Everyone who met seventeen-year-old Jimmy Haynes told him he was an old soul. He liked to think this label was simply a side effect of working part-time at East Side Records. The store manager, Milo Reddish, liked to play a healthy dose of Elvis Costello and Frankie Valli all day and night – the season didn’t matter.
Jimmy didn’t mind.
“Kid, come here,” Milo said to Jimmy one night after the two had closed shop. “You’ve been here what, a year now?”
Jimmy scratched his patchy goatee. “Yeah, I guess I have, haven’t I?”
Milo pulled a toothpick from his pocket and started picking at his teeth. He smacked his gums. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
Jimmy followed the much older man, taking in his familiar scent of Big Red chewing gum and weed.
When they stepped inside the dingy little office, Milo took out a record player from the back corner of the room. “Just a little thank you, you know, for putting up with me for a year. I hope you keep coming back.”
Jimmy didn’t know how to describe it, but the inner part of his chest felt warm. It expanded outward as he ran his fingers over the vintage, but refurbished, player.
“Thank you,” Jimmy said. He’d never received a more beautiful gift in his entire life. He wasn’t about to tell Milo, but working at East Side after school was far better than going home to an empty apartment.
“So you’ll keep coming come back, I take it?” Milo asked, smirking.
“That’s my plan.”
Milo chuckled. He wandered over to his paper-strewn desk and started rolling up his smoke breaks for tomorrow. “Listen, maybe I’ll even let you choose the music on your next shift.”
“Am I gonna get a raise, too?” Jimmy asked.
“Ha!” Milo half-shouted. “I’ll see ya, kid.”
“Thanks again,” Jimmy said as he carried the record player out the office door.
On his walk home, a thought struck him: I don’t even own any records.
He laughed under the streetlamps, plodding along the shadowy, cracked sidewalk.
Thank you for reading “Old Soul” — I hope you enjoyed it!
And thanks to everyone who stopped by on Friday to read and write some fifty-word stories. It’s been a blast hosting these writing challenges. I’ll share the next prompt on Friday. This one will be a bit different than the ones that have come before it. I’m excited to share it!
Have a great week, everyone. I hope it’s filled with good music.
This story reminded me of the new Taylor Swift song with the lyric, “You’re on your own, kid. You always have been.” The truth is even those of us that have always been on our own have also had people like Milo at key moments. Another memorable story!
I loved this one, Justin. For some reason, Jimmy reminded me of one of our old students... not an old soul, but certainly a quirky one... EC. This story is very atmospheric, too. I can almost feel Jimmy walking home with his record player.