Code 4

Why duty calls...

Sonny was only in the crowded hobby shop because his wife was there and she needed his credit card. On any other Saturday before Christmas, he would have chosen to stay in the car and count dust particles on the dash or anything else in the world than to just hang out in a hobby shop.

He once told her, “Too many things in there to break and too many ‘why would anyone want to buy that?’ items for my liking.”

So, today he wandered the aisles, hoping to stay out of trouble, fearing that it might be right around the corner.

“Manager to the rear for Code 4,” the lady’s voice on the intercom said. “Manager to the rear. Code 4.”

“Code 4? Really?” Sonny said so a few people nearby could hear him. “Code 4? Oh no. On my way. Wow, need to get back there,” He started to make his way to the rear of the building.

“Excuse me, please, Code 4 in the rear of the building. Code 4. Pardon me.”

It had been a while since Sonny was in a store filled with so many women. All their shopping carts were filled with arts, crafts, and other discretionary items.

Sonny wasn’t making much progress to the rear of the building, when he heard, “Sonny? Where are you going?”

It was Kate.

“To the rear of the building, Hon. Code 4. Repeat. Code 4. Be back in a few.”

“Sonny, do you even know what a Code 4 is?”

“No, but it’s gotta be important for them to want a manager back there. I’m just going back to lend a hand, you know, just in case. Could be hot stuff. Dangerous stuff too. Must be important. I’ll be back in a few.” He excused himself between a few more people but was still within earshot of his wife.

“I just checked with an employee, Sonny,” said Kate. “Code 4’s a clogged toilet.”

He froze and looked around at those he had nudged out of the way.

“What? What? I knew that. You don’t think I didn’t know that?”

“Before you go save the day and unclog that toilet, hand me your credit card will ya?” Kate said.

“On second thought, I’d better stay here in line with you,” Sonny said. “Who knows what lurks around here with the Codes 1, 2, and 3, and of course the color codes? Hate to think what would happen if they call a Code Red. And besides, they might not let you run my card because you don’t look like a Sonny.”