 He needs and deserves your cooperation. One thing that you can do that will help him and help yourself too is to shop early in the week so as to cut down on the weekend rush. Another thing is to be patient and fair. Don't demand more than your share. And don't blame your local merchant if he isn't always able to supply you with all you want of certain items. For example, you probably noticed that your local merchant is sometimes short of chewing gum.