It's the 1950s, and the author and her husband have taken over a grocery shop in a rather bleak, sooty suburb of Doncaster in Yorkshire. These were the days before supermarkets made their appearance, and they have to do battle with a constant 'ebb and flow' of local customers. Their 'star turn', for instance, Mrs Jay, a fat little woman of about sixty, with pink cheeks. She frequently outstays her welcome, and, bosom propped up on the counter, relates the most intimate details of her life without even blushing. The author has many hilarious and entertaining incidents to share. However, over time, she and her husband become disillusioned with the hard-luck stories of customers who want goods on 'tick', yet subsequently, are very loathe to part with their money. Eventually, they become desperate to move to a cleaner and more prosperous environment. But how easy will that be? Will they ever realise their dream?