The Art of the Hustle

by Edward Mullen

  ***

  The day Isaac showed up, I was a little apprehensive. After all, he could completely change the dynamics of the store. I figured he would have something to prove and would want to establish his dominance early on. I knew I would probably lose a lot of my freedom.

  Just after lunchtime, a short Asian man walked into our store and introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Isaac, you must be Trevor? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “Welcome aboard, Isaac. Let me know if you need anything from me, I’d be happy to help you.”

  I was not sure what it was about Isaac, but something about him rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was the slight air of arrogance he carried around with him, probably an overcompensation to make up for his physical shortcomings.