Even when he’d heard the alarm, the strain of moving his bony, aching body stopped Adam for some moments longer than usual this morning. His first conscious decision was to have just a slice of toast instead of cereal; pressing the snooze button. Adam hasn’t slept well in years, but last night was particularly unpleasant, even if he couldn’t remember it.

 

Any thought of comfort would have to wait; the more immediate pain in his ribs from his wife of 30 years, demanding “Get up you old goat!”

She didn’t have to work but, as regular as clockwork, she prodded him in the ribs at 06:15 - or there about - every working morning for too long to remember.

Adam briefly lamented that all she did nowadays was watch day time TV, complain about the noise of their neighbour’s, or argue with their two twenty-something children, still living at home.

 

Still Adam had responsibilities at work and after a prolonged struggle, and one last groan from his wife, Adam rolled over and slipped out of bed to minimise the pain of landing. Slowly, Adam got dressed, in between scratching the most irritating varicose veins on his legs, then managed to drag his aching body to the bathroom.

 

Through the small window of the overused bathroom, Adam gazed at the dark sky; it was going to rain. He’d done the same routine for thirty-five years in the same way; half asleep as he then sat down to enjoy his cup of tea.

He consumed his toast and tea while patiently watching the clock until it reached half past the hour. This was Adam’s morning moment of peace.

 

Upon arriving, Adam waits a few moments before offering a prolonged sigh, then pulls his body from the car and with a bowed head, makes his way through the drizzling rain for another day on the trade counter of the plumber’s merchants.

 

“Morning Mr Personality” shouts Adam’s co-worker “Morning Harry.” Harry, a younger man, with an athletic appearance, looks at the clock then back at Adam, “Almost seven thirty...” he mocks. Adam smiles, aware he must have sat in the car a moment longer then intended. He moves quickly to open the doors as he’s never been late.

 

A stout, short woman enters a side door. “He’s never opened late... give his life for the company, Henry says as they both watch Adam using the keys to unlock the shutter. “Hey Agnes?”

“What?” Agnes whisper.

Harry surveys the window, “Already three or four waiting.” Agnes laughs quietly.

Adam laughs along with Harry and Agnes but feels the first of the day’s twinges of anxiety in his chest, which he rubs before opening the shutter and serving the first of the waiting customers.

The first is a regular and greets Adam like an old friend, “Morning Adamski.”

“Morning”

“How’s you?”

“Yeah not bad,” said Adam, pleased to have used the time to find the man account.

Harry serves along with Adam, but soon slips off somewhere and Adam is on serving on his own serving. seems to get just small orders, while Adam’s are large.

 

As time goes by the counter begins to fill with more plumbers so – reluctantly - Harry returns to help and for the next two hours they both process and pick the orders. But as soon the que is down to two, Harry disappears.

 “You know where I am if you need me.”

Yet Adam is undaunted and does the rest of the customers. He is about to have a quick break, when an irritated old plumber stumbles in while hitting his apprentice. The man leans against the counter, “Give us two plugs would ya mate?”

“Do you have an account, or is it a cash purchase sir?”

This irritates the plumber; “No I fucking don’t have an account. It’s a cash bloody purchase!” After a moments silence Adam attempts to assure this angry man, “Ok, then a cash sale…” Again Irritated the plumber insists, “Cash, cards or fucking buttons..! Just give us two fucking plugs!”  

“what type?”

“Two... one inch ... malleable... black iron, fucking plugs!”

“OK” came the prompt reply from Adam, running off to get the fittings, returning swiftly enough to hear the Plumber explaining to his smirking apprentice, “Don’t work here... no bugger respects you here…”

Adam’s learnt to say nothing about such open insults and the Plumber makes no excuses as he leaves without further comment, smirking apprentice in tow.  

 

Customers come and go and Adam tirelessly attends, efficiently and politely, even with the chest pains. When there is a quiet period, Adam decides to clean the trade counter, including the mess Harry leaves behind, so can’t take a break just yet. An old plumber smiles as he silently enters, siting on one of the side stools to watches Adam cleaning the lower shelf of coffee machine. When Adam did notice, the man stood with his arms crossed, “Take your time Betty.”

 

Adam jumped to his feet, “Sorry, I won’t be long.” He felt a pain in the chest. “I won’t be long mate…” “I’m not your blinking mate, just hurry up!”

 

As he turned the corner Adam briefly rested against the wall, out of view of what he knew was going to be an awkward one, relieving a little of the chest pain. “What took you so long?”

“I can only do one thing at a time.” Adam snapped.

“You what?”

“Sorry, I forgot myself…”

“Just remember the order I give you.”

The plumber didn’t say much more, but Adam knew the plumber was likely to complain. Adam’s chest grew tight.  

 

Adam served a couple more impatient plumbers and a while later the phone rings, it’s the Manager; “Can you come up and see me ASAP?” Adam replies “Of course.” Now he starts to worry; it must be that angry man a couple of hours earlier. He promptly asks Harry to cover. “Yeah mate... you not been a bad boy again?” While pretending to find Harry’s joke funny Adam’s chest constricts, worrying him further as he ascended the stair to the boss’s office, Mr Lentil.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Shouts Mr Lentil. Adam feels faint from the climbing of the stairs and attempts to sit down, but Mr Lentil shouts “Oh don’t bother sitting, you can stand to hear what I have to say!” Adam stands back up but with slouched shoulders.

“You served a customer... poorly...  making a selfish remark about not having enough time to serve…or something...” Before Adam can correct Mr Lentil, he continues “I don’t care exactly what you said…”

Adam pursed his lips, Mr Lentil notices, “...this attitude of yours has to stop! Remember the customer is there to make us money.” Mr Lentil pauses for effect, “They pay your generous wages.” Mr Lentil waits just long enough for Adam to acknowledge, “you can’t just say what you fancy, willy-nilly, scaring him off to our competitors…” Adam attempted to speak, but again is interrupted, “This company makes hundreds of millions of pounds a week out of customers like him, yet people like you can come and go, just remember that Adam.”  For a while Adam bows his head in submission and Mr Lentil smiles in satisfaction. Adam - after hesitating - stops himself displaying the anger he truly feels then slouches back against the wall as his chest feels more constricted. “Get out of my office, stop slouching and pull your socks up... If that’s not too much to ask.”

 

Adam rubs his chest to sooth the pain as he descends the stairs, meeting Harry on the way up, “Ah! Young Adam! How did it go?” Adam briefly explained what was said in the office and Harry looked shocked, “You been here over thirty-five years and that’s the way he speaks to you... do you not see the injustice of that?” But Harry then laughs as though it was all a joke, walking up the stairs, turning to add “Time to move on Adam!”

“Think it’s a bit late for that.”

 

On Adam’s return to the counter a large man impatiently paces the counter floor, “About blinking time some idiot showed up.”

“Sorry, what can I do for you today?”

“Two inch socket and be quick, got places to go.” “What company are you from?”

“Plumb and go ltd.”

“Would you like that in galvanised steel or…” The

“How many more questions?” shouted the man.

“Sorry, I have to …”

“Never mind,” Said the man, regaining his composure, “normal...thanks, now pick the bloody fittings if you don’t mind!” Adam attempts to assure the man he’ll not be long.

 

While picking the order Adam is stopped by the Warehouse supervisor; “Hey Mr Charisma!” before waiting for a response the Supervisor comes to the point, “You keyed on an order for delivery, going out tomorrow…” Adam stood purposefully, trying to remember but the Supervisor loses patience, “Point is you managed to get the wrong phone number, so now we have no contact for the delivery driver to call when he gets there...” Adam remembered, “Ah, I remember now…” This only annoys the Supervisor, “Remembering this after the event’s a bit bloody useless... Isn’t it..?” Adam starts to explain, but is interrupted, “No point making crap excuses now. Just think next time, will ya..?” Before waiting the supervisor continues “...Over thirty years you stand there like a spare prick at a wedding, still you manage to cock things up for my warehouse staff... They’re thick enough without being confused.”

 

After being left alone, Adam leans on the wall to rub the pain in his chest and after a few precious moments of relative relaxation before hurrying back.

“About bloody time, slow coach!” Adam notices there are more irritated people waiting behind the already angered plumber he is serving. Suddenly there’s that sharp chest pain again but Adam must carry on, standing up, rubbing his chest, while apologising. The plumber looks at the fittings, shaking his head; “...Hold up there mate.” Adam starts to sweat.

“What is the problem sir?”

“What did I ask for?”

“Two inch sockets…”

“And..??

“And I got you two inch sockets...”

“...problem is you got me two inch sockets in stead of two inch sockets!” There is a long silence as Adam attempts to understand the difference, so the plumber reluctantly explains, “I wanted two times two inch sockets...” The plumber turns to waiting customers, who laugh at Adam’s perceived mistake.

In a moment of clarity Adam realises, “Ah... you meant two inch sockets as opposed to two one inch sockets…”

“Yes Sherlock!” shouts the plumber, throwing the sockets over the counter, narrowly missing Adam, who ducks in time. The waiting throng laugh at this as well, while Adam stays crouched for a second on the floor, trying to apologise and rub at the sharp pain at the same time.

 A few constricted breaths later Adam manages to pick himself up and fetch the correct fittings, moments later he returns and apologises again to the infuriated plumber, who upon leaving remarks to the man waiting behind him “Watch that one mate... he’s got cotton wool in his ears!” After the laughter of ridicule has died down Adam greets the next customer; “Sorry about the wait...” Adam rubs his chest as he feels the sharp pain and continues “...How may I help you?”

 The customer leans on the counter, looking at Adam with an element of embarrassment; “Do you sell fittings for toilet waste pipe in here?”

“We should be able to help,” Adam responds confidently.  

“Good, I’ve been on a long journey around the block to several other places and finally I find someone who can help... Thank you my good man.” The old man smiles as he takes a moment to relax against the counter.

 

Aware other customers are waiting Adam asks “Now what particular fitting are you after sir?” The old man takes a moment - to the irritation of those behind - and stares in to the distance as he attempts to remember, “...Oh I remember now, it’s the internal flush cistern.” Adam realises it’s a product the Company doesn’t sell. “I’m very sorry we don’t actually sell those particular fittings.” The old man seems confused; “But you said you would be able…” Adam notices the other customer’s behind the old man and interrupts, “I said we should be able…” “No matter!” the old man interrupts, blasting in frustration, “You make all manner of promises, and then tell me you don’t sell it!”

 

Adam starts to explain where the fitting can be bought instead but the old man interrupts “...I’ll certainly be speaking to your superior about this poor customer service!”

“There’s no need to do that.” Adam pleads, but the old man leaves and Adam feels the chest pain come back at the thought of the problems to come.

 

The next customer is a simple matter and even says thank you to Adam when he leaves, momentarily giving Adam the sense of pride, and job satisfaction he rarely feels now. Adam knows the satisfied customers are not the ones who phone in to say thanks. It’s those who have a complaint that call the boss upstairs and get Adam in trouble. Adam felt the sharp pains again, yet he finds the strength to proceed, serving the next customer and the next and so on, until - eventually - there is only one last customer and Harry comes around the corner to say “After that customer you go and have your dinner Adam...” Harry picks some food from his teeth and finally adds “I’ll hold the fort for a bit my friend.”

 

Harry smiles, taking up a seat to play some on line gambling once he’s sure there is no one else around. Adam lowers his head and walks to the staff canteen, where he has to mingle with other staff from the warehouse he doesn’t feel comfortable with. Adam sighs as he opens the door and is hit by the noise first, then squeezes through the throng to find his usual spot in the corner next to the window.

 

Once seated, Adam opens his packed lunch and looks out the window. None of the other staff include Adam in their joke-sharing and general small talk. Adam has little interest in being included in what he privately deems debauched behaviour and blasphemous language. Adam starts his daily vigil of bird watching, sometimes he sees sone or two, sometimes none.

 

At first Adam didn’t see the unknown young man enter the canteen, or anyone else, but the next thing Adam is aware, the young man, who has a slightly gaunt look, asks, “Is there enough room on your chair for both of us?” Adam is unsure of what to reply to a question he’s never been asked; one chair is for one person. Noticing there is no other free chair at the table, Adam slides over on his seat, making enough space for his friendly intruder. “Ah... thank you,” says the younger man, who places his box down and offers his hand, “My name is Yanek... And yours is?”

 

Adam feels awkward being asked to shake hands in front of everyone yet tentatively shakes the intruder’s hand, “My name’s Adam.”

When Adam looked back out the window, Yanek studied Adam, “Only the birds are free.” Adam plays the statement in his mind a couple of times as a rare bird appear in the window. “It’s true isn’t it?” Yanek concludes.

After considering the point Adam nods. They continued talking and Adam found out Yanek was a temporary driver for the day, having left Poland for England two months earlier in search of work, and has since driven for a few companies already.

 

The conversation turned to Adam, who reluctantly gave Yanek a brief history of his 35 years at the company. Yanek exclaimed, “35 years!” The outburst got the attention of others in the canteen.

“Man and boy.” Someone shouted.

Someone else shouted “Happiest days of his life.”

“Could a got less for murder.”

As the laughs ring out, Adam smiles in recognition, “As you can see it is a point of amusement to all.” “As long as you enjoy your work it should not matter how long you work for.” There is a long silence and Adam smiles, turns and looks out of the window again as he munches on his sandwich.

 

When some staff start leaving, there was now free seats for Yanek to sit on but chooses not to. A middle-aged, portly man enters the room, first grunting in anticipation at his meal time, “The man himself

“Hello Noel”

“I heard you got close friends down here now days Adam!” points out Noel, who then smiles at Yanek with a look of impudence, “so go on Adam, introduce me to your new friend.”

“Why you laugh at Adam so much?”

Noel looks offended, “Not sure it’s any of your business mate… after all you’re just an agency driver!”

“Maybe he does not like the way you talk to him...”

Noel laughs in an attempt to encourage the last couple of people present to do so but Yanek continues “I say again, why you laugh at Adam so much when he such nice man?”

“I’m only having fun…” adding “Adam knows ...” Yanek interrupts, “But your fun is for only you, not him.”

Irritated now, Noel declares “You won’t last long here mate.”

“I have no intention of lasting long in this place thank you. I am here for today only so back off him.” Noel picks up his remaining lunch, leaving without comment.

 

“He don’t like you much,” remarks Adam.

“He not like you much as well.” Adam laughs so loud he is conscious of it but slowly the canteen empties and Yanek listens to Adam talk a little more about his uneventful life at the Company. Yanek finished his food but before he leaves slaps Adam on the back, “God thinks you are a good man so that is all that matters.”

“What do you mean?”

Yanek smiles, “You have spent all your life believing in God. Every small-minded man is unkind to you... still you are a believer in God and the kingdom of heaven.” Both men are aware of the sniggers at the other side of the door, but Yanek proudly shakes Adam’s hand as he turns to leave, “In this world, only the birds are free, but your soul is already free to be embraced by God.”  

 

The canteen remains silent while Adam notices there is no pain in his chest, just a warm sensation of completeness, recognition, and calm come over him. Someone retuned to the canteen. “what a weirdo he was.” Adam agrees to keep the peace, secretly having faith in everything Yanek declared.

 

As soon as Adam returned to the counter he was met by the Manager, “Adam. We have some very, very, very... Important Company Directors paying us a visit…”

“Very important?”

“Yes,” Mr Lentil impatiently bites, “…and when they arrive I need you to personally greet and escort them up to my office.”

“Of course”

“When you added up the till yesterday I have been notified that you were 12 pence short…” A cold sweat rose to Adams skin and he calculates the amount in his head, then attempts to reasons, “This is a rare mistake I suppose…”

“What good is it if you suppose..?” Mr Lentil offers the question, but doesn’t wait for a reply, “Now I’m not going to make you pay the difference, even though you’ve been playing up lately, but if I wanted, to I could.”

“Thank you,”

“Besides, you don’t always make errors and I’m not a harsh man.” Adam agrees and Mr Lentil concludes “However this sloppy attitude must be corrected, especially as there’s no sign over the door saying ‘charity cases accepted here’ is there?”

“I’m sorry I made the mistake, I shall try not to…”

“…That’s fine, just make sure you never do it again… like I said there are some very important members of the board gracing us and they must be personally escorted to my office, with good manners.”

 

Adam’s berating is brought to a stop by the arrival of another customer who seems upset; “You told me this blinking fitting would work!” Mr Lentil leavs Adam to appease the irate man; “I’m sure we can find a way round the…”

“Oh can we now..? You’re the bugger who got it wrong, not me,” the irritated customer retorts. Adam takes a close look at the fitting and that’s when the chest pains come back. Adam froze in pain but controlled himself to view the fitting. After much fiddling, and groaning by the customer, Adam works out where the matter is, “Ah…you were unfortunately using the fitting the wrong way around…”

“What do you mean?” interrupts the customer.

“This fitting has another way of working...” Adam adds “...that I didn’t explain in the beginning...”

“…You should have explained this in the beginning.” Although Adam desperately wants to say “you should know more about the fittings you buy” he knows this would make matters worse so says nothing more as the pains intensify in frustration.

 

Regardless of the sharp constriction Adam feels in his chest he proceeds to serve the next angry looking customer with a forced smile. Customers come and go yet his chest just feels tighter, while Harry does nothing, then two clean-cut and sharp suited, portly men enter the trade counter doors. Unlike the plumbers around them they have an air of grace; people like these didn’t have to work here. Adam knows they are the Directors the Manager spoke of, hurrying the order and makes his way over to where the Directors are waiting, looking around with interest. Oddly enough Adam doesn’t feel the pain when he’s running around to get to the Directors.

 

After introducing themselves, Adam smiles back, feeling constricted and unsure of what to say, so says nothing as he escorts them to the Managers’ office. In fact, Adam is so conscious of the men’s importance he worries about every step and has to breathe downwards to get enough air to walk forward, proving of mild amusement to the Directors following. Adam notices their interest and worries about this a little, wondering what they might say to the Manager about how odd he behaved.

 

As Adam arrives at Mr Lentil’s office door, he is so worried about how to enter he decide to rush the door open, unaware of Mr Lentil standing behind the door. The door knocks Mr Lentil back and he spills the coffee from his hand all over the floor. He looks like he is going to say something that matches the look of fury and anger etched on his face, but controls himself instead, declaring “Never mind, such is life!”

 

Mr Lentil offered a forced smile as he welcomes his visitors inside, worrying Adam. Feeling the guilt of stupidity, Adam quickly makes his way back down stairs with a slightly tighter and sharper pain in his chest when he returns to the counter.

 

Later, while picking his latest order an angry customer enters the doors, swinging a bag and his receipt in anger. He notices there is no one to serve and comments “No bloody staff, as always.” The customer being served agrees more out of fear, relieved to see Adam return. Before Adam can complete the transaction the angry customer shouts “Hey! You sold me this crap and now I have an old folk’s home flooded, thanks to you.” Adam tries to press the right buttons on the computer to complete the immediate customers transaction, while attempting to reason with his aggressor, “Which way did you fit the fitting sir?” Adam asks.

“It doesn’t bloody matter!” barks the angry man. Adam feels the pains in his chest serge upwards and now feels faint, yet manages to calmly explain, “Sir if you fit the fitting in the flow of the water then it will work...” The angry man stands back, narrows his eyes and asks “You sure about that?” “Yes sir,” Andy say, while completing the transaction of the first customer.

“You should have explained this in the beginning.”

 

At least the angry customer has left the building but even as Adam starts to take the order of the next customer, he feels the sharp pain of stress serge up again, but more like a stabbing feeling this time. The pain is so harsh he briefly slumps to the floor, irritating the waiting customer enough for him to ask “What’s wrong with you?” Although Adam feels dizzy and the floor seems to be at an angle, he catches his breath, “Oh I must have slipped.”

“I’ve got places to go if you don’t mind.” Adam massages his chest with one hand as he taps in the order of the customer with his other hand.

 

Even though Harry has finally returned, he seems to pick the easy customers and is busy cracking jokes and having an easy time while Adam is in a cold sweat and constant pain from the misery the customers bring in with them. Adam briefly found himself feeling a very unchristian thought; “If only he had a couple of the bullies I get...” Harry was OK, he was a nice person at least. The bosses needed to help him; if only there was some support from bosses upstairs, Adam could also have that happy - go - lucky attitude that Harry always has. Instead, Adam is leapt upon as soon as he makes an error and spends the rest of the day fearing the next.

 

Even with the steady flow of customers, Adam always gets the worst while Harry seems to get the easier ones. “Does he know what ones to speak to..?” Adam wondered. Adam knows Harry can’t have this much fortune, but also knows Harry doesn’t get the same amount of misfortune Adam gets on a daily occasion. Harry slips off and it is no surprise to Adam that he sees an irate customer storm over to the counter. With a sunken feeling Adam asks, “How may I help?”

 

After serving the latest irate and insulting customer Adam realises how long he’s been serving without a break; the time is almost 3pm and once again he’s alone on the counter. Adam knew Harry often slips off to read novels in the toilet. The thought bothered Adam briefly, but Harry was nice to Adam which was his saving grace in Adam’s eyes. He still loved everyone else - like a good Christian - but Harry, at least he was sure, was still a good man.

 

The customers dry up and Harry returns so Adam decides maybe it would now be a good time to get a coffee and sit down. But as he is walking to the canteen he is stopped by a woman from the administration department. “May I have a quick word?” Adam smiles to await her point. She looks at Adam in frustration, “You’ve keyed this order to the wrong account!” This always means chasing up the right account and re-keying the order to the correct account, which annoys the administration staff.  

“Hello to you Kate” Adam says to pacify her.

 

Kate is not in a pacifying mood, “Your name’s mud up there and you know why don’t you Adam?”

Adam scratches his bald head, “I made a mistake…”  

“Another mistake!” After a few moments of being verbally insulted Adam nods his head before apologising a number of times until Kate relents and turns to go back upstairs, “No more cock ups please Adam!” Once Kate is gone, Adam is left with his chest pains and a desire to sit down and rest with a cup of coffee, but the bell on the counter rings, meaning harry Ha Harry has slipped off again.

 

Adam quickly runs back to the counter where a tall white heard man has taken up a place opposite, shouting “Hello..! Is anyone bloody person serving?” He is pacing the room when Adam returns, “Where the hell is that idiot they call Adam?”

Adam feels the pain in his chest sharpen before he answers, “May I be of some assistance?”

The man throws a valve on the counter; “You are an imbecile Sir... You told me that this valve was suitable for potable water, but to my annoyance it isn’t and you’ve made me look like a complete bloody idiot in front of the site Engineer and site Supervisor…” Adam feels another sharp pain and reacts to the aggressor with the truth.

Adam Instinctively blurts, “If you say you’re a fitter and can’t tell what is good enough for potable water then what are you doing fitting the valve?”

This shocks the man enough to demand, “I want to see your Manager.”

“Oh no,” Adam’s pleads “... I’m sorry, I am so very sorry… It was a mistake; I was rash… and so sorry... it has been a hard day...”

Adams pleading has no effect as the man pulls out his mobile phone to call the office upstairs. They wait in a moment of fearful trepidation, then the phone is answered and the man bellows “hello... I need to speak to your Manager about the insulting behaviour of you trade counter staff!”

Then Harry arrives from round the corner, “What’s up mate?” Harry uses his charm to deal with the customer and alters the price of the order, pacifying the man enough to end the call. Harry, the unlikely saviour, allows Adam brief relief.

 

But the man was on the phone long enough; Mr Lentil arrives, looking at Adam with a look of annoyance and pity, “Adam why are you causing these problems?”

Before Adam can reply the customer bellows, “Never Have I been so insulted in the 30 years I’ve been a mechanical engineer!”

“I do apologise sir, and will help,” stake Mr Lentil,  who takes a little more discount from the customer’s bill and assures him that such an event will not happen again. Harry returns with the correct fitting and shares a joke about the local football team before the customer leaves.

 

Harry flees, leaving Mr Lentil to ask, “Why must you cause so many problems?” Adam starts to explain that is was actually Harry who sold the fitting, but Mr Lentil proceeds, “Have you ever heard the Maxim ‘the customer is always right’?”

“Yes I have, but…”

“...so you will know that it’s not a good idea to effectively call him an idiot!” Adam leans against the wall to hear another of his Manager’s lectures, but another customer enters so Mr Lentil leaves with the words “We have to talk about your future at some point.”

That comment tightens Adam’s chest that bit more, like a clamp hard turned a notch. All Adam can do is to rub his chest, while - like the untold hero of the Company he is – smiling through the pain to ask the next customer “How may I be of service today sir?”

 

Customers come and go but the pain in Adams chest persists so Adam is somewhat relieved when Harry returns once there’s a quiet period, so - feeling a little guilty - Adam slips off to the canteen and sits down for a rest. Adam undoes his shoes, feeling the relief from the release of his numb feet springing back in to life without the weight of his troubled legs upon them. Adam rubs his chest and wonders if he should call the doctor and arrange an appointment but then worries about who will look after the counter.

 

Adam knows whenever he’s allowed to take a holiday he always returns to a complete mess; nothing filed or tidied up. Adam concluded, “Harry can’t be relied upon to look after the place.” Adam doesn’t call the doctor and starts to place his mobile phone back in his pocket when it rings in to life. Adam answers the call to hear it’s his Manager upstairs, “Adam! What the hell have you done..?”

Shocked, Adam asks “What’s the problem?”

“You should know!”

“I’m sorry, I don’t…”

“You ordered 300 brass fittings for a customer, three days ago and the last thing he said is he needed them to be on time... Now they have arrived a day late, but you have also managed to order them in the wrong size... What the hell were you thinking?”

 

Adam begins to realise the enormity of his mistake and in his defence states, “But the customer said half inch...”

“…The customer said he asks for one and a half inch... One and a blood half... Not half. So you only listen to half the sentences, above everything else?” Adam reaches for the pain, but it seems to be in his arm now, so regardless of the aggressive tones coming from the phone, he turns it off and places it in his pocket. Adam knows he’ll be in big trouble now, but stands up and decides to get back on the counter where he can clean the shelves and look busy for when he is later reprimanded.

 

Once Adam returns to the counter, he’s relieved to see customers, knowing he’ll be kept busy from thinking about the trouble to come from his manager. “How may I help you?” Adam asks the tall man that is waiting at the counter.

Apart from being tall this man is quite different; he seems to love Adam. Strange for Adam to think such a thing but Adam feels loved by this tall imposing man, who must have had to bend down to enter the front door. He’s not just tall but wide, dressed in a white robe that seems very clean for the dirty floor it is being trailed upon. The large man has a long white beard and a white flock of head hair that waved in the breeze that followed him in the building. He says nothing to Adam, but smile at him; observing Adam in a quizzical, yet friendly manner. The phone on the counter rings and, feeling a little self-conscious, Adam grasps and answers “Hello?” But as Adam attempts to answer the phone the man puts his hand out and beckons Adam to put the phone down again.

 

Adam places the phone down, this time free of the guilt he had earlier, preferring to speak and get to know this friendly stranger. The stranger smiles as he glides closer to Adam, putting his hand out for Adam to take hold of. Adam takes hold of the man’s hand and as soon as he does, he feels complete relief of any pain he once had. He gains new strength to leap over the counter and stand side by side with his new friend, who starts to pull him out the door.

 

Worried about leaving his post, Adam asks “What about the customers?”

The friendly man smiles back “Don’t worry about them anymore my friend. You’re free from all that. Let’s go outside…” Adam and the stranger float above the floor together to the front doors, where they stand together again. The stranger turns Adam around, for him to witness himself slouched on a chair next to the telephone, being lectured to by the angry Mr Lentil about falling asleep on the job.

 Adam blurts out,“But I would never fall asleep on the job…”

“You’re not asleep in that chair over there; you’re on your way to heaven, like all good souls.”