Bar assignment

Tucked away in the corner of a shopping center on 104th and Federal, sandwiched between an H&R Block and a nail salon is a small store of fantasy. In it you will find everything from walking robots to space rangers and mystic wizards. It’s called Free Time Comics Inc., and I’ve been going there almost every week for over five years.

Which is long enough to be on a first name basis with the manager.

Mike Wells looked up when he heard the door jingle. “Hey,” he said, smiling. I nodded my greeting and looked around. The walls were lined with shelves of colorful works of art, comics covered in protective plastic. They almost covered the whole store, some of them priced near the thousands, making for unique wallpaper along with posters and toys. It’s quite a collection.
Wells, along with his father and brother, named their store Free Time Comics because it was supposed to be a hobby of theirs, a side business that they would manage in their free time. It did really well and now supports Mike’s entire family.

“We were thinking of changing its name to ‘Full Time Comics,’” Wells said.

And it really is a family run business. I tried asking for an application there once and got turned down. Wells explained that they’ve never hired anyone because they didn’t really need anymore help. His whole family runs things; even his retired mother and 11-year-old son ring up costumers from time to time.

I finished looking at the walls and walked to the counter Wells was standing at. I asked if he could give me my monthly favorites he keeps in a box for me. He says no problem and searches under the desk for my comics.

Behind him is a black shelf filled with superhero merchandise. I saw the same Superman piggy bank I bought from there about a year ago, along with assorted toys and lunchboxes. I reminded myself that I was 20 and had no need for a Batman alarm clock before he reappeared and handed me my stack of comics.

I flipped through each one in anticipation as Christian music played over the speakers. The store was open every day but Sunday, just like the Chick-fil-A across the street. It was so Well’s family could go to church and spend time together, something I really admired except on Sundays when I needed my Aquaman fix.

I thanked Mike and continued to look around the store. I was forced to squeeze past a somewhat large patron who was flipping through a graphic novel. I had seen him here before and remembered one day he came in wearing a plastic green hat from St. Patrick’s Day and a toy Riddler cane from Batman Forever. I tended to avoid him from then on, but he was blocking the way to the posters.

Currently, only four of the seven posters line my wall in my room. I didn’t have room for the rest since I share a studio with my brother who also buys posters.

I didn’t see any that I liked or didn’t already have, so I continued back to the register. I usually spend around $40 to $50 a week there. This week it was only in the 30’s.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I signed the receipt. We finalized the transaction and I headed for the door, saying thank you and goodbye. He said he’d see me next week.