My brother Jim comes here to run the store six days a week, even though he's now married with a family of his own. Dad retired a few years ago, but he still spends most of his time in the store. He says he still likes spending time with his customers even if they no longer give him money.

I like meeting all the interesting people who come to our store, but most of all, I like Saturday nights when almost everyone in our neighbourhood gathers around to listen to the hockey game on our big radio. This has been a tradition in our store even before I was born, but this is the first year I've been allowed to stay up until midnight.

Mom and Dad's Lebanese friends and relatives play cards all night, my brothers and I bring our friends over, and everyone gets a sample of Mom's Lebanese cooking. It's a lot of fun!

A couple of my brothers are in university now and a lot of their friends wear white lab coats when they come over. At first, I thought they were doctors! They all treat me like a kid, but I'm not interested in boys yet anyway.

My parents insisted all of my brothers graduate high school and they want me to do the same, even if I am a girl. Mom always says how lucky she was to be able to work in the store while raising a family, and she hopes I can do the same.

I love our store, but I don't think I want to work there all of my life like my parents and my brother Jim. I think maybe I might become a teacher someday.

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