Peter didn't have money to pay his bills. He always owed money to the shopkeepers in his town. Most of them didn't ask for their money — but there was one who did, at all patient. When that man saw Peter, he reminded him of the money he had not yet paid him, and he argued about it in front of people. This made Peter feel uncomfortable: he did not want people to know he was so poor.
The plan
Peter decided to teach the shopkeeper a lesson. Next time the man stopped him in the street and began to shame him publicly, Peter said: 'Wait a minute. How much money do I owe you?'
The conversation
'Well,' said Peter, 'I'll pay forty pounds this month, another forty next month, and forty more the month after. How much would I still owe you?' 'You would then owe me two pounds, of course,' answered the shopkeeper.
The lesson
'Well, aren't you ashamed of yourself,' Peter said, 'giving me all this trouble for only two pounds?'
Key understanding
Peter wasn't ready to pay all his bills at that time. He was trying to say that the shopkeeper might get most of his money back in three months — there's no need to publicly shame him over a small remainder.
Vocabulary from the passage
'argue' = to talk with someone who does not agree with you. 'reminded' = made someone remember. 'ashamed' = feeling guilty or embarrassed.