The town where he grew up had been in decline even when he was growing up, though he hadn't realized at the time. Strangers passed through town less and less frequently until the year nobody visited. After that, the people he knew started moving away. Tephyne had received some schooling from one of his father's friends' wives, but she moved away before he learned much more than basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. Tephyne's father, a stubborn old man, thought this was just fine. It was more than he needed to take over the general store.

Tephyne continued to mind the store for another decade after his father passed away, despite making fewer and fewer sales. He took one day off each week, waking up early and returning home early next morning, sometimes with no time to sleep before opening the shop. He made full use of the day scouring the bush near his town, able to gather more than enough food and herbs to stock the store and keep his belly full for the next week.

Eventually, he realized that he was the last one left in town. He stopped opening the shop every day when there was nobody left to visit him. He started spending nights in the bush. Before too long, he had to admit to himself that the store was simply a burden and he closed it permanently, dumping anything that might spoil out back, and leaving everything else shelved. He left the doors unlocked, in case anyone passed through town and needed something. Certainly, he hadn't need of it any more.