Bug Gets A JobI wasn't like Anna Maria didn't notice Bug's rapid change in growth let alone the face Bug never changed her clothes. She just never asked, it wasn't her place to muddle in other people's business.
Mrs. Opthof was in her late 60s she probably should have retired, she was getting her retirement pension. Some how though she got it in her head that the people needed her bakery more than she needed a rest.
More of a fact than anything, Mrs Anna Maria Opthof was a workaholic.
She had seven kids of her own, all grown up having their own kids and after her husband, bless his soul, past away Anna Mari was left to run the shop by herself.
Bug had come to the Sunshine Bakery, it could have been a daily routine if Bug had any fathom of a day's ending and beginning. She would come and be given lots of things, from day old bread to sweet cakes.
Bug had come early today, before the store actually opened. There was huge pile of heavy looking bags and the back door was propped open with a crate. The urchin girl didn't know quite what to do in this situation. So she just knocked on the opened door to see if Mrs. Opthof would notice her.
A mound of kind worded curse was mumbled inside. Anna Maria was never one to actually curse, so things like "flubber monkey" would do as the equivalent. When the old lady came to the back door to pick another thing from her pile of goods she was surprised by her little yellow friend.
"Why good morning Bug, you're out and about early today!" she said with a soft chuckle.
Bug smiled
"Good morning Mrs. Opthof, I've been up for a while. What are those for?" The girl pointed at the large pile.
"Oh those! Some brutish men just dumped them there rather than actually putting them inside." Mrs. Opthof rubbed her poor swore back. There was still ten more bags of flour and that crate full of yeast, she used to prop the door open, to bring inside.
"They're suppose to be inside?" She questioned trying to make an understanding of what their purpose was. Bug looked at the old lady, she was frail on her worse days, other than that she looked really strong. Bug hoped to be that strong when she got old but it still must have been tough to carry all of those bags by herself.
"Do you want me to help carry them in for you?""Oh would you Bug? you're such a good girl. Why don't you grab that bag there and I'll take this one."Bug looked at the pile, they were awfully large bags. Mrs Opthof lifted one by bending her knees and grunting. Bug ceased hers, and tried to lift. Nope didn't work. Her little face scrunched, it was really heavy. Again she went to lift it this time using much more effort and carried it after Anna Maria.
Mrs. Opthof placed hers on the ground next to a bin and Bug put hers on top.
"Alright, just 8 more to go." She smiled.
This would go a lot faster now with Bug's help, the old woman thought.
After some time of heaving all the bags in Mrs. Opthof Wiped her brow.
"Bug, I want you to wait right here while I get the crate." Bug nodded and let her eyes wander the back room. She'd never actually been inside before, she only ever knocked on the back door and got food. When Mrs. Opthof came back and put the new yeast away she looked at her young friend. an idea struck her brain.
"Bug How would you like to work for me?"The girl was a little stunned. she'd never worked before but she had heard about jobs from Faris and Mrs. Opthof did have food that she could get paid with. It seemed to good to be true though.
"Wo...Work? For you?" She said meekly.
"Yes that's right. My bones aren't what they used to be. You could even think of carrying all these ingredients of mine as training. You'll need strength to fly, right Bug? I'd pay you as well." Crafty old woman knew how to make anything desirable.
Bug gapped her mouth. It was training! She nodded enthusiastically. She'd be working out to fly and get food bonus!
Anna Maria smiled sweetly,
"Good, good. Now then Bug why don't you go to the front and unlock the door?"Bug did as she was told while the old woman brought out some baked goods for sale.
"Now Bug, I want you to do the cash for me. These breads and sweets all have a number beside them, just plug that number in here and it will tell the customer how much their purchase costs. And just remember they don't get any food until they give you the money, understand?"She nodded, although she didn't get it and Mrs. Opthof figured as such.
As luck would have it a regular early bird popped in.
Good,Anna Maria thought to herself.
"Good morning Anna Maria, And who's this?" the gentleman eyed Bug.
"This is Bug. She's going to be helping me manage the store.""Ah good, good. Starting younger and younger it seems. Well then Bug could you pick out one of the freshes raisin loafs in the store for me?"
Bug stared for a moment, weren't they all fresh? Mrs. Opthof lightly bumped her knee into Bug to get her going. With that Bug, turned and looked at the stock. The raisin bread was just a little too high, but thankfully Anna Maria was already edging a toll over for her. Bug grabbed what she believe to be 'the freshes' and even got a nod from Anna Maria before bringing it to the counter. Bug couldn't read, but she could match pictures. The girl punched in the corresponding numbers and then smiled patiently at the gentleman.
"Ah, What a good girl, 4 dollars and 68 cents is it here's a 5." Bug took the 5 and put it in the till.
"You're suppose to give me 32 cents back my dear." Bug's mouth hanged slightly. She had no comprehension of currency let alone math. Mrs Opthof was going to cut in when the gentleman kindly interrupted her by pulling some change out of his pocket.
"Now Bug, can you pull out 3 of these?" she showed her 3 dimes all together. Bug nodded and did just that.
"Excellent, now pick out just 2 of these copper ones." Bug grabbed 5 pennies for the man.
"No, no that's 5 I want 2, take 3 away. 3s the same amount of the dimes you pulled out." Bug looked down at the amount of coins she had in her hand and put 3, like the man said, away.
"That's right. Now hand the man his change, Bug." Mrs. Opthof coxed. Bug beaming placed the change in the gentle man's hand and moved the loaf closer to his side of the counter.
"You say, 'thank you' to the man because without the customer we'd have no job." Bug looked at the man bright eyed
"Thank you, mister.""Ah, you're welcome, I'll expect to see you again soon." and the man left quite happy.
Mrs. Opthof patted Bug on the head.
"Very good, now how about I fix us a piece of cake and a drink before we have to get to real business?"Okay,she giggled and chased after into the back room.
By the end of the day Bug f very proud of how well her first job went.
"Now next time you can get yourself this way please just come on in okay?""I will." Neither of the two knew when that would be but they knew it would happen in a few short days and would continue periodically.
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