Happy 4th of July.
I do not own.
Rex v. Part Time Job
"Hey Six, What's up? How's everyone doing? How's married life? Did White lose weight yet?" Rex asked cheerfully.
"What do you want, Rex?" Six asked flatly.
"Six, I'm hurt. Can't a person call to inquire after his favorite people?" Rex asked with an injured tone.
"You never call unless you need something." Six replied calmly. "Now what happened?"
Rex sighed. "Can you up my allowance or give me an advance?"
"By how much?" Rex could hear the tightness in Six's voice.
"Not that much just onethousanddollars." He mumbled the last part.
"Did you say a thousand dollars?" Six's voice rose a little. "Your limit is already twelve hundred."
"Yeah, about that… living expenses are high in the city." Rex explained.
"Your room and board is included in the tuition which is coming from the money White left you. You wear the same clothes everyday. We furnished your dorm room and paid for your books. What possible expense could you have?" Six did not sound happy.
"Maybe I, uh accidently blew up a lab?" Rex said sheepishly.
"Again?" Six's voice definitely rose that time.
"It wasn't my fault!" Rex started saying.
"That's what you said last time." Six interrupted.
"Look we can play the blame game all day. But if I don't pay the school back, I can be expelled. What am I going to do?"
"Get a job." Six hung up the phone.
Rex started at his phone. "A job?"
0o0
"A job," Noah spoke to Rex, "Is a perfect way to learn responsibility and the value of… Are you listening to me?"
Rex looked up from his Rubik's cube. "Yeah, yeah, job good… responsible, value… I'm listening. But do we really need your charts?"
Noah closed his pointer. "Charts are an integral part of strategizing and planning."
"What's there to strategize? I get a job. I pay the school. I quit." Rex shrugged. "There, I planned. Can I go now?"
Noah face palmed. "Rex, you already got kicked out of the computer labs for messing with the servers. What job are you going to get?"
"There are more jobs in the world then the measly paying university work." Rex scoffed.
"And I suppose you know how to get those jobs?" Noah raised an eyebrow.
"Sure. How hard can it be?" Rex said dismissively.
"And what job would you get?" Noah asked.
"Puh-leeze. I can do anything especially with…" Rex formed his Smack Hands.
"So you're going to be a mob enforcer?"
"No… But I can pick things up and put them down… very big things. I figure I can make my money in a week."
"Doing what?"
"Construction."
"Construction?"
"Is there an echo in here?" Rex looked around.
"Shut up." Noah growled. "Where are you getting this imaginary construction job?"
"They're doing work down the street. I'll just go ask them if they need some help."
"I'm pretty sure that won't work." Noah shook his head.
"Just watch." Rex got up and tossed the cube to the side.
As Rex was walking out Circe and Claire was at the door. Claire saw the easel with the poster board.
"Uh-oh, the charts are out. Something serious must be going down." She said.
"I'm getting a job." Rex said proudly.
Both the girls burst out laughing, then stopped when Noah shook his head.
"You're serious?" Circe said in surprise. "But you don't know the first thing about working."
"That's what I said!" Noah pulled another chart out from behind the first one to show them.
They glanced at it before turning back to Rex.
"Hey, I've been Providence's secret weapon for years! I know how to work." Rex said indignantly. "Now if you'll excuse me I have money to earn." He walked out in a huff.
The three of them looked at each other.
"This I have to see." Circe ran out after Rex.
Claire and Noah looked at each other before following.
0o0
The foreman looked at Rex's Smack Hands. "No." He said before turning around to leave.
"What do you mean 'no'?" Rex asked shocked.
"Listen kid. Are you apart of a union?"
"Uh, no?"
"Have you've ever worked in construction?"
"He has demolished buildings before." Noah called from behind.
"Not helping." Rex hissed at him.
"Sorry kid. As impressive as your metal hands are, we need professionals. The insurance would never cover you." The foreman left.
Rex deflated for a second before he recovered. "Yeah? Well, I don't need this job. I'm sure people will be begging me to work for them." He yelled confidently.
0o0
"Please, oh please let me work here." Rex begged the manager.
"I don't know." The teen manager scratched his head. "Have you ever worked a slushie machine?"
Rex stared at the name plate on the manager's shirt. "Listen Lenny, I live on slushies!" Rex declared. "And I'm a fast learner."
"Well, I guess I can give you a trial run." Lenny said.
"Thank you, thank you." Rex hugged the startled kid. "You won't regret it."
The manager pushed him off. "I hope not. Sven, will show you the ropes. SVEN!"
A huge man stomped over. "Ya?" His voice boomed.
"Show Rex how to make our special slushies." The manager said before leaving. "Oh, and make sure he wears the official Slushie Slush uniform.
"Ya." Sven said motioning for Rex to follow him.
Half an hour later Rex was standing behind the counter with a ridiculous slushie hat on his head wearing a yellow striped shirt.
As it so happened, Noah walked in. He stopped when he saw Rex. The sides of his mouth twitched before he fell down laughing.
Rex glared at his friend. "Shut up! It's a job, Noah! Grow up!"
Sven tapped him on his shoulder. "You have to say your line."
Rex sighed.
"Say it!" Sven prompted.
"Alright, alright, give me a second. I have to get into character." Rex told him. Turning to Noah who had finally gotten himself under control and staggered to the counter, he said, "Welcome to Slushie Slush, can I have your order?"
Noah fell over with laughter again.
Rex turned to Sven. "Can I kick his butt?"
Sven shook his head. Rex sighed. Then he saw a flash. Looking up, Noah had his phone up.
"Delete that!" Rex demanded.
Instead of complying, Noah ran. Rex jumped over the counter and chased after him.
"Wait! You can't leave your post!" Sven yelled.
0o0
After a few hours, Rex got the hang of working the slush machine. It was the customers that drove him nuts.
"Um, what do you have here?" One of them asked.
"Slushies." Rex answered.
"What kind?"
"They're listed." Rex replied.
"Can I get a sample?"
"Which one?"
"All of them."
Rex got ten little cups and poured a little of each for the man. After he tasted each one, he said, "I don't like any of them." And then left. Rex stared open mouth. He looked at Sven who just shrugged.
Another customer asked for fries.
"We don't serve fries, ma'am, just slushies." Rex said.
"Why not?" She asked indignant.
"Because we are a slushie store and we only serve slushies." Rex said pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Well, that's stupid. What if I want something other than slushies?" She huffed.
"Then you go to a store THAT SELLS OTHER THINGS!" Rex lost his temper.
The manager reprimanded him on that after then woman complained about his poor attitude.
0o0
Rex came back to the dorm and collapsed on his bed face down. Noah looked up from his book before returning to it.
"So? How was your first day?" He asked.
"Mmmph, mmph, mmph, mmph." Rex replied.
"What?" Noah looked up.
Rex turned his head. "I hate people."
"Yeah, welcome to the service industry." Noah grinned. "Working's not so easy is it?"
"Hey, it's not so bad." Rex sat up. "I mean, there are perks. I get to have all the slushies I want."
"How many slushies can you drink?" Noah asked.
"Just two. Then you get this massive brain freeze." Rex held his head.
"Well, it'll be worth it when you get paid." Noah said.
"Yes, it will." Rex agreed.
0o0
Rex stared at the paper in his hand. "Hey, Lenny? I think there's a mistake." He showed the manager his paycheck.
Lenny studied it for a second before handing it back. "No, it's right."
"But… but… but… where did it all go?" Rex asked dumbfounded.
Lenny pointed to several boxes. "Taxes." He said before walking off.
Rex stared at the meager paycheck. At this rate he'd have to work the rest of his four years to pay off his debt.
After his shift is over he collapsed into his bed face first again.
"Well, let's see your first paycheck." Noah said excitedly. Rex rummaged in his pocket and held it up without looking up. Noah looked at it. He turned it this way and that.
"Wow, who'd thunk that the government takes so much out?" Noah frowned.
Rex rolled over. "Work sucks." He declared. His cell phone rang. "Hello?" He answered tiredly.
"I see you've been working Rex." It was Six.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Rex asked.
"Internet." Six said cryptically.
Rex glared at Noah who grinned innocently.
"So how is the real world?" Six asked with a touch of smugness in his voice.
"Six, you have no idea how annoying people are. They ask for stupid things and then expect you to smile and give it to them." Rex complained. "And on top of that… you get paid crap!"
"Looks like you're learning." Six stated. "That's why I'm going to make you a deal."
Rex sat up. "Yeah?"
"I will pay the damages to the lab." Six began.
"You're the best! I knew you'd come through!" Rex gushed.
"Let me finish the rest." Six said sternly. "I will pay for the damages on the condition that you continue working for the rest of the school year."
"What?" Rex cried.
"Yes, I think this is a valuable learning experience. Dealing with people is a necessary life skill… dealing with annoying people is an essential survival tool." Six said before hanging up.
Rex flopped on his bed.
"What did he say?" Noah inquired.
"I have to work the rest of the year at Slushie Slush." Rex groaned.
"Well, look at the bright side…" Noah began.
Rex lifted his head to look at his friend.
"At least you'll look stylish in your new uniform." Noah held up a tie dyed shirt. "It came today for you. It looks like a unicorn threw up on it."
Rex glared at Noah before throwing his pillow at him.
Noah laughed as he ducked. "Come on. It's just a year. You've survived worse."
"Yeah, I have. I won't let this get to me. I will survive and be an even more awesome person!" Rex declared.
"Don't forget your hat." Noah tossed a multicolored cap shaped like a slushie.
"I'm gonna die." Rex fell back on his bed.
Rex: 0 Part Time Job: 1
Anyone want more job stories from Rex?