Behind the Counter

Sometimes, a customer at my store makes me smile. Other times, yell, curse, or scratch my head. People being people, it is rare that they act exactly how we expect them too. But, today I was surprised by a customer so much it made me cry. In 21 years as a retailer, that is a first. And, here I thought I had seen it all.

Looking back over the years, I have had someone urinate in my store, light a cigarette and act oddly all surprised when I pointed out the three no smoking signs, call my wife a choice name and be surprised when I threw them bodily into the street. Generally speaking, I have had people act like, and do just about every imaginable thing. I had a customer smack my child in the mouth once (they didn't fare so well with me). I have caught people trying to steal, cheat, take cards from other kids. One tried to walk out with a TV once (used to test video games), another tried to put, I kid you not, an Elvis Record into their PANTS to steal it. This is of course a 21 year history of my being a retailer - most people are just normal folks (like you and me) (well, like you, anyway).

Today a woman, maybe 65 or so, was in with her daughter, and two grandchildren. The woman spoke a dialect of English I can only call "mountain" - and I am comfortable saying she was a bit of a hillbilly - and mean nothing bad by that. My grandparents were hillbillies, and I am proud to have come from their line. I think she may have been from somewhere in Virginia, as were my grandparents - such was her accent so similar to my Grandmother's - and that alone might have been enough to make me miss my grandma, and cry - but that's not all.

The grandmother in today was allowing her grandchildren to buy a set amount of games, toys or comics that they wanted to - up to a certain (fairly high) limit each. The kids were having a ball, picking out stuff from our Dollar Table, Ten-Dollar Table, and other merchandise (video games, boffer weapons, graphic novels and music). As they were cashing out, the grandmother was telling the two children how much they had left to spend. One of the kids, maybe 10 to 12, kept taking an attitude with their grandma - saying "I know Gramma" with much exasperation in their voice.

My own parents would have -well- smacked my mouth for such a thing. LOL, they were hands on parents, let me tell ya. But, this kind lady just let it roll off her like water off a ducks back, and kept talking to her grandchildren with love, affection, kindness and patience. (Like my Grandma Heflin always did!)

After they left, I had to go in the back and cry. The kindness of this woman to her grandchildren made me just well up with tears, and they had to come out. I imagine she would be a wonderful person to know, to befriend. And, that made me miss my grandparents even more - and my parents too.

I guess this time of year, maybe I am missing my own mother and father a lot. Having been divorced last year - and remarried this year - I have lost any link to my parents I had in another adult (my ex wife). I have no siblings to reminisce with, and my ex is of course the last person with whom I will have had a relationship who knew my parents - so I am left only with my memories. I guess maybe as we get older, we lose these connections to our past. My parents were my last link to my grandparents (Virgie and Ralph Heflin) who were such wonderful examples to me as a child. Now, my divorce has lost me my last connection to my parents. I still grieve for this loss a little.

Luckily, I now have in-laws who adore me. Peggy (Colleen's Mom) is as dear to me as my own mother was, and I love her and cannot wait to see here come December 22nd when we get to Columbus, Ohio, for Christmas. Bill (Colleen's father) is a great man, and I love to visit with him, and listen to his stories and memories of his youth. He owned a music store, back in his day, and I own one now. It is a good time to hang out with them.

Other family now fills my heart too - Hannah, Gabe, Emily, Casey, Jordan, Luke, Issac, Christian, Logan and Jenna - all my nieces and nephews. Bill and Lisa, Kathy and Dave, Katherine and Vern, Tom and Leah - my brothers and sisters in law. Even Beki and Jared (my ex wife's boyfriend's kids - great kids all). My family sure has grown. And, of course I still consider Jerry & Ashley, Max and Diane, Allen and Pat, Barb and Rick, Rick and Lori - all family (these are my ex's family, and some are her other ex's family - its complicated, okay?).

But, I do miss my parents. I miss talking about them, and looking through photo albums and remembering things about them with someone who knew them. I do still get to talk about them a little bit, with my Uncle Howard and Aunt Pat Reeves (I have two auntie Pats). And, of course, with my best friend Dale Groundrill - literally my twin brother from another mother.

My kids, thankfully, are wonderful children - and I see some of my Mom in my daughter, Kattarina. Some of my Dad in my daughter, Tonya. And, some of my Grampa Ralph Heflin in my son Max Keeney - who is no blood relation to me, and I am no blood relation to my grampa (he being my mother's step-father).

But, somehow some of him got into me, and some of me got into my boy. Funny how that works.

If you are reading it, thanks! If you see yourself listed among my family - I love you. If you are family, and not listed - well, I love you too.

If you are a customer, friend, acquaintance, distant relative, one of the girls from Heartbeats, or one of the tattoo folks at Old Anchor - Have a Merry Christmas (or holiday of your faith or tradition). I look forward to seeing you again next year.

And, if you are named Colleen Anne, then thank you for making my life worth living, bringing all this love, and a big old family into my life, thanks for sharing the good and bad times, helping with the THOUSAND TONS OF WORK we have had, and not complaining.

More Soon! Love to everyone, may the season and holidays bring you closer to family, friends and may the new year bring you prosperity and peace.

Marcus King
Owner of Titan Games
Tonya, Katie and Max's Dad
Colleen's Husband
Uncle Marcus
Big fat happy gu