As a routine, Ronny, a middle-aged man, enters Brown's Liquor Store to purchase a fifth of his preferred whiskey brand. He receives the bottle on credit, and Mr. Brown, the owner, notes the amount owed in his ledger—a composition notebook. Every Friday, payday; Mr. Brown cashes Ronny's paycheck and subtracts the accumulated debt.
Mr. Brown informs Ronny of his decision to sell the liquor store. Ronny hopes that the new owners will maintain the agreement he has with Mr. Brown.
A week after the new owners took over, Ronny walks into the liquor store, to buy his usual fifth of his favorite brand of whiskey and some lottery tickets. The new proprietors are a Korean American couple. He asks for his bottle of whiskey and the storekeeper gets it for him and brings it to the counter, expecting payment and Ronny tells him, "I'll have to pay you this Friday, when I get my paycheck." Mr. Chen's wife and co-owner said to him, "You have to pay now, if you want the bottle of whiskey!" Ronny said to them, "I always did this arrangement with Mr. Brown." Mrs. Chen said to him, "Mr. Brown; no longer owner." Mr. Chen said, "New rules, pay first and you get, bottle." Ronny disappointedly leaves the store empty-handed.
THE END
