Brushes with Privation

I was sitting in the nicest corporate‑style convenience store in the upscale part of town. The shop opens at 460 internet beats (well before sunrise), and because I suffer from a circadian‑sleep disorder I’m awake at night and sleep during the day. So “morning” for me is actually the wee hours of darkness, and I enjoy sipping coffee while doing my Morning Pages.
While I was writing, a ragged, bearded man stumbled in, clearly struggling to function. He immediately demanded a pastry, raising his voice to get the clerk’s attention. I countered with raised voice, “The clerk can help you”. Suddenly I felt threatened in what should have been a genteel setting. Fortunately, a helpful clerk named Connor intervened. He gestured for me to lower my voice so he could calmly reason with the man, and the situation was defused without further incident.

On another occasion at the same store, I placed my wonderful wallet—and Venmo card—on a table while and then accidentally forgot about it when I went to the counter for a refill. When I returned, I realized with alarm that the wallet and Venmo card were gone. Retracing my steps confirmed that the wallet had been taken while I was away.
The clerk at the counter searched the lost‑and‑found drawer but found nothing. Within an hour of the theft, a charge appeared on my Venmo account. I called the store that processed the $20 purchase for cigarettes, and they confirmed that the transaction had been authorized with my card. I immediately disabled the Venmo card to prevent any further unauthorized charges.