Douglas always kept his uniform as trim and pressed as possible. It wasn't much, with a meaningless cheap badge and the indigo broken up with starry patterned patches, but Douglas kept it presentable. It wasn't a cop uniform, the job Doug had longed to have if it wasn't for his bone density problems. Still, he kept to the job with the mindset of a law enforcement officer.
A job he should be thankful for, as Gerbert's was hiring when he left the police academy. At first Douglas wasn't sure on the job, being associated with such a cheesy, child targeted business. Who was ever going to take his security credentials seriously after guarding such a silly place like a space themed party center? It was the only option Douglas had for his chosen career, so he was going to make the most of it.
His other concern was interacting with the children. He had been a kid once, of course, yet Douglas felt he didn't relate to them all that much. Thankfully he was often on the skeleton crew shifts, usually the night watch and mornings when there weren't children about. The need for the night guard had surprised him when he first noticed the classified ad. His interview at Gerbert's soon showed why.
For one thing, the pizzeria and arcade was surprisingly large. There was the dinning hall, three private party rooms, activity center, kitchen and other amenities. And most critical to watch were the expensive animatronics. Doug marveled at the characters when he first saw them. Gerbert Gerbil, the main mascot, a puffy furred gerbil in an old fashioned astronaut's suit. Hippo Don, former space gangster turned electronica musician. Moolia, a hybrid cow with yellow, pink and blue spots. And Fuchsia the Flamingo, the most articulated of the Cosmic Crew. These animatronics required the most attention, being the characters at the center of the restaurant's experience. The company feared anybody sneaking in to mess with the delicate systems at work with the animatronics, so a single night guard was required most nights.
It may not have been a career in law enforcement but it was a step in the right direction. And the times Douglas was alone on shift were thankful ones. Truth be told he was trying to build up his strength for standing long periods. He had to rest his legs more than he felt someone of his age should. Even for a security guard it would be bad form to sit for the whole shift. A small part of him still hoped for better prospects than guard duty at Gerbert Gerbil & the Cosmic Crew.
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