A Shot in the Dark
“Hey, Johnie,” Karma said as her boss walked through the door. She tried to act innocent.
“Get out of my way,” Johnie replied. “I’ve got to pee.” Hunched over, he walked like a penguin toward the back of the salon.
“Well, good morning to you, too.” She preoccupied herself with her clipper attachments and pretended to pout.
Johnie sighed and turned around. “Karma, don’t go all Sylvia Plath on me.” He tapped his foot involuntarily. “We can be besties in a minute. But right now I’ve got a venti Hazelnut Latte springing holes in my bladder.”
He turned and hurried to the restroom. “Good grief, who put all this crap in front of the door.” He started throwing brooms and mops and boxes of toilet paper.
“Yikes,” Karma said. She ran over to help. “Sorry, Johnie. We were cleaning out the storage closet last night. I came in early to put it all up. I just hadn’t got there yet.”
“It’s fine.” Johnie was breathing heavy. “Just move this stuff. I’m dying here.”
Karma shoved the last box out of the way then stepped back and waited.
Johnie threw open the bathroom door, flipped on the light, and screamed at the man staring back at him. “Oh, mercy.”