by Tara Ford
Some of the reasons of disapproval were slightly ridiculous and had left both Jenny and Dayna gasping incredulously. The Council had made a terrible mistake and unbeknown to them, they had sent the copies of each dispute application, along with the names and addresses, to Jenny’s shop. She was more than amused by the statements and also forearmed and ready for her review hearing, in which she would have to justify why she needed a license and why the local residents’ concerns would not be a valid reason to deny such a privilege to the area.
Jenny and Dayna had read through the applications together and devised a covert plan of action to tackle the issues raised. Only one of the statements had a reasonable and valid point but the others would be kept for the sole purpose of hilarity, as Dayna had suggested.
The applications were as follows:
I don’t drink and neither do my neighbours, so we don’t need alcohol shops round here.
This will bring thugs to the area from the town, causing chaos, vandalism and crime. There could even be violence or murders – drink does that to some people you know.
There will be drink cans littered around the area, which will make the place look untidy. And even if they do throw their rubbish away, alcohol smells horrible if poured into street bins.
There should not be an alcohol license due to the fact that there is a nursery, just five shop units along. This would have a detrimental effect on the young children, should they witness folk purchasing alcohol or indeed drinking it outside of the shop.
We are mainly elderly residents in Millen Road, apart from the huge, council housing estate that you decided to build, at the back of the shops, AGAINST our wishes and whilst ignoring our petitions, and therefore, we do not require a shop that sells alcohol, or the types of people that would be drawn to such a place. Let’s hope that you will take notice of this one.
Alcohol is an evil of this world and we don’t want it around here, thank you very much. I hope they won’t be selling cigarettes either. That’s another revolting, over-used substance.
I won’t be using the new shop, especially if it sells alcohol. I do not wish to be associated with a sleazy, small-time retailer who will attract the vermin of this town. I don’t use the supermarkets either. I much prefer to get my requirements from the small butchers in town, have my dairy products delivered by our local milkman (milkmen need our support – they are a dying breed) and I grow my own vegetables.
We don’t need a convenience store of any description around here. We have other shops close by that will suffice. And we certainly have no need for alcohol as those that do require this can go in to town and buy it from the supermarkets. Why can’t we have funeral directors here as there are many elderly people in the area and the nearest funeral parlour is bloody miles away?
Jenny had mulled over the statements for a considerable length of time, she wanted to be sure that she had the ammunition to fight against the complaints. Her dad and brother had given her some good advice, once they’d stopped laughing and she had been ready for the rather humiliating experience of sitting in a boardroom, being scrutinized by three very official looking men. It had been scary stuff.
She had won. The license was granted. So now Jenny had to prove that the local residents were wrong. And as Dayna had already pointed out, ‘If the worst comes to the worst and things don’t work out for your convenience store – just change it and open up a bloody funeral directors’.
“So, what’s on the agenda today?” Dayna asked, smiling widely.
“The phone lines and internet are being fitted and then the final electrical checks will be done tomorrow. We should be stacking shelves and turning fridges on by Friday.”
Dayna’s eyes lit up, “Ooh, does that mean there will be lots of men in here today?”
“Yes, but it doesn’t mean that you can prance around in your high heels and frilly skirts, ogling them all day long.”
“Ok, guess I better get home and get the Cinderella gear on then. I’ll be back by ten.”
“See you then,” said Jenny as her quirky friend walked out of the door.
Jenny could never understand why Dayna needed to dress up so fancily just to take Xaylan to school. She’d always been the same, whether she was going to the corner shop to buy a pint of milk or going to a pub for an evening out. She would put on her glad rags for any occasion. In contrast, Jenny was very plain, pretty boring and lived in jeans and trainers. She realised she would have to ‘up’ her game when the shop opened. Being the proprietor required some sort of formal wear surely, she’d wondered, even if it was just jeans and shoes or boots, rather than her trusted, tatty trainers.
Jenny sighed, there was still a lot of work to do before opening and her dad and brother would be turning up any minute with metal shelving racks to ‘kit out’ the store room at the back of the shop.
Another quick glance through the peep hole in the window and Jenny could see that there was no one around outside. She grabbed her keys, went out to the car, parked up in the first bay, directly in front of the shop, and proceeded to unload the boot of kitchenware for the staffroom.
The long hours she was expecting to work meant that she needed a microwave, plates, cutlery, a new kettle, mugs, a mini fridge, tea towels and two swivel stools with backrests. This was primarily going to be her home, at least until she had acquired a big enough customer base to afford another employee. Long hours lay ahead. The alcohol license had been granted for use during the hours of 7am to 11pm, however, she did not plan on staying open until 11pm every night – maybe just at the weekends. She was mentally prepared for the long, hard slog ahead of her. ‘Determination’ may as well have been Jenny’s middle name, Dayna had always said. At the moment, however, Jenny privately thought that her middle name should be ‘bricking-it’.
Chapter 3
Everyone had offered to help. The shop was buzzing with the hustle and bustle of footsteps, hurrying in and out through the doorway. Jenny, Dayna and Tasha (who’d been asked to start two days early, cash in hand) carried in the smaller packages and boxes of stock and placed them roughly, in their respective places, alongside the shelves. Ten year old Xaylan dragged his feet and followed behind the women, carrying the least amount possible. The ingrained scowl upon his young face suggested he was not amused by his mum’s offer of him helping out. Wearing three-quarter length ripped jeans, Converse trainers and a Lacoste blue hoodie, Xaylan’s facial expression, framed by a shaved head, blended in with his overall thuggish appearance.
Jenny’s dad, John, and her brother, Jacob, hauled the crates of alcohol and the larger, heavier items into the shop. They had worked so hard to make Jenny’s dream come true. Even Calvin had come along, uninvited, to help out with the stocking of shelves. Since Jenny’s break-up with Calvin, he and her brother, Jacob, hadn’t seen eye to eye, yet Jenny’s dad still thought that the sun shone from Calvin’s every orifice for some strange reason.
The dairy products would be arriving tomorrow, ready for the grand opening the following day and Jenny’s head felt like it might explode. She had so many things to remember, to check, to finalise, to switch on, to start, to end and to do.
“We’ll have to go out for a celebratory drink tomorrow night,” said Dayna. “You won’t get any time once the shop is open.”
“That sounds like a plan,” shouted Calvin, “I’m in.”
Jenny tutted and rolled her eyes as Calvin walked back out of the shop to the Transit van.
“Don’t worry, I’ll think of something to get rid of him if you want me to,” said Dayna, confidently.
Jenny noticed Tasha look round awkwardly. She wondered if Tasha had worked out the relationship between her and Calvin. She was also inquisitive as to whether Tasha had worked out yet, that Calvin was nothing more than a lecherous, obnoxious prick.
“Do you want to come with us Tasha?” asked Dayna, rather presumptuously. “You know, team bonding and all that sort of stuff.”
“Thanks, that sounds great. I
’d love to… if that’s ok with you, Jenny?”
“Sure, no problem, it would be nice to get to know you a little more before we start.” Jenny wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, but she decided that one drink wouldn’t hurt any of them and if Calvin did have to come along then she would make sure that her dad and brother did too. Safety in numbers.
“That’s the lot then, Jen,” said Dad. “We’ll get back to the wholesalers. I reckon another two loads and we’ll be done.”
“Ok, thanks Dad.” Jenny smiled and walked to the door to watch the three men drive away in the van.
“You could probably do worse you know…” Dayna’s voice whispered over Jenny’s shoulder. “I mean worse than Calvin.”
“Dayna, there is no way on this earth. How can you say such a thing?” Jenny moved round her friend and walked over to the counter. “Don’t even go there, Day.”
“Ok, ok – I was just saying…”
“Well, don’t say.”
The problem with Dayna was that she had always settled for less. In her mind, Jenny was lucky to have a man around, even if he was a prize-prat. He could be made use of, he had money and he could do a bit of DIY, so surely he was worth hanging on to. Jenny however, did not agree with her friend’s loose morals and would much prefer to be alone than pretend to like or love someone, just so that she had a well fitted-out home and someone to talk to at the end of the day.
Tasha was down the far end of the shop, carefully placing jars of price-marked pickle onto the top of a shelf. Already she had shown herself to be a hard and conscientious worker over the last two hours. She’d neatly filled two rows of shelving with condiments, sauces and tins which she had first labeled with price tickets, if they weren’t already pre-labelled by the manufacturers.
The carefully thought out stock plan had been adhered to so far and the shop was really beginning to take shape and form. Jenny knew that the three women had a good hour or more before the men came back with another van load of stock. It was going to be a long, tiring day.
Xaylan hadn’t been seen for over an hour, not that Dayna would have noticed. “Where’s Xaylan gone?” Jenny asked as she tinkered with a till roll, trying to weave it around the machine whilst looking at the diagram on the instruction sheet.
“Dunno… I told him to go down to the other shop and check out their prices of bread and milk. He’s probably hanging around somewhere, getting up to no good.” Dayna laughed and continued to label tins of dog food.
“Did you really?”
“What?”
“Did you really send him to check out my competitor’s prices?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” Dayna looked up with a puzzled frown.
Jenny shrugged. “I’m just surprised by your forward thinking,” she said. “Your entrepreneurial skills have shocked me.”
Dayna laughed, “Well you know me Jen – it’s all or nothing, right?”
“Right,” agreed Jenny. “I suppose it is.”
By half past three the final van load of boxes, crates and cartons had been carried into the shop and placed around the floor, directly below the shelves where they would go. Everyone looked tired and hot. The heat from the late September sun had penetrated through the smeared windows all afternoon.
“I can see you’re going to have a bit of a problem here, Jen,” said Dad, pointing to the shop front. “It’s going to get hot in here, love. You’ll be swimming in melted chocolate.”
Dad had a valid point and one which Jenny hadn’t thought of. It was very warm around the counter area, which was where most of the chocolate bars were going to go. “Well I can’t afford air-conditioning, Dad – not yet anyway. I’ll have to get an awning or something like that.”
“Leave it to me, love – I’ll get it sorted out. Call it my contribution to your future success.”
“Thanks Dad, you’re my hero.” Jenny smiled and then flung her arms around her dad’s neck.
“Get off woman,” he said in jest.
Jenny’s dad had been a rock since her mum died. At the tender age of 48, Jenny’s mum had dropped dead from a massive and undetected brain hemorrhage, four years ago. It was so sudden and so very shocking for the family – for everyone who knew her in fact. She had been a vibrant and apparently fit and healthy woman until her demise. The family had bonded so deeply after the tragedy and Jenny’s dad now devoted his whole life to his two children and his building business. He kept busy all of the time and was always attentive to the needs of others. Jenny had figured that this was his coping strategy but she did worry that he gave too much time to others and not enough to himself.
“Right, I’m going to the chippie in town. What do you all want?” Jenny called out across the shelving units. Holding a notepad and pen poised, she waited for the replies.
The last three hours of hard toil had really transformed the unit’s appearance from a warehouse, filled with discarded cardboard boxes to a well set-out and reasonably stocked convenience store and newsagents.
Jenny reached down behind the counter and turned off the radio. “Chippie anyone?” she called again.
Xaylan bounded up the shop from the office at the back and skidded to a stop just short of the counter, which was already laden with warm chocolate bars and snacks. “Yeah, can I have some,” he said, eyeing the sweets in front of him. “Mum, can I have chips?”
“I’m buying them – you don’t need to ask your mum. And don’t run through the shop like that, you could fall and hurt yourself or damage the stock, Xaylan.”
Xaylan, like his mum, was a strong-willed character. At just ten years old he was already more than his mum or his grandma could cope with. Without a father-figure in his life, he was growing into an unruly and wayward child.
Xaylan shrugged. “Sorry… I want a cheese burger as well.” He scuffed his feet across the newly tiled floor and tapped the side of the counter with his trainer.
“Yes, ok – go on then – off you go, back to your games,” said Jenny, feeling slightly annoyed by Xaylan’s nonchalant attitude. “And a ‘please’ and ‘thank-you’ might have been nice.”
“Please – thank you,” Xaylan added, before scuttling away.
“I’ll get this,” said Dad as he walked over to the counter, brushing the dust from his jeans.
“No Dad, this is my treat – you’ve all worked so hard today.”
“Even so, I’m still getting the chips in – no debate.”
Jenny knew that once her dad had decided that he would do something, there would be no argument. Whatever he said always went.
“Ok, thank you, Dad. You really don’t have to do this though.”
“Give me that pad and pen.”
Jenny passed them to him and smiled lovingly. He was the most important person in her life and no one came anywhere near close.
“I think we should all nip down to the pub in town, tonight, rather than tomorrow. What do you think?” Jenny wiped her salty lips and looked around. “Don’t know about anyone else but I could do with an early night tomorrow so that I’m ready for Tuesday.”
Everyone nodded, smiled or mumbled in agreement as they scoffed the chips, burgers and fishcakes hungrily. Only Xaylan scowled but that was to be expected anyway.
“Yep, let’s do that,” Dad said as he winked at her. “Drinks are on me ok?”
“No Dad, I will get a round of drinks for everyone – please. You’ve all helped me out immensely and it’s the least I can do to repay you all for your kindness.”
“I’m agreed on that Jen, thanks hun,” said Dayna.
“You’re paying me though, so I should buy everyone a drink shouldn’t I? I’m the one with the money…” Tasha piped up.
Everyone stopped eating (except Xaylan) and stared at Tasha.
Jenny thought it an odd statement to make, especially when Tasha had hardly said a word to anyone during the course of the day. Jenny had put it down to shyness.
“No, don’t be silly… and you’re not the
only one who has been paid for their hard work. I will get them and that’s that – right Dad?”
Dad nodded and raised his eyebrows. “If it makes you happy, love,” he said and continued to eat his fishcake.
Jacob said nothing as was usual for him. The shy and quiet type, Jenny’s brother took everything in but didn’t give much out. Dark and mysterious was how Dayna described him, however, Jenny was sure that Jacob’s wife, Becky, didn’t have the same opinion, as she would often be heard or seen to be nagging the life out of him. Dayna and Becky hated each other with a passion, hence the reason that she had not been invited to help out with the shop. Jacob always seemed to be happy though and both Jenny and her dad couldn’t ask for anything more. Although Dayna would, if she ever got her way.
As for Calvin, he was a little quieter than usual and especially in the presence of Jacob. It was clear to everyone that they did not like each other and even young Tasha was beginning to notice their strained relationship. Calvin kept a low profile and apart from his fixed gaze upon Jenny, he could only be described as a caged animal, watching and waiting for his time to pounce. Calvin’s obsession with his ex was somewhat unnerving, but sadly, Jenny’s dad didn’t understand, or see, the harm that his undying acceptance of Calvin, was doing to her new and long awaited status of freedom.
Jenny’s dad had the same train of thought as Dayna, ‘she could do worse’. His own lonely existence, since losing his wife, had made him see things from a different point of view. Dad’s view of ‘be grateful for what you have got’ included his daughter’s ex-relationship and was spurred on further by the desire to have those, long awaited, grandchildren in the future.
In Jenny’s eyes, however, Calvin just would not do and she would never settle for just being grateful for what she had. She would strive for the best. And one way or another, she would get it.
