I’ve been working at this bakery for years, putting up with the owner’s disgusting personality, stinginess, and micro-management. I haven’t told him yet, but I start a much better job with one of his competitors in two weeks.
Tonight, I told him, “It’s Christmas Eve and we’re closed tomorrow. You go home to your family, and I’ll close up.” He actually thanked me; I think that’s a first.
I waited until I was sure he was gone. Then I opened the back door and let in Ed, Stinky, and Little Joe. They’re good people, even if they’ve been living on the streets. They washed up, they put on aprons and hats, and we all went to work.
Ed measured out flour, chocolate chips, and raisins. Stinky cracked eggs. And I put Little Joe to work slicing up dried fruit. Meanwhile, I got out the rest of the ingredients, started softening the butter, and pre-heated the oven. All for my late mother’s famous “Jubilee Jumboes” cookie recipe, her deluxe version of Toll House cookies.
While the Jumboes were baking, we started on the cutout cookies. We finished with the gingerbread men, some of them frosted to look like Santa.
We finished around 6:00 am, then we packed up everything to take to the homeless shelter. As I went out the door, I left my resignation letter for the boss. I know it’s technically stealing to use his ingredients, but what’s he going to do, fire me?
Michael J. Ciaraldi is a retired computer scientist, roboticist, and playwright. He has been published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and in several recent and upcoming anthologies. Mike lives in Shrewsbury, MA USA with his wife and Daisy, a chihuahua. Find out more at www.ciaraldi.com .
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