By twelve the excitement was pretty much over, Tom did a couple of interviews with Gertie and Ahr Zeitung before departing to rejoin his Quick Step team mates.

"Have to say,” Herr Bayermann, he of the Tourist office, mentioned, "I'm very impressed.”
"Er thanks, I guess the real hard work starts now.”
"I'm sure you’ll make a success of it, I've brought you a flyer dispenser if you are still up for it?”
"As long as it’s not too big, we haven’t much space.”
"Don’t worry, it’s only a small one, I'll go fetch it.”

He left on his errand.

"Hey, Gabs!” Pia exclaimed.
"Cool opening,” Steff opined.
"Er thanks.”
"There any more Pommes?” Bridg enquired.
"Bridg!” we all chorused.
"What? I missed breakfast.”
"So how come you’re all dressed up and Connie’s not?” Steff asked.
"Mum,” I stated, "She raided my closets and pretty much forced me to change.”
"You certainly look like a businesswoman.” P observed.
“’Scuse me a mo,” I spotted Freddy on his way back, I headed to meet him at the kiosk.

 
It was indeed only a small dispenser, just a half dozen slots for flyers, it fit nicely on the narrow customer counter.

"I usually come round about once a month to refill but if you need more just ring the office and we’ll get extras out to you.”
"Okay.”
"Well I'd best get on, meeting with the regional board over in Mayen.”

 
By the time I was done with Freddy the girls had departed leaving just the Thesing’s and the Bond household lingering.

"I'd best get changed.”
"Unless you plan on not doing anything the rest of the day,” Con snided.
"I did do all the frying earlier,” I pointed out, turning on my heel and strutting away. Just because she missed dressing up, it’s not like it was my idea.

 
"Alright Boss?” Kris asked.
I took a deep breath, "Yeah, I'll get changed and give you a hand.”
"Went alright,” she called after me.
"Yeah,” I replied as I prepared to turn the stockroom into a changing facility once more.
"I never expected the TV to be here.”
"I was surprised too,” I admitted shimmying out of my frock.
"You want coffee?”
"Milchkaffee please.”

I didn’t do a full redress this time, I left my hose and posh undies on which sped things up, shirt on, Capri’s pulled on and feet in trainers – bit weird with hose on but who’s to see?

"We’re off now, kiddo,” Dad advised poking his head around the door as I emerged from my boudoir.
“’Kay, can you take my dress and stuff with you.”
"Sure, you home for dinner?”
I retrieved the various bags, "No, I'll go straight to cheer, could do with a lift later,” I hinted.
"I guess we can manage that, later then.”
"Bye, Dad.”

 
Con got over her snit, well there wasn’t much choice really as we had a steady flow of customers. Not a great long queue or anything but enough to keep us busy – I'm guessing a lot of locals were curious, but there were a few holidaymakers too including at one point, a dozen elderly Dutch trekkers with their over equipped bikes lining Dad’s fence. Things were simplified as we’d settled on a more basic menu today, from tomorrow Con’s Kabin will be offering cake and hot pies too!

"Later,” Kristin told us with a wave.
"Thanks, Kris,” Con replied as the hired help departed.
"Sorry about the dress thing, Con.”
"You could’ve said before.”
"Mum sprung it on me, honest I didn’t know till they got here and you know what she’s like.”
"I felt like the hired help,” she admitted.
"Soz, you want a choccy before we go?”
"Go on then.”

I started the drinks as my BF started the job of cashing up.

"Went well though,” I suggested.
"Yeah,” she agreed, "Gertie Schmidt was a surprise.”
"No kidding, cream?”
"What do you think, Gaby Bond?”
I squirted a good dose onto the top of the beverage and gave it a dust of cocoa powder, "There goes.”
"Thanks, think the rents were pleased.”
"Hope so,” I allowed.
"Guess there’s no turning back now.”
"So how much then?”
"Er,” she paused to read the till slip, "One seventy nine and fifty cents.”
"Is that good? doesn’t sound much.”
She shrugged, "Covers the wages at least.”

 
"Good session everyone,” I told the girls of the All Star Cheer.

Hannah has got us a gig at the Adenau Family Fest in a couple of weeks so we’d spent most of the session deciding what we should do. Oh it’s nothing as simple as just doing our competition set, for starters it’s outside at the football club – you remember I went with the girls last year or was that the year before? Anyhow, after our recent success the girls were really enthused.

"Before you go,” I went on, "Some of you might know that we’ve reopened the Bridge Kiosk.”

There were some giggles and eye rolling.

"Well anyway, I just wanted to say, you can have ten percent discount if you show your Tanzklub card.”
"Whoo!”
"Nice one!”
"That include me, Boss,” Kris suggested.
My turn for eye rolling, "You already get discount,” one hundred percent discount.

 
"That’s quite a generous offer, Gab,” Han opined as we tidied up.
"It’s not that much really, we need to get some customers to make it work.”
"Is this for everyone in the Klub?”
I shrugged, "Don’t see why not, more the merrier.”

In truth I hadn’t thought beyond Cheer and Garde when I'd suggested it to Con earlier but including the whole club makes sense, I'm sure Han said there’s like a couple of hundred members across the various styles.

"I'll put a notice on the board if you like,” she offered.
"That’d be cool, hang on, I've got a menu in my bag,” I rooted in amongst the accumulation of make-up, sanitary products and junk that seem to populate my ever present shoulder bag, "Here we go,” I passed her several of our flyers.

 
"I'm kerknackered,” I mentioned sliding into the A’s passenger seat.
"Bet she’s not too tired for pizza,” Mand stage whispered to Pia as they climbed in behind.
“Pizza?”
"Ordered,” Dad confirmed as waited to pull onto the main road.

Oh yeah, I had some currywurst earlier but I pretty much forgot to eat the rest of the day except for nicking a couple of fries – in the cause of quality control. My stomach decided to perform the loudest rumble ever just at the mention of Italian flatbread.

"Gab!”

 
"So how was the rest of the day?” Mum prompted as I started stuffing my face with cheese and pepperoni.
“’Kay,” I managed savouring my mouthful of baked delight.
"Well tell us more then.”
I finished the contents of my mouth before replying, "Con was a bit miffed about the dress but like we took nearly two hundred euros.”
"Sounds okay.”
"We were quite busy, had a load of Trekker’s stop but they only had coffee.”
"Early days yet, kiddo,” Dad noted.
"I guess,” I agreed before ploughing back into my slice of pepperoni delight.

 
I slept like a log, when the alarm went off I batted it across the room – not good as it was still jangling so I had to get up anyway. So today is the first proper day at the kiosk, I've drawn early shift as I still need to get my training in. I say early, we’re opening at half eight through to five thirty, Con will start at nine thirty then I finish at four thirty. For now at least Kris will do twelve to closing so in theory we should get lunch.

"You going on the Schauff?” Dad enquired as I buttered my toast.
"Express today, have to collect the till money too, oh sugar, I forgot the bread order last night.”

Day two and I've already mucked up.

 
"So?” Dad prompted as I climbed into the Hymer – yeah I know but he offered.
"They already forecast, Tomas is just fetching them now.”
"I can’t do this every day.”
"I know, thanks, Daddy,” bit of flannel never hurts does it, "I'd best let him in.”

I went back to the door in time to greet my patron bearing four trays of Brötchen, pies and a selection of cakes.

"Where do you want them?”
"Er just slide them in,” I'll get Dad to help unload at the kiosk.
"Are you going to be alright this morning?” Tomas asked as he deposited the trays.
"Soon find out,” I pointed out.
"You’ve got the shop number.”
"On speed dial.”
"Well good luck then.”
"Thanks.”

 
I was quite thankful that Dad volunteered the taxi bit, not for the bread delivery – that just saved Tomas a trip. No, whilst I got things started inside he unlocked and unstacked the garden furniture which I admit is a bit big and heavy for me.

"Here you go,” I passed him a coffee.
"Cheers, kiddo, so you okay now?”
"All set to go.”
"I'll finish this and get off, George has organised some vinyls for the Hymer.”
"Nothing too gross I hope.”
"I'm sure it’ll be subtle, ot oh, looks like your first customer, I'll see you later.”
He kissed me on the forehead before propelling me back to the kiosk.

 
Maddy Bell © 20.03.17