I grew up white trash in a small town out in the middle of nowhere. I hung out with all the wrong kids at school. I was in trouble often and just did enough to pass my classes. All the teachers, guidance counselor and principal at school told me I was smart and wasting all of my potential.
After graduation I continued working at the local Walmart. I had started out as cashier but loved doing the carts. It seemed that it was a hard position for the management to fill because people didn't want to be outside in the cold and rain during the winter or in the extreme heat during summer. I would leave my blue-tooth earphone in, covered by my long hair, and just listen to my heavy metal music all day. I was out of sight of my managers and as long as all the carts were collected and I did the occasional delivery for an old customer I didn't get shit from no one.
One late afternoon, not half a year after high school graduation, I was called to the service desk to do a delivery. It was for Mrs. Mattenhausen the former school principal. Our town had one school that was K-12. Mrs. Mattenhausen had retired the summer between my junior and senior years. She had become widowed a few years before that. I had known her discipline for twelve years. She was a very strict and proper principal. She always dressed in old school dresses and wore corsets underneath. Mrs. Mattenhausen was very different from the new, young, progressive lady that replaced her.
Although Mrs. Mattenhausen was born in north Texas she came from old Prussian stock and spent her childhood growing up in Germany. Her father was a General in the US Army and he was stationed Germany for most of his career. He enrolled here in the local German school and she even went to college there. I guess that is why she still had a slight German Accent.
Kids that were a few years older than me used to talk about the paddling and ruler across the knuckles that she used to dish out before they were banned by the state. Once they were banned she used the confinement stall and after school frequently for punishment. I was very familiar with both.
The girl behind the desk had informed me that Mrs. Mattenhausen had just bought a new 60" TV and could not bring it home. I picked it up from the loading dock and took it to Mrs. Mattenhausen's house. She was waiting for me on the porch when I arrived.
"Ricky, please be a dear and put my old TV into the trash bin before you install the new one." She ordered.
"I sorry Mam, I am not supposed to unpack and install the TV. I am just supposed to carry it inside for you." I replied.
"I know Ricky, but I will make it worth your time and you will be tipped nicely." She said, "No one needs to know. It will be our little secret."
"OK, Mrs. Mattenhausen." I replied and followed her inside to the living room where the old TV was still sitting.
I carried her old TV, out to the trash bin for her and then wheeled the trash bin to the curb, since it was Tuesday and Wednesday was her appointed trash pick-up day. I then carried the new TV in, unpacked it and assembled the stand. We then hoisted it up on to the wall cabinet and I spent the next twenty minutes hooking up the wires and programming in the channels.
While I was working Mrs. Mattenhausen made small talk with me. She asked me if I liked working at Walmart and I replied that I did.
"But they couldn't possibly pay you much." She insisted,
"I know, but I get enough." I replied, "I am not motivated much by money but cart collection lets me have freedom from authority that the other workers don't have."
When I finished Mrs. Mattenhausen gave me a glass of lemonade and while I drank it informed me that she didn't have enough money at the house to tip me.
"I will tip with with something that motivates you so much more!" She stated with a sinister expression. "How would you like to fuck me?"
