Overpayment

The giant owner was impressed by my ethic, and bewildered by my refusal to keep tips or get paid. « It’s your money, mon gars. » He gave me an envelope on Fridays, but I snuck it into the cash box. My teenage partner worked for free and took no days off, so I was prepared to do the same. I asked not, but saw the situation was fragile, that the summer could make or break the business. In the first place, the café was doing me a favor. I was indebted to the café, and hoped to see things turn around.