Vigilante Slimming Scanner – Chapter 6

REGISTERS

“Wow. Look at you! You’re here early.” If I had a face, my smile would blind people with its brightness. “And you look happy today.”

“Believe it or not, I am.” Toro glides past me at the checkout counter to the refrigerators in the back, grabs the two cartons of milk, a protein bar and water, and brings it all to the front. As usual, the clerk scans everything but the milk. He drops the water and bar into his messenger bag and takes the milk. “I spent the weekend looking at bikes online and walking around my neighborhood. I think I’m going to buy one and start biking into work.”

“Biking is great exercise,” the clerk says, looking up from her phone and putting it back in her bag. “I bike to work every day. There’s a garage down the street with a bunch of indoor bike racks.” She points out the door and to the right. “You should store yours there.”

“Really?” Toro clutches the strap of his gym bag on the opposite shoulder. “I think I will. Thank you.” The two bow to each other. “As it is, I’ve joined the gym up the block and I plan to run after dropping off the milk each day.”

“Ah, now your new attire makes sense.” There was something different about Toro today, and now I realize he’s wearing running gear and shoes instead of his usual button-down shirt and dress pants.

“Yeah. I’m going to drop off my bags at the gym, take the milk to Mitsukawa-san, go for a run, lift weights at the gym, and then shower and off to work. And the trains were less crowded at this time of the morning. It seemed like the right thing to do.”

I’m impressed with Toro’s newfound love of exercise. When he left here that first day to deliver milk to Kamiko two weeks ago, I thought he was going to come back and smash me, or smash this register at least. You can destroy a grocery store scanner, but not the god inside of it. We’ll just migrate somewhere else. But I was worried he would take out his anger on the clerk, and I doubt she could defend herself against his rage.

He didn’t blow up, though. He was surly, but he soldiered on. I admire that about him. He gets that from his mom.

“Now that you’re finally taking your health seriously, I want to pay you back for all of your hard work.”

Toro shifts on his feet. “You don’t have to. I understand. I haven’t lost any weight yet or anything, but I’m committed to getting in shape and taking care of myself. The stairs were killer, still are, but I’m beginning to enjoy them. I don’t need anything except access to snacks when I’m starving.” He laughs, his belly shaking. Maybe he hasn’t lost weight, but I can already see a difference. He’s looser, less stressed, more confident. This was a good decision.

“We haven’t known each other very well, but I knew your mother, and she would be upset with the way you’ve let yourself go, so I’m glad you’ve finally taken an interest in your health. Especially after what happened to your father.”

All of the air leaves his lungs, and he reaches into his pocket for his phone. “What happened to my dad?”

“Uh-oh.” I let the last syllable linger between the three of us. A new customer walks in, the air of the room shifting around us, but I can only pay attention to Toro’s panicked face. “Nothing. Never mind.”

I thought I’d share some happy memories of his mother since I know he was adopted, but gauging by his reaction, he had no idea. Great. That was a huge mistake.

“What… Happened… To… My… Dad?” Pushing out each syllable, he punctuates the question with a sharp index finger to the counter four times.

I wait, assessing his mood. “Will you sit down?”

His face flushes red. “Maybe?” he growls out. The clerk withdraws backwards, her eyes wide. “My… Dad?”

“He died before you were born. Your mother died in childbirth.”

He leans forward and grasps the edge of the counter. “If my parents are dead, then I’m adopted?” His voice softens, and he leans to the side, his gaze flitting over everything in the store. Back and forth, back and forth.

“It’s the truth. Your mother was a wonderful woman. It’s a shame she didn’t live long enough to see you grow up.”

“I’m adopted, and I had no idea.”

The clerk reaches forward and pats his hand a few times. “At least you’re still alive,” she says, nodding seriously.

Toro pulls himself up, shaking his head to bring himself back to the present. I’ve shocked him to his core.

“You must have the wrong person. There’s no way. No way.” He punctuates each word with a poke of his finger, steps back, and sweeps from the store in a puff of air.

“You could have been a little more sensitive,” the clerk whispers to me as a new customer approaches the counter. “You don’t drop news like that on someone.”

I don’t answer. That was not my greatest moment ever.