Hey everybody! I'm back with another Young Eddie and Venom chapter!
Thank you to everyone who suggested ideas for chapters to me; I loved the suggestions you all gave me! This chapter is based off an idea by VinnieStokerLover, and features Eddie and Venom dealing with an entitled customer at work. Of course, it being the nineties, it isn't as crazy as the cases you see today, but I think Venom handles the situation well... NOT!
Enjoy!
Venom VS The Customer
"Here you go," Eddie said kindly, handing the girl her shaved ice cone. "Enjoy the rest of the game." She said nothing in respond, but her mother thanked and paid for their food, leading her daughter away from the concession stand. Seconds later, a roar from the crowd showed that one of the middle school football teams had scored another touch down.
WE HATE IT HERE, Venom complained, flinching at the sound of the cheering fans. IT'S TOO LOUD, AND WE DON'T GET TO EAT ANY OF THE FOOD.
"It's a job, V," Eddie said under his breath, going over to fill a bag of popcorn for the next customer. "But it'll pay off in the end; I'm getting paid twenty-five bucks for working each game. Think of all the comic books."
AND TATER TOTS?
"Man, you gotta learn to eat food besides tater tots."
BUT TATER TOTS ARE PERFECT AND DELICIOUS AND-
"Excuse me," a loud voice snapped, interrupting the alien. The young teen turned around to find a woman standing at the counter, glaring at him.
"Uh… can I help you, ma'am," Eddie asked, still holding the half-filled bag of popcorn and the scooper for said snack.
"Yes, I need two popcorns, two sodas, and a plate of nachos," she said briskly, giving him an impatient look. "Now! My son's playing out there and I don't want to miss him!"
RUDE BITCH, the symbiote thought.
Quiet, the teen thought, figuring that an annoyed Venom wouldn't end well for the woman or any of the other customers. Out loud, he said, "Of course, ma'am. Just let me finish this order real quick and then I'll get to you."
"I don't have time to wait," the woman protested, glaring at him. "I'm missing my boy's game, and the rest of my family is hungry!"
"Well we're doing the best we can," Eddie said, looking over at the high school-aged server who was working with him, who was taking their sweet time making shaved ice for another customer. "I just have to finish this order for this guy over here, and -"
"But I need my food now," she protested, huffing like an angry buffalo. "My son's playing right now -"
WE DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR SON, the alien said in the young teen's mind, his anger and annoyance towards the woman clear to Eddie.
"Well you're going to have to wait or leave," the teen told her, turning back to the popcorn machine.
"Let me talk to your manager," the woman demanded.
"She's not here right now. She's at the other stand -"
"I don't care! Get her here now!"
GO THERE YOURSELF, the symbiote growled.
"I really can't leave," Eddie said, giving his co-worker a panicked look which she chose to ignore. "The other stand is just on the other side of the field-"
"You mean to tell me I have to walk all the way there," the customer asked indignantly, some of the other customers in line giving her space.
"She can go ahead of me," the man whom Eddie was helping said timidly, probably trying to diffuse the situation. "I don't mind."
THAT'S IT, Venom snapped. TIME TO PUT HER IN HER PLACE.
"V, no," Eddie said out loud.
"What did you say to me," the woman asked indignantly.
A shudder ran through the teen, and for a brief moment, his eyes seemed to glaze over. Then, he seemed to stand up straighter, giving the woman a broad smile. "We're so sorry, ma'am," he said, a slight edge in his voice. "We'll be happy to help you. We have the manager's number; come to the back door of the stand and we'll give it to you."
"Thank you," the woman said gratefully, not noticing anything off as she stormed towards the back side of the concession stand. Eddie walked towards the back exit, leaving the high school student alone. Unsure of what to do, they went back to serving food as the other customers silently waited for their turn.
Ten seconds later, the rude customer came running from around the side of the small building, looking like she had seen a ghost. She didn't say a word to anyone, simply running towards the stands, much faster than the quarterbacks on the field. Eddie walked back towards the counter, looking a lot happier than he had seconds before. He finished filling up the popcorn bag, handing it to the patient man, who gave him a questioning look.
"We just explained to her that her behavior was unacceptable," the teen said simply, smiling as he put the money in the register. "Next?"
And that's it! If you're in a situation like this, working in a retail or fast food environment, the best thing to do is de-escalate the situation and prevent things from going overboard. I guess no one ever told Venom that!