Don's Turn

Donald Appleyard was a shopping mall security guard, doing the job for almost ten years after leaving school. He'd dreamed of being a policeman or at least a community officer on completing college, scraping through with a diploma in retail. However, his dream faded at his medical. They found a heart murmur, an irregular heart beat, and the medical opinion was that he could have problems in stressful situations and considered unfit to join the force.

After a year of monthly heart specialist visits he was signed off fit for normal life but the police wouldn't consider him.

He'd worked at the local mall in a retail job during that year but wasn't enjoying it. A friend suggested he apply for a security guard position. The Mall employed a dozen guards, the manager explained, but had a high turnover as shift-work didn't suit everyone.

The job was more janitorial and maintenance than protection, with clean-up of spillages, placing barriers around leaks or broken floor tiles, doing temporary repairs etc. Cleaners worked at set times during the day and after hours, leaving the security guards to do emergency clean-up as required.

They retained shoplifters, although few shops prosecuted. It was easier to charge every customer the extra percentage to cover the thefts and the security guards to inconvenience offenders for a while "waiting for the police", who never came.

They rotated checking delivery goods in and out beneath the Mall, but Don least liked that job. Around Christmas and the holidays and sale times there would be short tempers and drunken scuffles but nothing Don and the security guards couldn't handle.

After eight years Don was the longest-serving security guard the Mall ever had. Don was helpful, always had time for everyone and everyone knew him.

Don was single, perpetually single. He'd always been on a little on the chubby side, even though he worked out in the Mall gym (with discount membership) and he'd started losing his hair in his late teens. He shaved his head, hoping he'd look hard but, truthfully, he looked more Buddha-like.

He really fancied the odd but really pretty Jessica Todd, who he remembered from school. Donald was too shy to speak to any girl, but Jessica was special, small and neat with long blond hair. She had one of several freestanding stalls in the Town Centre mall called "Gipsy Jess, Fortunes Told", in the midst of the wide thoroughfare between the east entrance and the escalators. There she sold aromatic candles, loose and strung beads, costume jewellery and read Tarot cards, telling people's fortunes.

Every day, Don often found inconspicuous places in that area to stop and gaze at Jessica. She wore flowing flowery dresses, headscarves and large gold earrings, to look mysterious and, Don thought, beautiful. Unfortunately, wherever he stopped, someone would always speak to him and blow his cover. Any number of times he would glance back after being disturbed and see her looking at him with a Mona Lisa smile on her face.

Today he was feeling jealous because Jessica seemed comfortable in the presence of a thin, scruffy, shifty-looking guy while she packed up the contents of her stall. As she squatted to lock her stock cupboard, he suddenly snatched up her cash box and ran off towards the nearest exit.

Donald was after him like a shot and rugby-tackled him, returning her cash box, before marching him off to the interview room, advising the manager Ted on the radio.

"Got it all on camera," Ted laughed, "nice tackle! Going to have to lock that tape away or it'll be all over YouTube."

It was the following day that Ted found Don, hanging about close to the East Entrance.

"Thought I'd find you here," Ted whispered after creeping up on him.

"I was just about to—"

"Don't worry, I can get you on the radio wherever."

Don nodded his thanks.

"So, where'd you get the chain?"

"Ah, you saw me come in early?"

Ted nodded.

"Chain, bracket and padlock donated by 'Charlie's Hardware Store', no charge."

"She rang me, wants you to see her, now." Ted walked off laughing.

"Er, hi, Jessica."

"Hi Don, I promised you a reading."

"I don't be— er OK."

"Sit, and shuffle these cards 8 times and make three piles face down," she commanded. She sat and shuffled her smaller set of cards.

Her first card turned over was ... 'The Lovers'.

"Well, I think it's about time for us, Don," Jessica smiled warmly.