The Replacement Helper: Part 5

Cont. from where i left off... Took awhile to get this on Word, but at least its up.


As the store employees left the shop one by one, Tanaka is counting his earnings for the day. 'What a lousy day it was... One of my worst, only 15 bentos were sold.'
'Goodbye Mr Tanaka, I will be leaving for home now.' Mr Dohmoto said as he wears his coat and walk towards the store front. 'Arh yes... Bye Mr Dohmoto, please send my regards to Mrs Dohmoto, hope she gets well soon.'


'I will, thanks for your concern.' Concern... Concern... Actually Tanaka is more concerned about his business than Mrs Dohmoto. Not that he does not care about her, but the business is not the same anymore. Business has gone from bad to worse. After Mr Dohmoto came as the substitute, the bento business have not been good. He knew what was the problem. The main problem; Mr Dohmoto.


Mr Dohmoto have been taking the counter since the day he was the substitute for his wife. It was a good idea and it solves Tanaka's manpower problem. But another hidden problem erupted without him knowing it. Mr Dohmoto was used to the corporate working life. Life inside a room with his desk, roller chair, computer, printer and a cabinet full of files and folders. In a day, he may not see any of his colleagues at all. He is trapped in that little room of his, coming out only to get a cuppa or to ease that call of nature. That is the corporate life for Mr Dohmoto.


Now at Tanaka's Bento store, things are different. He wakes up early but wears casual winter wear now, not a business suit. He carries a packed lunch in a paper bag, not a briefcase of files. He now walks to work, not take the local train to the office. He would be the second person that reports to work everyday. As he takes off his coat and scarf, he dons on the apron for work. The rest of the employees would prepare the ingredients for the day. He would stand at the counter, behind the cash register. Perfectly still and stern. Not a smile on the face. The store is ready for the first customer of the day. Students who are going for school will get a bento or two for their lunch break. Three girls stroll into the store, giggling about the boy from the class next door.


'That Kiyomaro from 3-4 is soooo cute. Yesterday, while walking back from the library. Our eyes met... And he smiled at me!!' Proclaimed one of the girls. 'Really?? The other day he was at the vending machine. I was going to buy a drink but he did not have enough coins. So i gave him some and he smiled and said thanks to me... I just cannot forget that smile, those mesmerising eyes, the hair... ' Replied the other. When they walked towards the counter, three pairs of innocent school girl eyes met with a stern and serious eyes of Mr Dohmoto. Their mind of the handsome Kiyomaro have dissappeared. Infront of them now, is a face so serious, so stern that they began to feel fear in them. 'Good morning, children. What would you like to order today?' Mr Dohmoto greeted them like an army officer greeting his soldiers, serious and firm. Not showing any smile at all. Immediately, the girls started walk backwards and head for the door. They would rather go hungry in school today than buy from this new guy that looks so freaky.


For the rest of the morning, he has been driving customers out of the store. Not that he drove the customers out of the store, but his face jus scares the customers out. Business for the morning would at least sell 10 to 20 bentos, that morning the store sold only five. Two of them being sold to Shiori and his fiance. When Atchara reports to work in the afternoon, she was shocked to see that Mr Tanaka was sleeping at one corner of the kitchen. She walks over to Shiori, wanting to know what happened in the morning. 'So clean, everything. Mr Tanaka sick also?'


'Nothing is wrong with Mr Tanaka. This morning we had little sale. Only sold three bentos. I hope that later would be better.'


Too bad she did not 'hope' harder enough. The rest of the day was as mundane as morning. Customers are afraid to step into the store. If Mr Dohmoto was working as an army officer, the troopers would follow orders seriously. Customers that saw his expression would shun from the store and walk away from it. He was not rude either, he just did not smile. Not a single laughter. He just did his job. At the evening time, Atchara would report to her language lesson and she would bring along a bento for dinner afterwards. As the shop closes, all the employees would return home. He counted that day's earnings. 32 bentos were sold today compared to an average of 60 per day. What a day... He is a business owner, so the ups and downs of owning a business is something that he cannot help. Well... As he closes the day's accounts, he prays that tomorrow will be a better day.