Instead, I needed him to rope off the area and make it inaccessible to customers for now. As he did that, Amanda and Daed went about removing all of the tarps from the other shelves and displays, and I grabbed a marker and some paper to write out a few signs apologizing for the mess and offering a “construction discount” of ten percent off everything. We’d been spreading the word for several weeks that the store was going to be closed because of the construction, so I expected business to be slow. My intention was to help open up and then duck out, slipping over to the library to use the computer there and do some research. But instead of a quiet day, the store quickly became swamped. I realized I wouldn’t be able to leave for a long while, not until after the rush was done. All morning long, the bells hanging from the door handle chimed as people flooded in and out—and in again. We were used to being busy, especially in the mornings, but this steady of a stream was unusual for a Friday.
