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At fourteen Carl left the Mission School forever. The responsibility for his education
passed to his father who now began to teach him his trade. This was not a happy
responsibility for the Shopkeeper as Carl was the least favorite of his children. During his
year of incarceration at the Mission School they had at least temporarily beaten the
adventurousness from him and, two years later he was definitely a more obedient boy, but
he was still moody and often uncooperative and given to outbursts of temper. However,
since it was undeniably his duty to train his eldest son, the Shopkeeper forced himself to
sit down with the boy. | He had an old Instruction Manual which had been passed down to him by his father and before him over many generations for more than two hundred years. This book contained all the information necessary to mange the affairs of a town like Dentonsville and in fact even one much larger. But he had never understood much of it. Unlike his son, the Shopkeeper had never been a good student and had never really learned to read that well. The book contained words that were entirely beyond him; its concepts were too complicated and theoretical. But to his surprise the boy was soon reading aloud from it. 'The country town is an isolated, entirely self-sufficient community. It has no intercourse whatsoever with the outside world, neither exporting nor importing any goods or services. Within its framework the Shopkeeper is an all-important figure. He is the economic focus of the town serving many functions for the people of the community. He is their banker, their broker, their employer and their supplier. He controls the distribution of labor and all transactions of any kind. Exchanges of goods and services except through him are strictly forbidden. He fixes prices relative to a commodity and, though the use of money is forbidden, he should understand what money is.' With a sigh the Shopkeeper broke in. 'Do you understand all this, Carl? The Shopkeeper has the greatest responsibility of any man in Dentonsville.' He stared uneasily at his son. He knew adolescence was a trying experience but he had some difficulty in feeling any sympathy for the boy. No-one was ever sympathetic to him. Especially after his father died and his uncle assumed the mantle; and in later years as well - well, it's always hard to be a Shopkeeper. 'If a farmer needs laborers for the harvest I find the men who will do the work. Or if he needs a plough, or knives or windows for his house I find the man who can sell him what he needs. I set the price depending on the circumstances and I set the time and place for the transaction and record it in the Book of Records. Lastly I take a little for myself. Now, there are times when the farmer can pay the worker before he has done the work and get a better price. But the Shopkeeper must always remember that no man's life is certain from one minute to the next. The farmer's harvest is never guaranteed until it is stored in his barn. If a Shopkeeper takes a risk it may mean the undeserving die. The Shopkeeper must be a negotiator, Carl. He must be cunning so that he can see through the deceptions of others and know when to harden his heart. He must learn to tread warily with the workers of wood and metal; glass and brick and plastic; the women who weave and sow and spin. Even though he may feel great sorrow for their problems he must become a cynic and learn to close his mind to death. It's easy to say that now. Since you were born times have been good. There have been no great problems. Still, people will never be completely satisfied with their Shopkeeper. You must get used to it. It will be your lot in life as it has been mine.' The Shopkeeper was surprised how attentively his son listened to him and how obviously anxious he was to learn. There was one subject, however, with which the boy seemed obsessed. 'The 'Men Apart' are never satisfied, are they father?' he said, reflectively. For a moment the Shopkeeper was drawn in. He said sadly, 'I know I'm not popular over there. But I don't think they think I'm that bad. I am sympathetic to their problems. Their lives are very difficult.' Then he changed his tone completely and said sharply ' but you needn't think you're going to be allowed to run off THERE right away! Dealing with those people is an important part of the Shopkeeper's task Carl, but it is dangerous. They are not like us. They are violent people. Well... you've already had experience of that! I would never go into their enclave without telling the Sheriff I was going. Nor do I ever go beyond the town boundary without telling him. It is only sensible and it is also the law. A Shopkeeper who breaks the law is worse than anyone.' In response his son made an observation and asked a question that surprised the Shopkeeper very much indeed. 'The hunter Savage told me that time that nine parts in ten of all he caught was taken in tax. Do you collect this tax from him, father?' The Shopkeeper colored and became irritable. 'I've heard them say that many times. To tell the truth I don't know whether to believe them or not. I certainly don't collect any taxes. They say there are places far away they call Collecting Centers where each hunter and seeker must go and pay a tax on anything they find. Who collects this tax, if it is true, I don't know. All I know is that, on pain of death, they must have a receipt for everything they bring into the town and they must register it with me. Each of their transactions is recorded in a separate book which I give to the Pastor as a parting gift at the Festival of Renewal. It is very tiresome. You must never take their word for what they bring in. You must always check it personally.' He grew more annoyed. 'Otherwise, before you know it you'll find them trading illegally behind your back. I tell you, I've yet to find a one of them I thought was honest! Their whining and complaining makes me sick!' Thus Carl began to learn his trade and learned it well and the Instruction Manual, difficult though it was to read at first, yielded over several years a great deal of very perplexing information. |
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