Hmmmm... I look okay, I guess.
Edward examined himself in the mirror.
He was slightly taller than average for an 18 year old, with curly black hair and deep brown eyes. His build was skinny—a feature he felt insecure about—and he was dressed in his new work uniform. Just yesterday, Edward had gone into the city with his stepmother, Olenna, to look for a job. He wanted to experience the minimum wage life firsthand while also earning his own money for the first time.
Maybe I could use that money for university... if I get the chance, that is.
Beyond his personal goals, he didn't have much else to keep him occupied, so this felt like a good opportunity. He'd found a job as a cashier and sales associate at a mall store, with pay just above minimum wage.
Only one day off, though? I hope it isn't as bad as it sounds—I hope I get a good boss.. And, and, and... Maybe a cute girl I could be friends with? Ehehehehe~
His stepmother dropped him off at the mall entrance at 9:30 in the morning. The place was eerily empty; he'd never seen it so desolate. After all, he'd only ever been to a mall in the bustling evening hours. This was a new experience for him. Nervously, Edward made his way to the back entrance reserved for mall staff and other workers.
Surprisingly, he was the first to arrive at Noron's, but right behind him was a woman who looked to be in her twenties, holding the keys to the storage room, which (unfortunately) also doubled as the staff quarters. This was the store manager, Ms Harper, whom he'd met the other day to get the job.
"You're enthusiastic. Edward, right? Glad to have ya with us."
"Yeah, uh, didn't want to be late, y'know, first day and everything."
"Clock in your time card beside my desk. Your shift officially starts at 10, but you should clean up around here before the store opens."
Wait, what? Why am I being punished for arriving early? Huh? Am I missing something? Whuh? Shouldn't I start at like…10? I'm sure that's the schedule I remember…
Of course, Ed couldn't say these thoughts out loud. He might have misunderstood something, so he simply nodded and complied. After about twenty minutes, the rest of the shift arrived. The first one to introduce himself was John, who showed Edward around the store. John was a high school dropout who had started working to help support his family. Edward couldn't help but feel pity for him.
"This is the food section," John said as he showed Ed the ice cream freezer, shelves of chips, rows of chocolates, and barrels of cookies.
"Next is the beverages section," he continued, pointing out rows of refrigerators filled with beer, soft drinks, fruit juices, milk, yogurt, and chocolate drinks.
"Look, the furniture section," he said, gesturing toward multiple rows of cabinets and tables.
"And finally, this is the tableware section," he concluded, showing Edward plates, cups, and various other glass and ceramic items.
Damn! There are plates? How are we supposed to handle that?Edward internally panicked, already envisioning multiple ways he might mess up with the fragile glasses and ceramics.
"Edward, you're in charge of the food section during retailing, so you don't need to worry about the other sections. If you need to restock, just check the storage area in the back."
So, phew, I don't need to handle—
"But I still need to show you how to manage ceramics when you're on cashier duty. Come on over."
DAMN!
John led Edward to the cash register, where he explained the basics of operating the checkout.
Handling card and QR-pay services was relatively straightforward—scan the items, select options on the display, and let customers scan or swipe their cards to pay. The money would be automatically transferred to the store's account, and the cashier's only job was to provide receipts when requested and keep a copy for the store. They also had to replace the paper in the receipt printer as needed. This was the simplest method.
With cash, however, Edward had to input the amount given into the display, which would calculate the change required. The challenge was that the cash register wasn't always fully stocked, which could create issues when needing to give out change. In those cases, they'd have to search other registers, which would slow down the line—a scenario Edward could already envision.
Doesn't seem that hard… I may have overestimated the difficulty of being a cashier.
"Also, Edward, a few more things to note. First, you're not allowed to sit at all during your shift. The cameras are there to watch the staff, not the customers. And if you're caught using your phone, your pay will be deducted."
Before Edward could react, John continued.
"You also have to place the items customers purchase into plastic bags, or into our store's signature carrier bags, which cost extra—make sure to charge for those."
"Okay—"
"Here's the worst part. Whenever a customer buys ceramics or glass, you have to manually wrap them with this."
John pulled out a type of wrapper, which had a soft texture to it.
"Don't mess it up, or you'll be charged for the damage. Oh, and one last thing—whenever customers leave their trolleys lying around, you need to return them to the designated area as soon as possible."
At that point, Edward Marshalls could only nod furiously as he anxiously awaited the store's opening.