The Store Summary

In The Store, the protagonist comes of age while working as an employee in a local grocery store. As a teenager, the protagonist gets a job as a mail clerk but becomes discouraged when he is consistently passed over for promotion due to his race. At the age of twenty, he quits and spends four months unemployed. During this period, an encounter with a white policeman leaves his frustrated and scared and he responds by remaining within his own familiar neighborhood. When his best friend Lonny gets married and joins the service, the protagonist looks for work and applies at Al's and Penny's Grocery store on 5th and O streets. He is hired by Penelope "Penny" Jenkins and spends the first day mucking out the side yard. he protagonist vacillates about the job as it is unpleasant but he has a...