Ken
Caprese lived on the assumption that a dream career and life lurked a heartbeat
away and that his present existence as a Barnes and Noble head cashier was just
an inconvenient stopgap.
When Drew met Ken, the latter was
enrolled at Bergen Community College. But shortly thereafter Ken stopped attending
because he said that he wanted to become a lawyer and that it was better to go
to a four-year college for that. Drew thought this logic questionable, but
shrugged and nodded, as though to suggest this wasn’t a bad idea. He’d learned
that was the best way to deal with Ken.
----------
Ken
was a strict head cashier who enjoyed “letting customers have it” when he
thought they were in the wrong, a tendency Drew attributed to Ken’s venting
some of his own bitterness and frustration. All a customer had to do, though,
was ask for a manager, who’d always let the customer get his way. Still, it was
fun to watch Ken try.
Occasionally, though, Ken could be
unnecessarily rude—even over something petty. One time, he rather nastily told
a teacher at Drew’s register that she had to go out in the rain to get her
school I.D. from her car in order to receive her teacher’s discount, even
though she was buying ten copies of Lord
of the Flies. The woman got her I.D. but left irate, and the whole
transaction made Drew uneasy.
----------
Ken
then told people he no longer wanted to be a lawyer; he wanted to be a computer
programmer. But he couldn’t go to school now for a number of reasons: time,
money, family—which Drew understood. Yet he felt that you shouldn’t talk about
doing something until you were actually doing it.
----------
Drew
was made a lead, which meant he’d work on the salesfloor more and less as a cashier.
He found that as long as he didn’t have to listen to Ken daily, he was a tolerable
guy.
----------
After
seven years, Drew inquired into becoming a manager. He was told that the first
step would be to make him a head cashier.
This promotion obliged him to work
with Ken, who was, Drew found, the same: still trying to finish college, still
speaking about the career he’d soon have in computers. Also, Ken’s hair had
gone gray, and he had a paunch.
----------
As
Drew worked more regularly with Ken, he became privy to another of his
grievances: his wife. Mrs. Caprese had a decent job and had been supporting Ken;
she’d even paid for his stints in college.
It also became apparent why after
the store closed Ken lingered outside smoking cigarettes and talking to other
employees instead of going straight home.
----------
When
Drew finally got his degree at twenty-eight, Ken shook his hand.
Good for you. I hope to get mine soon,
too.
You will. And thanks.
But the unspoken truth embarrassed
him. Drew should’ve gotten his degree long ago instead of floundering around,
going to school part time, living at home, and working at Barnes and Noble. As
for Ken, Drew didn’t think he’d ever get a degree—or leave the store.
----------
Drew
went to the wedding of Christina, another head cashier. He saw Ken’s wife, who
was obese. The woman was nice enough, Ken acted genial. But if one observed him
closely, one discerned misery.
----------
Ken
announced he was quitting. At a job fair, he’d found a new position, selling
software. Drew wasn’t sure he believed him. But Ken gave his notice, and during
those last two weeks, he was happier than Drew had ever seen him.
On Ken’s last night, they went to Applebee’s.
Sitting in a booth and drinking a Captain and Coke, Drew reflected on all the
times he’d come to this Applebee’s. Watching Ken—whose wife wasn’t there—Drew
felt glad, but jealous. He never imagined Ken would leave the store before he
did.
At home, Drew sat in his room drinking
Evan Williams and Coca-Cola, making pledges that he, too, would leave Barnes
and Noble.
----------
For
a few weeks, he didn’t hear anything about Ken. But one afternoon, Drew spotted
him hurrying out of the store. He didn’t stop to say hello. Drew mentioned it
to Christina.
He was asking for his old job.
Really?
She nodded. He couldn’t hack it at
that place. She put a stack of twenties on the money counter. I think he just
finagled his way into it, and when they found out he couldn’t do the work. . .
Is he coming back here?
She shrugged. Maybe. But I don’t know.
Catherine said since they’d already made George a head cashier, all they could
offer Ken was something part-time, which he didn’t want.
Drew considered this. So what’s he
going to do?
Christina counted a new till. Try to
get some other job, I guess.
----------
He
never saw Ken again. But a year after Drew left the Barnes and Noble, he heard
that he’d returned to the store to work in the receiving area.
Ken also left his wife. Drew was glad
for him, even though the divorce was messy. The last he heard, Ken was renting a
room in a friend’s house and again talking about becoming a lawyer.
