Mr. Minser owned the only general store in town. He was friends with many of the farm estates, from whom he bought wheat, corn, chicken, and beef. They would often come to give him deals and do business with him. The only people who purchased from his store were the estate's servants, except for Mr. D, the man who sold him the beef and chicken. Mr. D had 15 children, one of whom was 18 and accompanied his father almost everywhere. There was only one large wheat estate nearby, as well as other large estates in the area. Any other nearby estate was at least two hundred miles away.
On a busy day, four businessmen entered his shop. They were the men from whom he had borrowed a loan one year ago in order to purchase a much-needed supply of corn and wheat. However, he was still unable to pay back the loan.
"Look," said one of them, seeming half-asleep, "you need to pay your loan."
Suddenly, there was a shout as someone tried to enter the shop, but the crowd of chatting people inside the doorway prevented them.
It happened to be his sister with her four little kids with their pocket money who liked to buy candy. His sister simply grabbed an apron, smiled, and said, "Busy day, huh," before going into the back of the store.
I want four candies said the youngest timing up to the counter and putting down his money.
Ok just wait one minute he replied.
Just then mister d entered with his two oldest sons, I have got a parasol for you plus I need my riffle you cleaned he said. Oh and I got this list I don't really know what's on it, save ginger my wife wrote them done. She ain't feeling good these days.
As Mr. D handed over the parasol and his rifle, Mr. Minser nodded sympathetically. "I'm sorry to hear about your wife," he said. "I hope she feels better soon. Let me take a look at that list for you."
Mr. D handed over the piece of paper with the list of items his wife had written down. Mr. Minser scanned it quickly and nodded. "Looks like she needs some ginger, as you mentioned. But there are a few other things on here too. Let me gather them up for you."
As Mr. Minser went around the store, picking out the items from the list, he made sure to include the ginger that Mr. D's wife requested. He also selected some fresh vegetables, a loaf of bread, and a few other essentials that he thought the family might need. Mr. D thanked him gratefully, and his sons helped carry the supplies out of the store.
Finally, it was time to attend to the young boy who had come to buy candy. Mr. Minser smiled at him and said, "Alright, young man, let's see what we have for you."
He reached into the candy display and pulled out four different kinds of candies, placing them on the counter in front of the boy. "Take your pick," he said. "Each candy costs a certain amount, so make sure you have enough money for the ones you want."
The boy eagerly counted out his coins, making sure he had enough for his desired candies. After carefully selecting his favorites, he handed over the money with a smile. Mr. Minser bagged up the candies and handed them to the boy.
"Enjoy your treats," he said. "And make sure to share some with your siblings."
At that moment, the businessmen who had come to discuss the unpaid loan cleared their throat to get Mr. Minser's attention. He turned to them with a slight frown, knowing that the conversation would not be pleasant.
"I understand that I still owe you the money," he said. "But business has been tough lately, and I'm doing my best to make ends meet. I promise you, I'm working hard to pay back the loan as soon as I can."
The businessmen exchanged glances and one of them sighed. "We understand that times are tough, Mr. Minser," he said. "But we need that money back, and soon. We have our own expenses to take care of."
Mr. Minser nodded, his expression determined. "I will do everything I can to gather the funds," he assured them. "Please give me a little more time."
With that, the businessmen nodded and left the store. Mr. Minser sighed, knowing that he had a lot of work ahead of him to fulfill his promise.
But for now, he turned his attention back to the customers in his store, ready to serve them with a smile and do his best to keep his business running smoothly.