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.
I want my candy now! Said the his nephew
Anne, could you give your son the candies he wants and let him keep his money?
All right she said as she came out of the back room
and handed the four candies to her nephew. The young boy grinned and thanked his aunt before running off to join his siblings.
Meanwhile, Mr. Minser retrieved Mr. D's rifle from the back room and handed it over to him. "It's all cleaned and fixed. Should be good as new," he said.
"Thanks," Mr. D replied, taking the rifle and inspecting it. "I appreciate it. And thanks for getting the ingredients for the tea. Hopefully, it'll help my wife feel better."
"No problem. I hope she gets well soon," Mr. Minser said with a sympathetic smile.
As Mr. D and his sons left the store, another customer approached the counter. It was one of the estate's servants, who regularly purchased supplies from Mr. Minser's store.
"Good afternoon," the servant greeted. "I'd like to buy some wheat and corn, please."
"Certainly," Mr. Minser replied. He proceeded to measure out the desired amounts of wheat and corn and packaged them up for the servant.
After the transaction was completed, Mr. Minser turned his attention back to the four businessmen who had entered earlier. "I understand my debt, and I want to pay it back," he said earnestly. "But business has been tough lately."
One of the businessmen sighed. "We've given you enough time, Minser. We need that money back soon. Otherwise, we'll have to take legal action."
Minser's face fell as he realized the severity of the situation. "I promise I'll do my best," he said, feeling the weight of his responsibilities. "I just need a bit more time."
The businessmen exchanged glances but didn't respond. They turned to leave the store, leaving a heavy silence behind them.
As the day continued, more customers came and went, purchasing various items from Mr. Minser's store. Despite the busy atmosphere, Mr. Minser couldn't shake off the worry about his financial situation.
However, he remained determined to find a way to pay back his debt and continue running his beloved general store. Despite the challenges he faced, Mr. Minser was grateful for the support of his loyal customers and the friendship he shared with Mr. D and his family.