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| - I hadn't planned on stopping at this particular gas station, but the cool dry winter day had made my lips chapped and my throat dry. This gas station like many of the other stations, was well stocked with beverages and other sundry items, but the chap stick eluded me. I did a brief run of the store looking quickly in the personal hygiene aisle but didn't see anything that could remotely relieve my cracked and crusted lips. I decided to circumnavigate the store one more time - this time looking at each item on the shelf and repeating the names under my breath. The young man behind the counter watched me carefully reading the various names of potato chips and boxed crackers. As I made my way back around the chocolate bar/ gum row, he finally asked if he could help me find something. I wasn't sure what to say and momentarily forgotten what i was looking for and I blurted out, "lips! - chapped" . I wasn't sure he understood so I stuck out my lips in his direction and puckered. My lips made a sticky smacking sound that seemed to amuse him for a moment before he set out to help me. "Follow me", he said and limped toward a door beside the ATM machine.
I hadn't noticed the limp before and wondered if this was a permanent thing or just some temporary injury from a weekend soccer play-match with his nephews. I thought that he must have nephews for some reason. It just seemed obvious.
As I walked through the door, i could smell the eucalyptus immediately but the hallway was empty save for another door at the far end. The store attendant was busy unlocking door number two under the flickering fluorescent light when I heard the front door chime loudly.
The next few minutes happened very quickly and without any time to think. Of course my immediate reaction was to go see who had entered the store. So I left the hallway and let the locked door close behind me. Near the front counter two very large ladies with tall hats scanned the store until the saw me. They started barking orders loudly before I could tell them that I was not a store employee. They spoke in a vaguely european accent but pronounced their P sounds with a BR sound so that Pink became Brink and Pretzels became Bretzels.
By this time I could hear Darren, the store employee banging on the inside of the door by the ATM. I found out later he had broken off the key in the lock trying to get back out. I also found out that his limp had been the result of relaxing in his work chair with his feet up under the counter. Sometime his leg would fall asleep and he'd have to limp around for a bit before the tingling sensation dissipated. The peculiar sounding ladies were nattering to themselves and filling the counter with boxes of chocolate bars. One of them started fumbling through her purse for her wallet and as she shuffled I noticed a gold and black tube of lipstick fall out onto the lotto ticket holder and roll toward me.
Now I don't usually, take these things to too seriously but this felt like a sign and my lips were in terrible shape, so without too much thinking, I picked up the lipstick, pulled off the cap and drew a big greasy bright red circle around my mouth. The relief was palpable and I smacked vigourously for maximum coverage.
At the same time I realized just how bizarre this might have seemed. So I ran out from behind the counter, out the door and onto the busy pedestrian sidewalk with my brand new face. Conspicuously moisturized.
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