Compensation

Ross picked up the box, and it felt heavier in his arms than it appeared on the shelf.

He never really shopped in the Sporting Goods section... but then again, this item really shouldn’t be classified as a “sporting good.”

Walking through the store to the cashier’s counter, he looked to his right, and saw the endless sea of women’s blouses, high-heeled shoes, and purses.

He remembered taking her here to buy a new suit for her job, but that seemed so long ago now.

Ross set the box on the counter, and the cashier (an attractive woman of about twenty) rung it up.

“That’ll be forty-five ninety-seven, sir.”

Cringing at the woman’s use of sir, he handed her his credit card.

“Thanks.” Ross mumbled, as she handed him back his card. He picked up the box to leave, but she stopped him.

“Your receipt?” She held out her hand with the small, white piece of paper in it.

He sighed, and turned to get it from her. “Sorry.”

Once he grabbed his receipt, he began to leave, and she stopped him again.

“Sir?”

Ugh, sir. He thought, shifting the weight of the box from one arm to the other. What did I forget now?

“Yeah?”

She bit her lip for a moment, and he wondered for a moment if she would speak at all.

“Well, it’s just... you look kind of familiar. Did I help you... pick out a woman’s suit a while ago?”

He laughed, quiet and short, as if he was embarrassed. “No, no. Well, actually, I was in here with my, uh, my ex-girlfriend. We, uh, just broke up. Nice suit though. Expensive material. Okay, bye now.”

She frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry. No wonder you’re so down.”

With a nod of his head, he ended their conversation, and made his way to the giant, glass exit doors. He looked down at the box in his arms, and a wave of loneliness hit him.

No amount of darts can fix this. He thought bitterly. Or laser discs.