put his hands on his hips, and took a deep breath. " Here goes nothin" He told himself, as he walked into Mr. Cobb's hardware store.
Mr. Cobb politely excused himself from the costumer needing help, and walked over to Jake. He bent down to eye level and pointed a finger in his face.
"I've got my eye on you, Jake Patterson." He warned "The other day, I was taking inventory, and noticed a handful of nails missing. One of my loyal customers and I were discussing it, and we both agreed you must have been the one that took them. Did you take my nails, you little thief?"
"N-N-No Mr. Cobb!" He answered nervously, shaking his head. "I didn't take the nails from the store, I didn't—honest. In-fact, I was waitin' for you to get done talking with that customer, so I could ask you for a job."
Mr. Cobb straightened up, and began to laugh aloud, getting everyone's attention. "Hey everyone!" he announced. "Wanna hear something funny? Jake Patterson here just asked me for a job––can you believe that?"
A handful of customers began to laughing at the idea of Jake Patterson ever landing a job in Blackwater with his reputation.
"Jake," Mr. Cobb said. "I'd rather go out of business then hire you. Now get out of my store, you thief!"
As Jake exited the store, he overheard Mr. Cobb and his customers conjuring up funny scenarios of him working at the hardware store. As he continued down the street, he remembered seeing a 'Help Wanted' sign at the market, so he walked across, and went into Mr. Dobbin's store. He walked right up to him, and extended his right hand for a shake.
"Hi Mr. Dobbins. I see you have a 'help wanted' sign in your window, so I'm here for the job!" He proclaimed.
Mr. Dobbins looked down at Jake's extended hand, then immediately walked towards the window ledge, removing the sign. "The positions been filled." he said. "Unless you're here to buy something, I suggest you go on your way!"
As Jake left the store, he looked back and saw Mr. Dobbins replacing the sign onto the window ledge. Tired and weary, he decided on trying his luck at the bakery, but they didn't need any 'troublemakers' working for them. He went into the diner, hoping to wash dishes or something, but again, he was rudely told 'they didn't need a little hoodlum on their payroll.'
He spent all morning and most of the afternoon looking for a job. No one wanted to higher Jake, or his bad reputation. He went to every store on the street except one. The only place left was Smitty's store. Jake figured he had a better chance of growing a set of wings and flying away, than Smitty actually giving him a job, so he decided the store was off-limits for job hunting.
Nevertheless, Jake would still make an appearance at Smitty's for one reason, and one reason only—he needed food. The only thing Jake ate all day was breakfast at the Brierly's, and by this time he was absolutely starving. Not to mention, he needed time to think of a good excuse to give Mr. and Mrs. Brierly, why he couldn't find a job.
He wasn't about to go and ask Smitty for a job. That would be like asking a cat to voluntarily take a bath. But he was hungry, and knew he still could outrun Smitty with two broken legs. He thought about what he could do. He was trying to change his life, and didn't want to steal anymore, but what choice did he have? He didn't have a job, or any money, so he decided today would be his last time. "It's only a sack of peanuts and a soda." he thought to himself.
<><><>
As he walked in, Smitty gave him an evil stare, and took out the thick stick he hid behind the counter. "Go on, get outta here Jake!" He warned. "I don't wanna have to use this thing on you today!"
"I got money Smitty" Jake lied. "Don't worry, remember last time? I paid, didn't I?"
Smitty set the stick on the counter, reminding Jake of his fate should he try stealing from him again.
"You better have money boy!" Smitty said "Or I swear, I'll give you the beating that's been coming to you
Mr. Cobb politely excused himself from the costumer needing help, and walked over to Jake. He bent down to eye level and pointed a finger in his face.
"I've got my eye on you, Jake Patterson." He warned "The other day, I was taking inventory, and noticed a handful of nails missing. One of my loyal customers and I were discussing it, and we both agreed you must have been the one that took them. Did you take my nails, you little thief?"
"N-N-No Mr. Cobb!" He answered nervously, shaking his head. "I didn't take the nails from the store, I didn't—honest. In-fact, I was waitin' for you to get done talking with that customer, so I could ask you for a job."
Mr. Cobb straightened up, and began to laugh aloud, getting everyone's attention. "Hey everyone!" he announced. "Wanna hear something funny? Jake Patterson here just asked me for a job––can you believe that?"
A handful of customers began to laughing at the idea of Jake Patterson ever landing a job in Blackwater with his reputation.
"Jake," Mr. Cobb said. "I'd rather go out of business then hire you. Now get out of my store, you thief!"
As Jake exited the store, he overheard Mr. Cobb and his customers conjuring up funny scenarios of him working at the hardware store. As he continued down the street, he remembered seeing a 'Help Wanted' sign at the market, so he walked across, and went into Mr. Dobbin's store. He walked right up to him, and extended his right hand for a shake.
"Hi Mr. Dobbins. I see you have a 'help wanted' sign in your window, so I'm here for the job!" He proclaimed.
Mr. Dobbins looked down at Jake's extended hand, then immediately walked towards the window ledge, removing the sign. "The positions been filled." he said. "Unless you're here to buy something, I suggest you go on your way!"
As Jake left the store, he looked back and saw Mr. Dobbins replacing the sign onto the window ledge. Tired and weary, he decided on trying his luck at the bakery, but they didn't need any 'troublemakers' working for them. He went into the diner, hoping to wash dishes or something, but again, he was rudely told 'they didn't need a little hoodlum on their payroll.'
He spent all morning and most of the afternoon looking for a job. No one wanted to higher Jake, or his bad reputation. He went to every store on the street except one. The only place left was Smitty's store. Jake figured he had a better chance of growing a set of wings and flying away, than Smitty actually giving him a job, so he decided the store was off-limits for job hunting.
Nevertheless, Jake would still make an appearance at Smitty's for one reason, and one reason only—he needed food. The only thing Jake ate all day was breakfast at the Brierly's, and by this time he was absolutely starving. Not to mention, he needed time to think of a good excuse to give Mr. and Mrs. Brierly, why he couldn't find a job.
He wasn't about to go and ask Smitty for a job. That would be like asking a cat to voluntarily take a bath. But he was hungry, and knew he still could outrun Smitty with two broken legs. He thought about what he could do. He was trying to change his life, and didn't want to steal anymore, but what choice did he have? He didn't have a job, or any money, so he decided today would be his last time. "It's only a sack of peanuts and a soda." he thought to himself.
<><><>
As he walked in, Smitty gave him an evil stare, and took out the thick stick he hid behind the counter. "Go on, get outta here Jake!" He warned. "I don't wanna have to use this thing on you today!"
"I got money Smitty" Jake lied. "Don't worry, remember last time? I paid, didn't I?"
Smitty set the stick on the counter, reminding Jake of his fate should he try stealing from him again.
"You better have money boy!" Smitty said "Or I swear, I'll give you the beating that's been coming to you
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