I was at work one night when I heard the customer entrance open and close. I went to the front to wait on whoever might have entered but recognized immediately that they would not be buying anything.
Her skin was mottled and red from sun damage and neglect, her body was swollen and shook uncontrollably. Her hair clung to her head in patches. In her hand was a plastic cup and on her face a frozen look of sullen suprise. I felt a pang of worry, people like this could go off to a bad direction and I didn't want to be a around if she freaked. On the other hand, she was looking at me intensely and I hadn't said anything yet.
"How can I help you?" I said loudly, cheerfully
"WATER." she croaked "I NEED SOME WATER." She held out her shaking hand. I took the cup.
I filled and returned it. She held it and said nothing. I said nothing. I walked off to the side where my co-workers stood huddled, giggling fearfully.
I shrugged, playing it cool.
"What's she doing?" They asked
I checked through a peephole in the divider.
"Just kind of...standing there." I replied
Eventually we heard the door open and close again and saw her sit outside. We went back to work, the thrilling moment had passed.

30 minutes later----------

Mac was a film student. A man of bravado, he constantly reminded others of how good looking he was, how many famous people he knew all the films he was currently working on. "Feel my stomach" he'd say " I can lift 200 pounds over my head" he'd say "I'm so glad I'm good looking."

He walked in from a delivery having missed the crack lady event and went straight to work by the front entrance. I stood behind the divider packaging cookies for delivery while he talked about all the hot girls he'd seen while he'd been out. I heard the door open and close and looked up to see Mac turning to help the customer. His eyes went wide with fear and his jaw dropped.
"Uh..."
"CAN YOU BUY ME A COOKIE?" She said forcefully
He stood in shock for a moment longer "I uh, I'm s-sorry. I..I don't have any money." He jangled his pockets to show they were empty.
"OH" She continued to stare at him and stood awkwardly, unsure of what he should do. Eventually he turned back to what he'd been working on, shoulders hunched, while she watched.
My shoulders shook violently as I fell to the floor, laughing as quietly as possible.

For the rest of the night Mac would stop in the middle of a conversation, in the middle of work and his face would freeze in fear, her image haunting him.