It took a good 15 minutes to drive from the Skid Row Home for Boys to the flower shop, and Seymour was looking out the car window the whole way there. He was wondering what the shop would look like and if it was in a better area of town than the group home was. But as he continued to see crummy apartment buildings, bums on the streets, old rusty cars, and ancient looking businesses, he realized this would not be the case. He did take comfort in knowing that he was at least out of the group home and maybe life in a florist shop wouldn't be so bad.
His thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Mushnik saying "Hey Seymour, we're here already. Get out of the car and get moving."
Seymour turned around and looked at the building Mr. Mushnik was talking about. It was a small store with the words "Mushnik's Flower Shop" painted in the window in peeling paint. There was a small arrangement of flowers in the window, mainly daffodils and roses. As he stepped out of the car with his suitcase in his hand, Seymour could not believe this tiny shop was his new home.
"Sir, this shop is so small. And you have no customers either." he said.
"Krelbourn, I just started this business six months ago. It ain't no big department store, believe me. But I believe business will be booming someday." Mushnik said with a slight lopsided smile on his face.
"You think so, sir?" Seymour asked.
"Yes Krelbourn, I think so. Now get inside so I can show you around the place." Mushnik snapped impatiently, and Seymour immediately made his way inside the shop.
What Seymour saw next was even more surprising: There were hardly any flowers or plants on display in the store at all. Noticing Seymour's quizzical look, Mushnik said "Oh yeah, about the plants. Most of them are in the back cooler so they stay fresh."
"Oh, ok sir." Seymour said.
Mushnik then spent the next 15 minutes showing Seymour around the tiny shop. He showed him the cash register, the back cooler, the room where the floral arrangements were done, and the storage closet. The last stop on the tour was the basement of the building. There Seymour saw a small bed, dresser, and an old radio.
"What's this?" he asked Mr. Mushnik.
"This, Krelbourn, is where you'll be sleeping from now on. The bathroom is over in that corner, in case you're wondering. And I'll be taking your dirty clothes back to my apartment once a week for cleaning. Got it?" Mr. Mushink told him.
"Got it, sir." Seymour said meekly. Even though this wasn't the Ritz Hotel, at least it was better than nothing.
Mr. Mushnik began making his way up the stairs, and when he got to the top he suddenly turned around and looked at Seymour like he forgot to tell him something.
"By the way Seymour, I live in the apartment just above this shop. So if there's an emergency in the middle of the night or something, you know where to find me." he said.
"Yes sir, thank you sir." Seymour said and Mr. Mushnik disappeared into the shop as he called back "You start work tomorrow, kid."
Seymour laid down on his bed and kicked off his shoes. He was disappointed that he did not leave Skid Row, but happy that he had a new home. He wondered what his first day of work tomorrow would bring him and if it was worth leaving the Skid Row Home for Boys or not.