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  • The Broken Toenail Catastrophe*As told by Gary*By: Emmitt Owens(Index #08082025)    Let me start by saying that what happened at Orange Beach last Tuesday was not my fault. Well, okay, it was technically my fault, but hear me out—any reasonable person would have made the same decisions I made, given the circumstances. The fact that Read more

  • Chill n’Fill Chronicles: The Night of the Little Car Thief, The Local Ranting Man & Officers Looking    My Friday night shift at Chill n’Fill was officially entering the twilight zone. The one-eyed polar bear sign outside flickered rhythmically, as if winking at the parade of weirdness that was about to unfold. Bob’s “rebranding” of Read more

  • The Card Hunter, The Minister, and The Modern Shaggy    Jennifer called in sick AGAIN. This marks the seventh time this month, which I’m pretty sure qualifies her for some kind of absenteeism world record. Today’s excuse was “car troubles,” which is both entirely plausible and completely suspect given that she used the same excuse Read more

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  •   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