The Magic Barrel

Mr. Panessa, who is a retired factory worker, has purchased a small delicatessen on a dark, bleak street in a big city. He and his wife have put all of their savings into the store, which they hope will give them a living so they won’t have to depend upon either of their daughters, both of whom married lazy and disreputable men. Willy Schlegel, a janitor who works in a dilapidated tenement on the corner, is one of their few customers; his wife has told him to go to the Panessas for any odd or end he can’t find at the cheaper self-service grocery. Willy seldom spends more than a half-dollar on his visits to the deli, but he takes up much of the Panessas’ time with his complaints about life’s hardships and his low pay. One day, to his embarrassment, he absentmindedly runs up a three-dollar order, with only 50 cents in his pocket. Taking pity on him, Mr. Panessa allows him to take the items on credit. This amazes Willy, and he begins to do most of his shopping at the deli, rarely paying any cash even if he has money in his pocket. Willy’s wife upbraids him for this, reminding him that he will have to pay eventually.