Money Talks, So Does Anime

"So, you must be the new guy, eh?" asked someone standing right next to me without paying any attention. I was too absorbed with the One Piece manga I brought the other day. I'm at the Marineford Arc and it's incredibly insane. 

  Anyways, I look up to the voice who asked me aforementioned question. The voice belonged to a middle aged man who wore a green welding jacket and some black jeans. He was a French Canadian fellow with a couple of sideburns and a well kept hair. Once I saw him there, I answered while lending out my hand for a proper handshake: "Yes, Freddie Russell is the name, and what's your's kind sir?"

  The kind gentleman returned my gesture by shaking my hand firmly and replying back with a wide smile: "Nice to meet you Freddie. I'm Nathan Finch, one of the welders here. Welcome to the team. You're the welding apprentice, correct?"

   "The same goes to you Nathan. Thanks for the warm welcome. And yep, that would be me. It's my first day today. I'm super excited!"

   "I can see that judging by the welding helmet you carry and the excited expression on your face."

    I look to my side where a welding helmet was hooked to my right arm. It was a simple, plain black helmet you can get anywhere from a fleet marketplace. I've nearly forgot it was there. Embarrassed, I replied back: "Oh yes, this thing?! I just got it yesterday from Blain's Farm and Fleet."

   "Yeah, I can see that. Hahaha, I also can see you are into manga. What's that it you are reading?"

   "Oh, just one of the best that's out there: One Piece!"

   "The best, you say?"

   "Most definitely! Well, in my book and opinion that is."

    "Have you read Demon Slayer?"

    "Dude, I have read it like 3 times! It's amazing. The anime is fire by the way!"

    "If you want to talk about the best manga or anime, it's most certainly Demon Slayer, bro."

    "Yes my dude, it is truly one of the best as well. It's up there with my One Piece and My Hero Academia."

    Just before Nathan could speak more, he hesitated and looked like he saw a ghost. Suddenly, out came a voice behind me: "Nathan, we didn't pay you to stand and talk, did we?"

    I turned around to find a man in his late 40's with soul patch and a navy company uniform. He stood about the same height as me (which is 5'6" for anyone wondering) and had his name stitched to his uniform. His name read: "Curtis".

   Nathan got red in the face and replied: "Sorry sir. Just wanted to get to know the newbie is all."

   "Oh yeah, was it anything related to work?" asked Curtis with an irradiated look upon his face.

    "No sir." said Nathan shyly.

    "Then, what are you waiting for? Get back to work!" demanded Curtis rather hastily. 

    The next thing Nathan did was immediately to the shop floor without saying anything.

    "What was I getting myself into?" I said to myself mentally.

    Curtis watches Nathan leave us. After Nathan was back at his work station and welding, Curtis turns to me and says: "You must be my new welding apprentice, aren't ya?"

    "Yes, I am. The name is-"

    "That was a rhetorical question, son. Let me lay you out the ground work. We are not here to make friends. All we are here to do is work. You are to call me by sir and not make any small talk with the other employees, unless it's about work.

"Oh, and also, you will be getting limited restroom breaks during work hours. I do not want to see everyone going to the restroom at the same time and you must not be there longer than fifteen minutes. If I catch you doing it more than what's recommended, you will receive a point and not the good one.

"Absolutely no phones on the shop level and/or during restroom breaks whatsoever. I'll dock you 2 points if I catch you on your phone. You'll be given 1 break in the middle of the shift. 30 minutes would outa do it for you and your fellow employees. Now, that pretty much covers it. Let's get to work. After all: money talks."

"So does anime, bossy," saying to myself mentally again.

    I just nodded my head and follow Curtis to the nearby table next to his welding office. He showed me how to tack up a simple T joint, butt joint and edge joint, then welded the 3 of them with perfect penetration and with ease. Curtis then gives me six plates to make the same joints as he just did. 

    While tacking and welding these joints, Curtis was continuously mentoring me. He was literally watching every move I did, which made me extremely nervous. I was about to push the weld across my first joint but just before I got to the swing of it, he demands that I pull like he did a moment ago. Without comment, I started pulled my weld across my T joint while weaving back and forth. However after the first couple of inches, he shouts out: "No weaving, son. Just make the same weld as me." 

    I stopped welding my way, and took a deep breath trying again but to his own preference. The nerve of this guy. I know a few things about welding thanks to my uncle Gregory, who has been a journeyman for half of his life. I've been trying out welding at his garage with a movable welding machine for the past couple of months before getting into this apprenticeship. I think my uncle would have said something about the welds if they were off. In fact, I would think he would say something to this character of a person without hesitation or remorse. 

   "Not today," said to myself. "I could go off on him but I want to see things through first." 

   The four hours came and gone in a flash until the bell went off. The employees and I are heading to the break room as Curtis shouts out: "You all be back in 30 minutes from now. If it's more, you'll get a point docked off your record."

    Nathan and I, along with the other two employees replied: "Yes sir" in order to just please him.

Once we were no longer earshot from Curtis, Nathan whispered to me: "Sorry about all that."

    I waved off his apology and say: "There's no need for that. It wasn't your doing. Curtis is something else though."

    Nathan laughs while agreeing: "Yeah, he sure is quite a character."

    "No joke. He reminds me of Donquixote from One Piece Such tyrant"

    "I feel he's more like bossy like Freiza from Dragon Ball."

    "I think you just about nailed the coffin there, bud."

    "Hahaha, yeah. Say, are you doing anything after the end of our second shift?"

    "Other than reading my One Piece manga and watching Black Clover anime, no."

    "Would you like to join me and my group of friends after work for a bowl of ramen noodles? There's a nice joint not far from here. They have the best noodles and my group and I love it down there."

    "You had me at ramen noodles so count me in."

    "Exactly, looking forward to it."

     "You and me both. Thank you, Nathan for being such a great co-worker and friend."

     "You're welcome, Freddie. Now, let's enjoy the remaining minutes before our break time is over."

    "Right. Oh, here's an idea. We watch anime together."

     "Now you are talking my kind of language."

     For the remaining minutes of our break, Nathan and I got to watch an episode of "Jujustu Kaisen". I was happy to have Nathan there to be a nerdy friend like me. Most especially since our boss can be ass, but please don't tell him I said that. I'm not ready for the confrontation yet.