"I can't do this, I can't, not to her!", I yelled at myself holding the phone. Then I remember what I went through. The year is 1984 on a hot summer day, it feels like sitting on a heater. I applied for a new job as gas station in rat filled city New York, and NY was pretty bland, and gray. I found it pretty boring most of the time so I listened to rock on my Walkman, until Bernie came over. Bernie was a huge guy tall as a mountain, and dumb as one to. He called from the back room, "Hey Jack, actually I should call you Jack the slack since your not doing anything." He walked past me, shoulder bumping me in the process, and told me in a annoyed voice, "Watch it slacker." In my response i told him, "What are you doing then?" Bernie was a heavy lifter, and usually was working out, or carrying boxes. "Waiting for a delivery." ,He shrugged I could already tell he was lying. I mumbled to him,"Well I'm just waiting for customers." He started in pestering, "What was that Jack." "Nothing." I almost yelled at him, he was intentionally aggravating me. Bernie started to go toward the back and expelled to me, "Hey look at this !" Following my curiosity I went in, to my otherworldly anguish it was a trick. As I rounded the corner water splashed me followed by a bellowing Bernie. He fried my Walkman that i had clipped to my pants pocket in an angry rush I yelled, "Bernie !" To receive a defiant, "What !" Then Jane (another co-worker) walked in, "What happened, and look at the floor !" I looked at her for a second and explained, "This guy threw a freezing bucket of water on me !" Jane saw the state of the floor and ordered me to dry off. Bernie scrambling made up a excuse, "I tripped on a cord." Jane annoyed told us, "Well stop messing around and clean !" Jane was normally a cool head person, but when it came to her job she was extraordinarily serious.
In a couple of weeks I had gathered enough information to confirm that Bernie had a thing for Jane, whenever Jane came on by he was the nicest guy in the world. To me though, when he got time, he was my torturer. Most of the time Jane was behind the fridges, and had a clear view of me. So Bernie kept his act up. She knew that Bernie liked her but to a extent, she had no idea how head over heels he was about her. I do know why Bernie would though. Jane was smart, pretty, and all around a very nice girl, but had a rough side. I enjoyed her company mostly due to her personality but a little to the protection she offered. Then Jane took a day off ,and Bernie, Bernie was of his chain. Constant insults all day, and a lot of shoving. I was pretty grumpy the next day , and still mad about my Walkman. So i saved up, putting aside a couple dollars for 3 weeks. I finally had enough to buy and ,and I did. Jane had been trying to coax me into the idea that it was a accident. It almost worked. Until Bernie had stole my new one ! Bernie came in with the music blasting, and i could see he neglected to take of the tape that I wrote my name on with a marker. I had snapped in that moment ,and the idea of punching and breaking Bernie's nose came in. I looked Bernie straight in his eye, and I could tell he saw the anger in my eyes. As he pulled the headphones off I could see fear build in his eyes. "Whoa, whoa, whoa what's up Jackie boy.", He told me while raising his hands in surrender, one with my Walkman in it. Him lifting it only angered me more. I was ready to fight like a tiger, "Give me it back Bernie.", I talked through a snare. Bernie looked at the Walkman which had Jack stuck to it with tape. Bernie smiled and argued, "Come ,and get it." Suddenly Jane stepped between us with Bernie raising his fist, "Stop you gu-." She was cut off by Bernie pushing her aside. As Jane hit the wall my anger climaxed as I punched Bernie in the right side of his jaw to receive a satisfying head tilt and crunch. Jane's jaw dropped as Bernie slumped to the ground holding his bloodied lip , and with Bernie in a whimper conceded i had won.
The fight hadn't ended very well for my hand though, I had hit Bernie so had I broke the middle knuckle of my index finger. Still, I had fared better than Bernie who's jaw was sore with three broken teeth. Jane didn't like me very mush afterwards. As I walked into the store with a splint on my finger Jane came over and stared so intensely at me I backed up. Jane had begun to talk with anger in her voice, "Look I know Bernie's hot headed ,but I didn't expect that from you of all people." My answer ,and new question was,"The guy's been messing with me for weeks, remember the water ?" Jane had stepped off and backed up, "Yeah, where Bernie tripped over a cord." Me exclaiming, "Well he didn't trip he fried my old Walkman, so after saving up for 3 weeks, Bernie goes ,and claims it's his. Then he wants to fight me , and you walk in he pushes you out of the way and charges after me. What was I supposed to do." Then Bernie walked in holding a ice pack to the right side of his jaw. Jane saw him and pushed me out of the way completely ignoring my explanation and telling me, "Move Jack the ripper." As soon as I heard those words my heart sank, I walked out saying, "Bye." Looking back just to see no one caring.
The words she said to me kept ringing in my head on a non-stop loop, "Jack the ripper, Jack the ripper, Jack the ripper !" It just chimed over, and over. It continued into the day ,and me, a meek half rested Jack. Going into the day I got nothing but bad looks from Bernie ,and Jane, who also steered very clear of me. I no longer had Bernie pestering me, but at that cost no one talked to me. I was alone. Alone is a very short word but has a massacring meaning ,and entire days of no communication with any other human beings, a new worker came in. She was about as tall as me ,and a little younger (I would find out 2 months) she was nice enough to be around me. I could tell though, she was afraid of me. Probably somebody telling her a rumor, and a slight truth. I had tried to talk to her once before ,but she was scared stiff. I was told she was my assistant, I could barely believe it. She was there to keep me in line ,and keep a eye on me. Her name was Sarah ,my new assistant ,and spy. When I got the nickname I started to be undoubtedly quiet, only talking when needed to. I was usually arguing with myself on what I should've done, not hit Bernie, or suffer. "Hello mister." ,called a very squeaky voice. I shot my glance downward to see a little girl. My anger was bubbling not because of her, but because everyone was staring at me including my, "assistant". "Hello" ,I told her shocked to even hear my voice, "What's wrong." She looked around, "I can't find my mommy." My anger subsided ,and my worry rose, "Do you know her number ?" I went around the counter an got on one knee in front of her to see a teary eyed girl, on the verge of crying. She looked at me ,and told me , "No, but i know my sisters." So I went around and grabbed the store phone. The girl came behind the counter and whispered the number to me. After hearing it I dialed it in ,and in only seconds a women picked up, "Hello, who is this?" I heard the worry ,and in as a soothing voice I could I told her, "Hello, are you the sister of." I stopped an realized I never got the girls name. Walking over to her I asked, "Hello, I never got your name, could you tell me ?" She answered in a whimper "Sarah." I slightly chuckled ,and returned to the phone, "The sister of Sarah." I heard a voice reply gravelly, "Yes, yes I'm her sister is she there ?" I called to Sarah, "Hey come over ,and talk to your sis." Sarah hopped up from the chair she was sitting on ,and I handed her the phone. After exchanging the phone to Sarah i couldn't make out much other than Sarah telling her mom where she was. Sarah hang up, "Mommy is coming to get me." Sarah was bolting for the door as she ran out I felt a horribly cold wind ,and realized Sarah didn't have a jacket. I went out to get her while taking of my work jacket. I saw her in the parking lot ,and ran towards her exclaiming, "Sarah put his on you'll get a cold !" Sarah turned ,and looked at it ,then took it ,and wrapped herself in it. I could tell she was cold already ,and so was I. I said to her in a voice close to joking, "How about we wait by the door." Sarah turned around ,and I saw a faint smile then she ran to the door ,and I followed in a jog. Sarah didn't go in though, she just sat in front of the door ,and so did I, "Hey Sarah your mom going to get here soon, cause I'm going to be a popsicle." I looked over to see her laugh at the joke. After about two minutes of waiting Sarah's mother showed up. Sarah shot up ,and ran to hug her, still in my jacket. The sister in a shocked voice asked, "Sarah, what in the world are you wearing." I yelled from 4 feet away, "My jacket !" As I came closer I saw that Sarah's sister was only barely taller than me and seemed younger. The sister asked me, "Sir what is your name." I replied, "My names Jack, and yours ?" She answered, "Rachel." I offered a handshake "Well it's nice to meet you." She took my offer ,and Sarah ran to hug me. She ended up snuggling deeper into my waist, "Thank you." I said in a joking voice "Well you still have to give me my jacket." As Sarah broke the hug ,and gave me my jacket I went in for a pat on the head, "Well take care now, and memorize your moms number." After Sarah and Rachel pulled out, I went back in to receive a hug from Jane with her whispering, "Jack the caring person." Huh, a little better and besides. I got Rachel's number.