***** Vol.2 Chap.9 Past debts spoiling the day *****
As Haw-Ting turned the corner from the busy street, he remembered that the supplies in the pharmacy store were almost gone. He knew he should stop by the local pharmacy store to pick up some supplies. So, he headed to Chow’s Pharmacy. The store was not far, a few streets over. He knew the owner well because he always bought the supplies from Mr. Chow. In fact, Mr. Chow had agreed to extend him a line of credit. That was unheard of in those days. It was only after he had treated Mr. Chow for his illness many times that he had decided to extend Haw-Ting a small line of credit if he would purchase all his supplies from him. Of course, he readily agreed.
He arrived at Chow’s Pharmacy as he was closing the store.
“Good evening, Mr. Chow.”
“Good evening, Doctor Tsai.”
“How is your arm this week?”
“Oh, not bad. It hasn’t given me any trouble at all since the last time you gave me the acupuncture treatment.”
“That is good to hear.”
“Yeah! We have some fungus on sale today. Would you like some?”
“The fungus are very nice and very inexpensive, but I should check with May-Ling first.”
“I understand. What do you need today?”
“I am running low on everything in the clinic, cleaning alcohol, two boxes of surgical gloves, two boxes of cotton pads, and a large box of cotton linings, basic ingredients for making herbal medicine…”
“Just a minute, Haw-Ting. Let me get the first few items for you first.” Mr. Chow disappeared behind the counter and took out some cotton linings.
“I don’t have any cotton pads here. Let me check the back.” He disappeared towards the backroom. He thought he was in the backroom for a long while. Finally, Mr. Chow came out with an awful look on his face.
“Er, Haw-Ting, I assume you are paying cash today?”
“Not really. I thought the clinic has a line of credit with you?”
“Yes, but you have already charged beyond the approved line of credit for quite some time now. In fact, you have not paid me for over the past three months. Here is your account.” Mr. Chow opened his accounting books and ran his finger down the columns. He was mumbling the date sold, and the goods sold.
“Is the record correct?”
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“Yes.” He remembered all those items. “I don’t realize that I am that far behind.”
“The total of all these goods is over 859 rmb. Your approved line of credit is only for 500 rmb.” Mr. Chow looked straight at Haw-Ting.
He was speechless. Not that he did not want to pay, they never had the money to pay.
“Mr. Chow, you know I would pay you as soon as I have any money.”
“I don’t doubt that. But I cannot keep on subsidizing your operation either. Whether you pay or not, I must pay to my suppliers too.”
“I know you do. But can you for once let me have some of these supplies and I promised that the moment I receive some money, I will come right over and settle the bill.”
“I can’t do that anymore, Haw-Ting.”
“I have nothing left in my storeroom. If I don’t have these supplies, there is no way I can treat any patients next week.” He pleaded with Mr. Chow.
“Haw-Ting, how you run your clinic is your business. But this is my pharmacy. How I run my pharmacy is my business.”
“But we need the supplies for next week.”
“Haw-Ting, I must pay my distributors as well. In fact, they are not so forgiving like me. They do not give me any line of credit at all. If I don’t pay them, I get nothing from them. If I get nothing from them, you don’t get anything from me either.”
He had nothing to say.
“Haw-Ting, you got to help me stay in business. Everyone else pays cash. You are my only customer that I extend a line of credit. That means that I am carrying your debt.”
“I know, Mr. Chow. I appreciate your help. You know very well that we do not charge our patients anything and any money we receive is straightly from patients’ donations. You also know that we don’t live a rich lifestyle like others either.”
“I know that, that is why I extended a line of credit only to you.”
“Mr. Chow, you also know that if I have any money at all, I would pay you first.” Mr. Chow nodded his head. “Today, I am not coming to you to get any unnecessary stuff. These things are necessary for treating patients next week. Can you please extend me a little more credit? Just this one time?”
Mr. Chow shook his head and sighed pacing back and forth behind the counter. He looked at his accounting book and flipped through the pages and shook his head some more. Haw-Ting held his tongue. Mr. Chow kept pacing. Those were some tense moments. Haw-Ting felt very uneasy and shifted his body weight from one leg to another.
At long last, Mr. Chow shook his head and looked up at Haw-Ting who was breaking out in sweat but kept quiet. “Okay, you won. I will only let you take the cotton linings and the cotton pads. Those are essentials. But I cannot give you any herbal extracts because they are too expensive.”
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Chow. Thank you. You have kept our clinic open for another week. May-Ling and I thank you so much.”
“Haw-Ting, this is the last time I am extending the credit. You understand that, right? This is the last time on credit.”
“Yes, thank you so much, Mr. Chow. May-Ling and I will never forget this.”
“That means next time when you come, you better have some money to settle the bill.”
“I understand, Mr. Chow. I will not disappoint you.”
“Okay, here are your pads and linings. I need to close the store.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Chow. Thank you. See you next week.” He picked up the merchandise and headed for the door.
“Don’t forget. This is the last time, Haw-Ting. You better settle the account next time I see you.”
“I won’t forget, Mr. Chow. I won’t forget. I will come back with the payment next time. Again, thank you so much for being so understanding and so patient with us.” Haw-Ting bowed and bowed again and then turned to leave quickly.
Mr. Chow waved his hand at him and went back to his work, closing the store mumbling something to himself. Haw-Ting could not make out the words, nor did not really want to hear what he was saying either.