“I’ll see you later, babes,” James said as he went to the store room.

“OK love,” Diana said quickly sitting on the counter facing her laptop.

She had been waiting for customers to come in since the shop opened that morning. James and Diana worked at Shoprite supermarket. James worked as a merchandiser, packing the shelves and even cleaning them. Diana was a cashier. They were both in love with each other but Diana didn’t fully trust everything he said.

“Manager! Manager!” Shaine called out.

The manager came quickly and started typing something on the screen then left. Shaine carried on as usual. Diana looked at her since the shop wasn’t busy. She wasn’t scanning the goods and no one else was at the counter.

“Still making mistakes doll?” Diana said, staring at her.

“That old Magogo had money short, so I had to remove it,” Shaine answered.

People carrying baskets and some with trollies came on both their counters. It was only Diana and Shaine today. While busy scanning and making payments for the good, Daina saw something and looked in the line for Shaine. She noticed a man in a suit. He looked as if he had a pleasing personality, rich and handsome.

There was something about him that caused Diana to keep staring at him. She looked as if she had found her dream man. She then suddenly got interrupted by work.

“Sisi, I think you gave me the wrong change,” an elderly woman’s voice sounded.

“Sorry Mama, may I see your receipt?” she asked.

The woman gave her the receipt. And as she scanned the receipt she saw that she did indeed give the woman the wrong change. She quickly rectified the matter. When she looked again she saw the man she had her eyes on coming closer to Shaine’s till as the line was moving faster. She wanted him to take notice of her.

“Hey! Do your work, we are in a hurry,” said a young lady as she put her goods on the table and then stared at her.

“Sorry, hi there, would you like a bag?” she answered and started to focus on her customers. Meanwhile, the man had already gone to Shaine’s counter.

“Hi, how are you?” Shaine asked the man in the suit.

“Hi there, I am very good, thank you. How are you?” he asked.

Diana could not hear their conversation. She wondered why he was interested in Shaine and not her.

“Would you like a bag?” she asked.

“Yes please.” he answered.

Diana could not face him as he walked out, she could lose her concentration by staring at her dream man.

“Where was your mind today, you weren’t here?” Shaine asked, staring her down as they walked home.

“I think James isn’t the one I want anymore,” she answered.

“What makes you say that? You’ve been with him for two years Diana.” Shaine asked in shock.

“I seem to adore the man in the suit that walked in today. He is my dream man,” she answered bewildered.

“Wow, that’s not right. You barely know him at all. And James is in love with you,” Shaine said with concern in her eyes.

“Shaine, you don’t get me. I stuck with James because I didn’t wanna be alone. I can’t stay stuck!” she shouted.

The crowd in the street stared at them.

Shaine looked at Diana and gave a heavy sigh. Diana had seemed to make up her mind. She would run after foolish fantasies at the stake of letting go of someone who loved her.

But Diana was confused about what she wanted. One thing she was sure of was that James was time consuming. She and James stayed in same area but it seemed as if they stayed far from each other. He never called her, he didn’t tell her he loved her, nor did he buy her gifts. In her view, he was not a gentleman. Based on all these little things, she figured he had someone else that he was giving all his attention and love to. Either that or she was just insecure.

***

Tell us what you think: In your view, what makes a gentlemen?