by David Hockey
Chapter 10 Signing papers
Supper over, and the rest of the fifty farms painted, Bob sat down by his window waiting for Peter. It was very dark when he arrived and Bob felt a bit anxious.
“Where will I drive Peter?”
“I’d like you to drive along the main road to Big End. It’s wide and you shouldn’t have any trouble. When a car approaches look to the left edge of the road. If you think the road is wide enough for two cars to pass easily just keep driving but keep close to the left side. You do that so the oncoming driver’s lights don’t blind you and so you won’t drive into him. Sometimes that’s what people do if they stare at the headlights. You’ll be fine along this road.”
And so they were. Five cars drove towards them on their way into Big End and Bob passed each of them easily. Bob remembered to dim his headlights in each case. One car overtook them. Once they arrived in Big End Peter asked him to drive along the main street. Near the end he was told to do a three-point turn and then park between two cars.
“Perfect. Now I want you to drive through some of the narrower streets. Go a bit slower than you would in day time. If the gap between you and an approaching car seems very narrow just slow down. You can even stop if you like. The other driver would have more experience than you and he or she will drive past you. Just keep to the left all the time and you’ll be all right.”
Bob had to slow almost to a stop three times. Once he did stop the car as several cars left the parking lot of a pub and drove towards him. One or two of them were moving a little from side to side and he guessed their drivers might have had a bit too much to drink.
“You did the right thing there Bob. If you were stopped and they hit you it would have been their fault, no questions asked. So we’ll drive through a few more streets then go home. I’ll quiz you on the manual as we go.”
They were back at Tim’s garage by nine o’clock.
“Would you like to go to the Crown for a drink Peter?”
“Not tonight Bob. Let’s do that when you’ve passed your test. Now on Thursday and Sunday we’ll drive to Bournemouth and practice driving along the streets that they use during the tests. Those lessons will take about ninety minutes. Will that be okay?”
“Oh yes. Will we leave at five on Thursday?”
“Yes. There will be rather a lot of traffic on the major roads but that’s no bother to you. Also people will be parking their cars along the roads in Bournemouth, that might be a little more difficult but you’ll be okay. I’ll see you Thursday then.”
“Yes. Thanks’. I’ll be waiting for you. Oh, I almost forgot. Here’s the cheque for my March lessons.”
Bob gave Peter an envelope then got out of the car and walked home. ‘This is an exciting time,’ he thought as he made his way up the hill. ‘So many different things to do. So much to think about. I wish Betty was here. I’d like to discuss it all with her.’ He then felt a little sad and promised himself a glass of Chardonnay to cheer up. As expected the wine was fine and it tasted just as nice as it did the day before so he had another while watching the extension to the news. Then, at ten, he went to bed.
He was waiting on the road when Ken pulled up the next morning.
“Hi Bob. When I filled my tank this morning Peter said you were sure to pass your test. Would you like to drive my car to Southampton?”
“I’d like that Ken but it’s an automatic, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’d rather not. I don’t want to alter my driving habits until I’ve passed the test. Thanks for offering but I’ll be happier just watching what you do.”
So Ken drove and Bob watched. They talked a little about driving and how other drivers on the road were behaving on the way and arrived at Arthur’s office just before ten. His secretary showed them in and a tray of coffee and biscuits followed. They talked about the weather for a minute or two then the lawyer put his cup down.
“Are you ready to go through the partnership form? If so I’ll ask my secretary, Jennifer, to join us. She’ll take notes.”
Ken smiled at Bob, “Yes we’re ready.” Arthur called his secretary on the intercom, “Bring your notebook please Jenny.
“This is Mr. Bob Barns and Mr. Ken Smith. They’re forming a partnership.”
“Oh that’s interesting. I like working with those contracts.”
“Jennifer’s helped me with several. If I’m not here and you have a question it’s likely she can help you. Now let’s start at the top of the forms.”
They pulled out their copies and went through each item.
“I have your names and addresses. What will you call the partnership?”
“Small End Wooden Toys,” replied Bob.
“No. That might be your trade name. How about Bob and Ken? Or Robert Barns and Kenneth Smith?”
“Oh I see. I’m happy with either. How about you Ken?”
“Either is fine.”
“Then I suggest we use both the Christian and surname. That way there’s less chance it will be confused with another. What is the address of the partnership?’
“Use Bob’s address Arthur.”
“What does the partnership do?”
“Runs a company that makes wooden toys.”
“Okay. Will you add other partners?”
“I don’t think so. If we ever wanted to do that is it difficult?”
“Not if you have a simple partnership, which I think yours will be. When do you want to start this partnership. How about May 1st?”
“Ah no. We want to start it April 1st.”
“Why?”
“Because we have already started working together and because we have assessed the assets as of that date.”
“Well I’ve never helped form a partnership retroactively but I see no reason why it can’t be done. Okay. Put April 1st for the start date Jenny. How will you divide the ownership?”
“Bob owns 51% and I own 49%.”
“That’s a good choice. What capital will each of you contribute?”
“We have calculated that. Bob will put in £2,550, but he already has put in several assets, so he only has to contribute £1,450. Same for me. I put in £2,450 but I’ve put a few assets so I contribute £2,345. We plan to open a business bank account with this money this week. Is this a sensible way to contribute capital?”
“Very sensible. You’ve done your homework. How will you distribute the profits or add more money if the company needs it?”
“Just as the partnership suggests. I put in 51% and Ken puts in 49%,” said Bob.
“And we take it out in the same way. Bob takes out 51% and I take out 49%.”
“Fine. What will be your fiscal year?”
“We think that April 1st would be easiest for our accountant even though we might be busy as a company at that time of the year. That’s usually when I have to make a lot more sets for the tourists. They’re the ones that buy most of them.”
“Who is going to be your accountant?”
“I thought about Simon Delare, Arthur,” said Ken. “He does my income taxes. Do you know him?”
“Yes I do. I’ve used him a few times. He knows his stuff in the real estate and income tax fields. Have we ever used him as an accountant Jenny?”
“We used to do that Mr. Glone. We didn’t have any trouble with his work but five years ago you let your nephew do them.”
“Ah yes. That’s right. Well either would be okay for you. Who do you want to try Ken, Bob?”
“We might as well go with the one you already know Ken.”
“Okay we’ll ask Delare. If he’s too busy we’ll let you know Arthur.”
“All right. Will both of you have signing authority?”
“Yes,” said Bob.
“How do you make decisions?”
“By mutual consent I expect,” Bob said.
“Though you’ll have the final decision Bob, since you have the most shares.”
“Yes I suppose so.
; “You’ll also be the nominated partner.”
“What’s that?” asked Ken.
“The one that is responsible for sending in the tax return. Simon will tell you all about that. Lastly, how will you dissolve the partnership?”
“By mutual consent,” said Bob looking at Ken.
“Sure,” Ken added.
“Okay, that’s all I need,” said Arthur. “Do you have any questions?”
“No I don’t,” said Bob.
“Nor me. When do we sign the agreement?”
“You can probably do that this afternoon. Can you have it ready by then Jenny?”
“Certainly. Anytime after two would be fine.”
“Come back at two and we’ll be your witnesses. Can you manage that?”
“Yes we can. Thanks.”
Arthur showed them out and they looked at each other and smiled again.
“Well, we’ve done it. It’s almost feels like a marriage; I hope that we’ll be very happy together Bob.”
“And profitable too Ken!”
They were too content to start shopping so, even though it wasn’t yet eleven, they decided to go to a pub and have a drink to celebrate.
After drinking to the success of the company Bob took a pad of paper from his folder. “We need to make a to-do list Ken. First, we should call Simon Delare and see if he’ll be our accountant. Second, you said that band saws would be better to cut the houses and pieces so we should buy them. Third, I’d like to go to the library and photocopy the yellow pages of toy and gift shops in Southampton. Then visit one of them—more, if we can do that before seeing Arthur.”
“What about lunch?”
“We’ll squeeze that in. Let’s call Simon Delare now. If he won’t be our accountant then we must tell Jennifer. Can you phone him?”
Ken used the phone in the pub’s hallway then returned.
“Yes, he’s happy to look after us. I asked him about costs and he said that looking after the taxes for a small firm like ours won’t cost much if we keep good records of our income and expenses.”
“That’s good. I’m constantly worried about the bills we’ll be getting.”
“Don’t worry Bob. We’ll be alright.”
“Let’s make that our motto Ken: ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be alright’. It might help me to cope with my anxieties if I keep reminding myself to say it!”
“Sure!” and they lifted their glasses and smiled at each other as they repeated the words.
“Why don’t we have an early lunch here and do the shopping afterwards. They have fish and chips,” said Ken.
“Alright. Another pint?”
“Not for me Bob. I have to drive and there’s too much traffic to take a chance.”
“Then I won’t either.”
Afterwards Ken drove to the town’s lumber yard and asked if they had any second-hand band saws.
“We’ve two. They’re over here” and he took them to a side counter. “Are these the kind you wanted?”
“You make the decision Ken, but how much are they?”
“This one is sixty pounds; that’s forty-five. Both are in good condition.”
“I’ll take that one.”
“That’s the cheap one Ken. Do you think it is good enough?”
“The adjustment controls work okay, I’ve just tried them, and the blade looks like a new one. Yes this’ll do.”
“Oh, yes, I can see that now. I should have asked a fifty for it.”
“Too late! We’ll buy it for forty-five.”
They walked to the till and Ken gave the man his credit card and collected a receipt. “You don’t have to repay me until the end of the month Bob,” he said as they walked to the car.
“You can have the money as soon as we have opened our account. When should we do that?” asked Bob.
“Can we make it Saturday? My bank, the National Westminster, is open on Saturdays. They know me and that will make opening a business account simpler. I’ll come for you at ten?”
“Okay. I’d like to do some shopping afterwards. Would you mind that?’
“No not at all.”
“While we’re there you should meet Jenny Wood, the owner of Home and Holiday. She’s sells our toys.’
“Alright.”
The next stop was the library where the librarian photocopied the yellow pages of the gift shops and also copied a business list provided by the town’s tourist association.
“It’s a pity I forgot to bring samples Ken. We could have found out if any would sell them for us.”
“There’s two shops along the main street Bob. I’ll park there and we’ll check their windows and find out if they already sell anything similar. It’s only one thirty so we have time.”
Parking was a bit difficult but they eventually found a place. They paid for twenty minutes and walked to the first shop.
“Nothing I can see Ken. Do you see anything?”
“No. They might have some inside. Let’s go in and ask.”
“Er, you do that Ken. I prefer not to go in before I ask them if they’d sell ours.”
“All right. Wait here.”
Ken returned a few minutes later. “No they don’t have any wooden toys. The girl says I’m the second person today to ask if they sold them. I think we’re on to a good thing Bob.”
“I hope so.”
“Let’s do the same thing in the second shop.”
Ken walked in and told Bob, as they headed back to the car, that they didn’t have any either.
Jennifer had the agreements ready to sign when they arrived at the lawyer’s office. It took only five minutes to complete the transaction and sign four copies. “There’s one for each of you, one to register your partnership with Revenue and Customs and the extra’s for my files. Jennifer will send you my invoice in a couple of days.”
They could see a column of smoke as the car approached Small End, coming from the top of the road where Bob’s house sat.
“My God, Ken! Look at that—it’s my house!”
“You don’t know that Bob. Could be something else nearby.”
“Go faster Ken. We might be able to put it out.”
‘Hang on, soon be there,” and he swung the car around Tim’s garage and up the hill.
As they got nearer it was clear where the smoke was coming from. “It’s at the back of the parking lot, not my house,” cried Bob. “Thank God.”
There was a fire engine in the station’s parking lot and two firemen were hosing down the remains of a fire. Jim was watching them.
“They must be burning the wood from the station,” said Bob. “I’d forgotten they were going to do that today.”
Ken parked the car and, as Bob got out, said, “I’ll be at home Thursday and probably Friday working on the saw jig. I’ll let you know when it’s ready to try. Can you give me a few pieces of your wood? I’ll work with mine until I’m ready to try the proper wood so there won’t be any waste.”
“Hang on, I’ll fetch some.”
Bob collected the wood and took them to Ken. “Then I’ll see you Saturday at ten. Good luck with the jig.”
After watching Ken drive away Bob crossed the parking lot to the bonfire and spoke to Jim. As he did so, Jack, who had been inside the gutted station, walked towards them.
“I was scared when I saw the smoke. I thought it was my house,” said Bob. “I’d forgotten you were doing this today. It didn’t take long to rip out the wood then.”
“No,” said Jim. “Jack, myself and two other helpers did it all yesterday. We started the fire as soon as the firemen arrived today and all of it, except the roof beams and joists, has been burned. Jane came by a little while ago and said she’d ask the bulldozer to come tomorrow. It’s likely the driver will have it all down and levelled by the end of the day. Then we’ll have to wait until the contract’s let and the builders come.”
“They’se usually late,” said Jack.
“Yes, because the contractor times contracts
as though there is never any bad weather that’ll slow them down,” answered Jim. “That’s what happened when I’ve had contractors work on my house.”
“Aye, ‘tis so,” replied Jack.
“This place already looks so different, I guess I won’t recognise it tomorrow night.”
“Are you sad, Bob?”
“A little. The station has been here all my life. It was where I could always find my Dad. It was where I used to play. I guess the only things that will be the same will be the trains going through. We have to live with change I guess.” He walked slowly back to his house thinking about his Mum. He was glad she didn’t have to see the place knocked down. She liked living next to her husband’s place of work and could take him a cup of tea anytime or have him help her in the garden when he wasn’t busy.
There were two letters on the floor by the front door when he walked in. One was from Jenny with a cheque for £123.75 and the other came from Leo and held a cheque for £315. That money immediately cheered him up. It was his money, payment for sets sold during March and not the partnership’s. He’d take the cheques to his bank, Lloyds, when he was in Big End on Saturday. If he added them to his checking account he’d only have to transfer five hundred from his savings.
He painted the second coat in the evening and added the few touches needed of the last coat.
He had glued about half of the sets by coffee time on Thursday and was about to sit down in the lounge when a noisy roar came through the open window. He put his mug on the side table and walked back through the kitchen and into the garden. It was a bulldozer, an old one, with bursts of black smoke exiting its exhaust pipe. He watched it over the hedge. It moved to the end of the station wall facing him and began thrusting at the top. The corner rocked, then the end of the roof split away and a clump of bricks and several roof tiles fell down. Moving down the wall the bulldozer pushed again, knocking down much of the central part of the wall. It moved to the corner and pushed once more: in five minutes all the wall and half of the roof was on the ground. The driver then took the machine to the far side of the building and began pushing again. This time both end walls crumbled and the whole wall fell to the ground. The driver stopped the machine, turned off the engine and stepped down carrying a thermos. He sat on the end of the machine and Bob walked over.
“Hello. I’ve been watching you. What are you going to do with the wood that held the roof tiles? They’ve just burned the wood from the inside.”
“Push it over the back edge of the lot and cover it with the bricks.”
“But won’t the wood rot?”
“Yes, in ten years or so it’ll need levelling, that is, if they’re going to use that part for parking.”
“Isn’t there a better way than that?”
“Only if the tiles were removed first, then you could get at the rafters and joists. But it is cheaper, quicker and easier if it’s done this way. That’s what most do. There’s nothing to worry about for the subsidence is quite slow.”
“I see,” said Bob, feeling a bit sad to think that the building where he and his Dad had spent so much time was being treated this way.
He finished all the gluing by lunchtime, deciding to wrap and box the sets in the afternoon. Then he remembered, he’d forgotten to collect the new boxes from Rose. He’d have to collect them first and hoped he could carry all of them; five hundred boxes would be quite heavy.
He tidied the kitchen after he finished his soup then walked to Rose’s shop. She greeted him as he walked in.
“How are you doing Bob? I hear you’ve been busy. What were you doing in Southampton with Ken Smith yesterday?”
“Seeing his lawyer. I told you last Saturday we were forming a partnership. Well we signed the papers yesterday. So we are now ‘Robert Barns and Kenneth Smith’ in partnership. We’ll open a business bank account in that name on Saturday. Which reminds me; can I pay you at the end of each month please? It will simplify our accounting if we do that.”
“Yes, of course Bob. That’s what most businesses do if they don’t give a thirty-day credit. We’ve already been doing it, I only pay you at the end of each month don’t I.”
“Yes that’s right. Good. Will Jack mind if he and I do the same thing?”
“No he buys wood and things for the cottages that way. I’ll tell him. Your boxes are in the store room. Three large packages and a roll of wrapping paper. I suggest you carry one lot of boxes at a time; each one must weigh forty pounds.”
“I’ll do that Rose. I’ll take one box and the roll of wrapping paper. Can I come back for the others when I have time?”
“Sure. Just sign the slip saying what you have taken. I like everyone to do that because my memory is not as good as it should be. It also proves the items have been collected if there’s any doubt.”
Bob signed the slip, picked up one of the packages and the roll of paper. Rose opened the door for him. “It’ll be a lot easier when I have a car won’t it Rose.”
The afternoon went quickly as he wrapped, boxed, labelled and taped each filled box. He finished about four-thirty then washed and changed his clothes for the driving lesson.
The roads were busy on the way to Bournemouth but he had no trouble. Most of the drivers were returning from work and usually sped past him as he kept just below the speed limit.
“Good,” said Peter. “Don’t let them rush you, especially during the test. Now take the next exit and be ready to turn left when you come to the yield sign.”
Bob followed Peter’s instructions and before long was driving into the eastern outskirts of Bournemouth.
“Turn right at the next intersection, keep going to the cross-roads, then turn left.”
Once he had completed this route he was told to stop opposite to the parking lot which was on the right side of the road.
“That’s the DSA’s examination centre,” Peter pointed to the small building at the end of the lot. “We’ll park in that lot when you take the test. Then I’ll take you into the building and you’ll be asked to take a written test. That won’t take long, it’s multi-choice. After that we’ll wait until the examiner can see you. He’ll tell you what to do. I’ll be in the waiting room when you return.”
“What’s he likely to ask me to do first?”
“He’ll probably bring you out here and ask you to read a licence plate on a car that’s about twenty yards away. You can do that because I’ve already checked. He might ask you one or two things about your car, for instance, how would you check the oil level or where the spare tire is kept. Then he’ll tell you to get in and drive. He’ll tell you where to go. He’ll ask you to do a three-point turn, or park between two cars and probably ask you to make an emergency stop. We’ll do all those things today, repeating them once or twice and we’ll use the roads they generally use. Of course, he can ask you to drive along different roads. The whole test will be around forty minutes. Ready to begin?”
“Yes, though I’m already a bit nervous, even though this isn’t the real thing.”
“Many people feel like that when we come here. It will disappear as soon as you start. Okay. First, leave the car, walk around it and then get into the driving seat.”
“All right.” Bob did that and climbed back into the driver’s seat.
“Why did you ask me to do that?”
“I wanted to make sure that you would put on your seat belt. Some people forget to do that when taking their test and they immediately fail. You put yours on. Now start the car and drive along this road to the stop sign.”
Thus Bob’s rehearsal began. As expected, he soon lost his nervousness and easily accomplished all that Peter asked him to do. They were finished after thirty minutes.
“Okay. Now you can drive home. Tell me, what was the hardest part?”
“The sudden “stop” and doing those three-point turns in the narrow streets I think. Driving along a road where people were parking their cars wasn’t that easy either.”
“You won’t
have many people parking cars when you take your test. They’re doing it now because they’ve just come home from work. Your test is at nine in the morning. Most people will have left by then and the roads should be a lot clearer. About the three-point turns; you can do them in more than three turns if necessary. We’ll do several “sudden stops” on Sunday when we’ll come here again so you get to know the roads.”
Peter asked Bob more questions on the traffic rules as they drove home. Bob left the car at the garage and decided to have his supper in the Crown that night. ‘Might as well use some of my earnings,’ he thought, as he crossed the road.
The Wooden Toy Company
Bob didn’t know what to do Friday morning. He could collect the packages from Rose then what? He knew that they should build some trains next but that was now Ken’s responsibility. He’d soon have the band saw jig and would want to use it, just to see how well it worked. ‘I’ll collect the boxes then decide how to spend the rest of the day.’
Jack was putting the paper stand on the pavement when he arrived at the shop.
“Hello Jack. How’re things?”
“Middin’ Bob. Nowt t’do ‘cept help Rose. I’m lookin’ fer werk.”
“I’m a bit like you this morning. I don’t really know what to do now because Ken’s taken over the toy making. I’m here to collect my boxes.”
“I’ll ‘elp.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll go ‘en fetch ‘em.”
Jack returned with one box and Rose followed carrying the other.
“Hello Bob. I’m glad you collected these, I’m expecting several parcels today and need the room.”
“I should have taken all of them when they arrived. Sorry.” He signed the slip, picked up one of the packages and walked to his house with Jack. “We’ll put them in the shed. Just let me fetch the key.”
After dumping them Bob asked Jack if he’d like a coffee. “Nay. I’ve decided to go t’Big End t’talk to some contractors. Goin’ t’Crown ter night?”
“Of course.”
“Ah, see yer there, then.”
Bob walked with Jack to the gate and on his way back realised that he should be planting his vegetables. All of a sudden his day was full. He’d dig the rest of the vegetable plot and not stop for coffee until he’d done the raking.
He was tired when he finished. He had his coffee and the last of his biscuits in his easy chair. He added ‘digestives’ to his shopping list then fetched the diagrams of his last year’s garden. He drew a new plan each year, using last year’s drawings to decide where he would put each vegetable this time because he rotated his crops. This year he’d plant the courgettes and cucumbers on the right edge. He usually planted them along the side of the garden because they could run over the grass that way. The peas could go next to them even although they would shade the plants during the spring. The carrots would go next, planted with radishes, because they grew quickly and made the row easier to see when hoeing, then a row of onions, then beets. Then he’d plant the broccoli and the cauliflower. All this he sketched on a piece of paper. He swallowed the last of his coffee and went outside.
He was about to make the first row when he heard his phone. He went to the shop and picked up the cordless. It was Jenny. She said she wanted him to bring her more sets.
“Are you coming to Big End soon?”
“Yes I am. What would you like?”
“I’ve just sold the last village set and I have only one of each of the others. Can you bring me, say, six of each?”
“Yes. Will tomorrow be okay Jenny?”
“Yes, good. Thanks Bob.”
‘Now Ken will have to make train sets next,’ he thought. ‘I bet Leo will ring soon and want more sets. Ten minutes later Leo did, asking for five of each.
“I don’t have trains yet Leo.”
“Okay, I’ll have to wait then.”
“I don’t know when I can deliver Leo. I’ll try to do it tomorrow.” He’d ask Ken to drive him there after they’d been to Big End. He’d bag them after he’d finished in the garden.
Ken arrived at one o’clock. “Hello Bob. Can you help me carry the saw jig to the shop.”
“Oh. Hello Ken. I didn’t expect to see you today. You’ve finished it then?”
“I think so but it’ll probably need a bit of adjusting. We’ll see.”
They carried the jig to the shop and sat it on the back bench. Ken screwed it down with a couple of screws. “I’ll put more in if this spot’s okay. We can run an eight-foot length of wood through if it’s here.”
“What are the saws set for?”
“To cut the roof shape for small houses. Let’s see how it works.” He took one of the eight foot pieces and pushed it through the blades. “Yes, same problem as with the router jig. I need a couple of spring rollers to hold the wood as it sits on the guides. I can work on that at home, perhaps this weekend. Okay. What do we need next Bob?”
“Trains.”
“All right. I’ve another suggestion. I think it would be best if I cut all the long blocks for the trains, carriage bases, or for the houses, barns, churches and so on first.”
“Where would we keep all the pieces if we did that Ken?”
“In the shed.”
“There’s not going to be much room left once the shed has been filled with the wood from the lumber yard. I suppose we could make bays where we plan to put the sanding booth. By-the-way, we haven’t ordered the sawdust extractor for it yet.”
“I guess we both forgot about that. Yes, I’m worried about the room we have here too. There’s not enough.”
“I’m afraid you’re right.”
“Well we’d better think about moving into a bigger place.”
“We don’t know if we can sell enough to afford a bigger place Ken.”
“Do you doubt that you can sell them? I know I can make many more than you’ve been making.”
“No not really. People want them, it seems, and retailers are glad to have them.”
“Then we’d better start looking for a bigger place. Do you know of one? A place near here?”
“No. I’ll ask Jack and the others at supper tomorrow. One of them might know of a place we could use. An old barn perhaps.”
“Only if it has electricity and if it’s not too dirty.”
“Yes. Finding it isn’t going to be easy. Now, can I do anything to help this afternoon Ken?”
“I can’t work any more today Bob. I promised Mary we’d go to the movies in Big End and she wants to do some shopping first. She’s already thinking about things we might need for our holiday, medications and so on. We’re going on a cruise, to the Mediterranean.”
“Oh, when?”
“Not until the end of August but she likes to plan ahead. I’m not sure when, Mary arranged it all. I’ll ask her and let you know tomorrow. Are you having a holiday?”
“Maybe Ken. It looks as though I’ll have enough money so I thought I might. But if I did I’d have to be sure our retailers are well stocked.”
“Yes. I’ll make sure they are. I have to leave now Bob. I’ll collect you tomorrow at ten.”
“Oh Ken. I have to take Jenny some sets and Leo called today and asked if I could take him some too. Would you mind driving to Twinner after we’re finished in Big End? You’d meet Leo if we did that.”
“No, wouldn’t mind at all. I’d better get to know our retailers. If anything happened to you I’d be doing the delivery unless we hire someone to do that.”
“Thanks Ken. I’ll have five bags. Is your boot empty?”
“I’ll check right now.” They walked to the car and looked. “Yes plenty of room.”
“Good. So I’ll see you at ten tomorrow. Enjoy the movie.”
“I will. It’s the shopping I don’t like so much.”
Bob went in for an early tea and made a to-do list for tomorrow. He’d have to go to Jenny’s, Lloyds and Ken’s bank, do the shopping and then go to Leo’s. No, he’d
leave the shopping until the end and ask Ken to take him to the Twinner supermarket. That way the frozen food wouldn’t thaw. They’d probably have lunch sometime too. Now, did they want any more paint? He’d better check that next.
In the shed he discovered he should order more dowels, screws, glue and paint. This time he would buy the biggest cans. He locked the shop and shed and returned to his chair. Now he could think about a summer holiday. If Ken was taking one then he thought he should have one too and maybe they could go at the same time. He’d have to ask Ken when he was going then visit a travel agency and see what they had to offer. But he didn’t want to go on a cruise or visit Europe this time. He should see a bit of England first. There were so many places he’d read about but had never seen. He should visit Stratford, or go to Scotland, and he drifted off to sleep.
He was standing at the gate with the bags for Jenny and Leo when Ken arrived on Saturday morning. They put Jenny’s bag on the back seat and Leo’s in the boot. On the drive to Big End Ken told Bob that the cruise was from September 3rd until September 12th. “They call that a ten day holiday but the first and last day is mostly the flight between Heathrow and Rome. I’m quite looking forward to it because I’ve never been on a cruise before. We have been to many places in Britain and in Europe. I’ve usually driven to those but we’ve taken bus tours twice.”
“How did you like those?”
“They were relaxing. It was nice to look out of the window and see the countryside. When you’re driving you mostly see the road or cars and lorries. Are you thinking of taking a bus tour?”
“I don’t know. I’ll collect some travel brochures and see what’s available. Do you think we should take our holidays at the same time?”
“I don’t suppose it matters. As long as the retailers have stock we can lock the doors and leave. Do you have a to-do list for today?”
“Yes and a shopping list for the business. Here’s what I put down; more wood and dowels, screws, glue, hooks, brushes and paints. We should order envelopes and paper with our business address and get some business cards. Jack made the cards I use and I think they are fine so I can ask him to make new ones. I have to deposit two cheques in Lloyds before we go to your bank, too.”
“Okay. Let’s first deliver Jenny’s sets then go to the banks.”
Susan and Jenny welcomed them as they walked into the shop and he introduced Ken. “Ken and I formed a partnership this week. Ken knows a lot about making wood products, he used to manage a furniture factory. Ken, this is Jenny and Susan.”
“Hello. I’m happy to meet both of you.”
“Hello Ken” said Jenny. “We like Bob’s toys especially his village and farm sets. When we sell those the customer invariably buys some of our miniature people and animals. It’s a pity that they’re made from plastic. If only you could make them out of wood. Do you think you could?”
“I don’t think so. It’d take a lot of time to make each one unless Bob can design some simple ones.”
“I’ve never found one that looked good and would also be simple to make.”
“Keep looking then. They’d sell well. It that bag for me?”
“Yes. There’s six of each set.”
“Give them to Susan please Bob. I’ll write the receipt.” She went to her office completed a form then gave it to Bob as Ken looked around the shop.
“I’ve never been here before. I see you stock some of the things Mary, my wife, buys for our grandson. We’ll come together next time.”
“Please do.”
Two customers entered the shop so Ken and Bob said goodbye and left.
“Jenny’s nice, don’t you think?”
“Yes, she is. Is she married?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps.” Then Bob wondered why Ken would ask that. As far as he knew, Ken’s marriage was working well. ‘Maybe he’s thinking about me,’ he thought. ‘Jenny’s nice but I’d rather think about Maria. It’s a pity I have to wait until next February to see her.’
They walked to Lloyds and Bob deposited his cheques then went to the NatWest and spoke to the receptionist.
“We want to open a business account,” said Bob. “Can we speak to someone about it?”
“I’ll see if Mr. Longman is available,” she said and picked up the telephone. “He has a customer right now. Mr. Longman is the man who looks after our business accounts. He will be free in twenty minutes. I can make an appointment for you, if you like.”
“Please do,” he said and turned to Ken. “While we’re waiting let’s have a coffee. I missed mine this morning and I’m ready for it.”
“I’ll book Mr. Longman for eleven o’clock if that would be alright. What are your names please?” They told her, then walked to Bob’s usual coffee shop.
“Do you know Longman Ken?”
“No. I don’t think so. He’ll see I have an account with the bank so he can easily find lots about me and my banking habits. We shouldn’t have any problems. Shall we have lunch afterwards? Have any ideas about where to eat?”
“I like the sandwiches they sell here. Why don’t we buy some and a drink and eat them on the way to Twinner?”
“All right.”
Bob pulled out his list of items.
“Is there anything else we should buy for the shop?”
“No, you’ve got it all, I think.”
“All right. Let’s buy our sandwiches and go back to the bank.”
Mr. Longman appeared as soon as the receptionist phoned him. He introduced himself and asked them to follow him to his office. Once there, Ken told him that they had formed a partnership and wanted to open a business account.
“I’ve been a customer of the National Westminster bank in Southampton for about twenty years,” said Ken, “so you’ll be able to find me on your computer. Bob uses Lloyds. Will it be difficult to open a business account for us?”
“Not at all. We’d be glad to look after you. Let me access your account. You said your name is Ken Smith?”
“Yes. Here’s my bank card, if you need it.”
“No, I don’t need that, I have you already. You live in Small End now?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Tell me about your company. What will it produce?”
“Wooden toys. Our trade name is ‘Small End Wooden Toys’.”
“What capital will you be depositing?”
“£3,795.”
“That’s a funny number. Oh, I guess you’ve already included some assets.”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll deposit a cheque for £2,345 and Bob will put in the rest.”
Mr. Longman looked at Bob, “Can you give me your full name and address Mr. Barns?”
“Bob Barns, Small End, Hampshire.”
“And your account number at Lloyds?”
Bob gave him his Lloyds card.
“Why do you need that?”
“We need some verification that you are who you say you are. Lloyds will help me check that. Does the company have an accountant?”
“Yes. His name is Simon Delare. He lives near Southampton.”
“I know him. We’ve worked together a couple of times. Now I’ll need both of your signatures on this card.”
With a few more exchanges and after Bob and Ken’s cheques had been handed over, the account was opened.
“I can give you a dozen cheques if you need them immediately. But they won’t be numbered. You should receive two hundred named and numbered cheques by next Friday. Do you have any questions?”
“I’ve two,” said Ken. “First, we’ll need two credit cards on the business account.”
“That’s easy to arrange. I can give you a £10,000 credit limit but no more to begin with. Can you manage with that?”
“Oh yes,” said Bob, “I’m sure that’ll be enough.”
Mr. Longman pulled some forms from a drawer in his desk, added a few details then handed them to Ken. “You and Mr. Barns should sign here,” and he pointed to the lines he had
marked with a cross.
“You won’t get the cards for a couple of weeks. They’ll be sent to you by mail. Now, you had another question?”
“Yes. If we want to borrow money, say, for enlarging our business, can we do that through you?”
“Yes of course. If you want to do that I will need evidence of what you have done, what you plan to do, how you are going to do it and what assets the company has. A business plan, that is. I will be the one to judge if it is acceptable to us.”
“All right,” replied Ken. “Thanks.”
“Then that’s it. You have a business account now. Thank you for allowing us to help you. I hope your venture is profitable.”
As they walked out of the bank Bob said “Why did you ask about borrowing money? Surely we’ve enough. What do you have in mind?”
“Nothing Bob. It’s just a vague idea I had when day dreaming about us. Maybe someday we’ll want to enlarge again. You know we already need more room. We might have to do it again.”
“I see. Well, I’ll ask everyone tonight if they know of a place. If they don’t we’ll see an estate agent or put an ad in the newspaper. Okay. Lets go order the wood and buy the paint.”
“I’ve been thinking about the paint Bob. If we make a spray booth then we might have to use a different paint.”
“Oh. Well we can’t do that until we find a bigger place to work in. Right now I guess we have enough paint to make three or four hundred sets. The greens I use on the hedges might be the first to go. Keep an eye on it and I think you will be all right for a while.”
As they walked back to the car they passed one of the travel agencies.
“Just a minute Ken, I want some brochures. Won’t be a minute.”
Every agent was busy with a customer so he simply walked to the rack and took the ones that offered bus tours in Great Britain. “I’ll enjoy looking at these,” he told Ken, showing him what he had collected.
They ordered the wood and were told it would be delivered between eight and ten Tuesday morning.
“You’re still going to Small End several times a week then?” asked Bob.
“Yes we are and, most likely, more than once a day soon. I’ve been told that they’ve approved the plans for the new sub-division and the industrial section. It’s going to be above the railway lines, opposite the new housing estate.”
“That was quick, I’ll go and look at the place sometime.”
“Let me know what you’ve seen when you come here next.”
“I will. Can we pay our bills at the end of the month from now on?”
“Yes. This lot will cost you, hum, £86.77.”
Bob wrote that down as Ken drove along the coast road towards Twinner. They stopped in the first parking lot they saw and sat on a bench over-looking the sea.
“I’m looking forward to driving this road when I have a car Ken.”
“When’s your test?”
“Wednesday.”
“Good luck then. I hope you pass.”
“I hope so too. I don’t know what we’ll do if I don’t. Would you swap jobs? You drive to the shops and I make the toys?”
“If we had to although you said you’d not be happy pushing wood through jigs all the day.”
“No I wouldn’t.”
“I won’t be, either, for long. We’ll probably have to hire a helper. I wouldn’t be happy selling, though. Hey, if you don’t pass we can hire a driver. A salesman.”
“That’d be expensive. We couldn’t afford it.”
“Then you’ll just have to pass the test Bob,” and he chuckled. “I’m sure you will.”
“Well Peter says I will. Let’s hope he’s right.”
Returning to the idea of getting help Ken said, “You know, once the jigs work properly I think I will hire a helper, a boy, who’d work for minimum wage. He could push wood through a jig easily and doesn’t have to know much else.”
“Joe said it’d be cheaper to hire helpers on contract, when we wouldn’t have to pay all kinds of extras, holidays, unemployment fees, and so on.”
“I hadn’t thought about that. Is it legal?”
“Don’t know. I suppose so. We could ask Arthur.”
“I’ll have a word with him,” said Ken.”
“Can we afford to hire someone though?”
“If it helps us to make the toys quicker we could. As long as we can sell them.”
“You know Ken, I’m a bit afraid of the speed we’re doing all this. Things are happening so fast. I keep thinking something will go wrong and we’ll lose our money.”
“We won’t lose more than we can afford to risk Bob. There’s always risk in business ventures.”
“Yes. The most I can risk is what I have in my savings. I planned to keep that for my grandchildren’s education.”
“Don’t worry about it Bob. We’ll be alright. Remember? That’s our motto. Well, I’ve finished. You ready to move on?”
“Yes,” but Bob continued to worry and forgot to watch Ken’s driving. He couldn’t help thinking they might be taking too much risk if they moved into a bigger place and hired a helper. A new place would need fixing up and just how much would that cost?
Bob told Ken where to park in Twinner and they entered Leo’s shop. After Ken had been introduced to Leo, Bob told him that they were going into business together. Leo seemed very surprised. “I thought that you were making toys mostly as a hobby Bob: to earn a little more money.”
“Well I was but I took a holiday in Portugal in February and that made me want to take more of them. That’s why I began selling toys in Jenny’s shop and with you. Rose couldn’t sell enough for me.”
“I see. Well I’m glad to have them. What have you got?”
“There are five of each in the bags.”
“Thanks. I’ll give you a receipt for them.”
Ken was glad he had met Leo and said he looked like a competent person after they had left. Bob thought Leo seemed a bit distant, especially after he had told him that they were now forming a company. It seemed to bother him in some way but he didn’t say anything to Ken.
“Let’s have a beer Bob. There’s a pub I like near here. It overlooks the sea and it’s a good way to end our Saturday’s work.”
After a pint and some crisps they drove to the supermarket where Bob bought some fish and a few TV dinners. Ken dropped Bob at his house, saying “Don’t forget to ask them tonight about a bigger place. Any place, even if we have to buy it.”
‘Oh, no,’ thought Bob, as he walked to his door. ‘We can’t spend money buying buildings. Oh dear. What’s got into Ken.’
Joe was waiting for him in the Crown that night and Bob told him about his fears.
“Don’t worry about Ken, Bob. He’s an honest man. However he’s been used to getting his own way. He did run a big operation and probably thinks that Small End Wooden Toys could easily be made into a bigger company. I bet that’s what he’s trying to do, enlarge it, just for the fun of doing so.”
“Ken moves far too quickly for me. He suggests things, then almost immediately wants to put them into effect. I like to think through the idea first and move a bit more cautiously.”
“Then that should be your role; you should be a counterbalance to his impulsive nature. You’ll be successful working that way, one balancing the other.”
“I hope so.”
Jack and Rose joined them and Joe told them about Bob’s fears.
“I know how you feel Bob” said Rose. “I feel somewhat that way every time Jack says he’s found another cottage or house and has decided to buy and renovate it. I’m afraid something will go wrong and that we’ll lose money.”
“We ain’t so fer, right?”
“No. But it doesn’t stop me worrying the next time. Do you have one in mind now?”
“Nay, but I’m lookin’.”
“Do you know of a building that Ken and I could rent Jack?” asked Bob.
“Wot kind?”
“A place we
could use to make the toys. Ken wants something two- or three-times bigger than my workshop.”
“Maybe a farmer ‘as a barn ter rent.”
“A drafty one, full of cobwebs and hay, I suppose. I hope Ken doesn’t want one of those. I wouldn’t want to be the one who cleans it.”
“Wait a minute,” exclaimed Joe. “I might have just what you want. What about my old milking parlour? Do you think that would be suitable?”
“Isn’t it full of equipment?”
“Yes it is. It’s the hay-cutting machinery my father and I used when we kept cattle. There are three horse-drawn mowers, two or three rakes, a seeder, old ploughs and some harnesses in there. I’ll never use that stuff again and I don’t suppose anyone else would. Not many farmers use horse-drawn equipment these days.”
“What are you talking about Joe?” asked Jane as she sat down to join the group.
“Bob’s looking for a place to make toys, something bigger than his workshop. I thought about letting him have our old milking parlour. I’d have to get rid of the equipment in there first.”
“You would? That’s great. I don’t see much good in keeping that old stuff. But I thought you wanted to keep them because they belonged to your father.”
“Well, that’s partly true. I also thought Howard might like to keep them but he’ll never run the farm and won’t want the stuff. We might as well get rid of it now or he’ll have to do it when we’re dead.”
“We’re not going to be dead for a long time I hope Joe. I like the idea. It’s a pity a good building like that is used just to store old stuff. What do you think about using that place Bob?”
“I don’t know it, at least, I don’t know what it looks like inside. I can see that it’s about the right size, that it’s well made and has a good metal roof. Has it got electricity?”
“Of course. There’s a telephone in it too, although it’s just hooked to our house phone. If you use the place you’ll have to get it connected to an outside line.”
“Well I’m very interested Joe. Can I see it?”
“Come tomorrow morning. Bring Ken. We can have a coffee and decide if you want it after you’ve seen the place.”
“Thanks. I’ll phone Ken right now and find out if he can come tomorrow.” He got up and walked to the bar.
“Len can I use the phone? I want to call Ken Smith.”
“Yes of course.” He opened the bar hatch and Bob walked through to the telephone which was fastened to the wall just around the corner. He pulled out Ken’s card and dialled the number. Mary answered.
“Hello Mary. It’s Bob Barns. How are you ?”
“I’m fine Bob. How’s the business going? Ken told me what you’ve been doing today. Next thing you’ll do is buy a building, he says.”
“I hope not Mary. I hope we can rent one. That’s what I want to talk to him about now. Is he there?”
“Yes. Hang on, I’ll call him. Ken,” she shouted, “It’s Bob, on the ‘phone.”
“Hello Bob. Anything wrong?”
“No, but I might have found a place for us. It’s Joe’s milking parlour. He suggests we look at it tomorrow morning. Can you do that?”
“Sure. I know where it is. As far as I remember it’s about the right size. Great. What time tomorrow?”
“How about ten o’clock?”
“Right. I’ll be there. Has it got electricity?”
“Yes, and a telephone, but that’ll have to be connected up.”
“That’s great news. I think that it might be just the right place. See you tomorrow then.”
Bob told Joe what they had arranged. Joe said ten o’clock would be perfect and he’d tidy it a bit before they came.
“Oh, is the floor level Joe? You used to have a drainage ditch in the middle didn’t you?”
“We filled that in when we decided to keep equipment there. Yes the floor’s level and it’s all concrete.”
“How do you heat it in the winter?”
“The cows did that. I don’t know what you’ll do. That might be a problem.”
“One we’ll solve if we decide to rent it I’m sure.”
“I’m goin’ t’order supper,” said Jack, as he got up. “I’ll get t’menu,” and walked to the bar. He returned with Mildred.
“We’ve got roast turkey, pork pies and halibut,” she announced.
“How is the halibut cooked Mildred?” asked Bob.
“It’s baked in a cream sauce.”
“Then I’ll have that,” said Rose. “Me too,” said Jane and Bob.
“You make t’pies?” asked Jack.
“Yes.”
“I’ll ‘ave that,’ said Jack.
“Me too,” added Jim. “Where’s Nancy tonight?”
“She’s having a holiday. She’ll be back next Friday. It’s just Len and me when she’s away,” and Mildred bustled off.
“She’ll be busy then,” Jane said. “It’s time she had a holiday too.”
“I’m thinking of taking one this summer,” said Bob.
“Going back to Portugal?” asked Joe.
“No. I’ll probably take a bus tour: in England, most likely, but maybe I’ll go to Scotland. Either would be interesting: a chance to try different beers,” and he took a swill of his.
“How’s the Spring show?” Rose asked Jane.
“We’re having rehearsals twice a week now. Full-dress rehearsals start next week. The show opens in just over two weeks.”
“Do you need an usher?” asked Bob.
“I’ll let you know next week Bob. I think we have enough ladies to do that and to sell the snacks and food. Thanks for asking.”
Then she told them that the sewer lines would be positioned sometime during the next two weeks for the new Community Centre and the concert floor poured around the end of the month. “The place looks very different now, doesn’t it Bob.”
“Yes it does. I’m glad my parents didn’t see the station demolished. It was their whole life.”
“You all know that the new sub-division and industrial site will be started this summer?” asked Jane, and everyone nodded their heads. “Well, Small End will be more than six times bigger when all the houses are occupied.”
“Six times! I don’t like that” said Joe.
“Nor do I” said Bob. “It’s big enough already.”
They stopped talking as Mildred put their suppers on the table and began to eat. Half way through they had another drink, resumed their discussions and left for home as soon as their drinks were finished.
Bob thought about Joe’s parlour as he walked up the road. He hoped it would be suitable for he didn’t want Ken to rent a barn, or worse, build a place.
Jack was helping Joe push the machines together in the milking parlour to make a pathway when Bob walked in on Sunday morning.
“Hello Joe. Hi Jack. You’ve got an awful lot of stuff in here.”
“Yep, it’s where everything was dumped. I can move it all out this afternoon if you do decide to rent it. Ah, that’s Ken driving up now, I think.”
It was. He parked his car and stopped at the door before entering. “Hi everyone. This place is big enough, it’s perfect, in fact. What do you think Bob?”
“Oh yes. I think it’s fine. I’m very glad you like it, I thought you might want something bigger.”
“No this is just right; it’s a good size and has electricity. It’s just what we need.”
“And there’s a toilet outside, at the far end,” Joe said.
“That makes it better still,” exclaimed Ken. “All we need to do is clean it up, put up a few walls and make a couple of benches.”
“Arr,” said Jack. “Rose hoped you’d ‘ire me t’help.”
“We might do that Jack.”
“What walls do you want Ken?” Bob asked.
“We’ll need a paint spray booth and that should be totally enclosed. We need an office where we can keep the paperwork, desks and the phone. They’d need walls. The office should be
near the entrance door and the paint booth should be at the other end of the shop. What do you think Bob?”
“That sounds fine to me.”
“How about you Joe. Do you see any problem? Do you mind us putting up walls?”
“Not if you take the place for long enough. Five years or more Ken.”
“Ah. I’m not sure about five years Joe,” said Ken, “I expect we’ll need a bigger place by then. Let me think about it for a moment.”
Bob, who had felt his tension disappear when Ken said he’d liked the place immediately began worrying again. A bigger place? Why think about that?
“Yes. I can see how we might manage that. Yes a five-year tenancy will be all right. How about you Bob.?”
“I can’t see us needing a bigger place Ken. What rent would you charge Joe?”
“Jane and I talked about that last night. How about £50 a month?”
“That’s very good, we could afford that, but surely the place is worth more than that.”
“Probably it is. But Jane said £600 a year would be enough and that it wasn’t earning anything before. So £50 is fine by us.”
“Then we’ll take it. Thanks Joe,” said Bob, glad to have it settled before Ken changed his mind. “Thanks.”
“You’ll have to pay your own electricity, telephone and for any changes made,” Joe added.
“Yes of course we’ll do that. I’ll arrange for the electrical conversion and tell the Post Office we’re moving in,” said Bob. “What’s your address Joe?”
“100 Big End Road, Small End, Hampshire.”
“They’ll tell me if I have to use another address I suppose.”
“I don’t know. You’ll probably have to register your business and they might tell you about those things.”
“Do you have a tape measure Joe?” asked Ken.
“’Ere’s one,” said Jack.
“Good. Let’s make some measurements. I’ve some paper in the car.”
“Hold on Ken. You don’t have to go so fast. It’s time for coffee and it’ll be much easier to measure when the equipment’s removed. I can do that first thing this afternoon. You can help, if you like, and measure the place afterwards.”
“All right.”
“Come to the kitchen, the coffee’ll be ready now. You too, Jack.”
They moved to the kitchen and told Jane what had been decided. She fetched a pad of paper and wrote the details down. Joe, Ken and Bob signed it and Ken drew out his cheque book and gave Joe a cheque for £50. “This is for April Joe. I still think you should charge us more!”
“Don’t say that too often Ken. You might make me regret it.”
“No fifty is enough,” said Jane. “It’s money for doing nothing for us and it’ll be fun watching what happens.”
“Well the next thing is to measure the inside and sketch where we want the rooms.”
“No,” Joe interjected. “As I said, the next thing is to clear it out and sweep the floor. Then you can do your measuring. If you all help I won’t need the tractor to pull the machinery out.”
“I can’t help,” Bob said. “I’ve a driving lesson this afternoon.”
“I can,” said Jack.
“So can I,” said Ken. “How long do you think it’ll take to build the rooms Jack?”
“D’pends on wot you wont. Wont t’walls up to t’ceilin’? Quicker an’ cheaper that way.”
“Yes. We’ll need another room too, a sanding booth.”
“We’d also need a small waiting room, one that leads to the office and the workshop but closed off so it remains clean. Do you agree Ken?” said Bob.
“Yes. Good idea. Okay, you’re hired, Jack. We’ll meet at two this afternoon, empty the place, clean it, then measure. I’ll rough out a sketch during my lunch today and work from that. Can you join us after your driving lesson Bob?”
“I’ll come right here when I’ve finished. It’ll be about 4:30. I don’t suppose you’ll be finished by then.”
“Probably not,” Joe said. “The equipment will take an hour or more to move because I want to put it in the field. Don’t worry boys, it’s not very heavy!”
“Do you know the approximate size of the room Joe?”
“It’s about sixty by thirty-five or thirty-six.”
“Okay. I’ll use that and make a sketch of what we want and show it to you this afternoon Jack. One more thing Joe: the big sliding doors on the side—can we remove those and fit a smaller door? We don’t need the big ones, and they’d make the place harder to heat in the winter.”
“I should think so. Yes you can. They’re easy to remove, they just lift off the tracks. I’ll store them in one of the barns.”
“Thanks,” said Ken. “Well I must go now. See you at two.”
“’Bye Ken.”
“That’s Ken,” said Jane, after he had shut the kitchen door. “Always on the go. I don’t know how he’s survived these last months. You’ll have to get used to him Bob. When you see Mary ask her how she manages him.”
“I think I’d better,” he answered. “Joe’s already told me that I counterbalance his eagerness. I don’t know about that. I haven’t been able to slow him down yet.”
“Give it time Bob. Give it time. And you do have the final vote don’t you?” asked Joe.
“Yes. But when you think about it, Ken’s doing no more than what I earlier said I wanted to do. It’s just that he’s doing it in a few weeks whereas I was planning to take two or three years. It’s his speed that worries me.”
“You can trust him,” said Joe.
“Yes,” said Jane, “that’s right. Try not to worry so much Bob.”
On the drive to Bournemouth Bob told Peter about their plans to move his workshop to Joe’s old milking parlour.
“You’re expanding quickly, let me know if I can help in any way.”
“Thanks. If I pass the driving test I’ll need a car to deliver the toys. You or your Dad might help us that way, finding a good one that’s not too expensive.”
“You might find a van would be more useful. You’d need a very big car to carry as much as a small van would carry.”
“I hadn’t thought about that but you’re quite right, a van would be better.”
“I’ll ask Dad if he knows a dealer who sells them.”
“Thanks.”
“Okay. Now about your driving today. We’ll park in the parking lot at the test centre. Then I’ll put you through the steps I think the examiner will use. We’ll do the whole thing and talk about it afterwards. If there’s anything you should practice we’ll do that before we go home. Is that okay?”
“Yes. Thanks. I’m beginning to feel nervous again.”
“As I said, it’s normal. Nearly everybody feels that way.”
Five minutes later Bob pulled into the parking lot and parked the car. Like before, Peter asked him to get out, walk around the car, then return to the driver’s seat. He then told him to start the car.
Forty minutes later Bob arrived back at the parking lot and stopped.
“You’ve passed the test Bob, with flying colours. But there’s one thing we should practice. Do you know what it is?”
“Yes. Sudden stops.”
“That’s right. What you did was fine but I saw you tense up as soon as I told you to do it. Let’s do two or three of them then we’ll drive home.”
Bob felt al lot more comfortable after completing several sudden stops. “I don’t mind them now Peter. I think I’ll be alright” As he drove back to Small End they discussed the most important driving regulations. He parked the car behind Peter’s office, switched off and gave the key to Tim.
“Now don’t look at the manual again. You know all that you should and don’t have to swot. Just let your mind relax. You’ll pass the test. I’ll pick you up on Wednesday at 7:30. That will give us plenty of time.”
“What about our Tuesday lesson?”
“You don’t need one.”
“If you say so. Then, tha
nks, Peter.”