Mr. Patterson is a pet store owner. He sells parrots, goldfish, rabbits, and hamsters. He only keeps two hamsters on display at a time, and keeps dozens in the back. He sells two hamsters for $1 apiece to Danny Partridge, who hopes to make thousands of dollars breeding and selling them. About two months later, Shirley Partridge goes back to the pet store to try to sell the original pair's many descendants back to Mr. Patterson, but he refuses even when she offers to give them to him for free. He tells Shirley that he doesn't buy back pets and shows her all the hamsters he has in the backroom.