is normal even normal anymore?

      “seven fifty??” a scoff came before a lightly amused smile as ophelia handed over the exact amount with exaggerated hesitance, “you’re robbing me here…”  

He smiled at the woman, giving a small huff of laughter as he took the cash. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that joke but customer service was customer service. “If you go to the big box stores they’ll charge you twenty.”

He looked at the sticker on the back of the book; it seemed that his boss had marked it up from the usual half-off publisher’s price. Why, Theo couldn’t answer -- it was a dog-eared, pockmarked copy of Bulfinch. “Oh, um,” he looked at it, debating what to do, “usually we go half off publisher’s price but my boss’ll try and get every dime he can. You can pay either, it won’t be noticed.” They didn’t have any sort of extensive cataloging system -- this was Barnes and Nobles, this was just a little mom and pop used bookstore with dim light and shelves upon shelves of well-read books.

Theo took the cash and slipped into the drawer, glancing over at the customer as he made his remark. The man shrugged; “I guess they have bigger priorities right now.” Xinjiang.

❝- hi. um, hello. i was wondering if you had any children’s books for this lil’ munchkin.❞ she purred, looking down to smile at her five year old daughter.

“Certainly,” he said, his plastered on customer-service smile turning a bit more genuine at the sight of the mother and child. “They’re right this way,” he said, stepping out from behind the counter and beginning to head towards the back of the store.

Margo had more than seven-fifty in her purse but some every days , she has to urge cause little misfit ❛ — fine ❜ she sighed, taking out a twenty dollar bill from her purse. ❛ you can keep the change ❜

Theo blinked as he took the bill she held out to him. “Alright,” he said, his voice wavering slightly with uncertainty as he opened the register and slipped the bill inside. What was the point of complaining about the price if you were just going to give away 12.50? “Have a nice day.”

❛ — 7.50?! ❜ Margo raised her voice a little, only a little. ❛ look at me, do i look like i have 7.50? ❜ Margo gestured to herself where she wore a Guess denim jacket, carrying a Versace purse with white Gucci high tops. Yes, maybe she did look like she had 7.50. 

The urge to sigh was strong but he just kept that fake customer service smile plastered on his face as he looked at her. “That is the price for these books. If you don’t have that then maybe you could just get one?”