>I realized today that I like the new job.

I listen to music all day, good music, modern music. I fold clothes. I greet people, and introduce myself. It’s a good time talking with people and employees.

A rather interesting thing happened today. “The Kernel” came in. About 55, dressed in a sort of leisure suit complete with chest hair and gold chain, he reeked of liquor and had a mission: to find his niece. He introduced himself to my manager as “The Kernel” and was looking for “a short Korean girl” his niece whom he was supposed to meet there.

He used the phone after a belabored introduction, where he hurt my managers hand with his handshake and saying that she was the prettiest thing he’d seen since he got out. She’s no ugly duckling… but daaaaaaamn, he must have been isolated. On the other hand she also told him he was very sharp looking, much more sharp then we were accustomed to here at the mall. This was only after he made a comment, and expected a response in regards to his rather outdated appearance.

On the phone with his niece (I’m assuming) he kept repeating the same thing: “where are you?!” she’d tell him, he’d repeat where she said she was, then ask her again “where are you? right now?” — it got almost scary. Then he was going on about how he was brought here with a millitary escort, then I think she hung up on him. When he was about to leave he had to introduce himself directly to me, shaking my hand fiercely and plopping a battered silver dollar and a marines pin on the counter.

I began to wonder if this guy was a head-case, and he probably was, at the very least he was a Kernel in the Marine Corps, out after 30 years of service — “…and I tell ya, it’s a trip — just look at these little fellas”. If it didn’t involve traumatizing children, it probably would have been funnier then it was. I was confused, but amused.