more adults interested in me then than I have in all the years combined that I have actually been an adult.  It is disturbing.

If I was not ducking and dodging those creeps, I was trying to get free stuff from the Truth kids on my cigarette breaks or chatting it up with the folks handing out books like The Science of Self-Realization for a small donation.  My mother always warned me, "don't let them brain wash you."  "Don't trust those people."  And I never did, but a free book was a free book and, no matter what the topic was, I wanted to read it.  And I did, though clearly it did not have the impact on me it should have because I have completely forgotten it all these years later.  I have, however, never forgotten that mall and the people who hung out there.

Just this week I was sitting at my desk at work when one of the women who felt like we "connected," insisting "age did not really matter" all those years ago walked in the building wearing a FedEx outfit and had me sign for a package.  I guess I am too old for her now.  She didn't think twice about it or try to charm me in any way.  She had absolutely no idea who I was or that I knew her secret.  If I got her name now and made a phone call would it do anything for anyone?