TumbleDweeeb

Emmitt Owens

Marty’s Quikmart

  • Chill n’Fill Episode 16

    Bob’s Announcements, Abandonment, and Audacity Tuesday night at Chill n’Fill began with a minor apocalypse in the dairy section. The aged refrigeration unit—which Bob had repeatedly promised to replace “next fiscal quarter” for the past seven fiscal quarters—finally gave up its mechanical ghost with a death rattle that sounded suspiciously like Kenny Rogers’ “Know When Read more

  • Chill n’Fill Episode 15

    Bicycles, Energy Drinks, and Candy Thieves    The Three’s Company theme song suddenly blared through the Chill & Fill’s ancient sound system, its jaunty, upbeat melody filling the store despite nobody pressing play. The cheerful tune about “come and knock on our door” and “three’s company too” echoed across the empty parking lot, creating an Read more

  • Chill n’Fill Episode 11

    Static Shocks, Strange Frequencies, and Whispered Confessions    Wednesday night at Chill & Fill started with a commotion. Bob had decided the store’s ancient radio system needed “upgrading,” which apparently meant dismantling it with a screwdriver while it was still plugged in. The one-eyed polar bear mascot… now sporting not only its sailor hat and Read more

  • Chill n’Fill Episode 10

    Subliminal Messages, Bass Vibrations, and Silent Success    Friday night at Chill & Fill was already promising to be memorable. The one-eyed polar bear sign was fully operational tonight—Bob had finally gotten the electrical issues sorted, though now the bear seemed to wink at passing cars when the wind hit it just right. I was Read more

  • Chill n’Fill Episode 8

    Metal Heads, Mountain Dew, and Midnight Mischief    Thursday night at Chill & Fill was unusually quiet. The one-eyed polar bear sign had been upgraded again—this time Bob had added a small plastic guitar to the bear’s paw, claiming it gave our mascot “rock star appeal.” The bear now looked like a pirate sailor who’d Read more

  • Chill n’Fill Episode 7

    The Morning Rush: Dawn Breaks at the Quickmart The neon sign at the “Chill n’Fill” flickers to life with all the enthusiasm of a teenager asked to clean their room. Our one-eyed polar bear mascot—inexplicably styled like a pirate despite selling gas station coffee rather than plundering ships—surveys the parking lot with its solitary gaze, Read more

  • Marty’s Quikmart Episode 5

    Bob’s Announcements    Thursday night at Chill & Fill, and the one-eyed polar bear sign flickers above the entrance like a neon guardian with a perpetual wink. My shift begins with the usual routine… counting the register, checking expiration dates on the milk, contemplating my life choices.   The intercom crackles to life. That familiar static Read more

  • Marty’s Quikmart Episode 4

    Bunnies, Bad Milk, and Burnt Botanicals   I arrived for my Tuesday shift at Marty’s Quickmart to find pure chaos—Bob, the owner for the past decade, was dangling from a safety harness, wrestling with a neon sign while a contractor watched nervously below. Aerosmith’s “Livin’ on the Edge” blasted from someone’s truck radio nearby, the Read more

  • Marty’s Quikmart Episode 3

    Declarations, Complaints, and Declined Cards    Wednesday evenings at Marty’s Quickmart fall into a predictable lull around 8 PM. The after-work rush has died down, and the late-night energy drink crowd hasn’t arrived yet. I’m restocking the cigarette display when Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” starts playing on the store radio, its gentle melody filling the Read more

  • Marty’s Quikmart: Episode 2

      Behind the Counter: Saturday Night Specials Saturday nights at Marty’s Quickmart have their own unique rhythm. The parade of weekend partiers, desperate parents needing diapers, and late-night snack hunters creates a chaotic energy that makes my shift both exhausting and entertaining.   The radio plays Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” the smooth melody filling Read more