I felt bad for her. Barely a week ago I was in her position and I know exactly how this is gonna go down. He walks past, pushing past me and places his items in front of mine on the registers counter top. He casts a brief smug look my way before focusing on the cashier.

"Ring these up and be quick."

He barks these orders as he pulls his phone out of a jacket pocket.

"Excuse you!?"

An incredulous look barely flashed across her face before being replaced by a scowl.

"This customer was next. You'll have to wait your turn. Please wait to one side."

I know I cringed at her words. It was only a week ago that a similar confrontation got me fired from the position she now holds... Though, judging by the sneer on his face. I doubt she will for long.

"Girl, you are a servant, so do your job and serve me."

Again he raises his phone. Again he is stopped by her reply.

"Sir, I am NOT a servant. I am an employee, and I will do the job I was employed to do. Starting by serving the next customer who waited in line."

This was it. The point were there is no going back. She has just sealed her own fate. I could literally see his rage rising as his elevating blood pressure caused the red stain to colour his face. I knew exactly what was going to come out of his mouth. The same words that had marked the end of my brief career after I refused to give him a discount. The same words that saw Todd lose his job when he tried to point out that the customer's items would be ruined if he packed them the way the customer instructed. The same words that had Maree in tears when she refused to give him her phone number.

New to the region, the cashier obviously didn't know who he was. Didn't know the position of power he held in this small town. Seeing him about to erupt with anger, I knew that she soon would.

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?!"

I could practically see smoke coming from his ears as he bellowed at her. She calmly watched him as he huffed and tried to glare her down. It felt like an age had passed before she, still placidly staring back at him, replied simply,

"No, who are you?"

He flinched back in surprise at her unshakeable demeanour. His shock was short lived as that ugly angry sneer once again twisted his pretty-boy face into an almost demonic look of disgust. Spittle flew from his lips as he spat words of contempt at her.

"You little bitch! I'll have you know I'm- I'm..."

The anger melted as the words faded. Confusion creased his brow as he tried to finish his thought. His head dropped and his eyes darted from side to side as though trying to find his place on an invisible script. Looking around with sad, worried eyes, it was less than a minute before those searching eyes met hers again. I was in the perfect position to see that look. A mere heartbeat in which understanding and horror replaced all other emotion. A heartbeat, then it was gone. All gone. He stood in front of her with a bemused expression as she finally spoke again.

"You're? You're?"

Her lip twitch as though a small grin was curled up in the corner of it, trying to hide,

"I think you should go now."

"Oh, okay."

Without a word of argument he walked out the door.

"Hmm?"

It took me a moment to realise she was now talking to me, asking me the generic little questions people use to fill that awkward silence as a cashier scans through your purchase. My answers are basic and prosaic as my brain tries to assimilate what I've just witnessed. It's only as she hands me my change that I finally gather my wits enough to ask,

"You're not just going to leave him like that, are you?"

"Like what?"

"You know..."

"I'm not sure I like what you're insinuating."

As her eyes narrow, I feel a cold dread sweep over me,

"Uh, never mind. I'm not-uh. I mean... nothing."

Once again that plastic service-smile stretches across her face, but that cold chill still emanates from her eyes as she says,

"Have a good afternoon."

"Uh, yeah. You too."

I pick up my bag and walk out the door, vowing to myself that I'm never coming back. I toss my stuff in my car's back seat and turn toward the driver's door.

"Excuse me."

My hand is on the latch, but I freeze when I hear this soft voice. I turn slowly, silently praying it's not her.It's not. It's him, Mr Bigshot, and what he says next damn near breaks my heart.

Don't get me wrong, a small minded bully should be put in his place, and this man caused so much grief with his unfair demands and entitled attitude. What stands in front of me now though is none of these things. The man before me stands shoulders hunched, one foot behind the other as though poised to run. His worried frown is tinged with hope as he says those words. Words that he has said a hundred times before, but never has he meant them as he does now.

"Do you know who I am?"