Doctor Ryan and His Healing System

Chapter 19 Zacks’ Ice Cream Shoppe

The next morning Ryan woke up early, and as he had his morning coffee it occurred to him that he should start a business so that he could make money. In the past, he had had no interest in accumulating wealth. After what he had been through recently, though, he had come to realize something about money: It was not everything, but a life without it was not worth living. Hence, he had to find a way to make money.

After a while, it occulted to Ryan that Zacks’ Ice Cream Shoppe was for sale. It was located on the outskirts of the city, and it was facing foreclosure. Mr. Zack had been trying to sell the shop for almost a year, but no one had shown any real interest. Ryan was interested, though, so he made arrangements to check the place out.

The next day Ryan took Linnet to Zacks’ Ice Cream Shoppe. She was confused about his plan. “This may not be a wise choice,” she said. He had more than half a billion dollars, and she thought he could make better investments. She was impressed by his skills as a healer, pianist, and archer, but it seemed to her that he did not know much when it came to business. “I would hate for it to bite you in the ass…”

“You worry too much.” Ryan laughed and said, “I am confident that I can turn this place around and make a healthy profit.”

“Alright.” Linnet sighed. She had learned not to doubt him when he said that he knew what he was doing.

When they arrived at the shop, they found the owner, Mr. Zack, sitting at a table sipping a margarita. He was alone and disheveled. He looked like a man that had reached the end of his rope and was barely holding on. When he saw Ryan and Linnet walk in, he smiled and waved them over. As they arrived, he rose and shook their hands. “So,” he said. “You want to buy my shop… May I ask why?” He had done everything he could do to turn a profit, and nothing had worked. Anyone could see that the place was a sinkhole, so it seemed unbelievable that someone would come along at the eleventh hour and bail him out.

“I want to run an ice cream parlor,” was Ryan’s reply. “Will you sell it for two hundred thousand dollars?”

Linnet was astonished by Ryan’s offer. At most, the shop was worth sixty thousand. He is crazy to be offering so much – she thought.  

Mr. Zack was taken aback. This was beyond his wildest dreams. He tried to play it cool, but he could not contain his elation. “Are you sure?” he exclaimed. “Two hundred thousand dollars. Wow! That is a lot of money…” Beneath his excitement, there was some caution. Is Ryan setting up a trap for me? – he wondered.

“This is a lot of money!” Linnet stood akimbo and frowned. “This place isn’t turning a profit. It is not worth two hundred thousand dollars!”

Ryan turned to Linnet, scowled, and said, “I thought that you trusted me?”

Linnet’s face turned white, and she apologized.  

After a short silence, Ryan took out two stacks of cash. He put them on the table in front of Mr. Zack and said, “I assume we have a deal… ?”

Mr. Zack was hesitant. He said, “Let me get this straight. You want to buy my ice cream parlor, as is, knowing full well that it has not turned a profit in a long time, and you are offering me two hundred thousand dollars for it. Is that correct?”

“You got it, Pontiac.”

“Alright. It’s a deal. I have warned you about what you are walking into, so don’t come crying to me when it isn’t everything you hoped it would be.” If he had gone bankrupt, he would have had no way of making a living, so this was like a dream come true. Without another word, he took the cash, left the store, and drove away.

Linnet frowned as she looked around the ice cream parlor. “I still don’t see what you see,” she admitted. “Do you really think you can make money here?”

Ryan didn’t argue with her. He had a good reason for buying the shop, but he was not ready to share the details with her. That being said, he wanted her to know how much faith he had in the endeavor. He smiled and said, “I bet that I can make a hundred million dollars within one month.”

“Nonsense!” Linnet laughed. “You could never make that much money here!”

Ryan sat back, lit up a cigarette and breathed out a stream of cigarette smoke. “What if I make the money in a month?” he asked.

Linnet rubbed her chin and her face turned slightly red. After a while, she looked at him and said, “If you succeed, I promise to be your girlfriend.”

Ryan coughed violently after hearing her answer. “Never mind,” he coughed. “I was just joking.”

Linnet’s face darkened. This was the second time that he had rejected her, and it hurt. Given that she was desired by many men, young and old, she felt aggrieved by his attitude. “Don’t you have feelings for me?” she asked.

Ryan sighed. He had already explained this to her: He was not interested in being in a relationship right now. It had nothing to do with her and everything to do with the fact that he was prioritizing his business and professional development over everything else. What about that does she not get? – he asked himself. “I’m sorry…” he replied lamely.

Linnet felt annoyed and embarrassed so she left the shop.

While she was gone, Ryan tried all the flavors that were available. They tasted good. They were nothing to write home about, though, and he thought that perhaps he could create his own flavor. Ideally, not only would it taste good, but it would also have curative effects.