- Breitbart, a bulb peddler and fellow Jew, stops in for some hot tea and to read the Jewish paper.
- At lunchtime, Ida, Morris's wife, comes down to the store from upstairs.
- Morris has been thinking of Ephraim, their deceased son. His eyes are wet.
- She chides him for the bad business and nags him about his smoking.
- They discuss selling the store and the hit they would take.
- Julius Karp, who owns the liquor store next door and brought in another grocer to the neighborhood, allegedly has an interested buyer for Morris's store.
- Morris doesn't like Karp. Well, he did go back on his promise not to bring in competition.
- Morris mops and oils the floor while Ida makes him soup.
- They talk about Helen, their daughter, who left early for work and has to help support them with her meager wages.
- Ida wants her to find a husband with good prospects. She likes Nat Pearl. He's likely to be a rich lawyer someday. Helen no longer sees him.
- Apparently Louis Karp, Julius's son, also likes Helen.
- Morris tries to take a nap, but the noise from Tessie Fuso vacuuming upstairs makes sleep difficult.
- He thinks back on the life of the store, how Karp had brought in competition after saying he wouldn't, how he needs to stay open 16 hours a day, seven days a week just to get by.
- His thoughts turn to his son, and he falls asleep.