Ben Barton owns and operates the grocery store in Tuttleton. In this time of war, he understands the need for rationing, especially as he is a veteran himself having served during WWI. What exasperates him is when townsfolk try to circumvent the process by asking for items outside of what rationing stamps they may or may not have, and his ability to get approved inventory within what stamps the townsfolk do have. In that latter vein, what or who exasperates him the most is the town's postmistress Iris Tuttle, the head of the town's rationing board, among that job being to ensure Ben's inventory matches all aspects of the rationing, including matching to the stamps he has collected in his business transactions. Complicating matters between the two of them is their history: they were once engaged to each other before WWI.