The next weekend, he’s right back in the same trouble. For some reason he decided that food was not more important than sitting his down the night before, so here he is driving around again looking for a store that’s open on a public holiday. There’s a certain charm to these kin of things, but he has long lost sight of his. Remembering, however, the shop he’d been to the week before, he sadly also remembers the huge embarrassment it had been for him. Sadly, after a few rounds around town, it seems to be his only option.

The sign is still there, We’re Open screaming at him as if trying to laugh at his misery, the huge arrow pointing at that horrendous side-alley. He parks his car, making sure it’s done properly this time, and carefully makes his way past all the icy spots. He doesn’t trip and fall, doesn’t cut his hand open and decides it must be a personal achievement as he enters the little shop. The first thing he spots is the same young man behind the counter, making him curse the fact that anyone would work two holidays in a row.

Quickly looking away, he makes his way around the store to gather what he needs, barely managing to keep his eyes focused on the merchandise. A good coughing session and some fifteen minutes later he finds himself once again facing the shop attendant. And once again the other male is sporting a worried frown, this time however not facing his hand but facing him full on. Which somehow makes it all the more awkward as he does not know what the male is worried about this time.

“Flu?” he is asked and it takes a moment before he grasps the meaning, but he still frowns an manages to utter a quick and confused: “Excuse me?”

“Pretty bad cough you have and you’re quite pale too. Got the flu?” the shop attendant elaborates, while scanning his groceries.

“Oh, uh..” He feels almost insulted, as if his personal space was invaded, but eventually manages a nod, because him being sick is indeed pretty obvious. “Yeah..”

“We deliver too, you know,” is what he’s told next, and then a small business card is handed to him. “Just call that number and tell us what you need. A usual day it should get to you between fifteen and thirty minutes.” He’s still looking at the business card when his plastic bag is handed to him. “Unless you’re from out of town, of course,” is added to the earlier explanation. He hums and nods, takes the bag and almost leaves, but luckily remembers he didn’t pay yet before he embarrasses himself again.

“How much?” He pays what he’s owed, puts the card in his wallet and greets the shop attendant with a quick few words. All he can think as he avoids all the slippery spots once again on his way back to his car is how on earth they can deliver that fast when there’s only one person working. So it’s only when he’s actually at his car an presses a non-existent key button to open it up that he realises he forgot his keys. Wanting to disappear right then and there - because how clumsy did that shop attendant think he was by now? - he bites his lower lip and turns around, only to stand almost literally nose to nose with said male.

Backing away a step instantly in surprise, he stumbles further back until his hits the car. Staring for a moment at the male in non-understanding, he takes a moment to come back to the present and the reality before he notices the other male is reaching something out to him. Looking at his keys dumbly for a moment, he quickly takes them over from the attendant, nods his head and mumbles a thanks between his teeth. Getting a bright smile in return for once, he watches almost blankly how the young male turns around and runs back into the alley, clearly not at all afraid of the slippery spots.

Staring for a moment longer after the shop attendant has disappeared from his sight, he doesn’t understand anything. But then he shakes his head and turns around, unlocking his car, putting the shopping bag on the passenger seat and taking a seat himself behind the wheel. Another good coughing session later he starts the engine and pulls out of the parking spot, hugely considering the delivery option of this store even more now. No way in hell could the delivery guy be the same as the shop attendant so he would not have to feel this embarrassed ever again.