TWELVE Tips to Help You Succeed in Life:Part Four

     TIP FOUR: QUITTING IS ALWAYS AN OPTION

     To recap the previous part: I wasn't prepared for whatever was going to happen at three. In fact, I had no idea what Rachel was implying to me. I had been completely oblivious when I first started my shift—but then three came, and with it was a swarm of happy, loud, rambunctious, possibly dirty kids fresh out of their Neoschool facilities. For us Usukiland employees, this meant only one thing: chaos.

     As soon as the doors were burst open, a cheering crowd of youngsters stormed in and scattered around the store. Many of them were eagerly picking up dolls and sets, and others were screaming at delight while others were wailing for their parents to buy new Usuki dolls (or a new clothing/play set) for them. Wendy tried her best at the hair-styling section, smiling cheerily at the messy haired dolls the kids kept shoving into her face. Rachel was at her register while I was stuck on the floor, listening to a large (and loud) swarm of voices around me.

     "Miss, do you know where I can find a Pretty Pink Usuki?"

     "Where are the clothing sets?"

     "Does this store sell any kids clothing?"

     "Ma'am, where is the bathroom?"

     "Do you have any Magical Hair Usukis left?"

     "Does this store stock Quiguki dolls, too?"

     "MOMMY I WANT THIS DOLLY! BUY HER FOR ME PLEASE!!!!! MOMMY!!!"

     A baby Usul toddled over to me and held up her poorly maintained Magical Hair Usuki. "My dolly wants a new outfit," she said. "She wants to be a ballerina!"

     I was dumbfounded. The little Usul's Usuki doll was supposed to have long, sparkly purple and green locks; this doll, however, was nearly bald, as if somebody thought it'd be ingenious to cut her hair up with scissors. "Um, I think your doll needs some new hair," I said hesitantly.

     The baby Usul nodded. "Mommy said not to cut her hair. I did it, though, because I wanted to see how much she had!"

     "And the red marker scribbles on her face?" I asked.

     "Lipstick!" the Usul cheered. "My dolly wanted a beauty makeover!"

     "Well…uh…" I stuttered, "I think that maybe your dolly would like to, uh, be treated differently? Like if her clothes weren't so wrinkly and if her face could be cleaned with something—"

     "Suzy, there you are!" a red Draik picked up the baby Usul and then, for some reason, glared at me. "Are you lecturing my daughter on how to play with her doll? For shame!"

     The baby Usul stuck her tongue out at me as her mother carried her out of the shop, the poor Magical Hair-less Usuki dangling by a short chunk of hair. Poor Usuki. She never had a chance, I thought bitterly.

     Most of the other kids were still loud and running around, but at least they knew how to take care of their Usukis! A blue Draik held up her Ballerina Usuki to me and asked, "Isn't my Emily the cutest doll ever? She's a world famous ballerina and she doesn't eat meat because real ballerinas don't eat meat!"

     "How nice is that," I said with forced sweetness.

     "She loves wearing her signature pink tutu," the Draik continued babbling, "though I think she looks better in her white tutu. Which coloured tutus do you like? Does this store have any blue ones? Or any orange sparkly ones?"

     I shrugged. "You know, I think they only make pink ones for some reason."

     Regardless, the Draik kept following me as I walked around the shop, babbling away about her favourite Usukis and the ones she was going to ask for Christmas this year. "I think the Fair Maiden Usuki is cool, but the Ornate Usuki doll is much prettier. Which one do you like better? Or how about that male Usuki with the spiked hair? Oh, and the orange one that likes that Grundo band? What's their name? Are they real musicians? Can they sing?"

     I was so relieved when the Draik's mother called for her—especially since two pets came up to me and began begging me to help find clothing sets for them. "I need a pearl jewelry set for my dolly's first play date," moaned a yellow Grundo.

     "And I need the Pop Star Princess outfit," the blue Bruce insisted. "My Little Witch Usuki will look so cute in it!"

     While I was able to find the Pop Princess set for the Bruce, the Usuki Pretty Pearls Set was a pretty hard find for me. It didn't help that the Grundo kept trailing behind me and begging that she needed the accessory set today if she was going to impress her friends. Another thing that didn't help was how disorganized the Usuki sets were: the shelves were neat, but all the clothing and accessory sets were bunched together, despite the shelves being categorized with 'Clothes' and 'Accessories' sections. I tried asking Rachel for help, but she—like Wendy—was busy attending to a bunch of customers. Just as I felt like giving up, Chloe—of all Neopians—passed by and I decided to seek her help. "This Grundo REALLY needs a Usuki Pretty Pearls Set," I explained, "but I can't find one anywhere! Can you lend me a hand?"

     Chloe looked me up and down, and then raised en eyebrow as to say, "Why in Neopia are you asking for my help, peasant?" Instea she just smiled and said with ever-so-fake sweetness, "I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for if you try a little harder, Nadine."

     "But the shelves are too disorganized," I insisted. "Can't I go to the storage room and check there?"

     "Oh Nadine, you kidder!" Chloe laughed forcefully. "You just started today and you want access to the storage room? Do you have any idea how we at Usukiland do things here?"

     "Sort of," I muttered.

     "By which you mean 'no I do not'," Chloe corrected smugly. "Oh and before I go, can you do me a wee favour Nadine?" She trusted a wad of cash at me. "Spare yourself from looking any more ridiculous and go get some lipstick at the Grooming Parlour after work, okay? And if they have any matching blushes, buy them too."

     "Gee, thanks," I grumbled. "I guess I can go during my break—"

     "Your break?" Chloe giggled loudly and then, after wiping tears from her eyes, said in a matter-of-factor voice, "Newbies like you don't get breaks…at least not yet. You might get a short ten minute one sometime in your second to third year, but definitely not on your first day!"

     "You actually expect me to work all day without a break?" I gasped. "That SO can't be legal!"

     Chloe gazed at her pink fingernails, clearing trying to act like she cared very little of your beloved protagonist. "Its how things work around here in the Bazaar. Next time you look for a job, though, how about you go check out the raggedy Plaza instead?"

     "Ex-cee-use me? What did you just say?" I gasped dramatically. Chloe acted like she was ignoring me (though she so wasn't!) and that fuelled my anger so high, I swear it raised my temperature. I felt as mad as Claudia was when she spilled a glass of milk on her new NC Mall cashmere blouse. It was a type of anger even greater than mine was when I couldn't gain access to last year's top-secret Usukicon convention…wherever it took place. Heck, I would even compare my rage to the complainers who rant about our TNT overlords. I was ANGRY and I knew exactly what to do to simmer my fiery mood.

     So, feeling incredibly peeved, I immediately unclipped my nametag (it was heart shaped and pink and adorable!) and threw it to the ground. "You are the worst boss I have ever had!" I stormed furiously. "And your manicure totally clashes with your outfit!"

     "Look Nadine, you can insult my managing style all you want," Chloe hissed, "But when you DARE to bring up my mani?? Girl, you crazy!"

     I untied my apron and threw it at Chloe's stupid face. "I quit, Chloe! You can take this useless, yet very cute, apron while I escort myself from this establishment!" After I made a show of stomping over to the doors and forcing one open, I turned and shouted, "SEE YOU IN THE MONTH OF CELEBRATING!" as I strutted mightily out of Usukiland, secretly hoping the customers would cheer loudly for me. (They didn't)

     Liberated from my annoying employer—but also bored and confused on what to do—I went to the Smoothie Shop and saw Andrew sitting at a table. Smirking, I sat across from him and began bragging about my triumphant victory towards Chloe the Clueless. "And I made sure that loser got what was coming to her," I said, finishing my tale. "Though I just chucked my apron at her, it was much better than dealing with Chloe's 'I don't care about you' stare of hers."

     Andrew finished his smoothie and sighed. "So…now what?" he asked. "You're unemployed again and you weren't even able to go through one lousy work day!"

     "That's because I hated my job," I insisted. "Besides, you quit your job at the Petpet Shop because of the owner, right?"

     "At least I got through a year of working there," Andrew muttered. "You couldn't even last a day."

     "Whatever." I held my nose up, trying to act like a snooty rich lady who wouldn't bother listening to anything Andrew would say to her. Then I cracked a grin and say happily, "Now I am FREE and READY to have some F-U-N!!"

     Andrew rolled his eyes. "Does this mean you're going to find a new job?"

     "No…I mean, not away," I said bluntly.

     Andrew just shrugged and ordered a second smoothie. From his serious expression, however, I knew he was cooking up a new scheme. I had a sinking feeling he was going to try once again to find me a new job and, possibly, make me stick to it this time. Regardless of whatever he was thinking, I knew I had to resist: not only for my freedom, but to protect those who believed in me and support my freedom, too.

     And if you make it this far reader, then you better believe in me too! No excuses!

     To be continued…