Week 1: Gas Station Attendant

Starring: Brick, Butch, Blossom

Location: Arizona desert

Brick was out in the middle of the desert, excitedly barreling down the open highway, so that he could reach his destination on time. What was his destination you ask? Well, he was in a hurry to make it to the wedding grounds in Phoenix, for he was about to marry Blossom, his princess in shining under-armor. He realized that at the rate he was going, he would have about thirty extra minutes to just screw around before the actual ceremony upon arrival. With that in mind, he spots a lone gas stop, giving him the desire to grab a Twinkie, and perhaps even a Coke or something, for the harshly arid environment had left him a parched, shweaty mess. He pulls into a spot, strolls inside, grabs what he wants, pays, and leaves.

"Oh, most delectable of creamy sponge cakes, you shall' be mine!" He said to himself as he plopped back into his seat. As he stuck the key in and started with the ignition, the rumble of the engine block inside stopped, and was replaced instead with the tune of stall. Brick's already woozy heart did a backflip."No. Nononononononono..." After trying to start for a solid thirty seconds, the young convenience store clerk walked outside to investigate. He was dressed in a loose, gray t-shirt with blue jeans and work boots.

"Got engine troubles, huh?" He asked Brick with a burly accent. He was a truly rugged-looking guy.

"Yeah, uhh," Brick zoomed in on the guy's name tag, "Butch, is it? My car has stalled on me, and I'm in a gigantic hurry!"

"Well, I'm certainly sorry to hear that. What's rushin' you?"

"I'm on my way to a wedding... my wedding, to be exact." Brick pulled his wallet out of his pocket and removed a photo of his girlfriend, Blossom. Butch examined it with great interest.

"Damn, she's one cherry rojo, my amigo. What's your name, friend?"

"My name is Brick."

"Nice to meet you, Brick!" The two shook hands. "I'd be glad to help you get some, this fine afternoon."

"Umm, thanks?"

"Well, first thing's first... I suppose you'd better tell the people already there that you may possibly be running late."

"Aw fudge, my cellphone's almost dead! You wouldn't happen to have a pay phone around here, would you?"

"Sure do. Got one out back on the other side of the store."

"Thanks, Butch. You're being a real life saver, right now." Brick started to jog around the back when Butch asked him one final thing.

"Hey, Brick. One quick question..."

"What is it?"

"Where were you coming from?"

"Uh, Burbank."

"You're driving all the way from Burbank to your wedding out here in Arizona?"

"Yeah, I'm not a very good flyer, so I just drive everywhere."

"Huh... Interesting."

Brick ran around the building and found the phone. He quickly grabbed it from the box and fed it his only quarter. Dialing Blossom's number and hearing the rings, Brick eyed around, observing the vast, open desert, with nothing but sand, a few cacti, and some mountains way out on the horizon. It was then that he realized just how desolate and isolated he was.

"Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up..." Suddenly, he heard the sound of the other line opening up, and made an air thrust in triumph. "Yes!"

"Hello?" Blossom's voice cooed.

"It's me, honey! I'm so glad I could get a hold of you."

"Brick? Where are you?"

"Truth be told Blossom, I'm stuck out in the desert. My car stalled out on me at a gas station."

"What? Are you going to be able to make it to the wedding on time?"

"Don't worry about it, Blossom. There's a guy here who told me that he's gonna help get the car up and running in no time. I promise, I will be there on time."

"Oh, that's good to hear."

"Now listen, I just wanted to say that-" Suddenly, the drone of a dead line hummed into his ear. "Hello?" He put the phone back to his ear for a few more seconds. "Hello?" He hung up in surprise and ran back out front. "Butch!" He ran inside to see Butch sitting behind the counter on a stool, reading a newspaper.

"Yes, your highness?" He peered up.

"Your phone is dead."

"No it's not. I disconnected it."

"Disconnected it? Why would you do that? You knew that I was using it at that exact moment! Tell me why you would deliberately shut off the line!"

"Read the sign," he looked back at his newspaper and pointed to a sign that was hanging directly above him that I hadn't noticed. In bold letters, it read "City Folk= Limited Services."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Brick fumed, throwing his arms up in fury.

"Relax, Brick. I'm still gonna help you with your car... that way you can leave faster."

"Whatever. You know what, I don't need this! I'm just gonna call the tow service with the last of my battery."

"Well, if there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that you need to have a phone in order to make a call," Butch muttered, nonchalantly.

"Why do you say that?" Brick's hand fumbled around in his pocket, but he couldn't find his phone anywhere. "Hey, where's my phone?"

"I hid it, but I'll give it back, later," Butch replied. "Oh right, I forgot to put up the other sign." He pulled a folded paper sign from under the counter and placed it on the surface. In bold letters, it read "City Folk Risk Harassment From Clerks."

"This is total bull crap!"

"I know, but it's funny. I'll be out in a minute to help you." Butch glanced back at the paper in his hands, and Brick stomped outside, back to his car.

"Son of a bitch! I can't believe this guy! Who does he think he is, anyway? All I needed was some help with my car, but I can't even get that! Now, I got only fifteen minutes to get where I need to be!" He sat in the driver seat and vented for a moment before giving one last turn of the key. To his alarm, the engine roared. His eyes bulged and his smile exploded. Suddenly, he had a crafty idea. Quickly, he shut off the engine and got out. Sneaking over to the side of the pavement, he scooped up a handful of sand and various sediments and hid it behind his back. He put his back to the car door and waited for Butch to show... five minutes later.

"Hey, I heard the engine from inside," Butch chuckled as he strolled outside. "I guess that means you'll be on your way. Listen, before you go, there's something I'd like to give you. Could you wait here, for a moment?"

"No problem," Brick irritably uttered, fist of sand clenching behind him. His eye twitched as Butch ran back inside for a few seconds and walked back out to the car.

"Here's something I think you'll find to be very important," Butch laughed as he reached into his back pocket. Brick saw this as his opportunity to strike, and pitched the sand ball directly into Butch's eyes. He screamed in agony and shock and began to fiercely rub his eyes. Brick hopped into his seat and fiercely turned the key, igniting the motor once more.

"Aaaah! Aaaah! Why the hell would you do such a thing?!"

"I should be asking the same thing, you sociopath!" Brick began to veer back onto the road in a slow roll.

"Wait! Wait! Where you goin', city boy?" Butch began to chase Brick down the road, on foot.

"The hell outta here, that's where I'm going!" Brick shouted, fiercely.

"But I have something for you!"

"I don't want anything from you!"

"Stop! Stop, please! Really!" Butch screamed at the top of his lungs as Brick finally peeled off, leaving him in a plume of dust. He watched as the man sped off into the badlands. "Well, maybe he doesn't need this stuff after all," he shrugged to himself as he walked back to his store with a cellphone in one hand, wallet in the other. He walked inside and put the items in a concealed cardboard box, filled with about two dozen other wallets and phones, sat back on his stool, and went back to reading his newspaper.