It’s funny how you don’t really think about these stores, unless something goes wrong. They’re the neighbourhood variety store, a little artistic boutique, a grocers, a dry cleaners, maybe even a pharmacy. The common bond is that they are run by a family. Maybe passed down to their kids and grandkids.
Their kids start helping out when they’re fairly young, probably younger than legally allowed to work elsewhere. They start stacking goods, and cleaning the store. Long before they take counter shifts. And they may work the computer long before mom or dad get the hang of it. Sometimes they practice their maths by helping mom or dad with the books or the cash register.
And they and their parents fight about having home chores and store chores. And feeling like they have a job when they don’t get paid for it.
Dinner conversations were often about politics and the govt. And their effect on the neighbourhood. How the big stores were taking over. How the govt didn’t really consider their role in tourism, that these little guys make a divergent community that attracts, rather than having chain stores everywhere, so you have to pay attention when you wake up. Or you forget where you are!
That was the world that Mack grew up in. That is what he thought was normal. Like every other kid about their life. He was expected to learn the biz so one day he could run the store for him and his kids. It would be a legacy.
But Mack hated the store. He wasn’t that good at conversation, so barely said “hi” when a customer came in. Though both his mom and dad were chatty types. Esp with the regulars. He wasn’t that good at computers and math. So he often made his mom and dad have to do twice the work to correct his errors. He overheard them wondering if he was actually that bad? Or if he was being stubborn about not wanting to learn the stuff that was needed. But then they remembered his last report card from school. And wondered what they were going to do about this?
So they sent him to an uncle for the summer who ran a temp agency. And Mack was tried out in a lot of entrance level jobs. It seemed all he could do was factory grunt work or day labour on construction sites. Where he was clearly told what to do and how to do it. Over and over.
So they had Mack checked out. The doctors checked his intelligence, his moods, did a few scans and blood tests. And there was officially nothing wrong with Mack. He was an ordinary boy. And maybe that was part of the issue? His parents had higher hopes for their son. It’s why every parent does what they do, to make the world better for their kids. Isn’t it?
But Mack was one of the great unwashed, And his parents loved him. So they found a girl that Mack could marry, who would do the smart work and leave Mack to stock the shelves and clean the store.
And Mack was an obedient son. He married her. I mean, it’s not like she was ugly or had a boring or horrible personality.
And Emily’s parents were happy their daughter and grand children would have a better future. They just hoped their daughter’s genes would tell. But money is money and they were thrilled to be the inlaws. They were the type who never had enough money to buy that little store, after paying their bills.
So Mack and Emily liked each other thru life, supported each other at the store, and taught their kids what they each brought to the table.
No gangs asked for protection money. No robbers came in and stole their day’s take. I mean the odd kid thought that stuffing their pockets’d be cool. But Mack had a keen eye and soon sorted those young fools out.
So Mack and Emily had a quiet life.
They were born and died in middle class, and were grateful they had their piece of the pie. Not asking for a pot of gold, just enough to pay the bills. And not be taken over by the super mall that was going up at the edge of town.
They became the next gen of Ma and Pa Kettle.
mspeachierocks 