Summary

The short story “Graveyard Shift” by James M. Reasoner begins with a man named Frank who talks about working in convenience stores, particularly during the graveyard shift. Frank is a widower, so he can travel wherever he wants. Frank works in convenience stores during night shifts, when he comes across teenagers, students, young parents, and even drunk people.

One night, during Frank’s shift, a suspicious-looking man enters the convenience store. Frank’s intuition and experience in working in convenience stores tell him that the man is a robber, and he prepares for the worst. When two men and a young boy also come into the store, the suspicious-looking man seems to change his mind about the robbery, pays for his chips, and goes away.

Soon, two policemen arrive, and Frank tells them...