The Day After
By Brate
ATF Universe
"Remind me again why we're here?"
"C'mon, Vin. You promised."
Vin Tanner nodded at his friend and again scanned the many lines. In truth the only reason he was here was that he lost the rock/paper/scissors contest between he and the rest of his team. JD had tried to get someone to go with him shopping on the day after Thanksgiving, and no one had been gullible enough to go with him. Unfortunately, Dunne complained for the next month, lamenting, and retelling the men about how he and his mother used to go shopping every year, the stuff they would buy, and the deals they would get. None of the men wanted to go through that for the next year so it was decided that one of them would have to bite the bullet and brave the stores. So here the tracker stood on December 26th in a Target store, surrounded by hundreds of insane people.
Arriving at the store at 7 AM, Tanner was amazed at the amount of people willing to fight crowds in order to save a dollar, since Vin was the type of person willing to spend lots of money *not* to have to deal with people. They grabbed a cart and followed the throng to the rear of the store where all the Christmas decorations and supplies were on sale -- half-off.
JD was so excited, running around grabbing rolls of wrapping paper and ornaments of every shape and size, showing Vin what he found before scampering off in another direction. Tanner protected the cart of 'treasures' as he wandered over to the candy display. Finally! Something he could use: dark chocolate oranges, chocolate-covered marshmallow Santas, and chocolate-coated cherries. Vin grabbed a bunch of the treats and dumped them in the cart, before looking around for his friend.
Dragging JD away from the display of holiday lights took some doing, but they were finally headed to the checkouts. All the lines were about the same length -- unbelievably long -- so the two agents picked one to stand in.
After fifteen minutes, Vin was bored... very bored... so very bored. The line hadn't moved at all, and he was afraid that he would die here, never to leave this store. JD stood next to him, smiling, and apparently not noticing the extent to which his cohort was suffering.
In front of the two men was an older lady, probably about fifty-five years old, protecting a shopping cart with a baby carrier on the back. What caught Vin's attention was the fact that the carrier was empty. It struck him as funny, and normally he would remain quietly amused, but he was bored... very bored.
"Hey," he called in a stage whisper to JD.
"What?"
"Do ya think she knows she lost her baby?"
"What are you talking about?"
Vin pointed to the empty baby holder in front of them. "Maybe she put the kid down to get some extra wrapping paper and forgot to pick 'im back up?"
JD turned red as he noticed a few customers around them chuckling.
"Ya think we should tell her that her baby's gone?"
"I'm sure she just took a free cart, Vin. Knock it off."
The sharpshooter was quiet for a few more minutes before he leaned over to his friend. "I'll give you five bucks if you get up on that platform right there and face the lines and say, 'I bet y'all are wondering why I've asked ya here today'."
JD tried not to laugh, but he imagined doing just that and the reactions of the serious shoppers when he did it, and he couldn't help himself. Unfortunately this just seemed to egg Vin on. They'd moved far enough ahead in line where the sharpshooter was in line with the candy and gum display.
"Ya need some Tic Tacs? They got white, green, and -- my favorite -- orange."
"No, thanks, Vin."
"Only one and a half calorie."
"No."
"Gum? Trident, Wrigley's, Dentyne, Bubble Yum, Big Red, Juicy Fruit, Extra--"
"No, Vin," JD interrupted. "I'm good."
That didn't stop the longhaired agent. "Ooh, Altoids." He snagged the box and held it up as if he were in a commercial. "They're curiously strong." JD shook his head negatively, so Vin put the package back.
JD eyed the line. One more lady in front of them, then he could check out.
"What's that mean?" Vin asked.
"What does what mean?"
"Curiously strong."
"I have no idea." JD wondered how much longer this line was going to be and if he would keep from shooting his friend before he reached the check out.
"Makes ya wonder."
"No, it doesn't."
"Ya sure?"
"Yes."
JD sighed in relief, hoping that his friend's strange little tirade was over.
Nope.
"Pssst."
JD tried to ignore his friend.
"Pssst."
JD pretended to read People Magazine.
"Pssst."
JD started to wish he'd come alone. They'd reached the checkout and the young man began to place his purchases on the counter.
"Pssst."
"What do you want, Vin?"
"You doing this again next year, JD?"
Dunne looked at his friend in suspicion. "Why?"
Vin stood there munching on his soon-to-be-bought candy. "Thought I might like ta go again."
JD just shook his head. Not in this lifetime!
The End... until next year
