The Grocery Omnibus

When Elliott moves to a new Baltimore neighborhood where his father just bought a corner grocery store, he wonders if he'll be able to make any new friends. But he adapts quite quickly to his new environment, forming a sincere friendship with Sixteen and his gang of corner boys. There's Mr. Friedman, a grocer grieving over the disappearance of his wife and taking gun classes for his self-defense. There's Washington, a desperate marine just back from Iraq and a victim of the subprime crisis. There's Ellis One, the new neighborhood boss who intends to impose his way with his M60. All of these characters have destinies that intersect with the neighborhood grocery store as a point of convergence . . .