Time Warp

My new job as an assembler took me to the City of Pearl, Mississippi.  I fell in love with Pearl when I first moved to Metro Jackson over 25 years ago.  This was back during the "blue law" days when most stores were closed on Sunday.  Pearl had a Walmart, and it, along with other stores were open seven days a week.  The bonus was that every fast food restaurant imaginable was located on that strip of Highway 80!

Times, my how they have changed.  The landscape of that stretch of Highway 80 has really changed.  Most of the restaurants have relocated to Pearson Road to be near Interstate 20 and the developments centered around the Mississippi Braves ball park.

My work took me to the local Roses store, just off Highway 80.  Not much else there accept some check cashing joints and a pawn shop.  The doors do not open automatically, the ceiling tiles are stained from water leaks, but man, that place is crammed full of merchandise.

I can remember going in there way back when, and it was comparable to the initial Walmart, Howards Discount, and a step above Freds.  This store's current layout reminded me of my initial visit.  Almost nothing had changed from my earlier visits, except that the building had aged.  A memory of an old Star Trek episode flashed through my mind.  The Star Trek crew were on a planet resembled Earth during the nineteen twenties.  I thought, rut, row, time warp!

I was stationed near the back storage room to do my assembly duties.  I was charged with putting together some of their display items.  Most of this stuff is very low end, and when you tighten a screw, you only get one shot at it, since most of the parts are glue & sawdust and plastic!

I got to see the stocking process in action.  The first thing to hit me was no one that passed my was  smiling, or seemed to attempt to take pride in their work.  Several customers inquired where to find something, and the store employees would simply point, and say "over there".

I had to laugh at myself a few times.  I was assembling several rocking chairs, which required an application of glue in addition to the screws.  I held one of the tubes of glue in my hand and apparently I squeezed it a bit too hard.  Next thing I know, the top pops off and glue squirts skyward and hits the ceiling tiles!

Several customers came by and admired my work, and inquired if what I was assembling was for sale.  The store clerk said no, if they sold the displays they would have to pay someone like me to put another one together.  At this point, it was very difficult not to crack up!

The store employees brought me two large boxes containing a wicker patio set.  One of them commented, "wow, I've never seen anything this nice in the store before"!  It retailed for $200!  I got it all put together, and it was time to fill out my paperwork.  I looked at the wicker set, and then one of the rocking chairs.  Scared to try the wicker, I settled into the rocker.  I could just see me sitting on that wicker and ending up in the floor when it fell apart!