The owner came around the counter with his pencil behind his ear and did not reach for my account book.

“Samuel.”

“Two bags of the sixteen percent.

Put it on the account, I’ll settle after the first of the month.”

He walked me to the bulletin board by the register and tapped a printed page pinned there, straight and square, with the county seal at the top.

“Notice of injunction came in the mail Monday.

Corporate office says no credit to any party named in a pending action.” He said it to the floor, not to me.

“I don’t make that call.”