Amano Writing Club: 'Because It's Merchandise'

Due to a ordering error by the store manager, we ended up with a massive shipment of pumpkins.
"Manager, what are we going to do? Our supermarket alone can't possibly sell all of these."
"Well, it can't be helped. You all can just take some home."
"But... they are merchandise, so we'll pay for them."
"No, it's fine. It was my mistake, after all. In exchange, I need you to lend me a hand once you've finished eating them."

Next month is Halloween.
Every year, we decorate the store to match the season, but this year, there are a lot more pumpkin masks.
All the part-timers took several home, distributed them to their families, friends, and neighbors, and asked them to create original masks.
Now, those are displayed all over the store.
Day after day, more customers than usual come to the store, hoping to catch a glimpse of the masks they made on display.
Sales are on the rise, too.

I'm just glad the ordering error was pumpkins for this time of year.
The manager says.
If it had been zucchini, there wouldn't have been much we could do.
He says that and laughs.
I suspect that we were cleverly manipulated by the manager's strategy.
After all, making those pumpkin masks was quite a lot of work.
So much so that it wasn't worth the price of a single pumpkin.

Well, though, seeing the store so busy.
And seeing the happy smiles of the customers as they walk around the store looking for the masks we made.
It doesn't feel bad at all.
I wonder if the manager will make an ordering error again next year... I'm sure he will.