A Smiley Christmas

"We at Smiley's Toys want to wish you a Smiley Christmas!" the giant green emoji shrieked from the great screens towering over the cavernous space. The sound surrounded the worker, the high-pitched voice of god emanating from the vast and well disguised speaker system covering every foot of the massive store.

The neon green face smiled at her beatifically, the red stocking cap that marked the season hanging foppishly on its brilliant head. Three years working here and she still wasn't used to that emerald grin leering at her from every damn corner.

The air felt hot and heavy despite the industrial air conditioning running full blast, the store packed to bursting with crowds trying to milk the last from the season sales. Even the careful sound design could not fully cover the cacophony of battle filling the air, the screams and shouts of berserker hordes facing off in mortal combat.

It was that time of the year again, the time of family, joy and Christmas sales.

"Where's the Lego's?" An older woman asked the worker "Section 15" The worker replied, smiling "Follow the signings. Have a Smiley Christmas" The woman spotted the signs and walked away.

"Hey, this toy is broken. I want to return it" An angry teen said, "Do you have a receipt?" the worker asked "no I- I lost it. But I bought it just last week. You can check your history, right?" "Did you pay cash or credit?" The worker asked "Cash" The teen said. He seemed dodgy. Figures. "I'm sorry, but without proof of purchase I can't help you" She said. The teen looked nervous "If you find that receipt you can return it" the worker said, "Yea ok" The teen said "I'll just find it then" "Good luck. Have a smiley Christmas" The worker said, smiling.

After the teen there was another customer, and another, and another, an endless barrage of questions and demands. When the worker heard that quiet, high pitched voice she was almost too deep into the work daze to catch it. "Mommy?" The child said.

The worker couldn't tell what time it was, how many customers she served, how many toys she sold or which ones. "Mommy? Where are you Mommy?" The child said.

The worker spotted her standing alone within the milling horde, a little girl no older than six. She was crying quietly, pushed around, unnoticed by the crowd. The worker walked over to the girl.

"Hello. Can I help you?" She asked in as kind a voice as she could muster "I can't find my Mommy" The girl said, "That sounds very scary" The worker said, "Do you want me to help you find her?" "I'm not supposed to go with strangers" The girl said.

"That's very wise of you" The worker said. She pointed at the embroidered Smiley on her uniform "I work here" She said. She told the girl her name. "What's yours?" She asked "Sarah" The girl said, "Pleased to meet you, Sarah" The worker said, "Now we're not strangers". A customer jostled her where she crouched and she almost lost her balance. "Excuse me" She said, smiling. The customer was already out of sight.

She turned back to face Sarah and reached out her hand "Let's go find your mommy" the girl sniffled, rubbing her nose on her sleeve. "Ok" She said, taking the worker's hand.

"You need to make sure you hold on very tightly, ok?" The worker told Sarah "Ok" the girl said. The worker held her hand as tight as she dared, pulling her through the throng. As she did, she took the radio from her hip "I've got a lost child, a Sarah. I'm bringing her to the front desk" She called in, waiting for the copy before replacing the radio.

"Hey, excuse me?" A large woman interposed herself in the worker's path, trailed by a chubby boy. His face framed by the blue light of the latest mobile console, he was chained to the woman by a purple plastic chain attached to a matching bracelet

"Where are your red lightsabers?" She asked the worker. "They should be at section 13" The worker replied, smiling. "Well they're not" The woman said, "So where are they?" the worker felt Sarah tug on her hand "Where's Mommy?" Sarah asked. "We're on our way to her" The worker replied, half crouching to look at Sarah.

"Are you listening to me?" the woman demanded "I'm sorry" the worker said to the woman "I'm currently occupied. But Joe there" She said, pointing towards the sales associate she could see in his post nearby "Can help you with any issues you have. Have a Smiley Christmas" She said, smiling.

The woman turned and, spotting Joe, stomped towards him, pulling the chubby boy behind her.

The worker kept walking, making sure she kept a tight grip on Sarah's hand. "I'm tired" Sarah said. "I'm sorry" The worker said "We're not far. Just a little more ok?" "Ok" Sarah said

"Miss!" A man's voice cut through the noise "You there. I'd like to complain" A gray haired man walked up to her, his step strong and quick. "I'm sorry, sir-" the worker started before he cut her off "Your Internet said you have one of those big sponge guns in stock, in this store. I drove all this way, wasted my time and my money and when I show up this sign there says its gone" "I'm sorry sir, if you want to lodge a complaint I can direct you to my manag-" "I won't have you telling me otherwise" The man continued "Your Internet lied to me. I could sue" "Again, sir, I'm very sorry, but I'm not the address-" "Of course you're the address. Your store is at fault! No one else. I won't have anyone telling me otherwise"

It was then Sarah started crying. Not quiet tears and sniffles but the ear-piercing wails of a scared, tired child who heard shouting and just wanted her mother. The man froze, looking perplexed "I want my mommy!" Sarah cried "I know" The worker said. She crouched and, breaking every customer-employee protocol she was taught, hugged the crying child. Sarah clung to the worker, sobbing, her tears and drool soaking the back of the worker's uniform.

Carefully, the worker picked the child up, finding her heavier than she expected. "I'm sorry" She told the man, smiling. "I'm currently occupied. If you wish to lodge a complaint our customer service is always available in that glass office over there" She said, doing her best to gesture in the direction while holding the sobbing child. The man nodded, "What's your name?" He asked. The worker told him "I'm going to complain about your behavior too. Bringing a child to work!" the man scoffed and walked off towards the glass office.

In the minute it took them to reach the front desk Sarah's sobbing ceased, though her eyes were still puffy and red, her cheeks still tracked with salt. The worker put her down to walk the last of the way besides her, sighing in relief as the weight was off her back and taking Sarah's hand in hers again.

When Sarah finally noticed the red eyed, messy haired woman pacing anxiously by the front desk she broke into a wide grin, "Mommy!" the girl shouted and broke into a run. "Sarah!" the mother called, grabbing her daughter as the girl crashed headlong into her. "I was so worried" She said, holding Sarah tightly, like she was drowning and Sarah her lifeline.

"Let me look at you" the mother said, pushing Sarah back and examining her. The worker smiled as she watched them "Oh, what happened to you" the mother muttered "Your daughter is very sweet" The worker said. The mother looked up surprised, as though suddenly noticing the worker.

"She was very patien-" the worker started "What took you so long?!" The mother shouted. The worker cut off, staring at the mother, her mouth hanging open mid word "What did you do to her?! Why was she crying?!" "I-" The worker started. She tried to speak but the words would not come "Well? What happened?" The mother asked "I apologize for the delay" The worker finally managed to say "I see" The mother said, seething with fury "I'm going to sue you" She said "Your store and you personally! Come on Sarah" The mother said, grabbing Sarah's hand and dragging her out of the store.

Turning back on the way out, Sarah waved to the worker. The worker waved back, a single tear making its slow way down one cheek. "Have a Smiley Christmas" She whispered, smiling.

Finally, the worker's shift was over, her uniform replaced by a coat and simple tee shirt - one with less identity and more personality. The streets burned bright neon, red and green reflecting off the fresh snow, fragmenting into a thousand pieces to wash the night's streets in bright Christmas light.

The chemically sweet scent of cinnamon, pine and chocolate filled the air, wafting off stores and cafes like perfume, the clever product of air-fresheners overcoming even the city's constant smog. The worker's legs could barely hold her weight but just one look at nearly motionless congestion on the road swayed her against taking the bus. Her apartment wasn't too far anyway.

She walked slowly, the music of the holidays filling the air around her. Drunk singing, honking cars and the discordant clashing of music from too many sources blending with carolers and a dozen sirens in a wild, manic melody that somehow sounded like Christmas.

Relief flooded her when her building came into view. She made her slow way up the stairs, every step a struggle. Her door was in view when her phone buzzed, a message from a friend. "We're going drinking :3:3:3 See you at the pub!"

For a long moment the worker looked at her phone, frozen in place before she mustered the will to reply. "Not tnight :) Drink one for me <3 hf!". She unlocked her door, turning on the light and revealing a small cramped space. There was no tree, no fairy lights, no stocking hanging on a hook, no eggnog or cookies or fucking pumpkin spice.

The air inside was stale and warm, unchanging, like it was just another day, like Christianity never cuckooed pagan holidays, cuckooed again by this newest religion of senseless consumption. The worker breathed it deep before closing the door behind her.

She did the chain and locked every deadbolt, leaving Christmas behind for one more year. She was not smiling.