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, coming up to the counter and putting down his money.
"Ok, just wait one minute," he replied.
Just then, Mr. D entered with his two oldest sons. "I have got a parasol for you, plus I need my rifle back. I asked you to fix and clean it the other day," he said. "Oh, and I got this list. I don't really know what's on it, save ginger. My wife wrote them down. She ain't feeling good these days. It's ingredients to make some sort of tea, I heard." He then frowned.
"I'll get it for you," Minser said. "Exactly when was she supposed to have the baby?"
In a week, Mr. D replied.
Ok, I'll get your riffle for you.
Mr. Minser nodded and went to the back of the store to fetch the rifle. As he rummaged through the storage room, he heard the sound of the cash register opening and closing. Curious, he hurried back to the counter where Mr. D and his sons were standing.
"What's going on?" Mr. Minser asked, noticing the bewildered expression on Mr. D's face.
"I don't know," Mr. D replied, his brows furrowing. "I gave my money to your sister, but she said she couldn't find the candies. She told me to wait here while she looks for them in the back."
Confused, Mr. Minser looked around and spotted his sister emerging from the back room, her face pale and distressed.
"I'm so sorry, brother," she apologized. "I searched the entire back room, but I couldn't find any candies. I think we may be out of stock."
Mr. Minser sighed, realizing that he had forgotten to restock the candies. Turning to the youngest child, he said, "I'm sorry, little one, but it appears we don't have any candies right now. Would you like something else instead?"
The child looked disappointed but nodded, choosing a small toy from a nearby shelf. As Mr. Minser rang up the purchase, he couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself for neglecting to replenish the store's inventory.
Meanwhile, one of the businessmen who had been waiting impatiently cleared his throat and spoke up. "Minser, we've been waiting for quite some time. When will you be able to pay back the loan? We've been more than patient."
Mr. Minser glanced at the businessmen, feeling a sense of guilt and frustration. "I understand your concern, gentlemen. Business hasn't been great lately, but I assure you that I am working hard to improve the situation. Give me a little more time, and I'll do my best to repay the loan as soon as possible."
The businessmen exchanged glances but didn't respond, clearly skeptical of Mr. Minser's promises. As they shuffled out of the store, Mr. Minser couldn't help but feel the weight of his financial struggles pressing down on him.
Turning his attention back to Mr. D, he sighed and handed him the rifle. "I'll need some time to fix it properly, but it should be usable for now. As for the tea ingredients, let me check if we have them in stock."
Mr. Minser retrieved a piece of paper and pen from behind the counter and quickly jotted down the missing items from Mr. D's list. He then went to the nearby shelves, searching for ginger and the other ingredients.
After a few minutes, he returned to the counter with a bag containing all the items Mr. D needed. "Here you go," he said, handing it over. "I hope this helps your wife feel better."
Mr. D nodded gratefully and glanced at the clock. "I should get going. I promised my wife that I wouldn't be out too late. Thank you, Minser. Take care of yourself."
"You too, Mr. D," Mr. Minser replied warmly. "And give my regards to your wife."
As Mr. D and his sons left the store, Mr. Minser couldn't shake off the overwhelming feeling of indebtedness and the pressing need to turn his struggling business around. He made a mental note to find a way to repay the loan soon, determined to make things right.
With a heavy heart, Mr. Minser returned to the cash register and resumed his duties at the store, hoping that better days would come and that he would find a solution to his financial woes.