I work at Taco Bell
My shoulder was hurting.
by Ambika Bates
I was dilly-dallying on the line, waiting for somebody to want a Crunchwrap Supreme, when the doors swung open and I was pressed suddenly into the taco tower.
It was His finger, jammed in the big doors, which are heavy, so I knew it had to be Him.
He must have been hunched, somehow, over the whole establishment, probably in quite an awkward position, clawing for something.
I said, oh, hello, and, what brings you to Dragon Retail Park, and, do you want a Crunchwrap Supreme? There’s no need to claw about, we can bring it out for you. I didn’t know what to say, and my shoulder was pressing quite uncomfortably into the taco tower.
My shoulder was hurting.
He said, in a soft rumble, oh, no, I’m here for you.
For ME.
He said, how’s Hinge going? Which I thought was an odd question, but, well, now that you a-
He said, maybe I do want a Crunchwrap Supreme.
I didn’t know God said maybe.
The finger inched its way out and my shoulder breathed a little sigh of relief, which it had never done before. I said, why did my shoulder just breathe a littl-
He said, I think my finger’s jammed.
I was beginning to process that I had a real opportunity here, to gain some clarity on matters, so I took the leap. Wh-
He said, I didn’t. I didn’t do any of this. I didn’t make any of this.
He sounded sad.
I asked, to lighten the mood, did you take the bus down? Which one?
He said, I took the 50. I didn’t make any of this. I don’t…
I said, it’s fine. Hinge is a bit impersonal, but we‘re doing our best. No, we’re not. I mean- we need help. We, kind of, I guess, well, we thought-
He said, I don’t even know where to START. What IS a Crunchwrap Supreme?!
Then there was a shuddering, and the doors shook a little and swung closed, and He was gone.
The Crunchwrap timer beeps.
Ambika Bates is a poet, English and Creative Writing student, and Taco Bell employee.