just like my father

Break time.

"What can I get for you?"

"I'll just have a large iced caramel coffee, a grilled ranch snack wrap and a small fry please."

"You want your discount?"

"Yes please."

"Hey Sue! Can you come give Jack a discount?"

"Actually, can you punch this for a free meal for me?"

"Sure"

"And you forgot to punch it yesterday, could you punch it twice?"

I got a free meal card. It's good for seven free meals. I raised the most money for the Ronald mcDonald house or whatever. I guess that's cool.

I ate my food in the back. I ate my food in silence.

Throwing out my food, I walked out of the store.

Four quarters. I had four quarters. Good thing I got that free meal card. I walked to the grocery store. The scratch card machine didn't take coins here.

"Could I get a dollar for four quarters?"

"I'm sorry, I can't make change here. You can go to customer services though."

"Could I get a dollar for four quarters?"

"Ya. Here you go."

I rubbed the creases out of the dollar against my pant-leg. There was a man in front of me buying a scratch card. Lucky sevens. My mom always said seven was a lucky number. I thought loose change would be more appropriate though. I slid my dollar in after the man ahead of me had moved aside. Loose change.

You need the change in 6 spots to add up to over a dollar and you win the prize shown.

I didn't have any more coins to scratch with though. I used my fingernails, the gray dust gathering under my fingernail. Fifty cents. Good start.

But it wasn't good enough. Ninety-two cents.

Fuck that.

Is it narcissistic of me to think I deserve a break?