If I were a dancing Santa, where would I be?

�I don�t understand why I put myself through this every dang year,� Trixie moaned as she poured herself coffee and sat down at the large round table in the employee break room. Trixie had worked for Crimper�s department store since her senior year in high school and had dreaded this day.

�The day after Thanksgiving is always busy, Trix,� Shelia said as she stirred her coffee.

�Yes, I know.� Trixie glanced up at the clock. �Oh for the love of Pete. You do no more than sit down and your break is up. I�d better go before Libby starts having fits because I�m not on the floor.�

Sleigh bells ring, are ya listenin�
In the lane, snow is glistenin�

What do you mean you don�t carry this sweater in extra-extra large?

I�m looking for the �Super Power Intergalactic� action figure guy that comes with some sort of a six million voltage stun gun from that new cartoon out that all the kids are crazy about.

I don�t understand why you don�t accept American Express!

With God as our Father
Brothers all are we
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony

I was just trying this dress on, and noticed that there was a rip in it.

My check is good so run it through again! My ID? You want to see my ID?

Listen here, girlie, I�m finished talking to you. I want to see your manager.

Have a holly, jolly Christmas;
It's the best time of the year
I don't know if there'll be snow,
but have a cup of cheer.

�Trixie, I�m going to need you to stay a little later than six tonight,� Libby said as Trixie took a breather after helping a feisty customer. �Randy�s not showing up until then and so I need you to cover for her.�

�No, Libby,� Trixie said quickly before the small brunette could walk away. �I have plans at six.�

�Well, consider them cancelled.� With that, Libby turned and walked away.

�Bite me,� Trixie said under her breath and picked up the phone to call home.

�Excuse me, Ma�am,� an elderly woman said as Trixie had her finger on the button, ready to dial. �I�m wondering if you could help me get this package over to customer service for me? It�s too heavy for me to lift.�

�Certainly!� Trixie said as she donned her best grin and carried the box over to the counter. When she got back, Libby was waiting for her.

�Just where the heck were you?� she scowled at Trixie. �You can�t leave your department, Trix, you know that.�

�Sorry Libby,� Trixie said as she rushed back behind her own counter. �I was assisting a customer.�

�Right now, Mrs. Swanson needs your assistance.�

Trixie looked up and to her horror saw a middle aged woman looking down on her with stark blue eyes. Mrs. Swanson was a dreaded customer at the store and nothing was ever right for her.

�It�s about time I get waited on,� she huffed as she adjusted her big, round, rose colored glasses. �Now where do you keep your lotions?�

�Right over here, Mrs. Swanson,� Trixie said as she led the woman over to an aisle. Trixie wondered if the woman was blind because there was a huge red sign that stated very clearly �all lotions were 50% off�.

�Now, you do this to me every time, young lady,� Mrs. Swanson said as she glared at Trixie. �I need therapeutic hand lotion because of my dry flaky skin condition.�

Trixie inwardly rolled her eyes and directed Mrs. Swanson to the other side of the aisle. �You should be able to find what you need right here.�

Mrs. Swanson turned and fussed over a few bottles and walked away.

�You�re most welcome, Mrs. Swanson,� Trixie said under her breath.

�Trixie!�

The short blond woman jumped at the shrill sound of her name and spun around to see Libby glaring at her again.

�Will you get up here and wait on Mrs. Hatcher? Honestly, do I have to keep an eye on you?�

Trixie didn�t say anything but just stalked past her supervisor and helped the lady at the counter.

What do you mean by my credit card is no good?

IF I DON�T GET THE NEW MILLENIUM DREAM BARBIE AND KEN SET FOR CHRISTMAS, I�M GONNA STAND HERE AND SCREEEEEEEEEEEEAM!!!!!

You mean to tell me that you don�t know if Crimper�s stocks the George Forman Grill?

Trixie glanced up at the clock at the back of the store. Twenty minutes ago, Libby told her that she was going to stay until six, and she still hadn�t called home to Jim yet. Looking to her left, then to her right, she decided that the coast was clear and quickly picked up the phone to call her husband.

�Hey!� came a small voice from in front of the counter.

Trixie looked down to see a little girl with long brown hair holding up a pink box with �Doctor Fun Barbie� in it. Putting the phone back down, she smiled and greeted the young girl.

�What can I do for you?� she said sweetly.

�Kin you hol� on ta this Barbie until Mommy�s done shopping?� the little girl said.

�Sure!� she said with a smile and set the Barbie Doll under the counter.

The little girl�s eyes lit up like big blue gemstones as she spread her lips into a big toothy grin. �Thanks!� she said quickly and darted off to her mother.

�Excuse me, Ma�am,� an elderly woman said to Trixie after the little girl had left. �Could you show me where the sun catchers are?�

�Right this way,� Trixie said with a smile and led her over to the craft aisle. �Here are the �paint on� ones and here are the �oven bake� ones.�

�Oh goody!� she said with a big smile. �I haven�t been able to find the oven bake sun catchers in years! I think they�ve quit making them.�

�I�m not sure, but I know Crimper�s has always carried them. Personally, they are so much better than the paint on ones,� Trixie said and turned to look up at the clock. 10 minutes to go.

�Well, now I know where to come to get these!� the elderly lady squealed. �I have fifteen grand children and great-grand children coming to my house over Christmas vacation, and I�d love to make these with them. Thank you!�

�Not a problem,� Trixie said and turned away. Again with the coast clear, she picked up the phone again and tried to call home. Dang it! The line was busy! In shear frustration, she slammed the phone back down on the jack.

No lay-a-way on sale items? Just what kind of store is this?

I purchased this sweater from your store this morning, and I got it home and noticed that there was a hole in it.

Excuse me, young lady, but I do believe that as the customer, I am always right!

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
With the kids jingle belling,
And everyone telling you,
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

It was five minutes to six o�clock and Trixie began to feel relaxed. Her shift was nearly over and in minutes she�d be heading home into the loving arms of her husband and would be forgetting all about this day from hell.

��Scuse me,� came a little voice. Trixie looked down to see the same little girl who handed her the Barbie Doll minutes ago. �Could I have my Barbie now?�

�Sure,� Trixie said and looked down under the counter. She could swear her blood pressure raised a notch when she noticed the doll was gone. �Just a moment,� she told the wide-eyed girl as she picked up the intercom.

�Paging Libby to clothing and toys,� Trixie announced over the loud speaker. �Libby to clothing and toys.�

A few seconds later, Libby showed up at the counter.

�Would you have any idea what happened to the Barbie Doll that was under this counter?� Trixie asked her boss quietly.

�There was a doll under the counter, but there was no note, so I put it back on the shelf. Why? You weren�t saving it there for yourself, where you? You know you can�t do that.� Libby gave Trixie a condescending look.

�No, in fact I was saving it for this little customer of ours who asked me to hang on to it.�

�I�ll stay here while you go get it.�

Trixie scowled and rushed off down the toy aisle to find the �Doctor Fun Barbie Doll�. She grew frantic as she looked up and down the shelves of Barbie Dolls for the specific one the little girl had but couldn�t find any. She knocked over boxes to check behind rows of Barbie dolls. She checked and double checked the entire aisle, but couldn�t find the doll. Finally she decided that the doll had been purchased already.

As Trixie rounded the corner, she saw the little girl looking up at her with a hopeful expression on her face, which started to crinkle up in a sob once she noticed that Trixie was not holding the doll.

�The doll isn�t there, Libby,� Trixie said. �Thanks for putting it back without asking me first!� The little girl began to sob uncontrollably and Trixie rushed to her side. �I�m sorry, honey,� she said soothingly to the girl. �We�re bound to get more dolls in.� Trixie�s words didn�t help.

�Why is my daughter crying?� came a stern voice from behind Trixie. Both Libby and Trixie looked up and saw a very tall, husky woman who didn�t look very happy.

�I apologize for this,� Trixie started but Libby cut her off.

�I�m sorry, ma�am, but I hadn�t realized that a doll had been set aside for your daughter. There was no note on it and it was just lying around.� Libby took out a rain check tablet. �Why don�t I get your name and address and we�ll contact you when we get more of that doll in stock.�

�Well, I don�t know,� said the husky woman as she left her cart and stalked up to the counter, towering over Libby by well over three feet. �You see, I can come in whenever and get that doll, but it�s the principle of the matter. You didn�t bother to ask, now did you?�

�W-well, n-no, I d-didn�t, but I�ll be more than happy to give you a discount on the doll when we get it in stock,� Libby said as she looked up at the tall customer.

�It�s not the discount, Miss, it�s the fact of the matter that you�re a bad manager!�

Libby flushed and stood straight up to her four-foot-five height and glared at the customer. �That was not my fault, Ma�am. Trixie didn�t mark the package so how was I supposed to know? Trixie was not at the counter so I couldn�t very well go ask!�

�I�m not going to stand here and argue with you, Missy,� the woman belted out at the small woman. �It�s your fault and frankly, as far as I�m concerned, I will not shop here again until you have been fired or demoted.� With that she took her daughter by the hand and left.

Trixie looked up at the clock and noticed that it was five minutes after six. �Well, Libby, looks like my twelve hour shift is up, so��

�Just go home,� Libby sneered at her. �I�ll have you know, that this is going on your record as an incident.�

Trixie ignored her and stalked back to the employee room to grab her things and go. All she wanted to do was to go home now and hope that Jim wasn�t there. She didn�t care to really see anyone at the moment.

The drive home hadn�t been relaxing at all due to loud and pushy drivers. Pulling the car up to the driveway, she let out a sigh of relief. It was dark and cold out but looking up to the kitchen window, she saw the soft glow of the stove light. She dragged herself up the steps and opened the door and immediately inhaled the strong aroma of chicken and spiced stuffing.

Seconds after she shut the door and took off her coat, Jim appeared in the entry way holding a wine glass, and staring at her with soft, dark green eyes that twinkled slightly.

His smile faded after he saw the worn and tired look on Trixie�s face. �You look like you�d rather skip dinner and head to bed,� he said as he took her coat from her.

�Are you kidding? I�m so hungry I could eat a horse! I haven�t had anything to eat since this morning when I had by bagel for breakfast and a cup of coffee and a Hershey Bar for break.� Trixie wrapped her arms around his supple, strong, athletic body and kissed him �hello�. �I�m famished.�

This story is dedicated to those of us who have survived the wickedest of all shopping days. If you can survive the Thanksgiving/Christmas crowd, you can survive anything.

Standard disclaimers apply. Not doing this for $$$ and never obtained permission to use the characters.

This story is not part of my Trixie Belden universe. It was mainly written for the sake of those loud and pushy customers. If it weren�t for them, the wonderful world of customer service just wouldn�t be half as enjoyable�

Thanks to Eric and Cassie who proof read this thing for me. Maybe someday Trixie will take Eric�s advice and play Taliban Bingo with those customers�