Pawn Shop story, part 2
Monday, April 20th, 2009 04:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tsaikoI tried to leave this in ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
skylark97's comments in response to her putting out the next part of her story so quickly. But I kind of exceeded the max comment length. Oops? So here's the next part of my pawn shop story
The change from bright sunlight outside to dim, artificial lights inside threw Graham for a second. Not that he stopped. Instead he took a few confident steps inside. He'd always hated when people paused right inside the doorway, blocking anyone else from coming in. When his eyes adjusted, Graham got his first look at the shop.
Nothing seemed to be in any kind of order. Prom dresses were hung next to leather jackets which in turn hung next to band T-shirts. A couple of guitars, a trumpet, and a harp were displayed next to a rack of ceramic angels and a stuffed pink elephant. Three Christmas trees sat next to a shelf full of antique looking books interspersed with pieces of old and new china.
At least the floors were clean and the shelves well maintained. It was cluttered, but ordered cluttered. Like there was some pattern to the mess that only the clerks knew.
"Welcome. Can I help you?" The voice was masculine. Graham looked over to see a guy leaning against the glass display case filled with rings and jewelry in no discernible order. The first thing he noticed was the clerk's curly hair. The second thing he noticed were the tattoos that graced both of the guy's arm and the three earrings (minimum) in each ear. The third thing Graham noticed was the way the shop keeper gave him a slow, long perusal.
Sorry, dude. Not my type.
"Yeah." Graham moved towards the counter. His last experience with a pawn shop had been in college, when he'd gotten hawked of some of his mom's jewelry in order to buy books. Still, at least he new the process. "How much will you offer me for this?"
The clerk took the ring from him and made a noise in the back of his throat. "Nice and heavy. Eighteen karat gold. Is it yours or his?"
"I bought it for him," Graham replied. Then he shook his head. "How did you know it was a he?"
"You stay in this business long enough, you can tell." The clerk was smirking. It kind of made Graham want to punch him in the face. If, you know, he actually ever resorted to violence. "I'll give you a $160 for it."
"One-sixty! Are you kidding me? I paid at least $600 for that ring," Graham replied. The clerk looked unimpressed.
"Best offer. Take it or leave it." Graham had forgotten what a rip-off these places were. Still, there was no way he could take it back to the jewelry store, not after six weeks had passed. This was probably his best option.
"I'll take it."
After that there was paperwork to fill out, personal information to give in case the ring proved stolen, and a contract to sign. Despite the clerk asking him repeatedly, he did not want the option of buying the ring back in 60 days. Nothing was going to make Graham suddenly want a expensive gold wedding ring in the next 60 days, so there was no reason. Just give him the money and let him go. The clerk peeled off 8 crisp twenty dollar bills for him and the transaction was done.
Free. It was kind of a nice feeling. The ring had been the last thing connecting him to Rick and now it was gone. Graham almost felt a little giddy. Maybe this had been a good idea. Just what he needed.
"Do you mind if I look around?" Graham asked.
"Sure. I recommend the area in the center or maybe to the left. You might find something you like," the clerk replied. He was smiling this time, though it looked more predatory than anything.
"Uh... thanks." Graham steered clear of the center and left side of the store, and headed right. He went through the shelves, picking up items at random before putting them back. Another customer entered the store, and the clerk seemed to focus in on her. Graham breathed a sign of relief and wandered towards the back.
Once back there,Graham picked up a book that seemed to be written in Latin of all things. In the process he knocked a book on embroidery to the floor. Grumbling, he knelt down to pick it up. That's when he saw it.
It was a statue of a unicorn carved out of some dark, reddish wood and standing about eight inches high. There was nothing dainty or cutesy about it thought. It was more deer-like than horse like, with a horn twisted around itself like a narwhal's tusk. The unicorn's tiny ears were pricked forward, muscles tense like it planned on fleeing at any second. Graham reached out and ran one finger down the unicorn's back. The finish was smooth and cool under his touch.
By the time Graham made it back to the front of the store, the other customer was gone. The clerk was cleaning the front case. He looked up when Graham approached, spotted the statue in his hands, and froze.
"You want that?" the clerk blurted out. Graham immediately went on the defensive. He could make up some story about a niece or something, because what kind of grown man bought a unicorn statue? But he didn't. He wanted the statue and he refused to be ashamed of it.
"Yes. How much is it?"
"Are you..."
"How. Much."
"$40" the clerk said. "Although I really think you should reconsider..."
Graham peeled off two of the eight twenties the clerk had given him earlier. "Here. Do you have a bag?"
"Sure. But don't say I didn't warn you," the clerk muttered. He produced the bag and then scrounged around in back until he found paper and a box for the statue. Graham stuffed down his own irritation and even found a thank you for the clerk as he collected the now boxed statue.
"Have a nice day and good luck." Graham headed towards the door. Just before he left the shop, he could have sworn the clerk added, "You're going to need it."
skylark97's comments in response to her putting out the next part of her story so quickly. But I kind of exceeded the max comment length. Oops? So here's the next part of my pawn shop storyThe change from bright sunlight outside to dim, artificial lights inside threw Graham for a second. Not that he stopped. Instead he took a few confident steps inside. He'd always hated when people paused right inside the doorway, blocking anyone else from coming in. When his eyes adjusted, Graham got his first look at the shop.
Nothing seemed to be in any kind of order. Prom dresses were hung next to leather jackets which in turn hung next to band T-shirts. A couple of guitars, a trumpet, and a harp were displayed next to a rack of ceramic angels and a stuffed pink elephant. Three Christmas trees sat next to a shelf full of antique looking books interspersed with pieces of old and new china.
At least the floors were clean and the shelves well maintained. It was cluttered, but ordered cluttered. Like there was some pattern to the mess that only the clerks knew.
"Welcome. Can I help you?" The voice was masculine. Graham looked over to see a guy leaning against the glass display case filled with rings and jewelry in no discernible order. The first thing he noticed was the clerk's curly hair. The second thing he noticed were the tattoos that graced both of the guy's arm and the three earrings (minimum) in each ear. The third thing Graham noticed was the way the shop keeper gave him a slow, long perusal.
Sorry, dude. Not my type.
"Yeah." Graham moved towards the counter. His last experience with a pawn shop had been in college, when he'd gotten hawked of some of his mom's jewelry in order to buy books. Still, at least he new the process. "How much will you offer me for this?"
The clerk took the ring from him and made a noise in the back of his throat. "Nice and heavy. Eighteen karat gold. Is it yours or his?"
"I bought it for him," Graham replied. Then he shook his head. "How did you know it was a he?"
"You stay in this business long enough, you can tell." The clerk was smirking. It kind of made Graham want to punch him in the face. If, you know, he actually ever resorted to violence. "I'll give you a $160 for it."
"One-sixty! Are you kidding me? I paid at least $600 for that ring," Graham replied. The clerk looked unimpressed.
"Best offer. Take it or leave it." Graham had forgotten what a rip-off these places were. Still, there was no way he could take it back to the jewelry store, not after six weeks had passed. This was probably his best option.
"I'll take it."
After that there was paperwork to fill out, personal information to give in case the ring proved stolen, and a contract to sign. Despite the clerk asking him repeatedly, he did not want the option of buying the ring back in 60 days. Nothing was going to make Graham suddenly want a expensive gold wedding ring in the next 60 days, so there was no reason. Just give him the money and let him go. The clerk peeled off 8 crisp twenty dollar bills for him and the transaction was done.
Free. It was kind of a nice feeling. The ring had been the last thing connecting him to Rick and now it was gone. Graham almost felt a little giddy. Maybe this had been a good idea. Just what he needed.
"Do you mind if I look around?" Graham asked.
"Sure. I recommend the area in the center or maybe to the left. You might find something you like," the clerk replied. He was smiling this time, though it looked more predatory than anything.
"Uh... thanks." Graham steered clear of the center and left side of the store, and headed right. He went through the shelves, picking up items at random before putting them back. Another customer entered the store, and the clerk seemed to focus in on her. Graham breathed a sign of relief and wandered towards the back.
Once back there,Graham picked up a book that seemed to be written in Latin of all things. In the process he knocked a book on embroidery to the floor. Grumbling, he knelt down to pick it up. That's when he saw it.
It was a statue of a unicorn carved out of some dark, reddish wood and standing about eight inches high. There was nothing dainty or cutesy about it thought. It was more deer-like than horse like, with a horn twisted around itself like a narwhal's tusk. The unicorn's tiny ears were pricked forward, muscles tense like it planned on fleeing at any second. Graham reached out and ran one finger down the unicorn's back. The finish was smooth and cool under his touch.
By the time Graham made it back to the front of the store, the other customer was gone. The clerk was cleaning the front case. He looked up when Graham approached, spotted the statue in his hands, and froze.
"You want that?" the clerk blurted out. Graham immediately went on the defensive. He could make up some story about a niece or something, because what kind of grown man bought a unicorn statue? But he didn't. He wanted the statue and he refused to be ashamed of it.
"Yes. How much is it?"
"Are you..."
"How. Much."
"$40" the clerk said. "Although I really think you should reconsider..."
Graham peeled off two of the eight twenties the clerk had given him earlier. "Here. Do you have a bag?"
"Sure. But don't say I didn't warn you," the clerk muttered. He produced the bag and then scrounged around in back until he found paper and a box for the statue. Graham stuffed down his own irritation and even found a thank you for the clerk as he collected the now boxed statue.
"Have a nice day and good luck." Graham headed towards the door. Just before he left the shop, he could have sworn the clerk added, "You're going to need it."
