The Hardware Store was half a block up and a block west of Jimmy's house. It was one of the newest buildings in town. It was also a place Adam loved and hated. He loved seeing all the tools and parts on the shelves, and often imagined what he could build with them. He hated it because he couldn't afford anything in the store, even the cheapest tools.
He parked the bike between the Hardware Store and post office, so that it was hidden from passer-by's, and ran into the store. He needed in and out fast because Kevin didn't know how to work slowly and there weren't many weeds in the garden.
Adam sped to the main counter. He could see the key-cutting machine behind it but no one was manning the counter.
"Can I help you," came a young girl's voice from behind, startling him. He turned around.
Lacey Lang stood with her hands on her hips, looking at Adam. She was a plain girl who was more comfortable wearing jeans than a skirt. People in town said she knew her way around the store and was pretty handy with the tools as well. Being a year younger than Adam, he didn’t know her much, except for seeing her at school.
Hoping Lacey didn't notice she startled him, Adam said, "Uh...is your dad around?"
Lacey looked at Adam, "No, I'm the only one here at the moment."
Adam looked disappointed.
"Well, what do you need? Maybe I can help you?" Lacey asked. The tone of her voice showed she was tired of people underestimating her abilities.
Adam sensed that, which was odd as he never usually sensed people's feelings, but being underestimated was something he knew. "Cut me a copy of this key," he said, holding it out to her.
Lacey took a second to process what Adam had said. Whenever someone wanted something at the store, they always asked for her dad and then her mom. Rarely would customers give her the chance to prove her abilities, so Adam's request took her off guard.
She took the key and smiled. "Ok, it'll just take a minute."
She checked the key against the blanks hanging on the wall and found a matching one in a short amount of time. She took both keys and bolted the original into the left side of the key cutter, and the blank into the right. After checking the alignment of both keys and the travel of the cut, she turned on the machine and it started working.
"What do I owe you?" asked Adam over the hum of the machine. She told him, and Adam realized he had more than enough money to cut a second key. He handed her all he had and asked for another key, insisting she keep the change. Lacey beamed, happy to be taken seriously and given a tip as well.
When the keys were finished, Lacey handed them to Adam. "The original key is pretty worn. The copies may be a little bit small, so you might have to jiggle them in the lock," she pointed out.
Adam thanked her and left the store. He felt proud of himself, as his actions made Lacey happy. She had copied the keys with more skill and speed than Adam expected, which was a pleasant surprise.