“Here’s a Nickel”

I was waiting in line at the Dollar General. (The doggies needed boneys).

The man in front of me was about my size, but much younger than me. He was a black man with a huge red handkerchief for a mask.

“You on a work break?” He asked me.

“Kinda’,” I said. “Traveling between jobs.”

I was wearing a high-visibility vest.

“You’re some kind of inspector?” He asked.

“Yeah. Safety,” I said.

And normally I hate small talk, but he had a good way about him.

“Ahh, so you don’t work!” He said. “In fact, when you show up they say, ‘Here comes the asshole.’”

“Something like that,” I said, and we both laughed.

“You don’t seem like one of those people who are full of themselves,” he said. “Some people get some authority and they go a little crazy.”

It was his turn in line.

“Two dollars and three cents,” the cashier said.

My new buddy handed over three singles.

“Wait,” I said, handing him a nickel.

“That’s great!” He said. “Now I have a dollar left. I need it. One lonely dollar.”

I stepped up in line.

“Nice chatting with you, pal,” he said. “I’d shake your hand, but you know.”

I paid for the dog bones and stepped into the lot.

My new friend was just leaving.

He was behind the wheel of a 2020 red corvette.

“What the hell?” I asked.

“Nice meeting you, safety!” He yelled. “Go Bills!”

Obviously a player!

I told my son Jake about it.

“Who was it?” He asked.

“No clue. He was wearing a mask. I almost asked him if he wanted a couple of bucks.”

Jake laughed.

Was a good encounter, whoever it was. Wish I knew though because he was pretty funny.

Go Bills.