APPA: You welcome. Now let go.

JANET: “Thank you . . . Janet.” (Beat.) Repeat. After. Me.

APPA: What? Ah!

JANET: Repeat after me. “Thank you, Janet.”

APPA: AH!

JANET: Repeat after me. “Thank you —”

APPA: You welcome.

JANET: Repeat after me! “Thank you, Janet!”

APPA: Ah! Ah! Okay, okay, okay. Thank you, Janet. Okay, enough is enough, let go.

JANET: “I’m sorry.”

APPA: That’s okay. Ah!

JANET: Repeat after me. “I’m sorry.”

APPA: Ah! Okay, okay, I’m sorry.

JANET: “I love you, Janet. I love you, Janet.” (Beat.) “I love you, Janet!”

APPA: Ah! Okay! I love you, Janet!

JANET releases APPA.

JANET: I love you too, Appa. (With arms open.) And see, no one’s twisting my arm to say it.

JANET slowly lowers her arms, picks up her bag, and walks to the back of the store.

APPA: You was fourteen years old. ( JANET stops.) You was fourteen years old, school project: “What I am most proud of.” You write story how we begin store. Then you take picture of me in front of store. That is my most happy memory, Janet. I don’t want you take over store. I want you live life best way you choosing.

JANET takes the garbage bag from the closet and approaches the front door.

APPA: Yah. (APPA takes it from her.) Go upstair. Go. Sleep. (JANET embraces APPA.) Okay, okay, okay, that’s good enough, let go, Janet.

JANET exits to the back and APPA takes the garbage out. Bell. APPA returns. Bell. Turns off the lights. Goes to the cash register.

20. Hi Appa

Bell. JUNG enters with a knapsack on, no tie, and shirt dishevelled.

APPA: Sorry, we is closing.

JUNG: Hi, Appa. (Beat.) How you been? (Beat.) You look good. I take it the store’s doing well? (Beat.) Still smells the same. A good smell. Familiar.

APPA: You voice is change.

JUNG: Sorry?

APPA: You voice, you voice is . . . change.

JUNG: My voice. Right. Yeah, I guess it has. Your English got a lot better.

APPA: Umma is upstair. I go call her.

APPA makes to leave.

JUNG: That’s, uh — that’s alright. Um . . . (Beat.) What is that? What are those? Energy drinks? Insam Energy drinks?

APPA: Yah. New one. From Korea.

JUNG: KBA?

APPA: Mr. Park bring in. (Beat. Offers one.) You can have.

JUNG: That’s okay. (As APPA is about to put the can back.) Sure, yeah, okay.

JUNG walks to the counter and takes the can from appa. He cracks it open and takes a sip.

APPA: What you think?

JUNG: It’s good. Yeah, it’s really good. Not too sweet. Not too mediciny. (Seeing the price.) A dollar fifty? You could sell this for two dollars to black people and two-fifty to white people. Rock Star, Red Bull, they go for, like, three in my neighbourhood.

APPA: Oh, yah?

JUNG: Yeah.

APPA: That’s kind of rip-off.

JUNG: Yeah, it is. I was just . . . How’s Janet?