He had to bite his tongue before replying. He felt bad of thinking the way he did but he really didn’t care about other people’s problems at this moment, he merely said quietly,
“I’m glad you’ve sorted yourself out and no, it’s not your Dad I’m blaming it’s that slimy toad Matthews. I just wish your dad hadn’t taken up his offer”
Catherine turned away to hide the tears that were beginning to well up in her eyes. Then she turned around suddenly and grabbed Gerry so quickly in her embrace that they both nearly fell over. He steadied himself and returned her embrace, also aware that he too was feeling quite emotional. Just as quickly, Catherine released herself and ran to the toilet leaving him with confused feelings.
He wiped his eyes that had also moistened and was about to continue his work when he heard his boss call,
“Gerry, customer waiting”
Making sure his eyes did not betray his emotions he went back into the shop and was dismayed to see the customer waiting for him was Stella Stockwell.
“Gerald, I wanted to come and see you to wish you a Happy Christmas and to see Mr Evans before he retires. Tell me, is your grandmother well?”
Taken slightly aback at the mention of his grandmother he hesitated before replying,
“Grandma? Oh yes Mrs Stockwell, she’s fine. Busy baking far too much for the two of us, you would think she was expecting half the town to drop in for something to eat”
“Yes, yes. She is a fine cook, do not be surprised if you do have many visitors to sample her food. Before I forget, I want to give you this little gift as a small thank you for the work you did for me a couple of months ago” and she gave him a small box with a little bow holding its cover.
“Colouring slightly, he stammered,
“Thank you very much Mrs Stockwell you didn’t have to buy me anything it was my pleasure”
“Yes, I did! This might sound a little strange to you right now but do this for me. If you cannot wear the gift I want you to give it to your first love. Do you understand me?”
Looking confused he said,
“My first love? I don’t have anyone but Grandma, is that who you mean?”
She laughed merrily,
“No! Your Grandmother is not who I mean! You do not have a special girl or woman in your life? Well Gerald, you will know her in the near future”
Before he could answer or react she leaned forward and gave him a kiss on both cheeks. As she pulled away from him Gerry could have sworn there were tears in her eyes. She turned around and waved at David Evans who was serving another customer and left the shop. Once they were alone in the shop, Gerry approached his boss and asked,
“Is Mrs Stockwell ok? She seemed very emotional when I finished serving her”
Evans thought for a moment and sighed,
“It might be that she doesn’t feel as if she wants to come back here when Mr Matthews takes over. I’ve had quite a few of our regular customers expressing those views. It will be entirely up to him to rebuild customer loyalty for himself, although if he does change the stock and scope of the shop I fancy many of our faithful customers won’t be coming back in a hurry”
“They are not the only ones; I think Catherine is also pretty upset about finishing here. I hope you don’t mind me saying Mr Evans, she hasn’t been happy about university for some time and I think she’s made the right decision”
His boss looked at him wistfully,
“Time will tell Gerry, time will tell. Only three more days to go, let’s try and get through them without too many heartaches”
Before closing his shop for the last time David Evans gave Gerry a new set of engraving tools and a large bunch of master keys as well as one other surprise.
“I’ve marked your initials on both those sets so there can be no doubt as to their ownership. Also, Mr Matthews said he intends scrapping the key cutting machine so I will do that for him”
For a moment Gerry looked crestfallen but his boss held up one hand and continued,
“Well not exactly scrap the machine Gerry, I will have it dismantled and set up again for you in the basement of your grandmother’s flat. It’s not the most modern piece of equipment but it will be something for you to use if and when necessary. It can be sorted out when we come in to do the final stocktaking during the holiday period before Matthews takes over officially”
These duties were duly carried out and David Evans’ final words to his assistant were,
“It’s been a pleasure having you work for me Gerry, and I have written a reference for you to give to any new employer if you should ever need one. But please remember don’t be late on your first day working for your new boss!”
Firm handshakes were exchanged when they had finished and as soon as they parted Gerry made a rare visit to one of the local pubs were Sally also happened to be visiting. And, inevitably they ended up in her flat where she consoled him for a few hours, taking his mind off the worries that had plagued his thoughts.
6
Before leaving home to go to work on his first day for his new boss Gerry asked his grandmother if she had received the results of tests carried out at her hospital appointment.
“Nothing to worry about dear, just old age catching up with me. I just need to take things a bit slower and rest more than I have been doing lately”
“Is there anything in the way of shopping you want me to collect on the way home tonight Gran? The shops should still be open when I finish work”
She thought for a moment and then a smile crossed her features.
“One thing we haven’t had in ages is a nice piece of liver. If you can get about a pound of liver I can make a casserole with some bacon that should stretch for a couple of meals. Get it from the butchers on the High Street; Mr Thomas knows just what kind of liver I like. Yes, I’m looking forward to that already”
Gerry nodded and promised to do as she asked.
“What time do you call this then, didn’t your old boss tell you I wanted you to start at 7.30 today?”
Gerry looked at his watch, he clearly remembered Mr Evans telling him that Matthews didn’t want him at work before 8 o’clock. But he wasn’t going to argue with the man.
“Sorry Mr Matthews, he must have forgotten in the rush to sort things out for you”
Matthews gave a sneer,
I bet you forgot not him. First and last warning, I don’t tolerate lateness. Now go and help Harry pack this crap you used to sell in the storeroom, I need space to bring in quality stock”
Harry, a large man who shambled across the room rather than walk turned to look at Gerry as he entered the storeroom. His breath smelt of stale beer as he spoke,
“About bloody time too kid, I was told I’d have help right from the start. Bring in the stuff off the counter by the door and I’ll start packing it into boxes. When all the boxes are full you can take them out to the van in the yard”
Gerry bit his tongue, if everybody was going to pick on him and treat him like their gopher he would start looking for other work right away. By the time he had cleared the stock from the counter and the display cabinet behind Gerry had made more than a dozen journeys back and forth to the storeroom.
It was warm work and Gerry was looking forward to a cup of tea. He asked Harry if he wanted a drink at the same time. His reply stunned the lad,
“Only if you’re paying!”
“Paying, what do you mean? Mr Evans has left enough tea and coffee to last nearly a week”
Harry gave a sarcastic laugh,
“Huh! Fifty pence a cup is what you pay when you work for Matthews kiddo. No freebies here!”
“Any charge for a glass of water is there?” Gerry asked with a hint of his own sarcasm.
Harry looked at him and said with the hint of a smile,
“No, but don’t drink too much or he’ll charge you for going to have a pee”
Gerry turned around and went into the bathroom at the rear and looked for the glass that was nor
mally by the sink but it was nowhere to be seen. He came out and went into the kitchen to pick up a cup. He turned around and found his path blocked by his boss,
“It’s fifty pence a cup for you”
Gerry stared at him for a moment. No, he thought, I’m not taking the bait. He replied as pleasantly as he could,
“Yes, Harry told me, is there any charge for a cup of water Mr Matthews?”
Matthews looked back at him, shook his head and went back into the shop.
After having his drink Gerry continued to remove stock from the counters and took them to Harry for packing. This routine continued until well past Gerry’s normal dinner break so he decided it was time he found out how much, if any, he was allowed.
Matthews was busy talking in hushed tones to a man in his office so Gerry had to wait for a further ten minutes before he could speak to his boss. The curt response was typical of the man.
“Thirty minutes and don’t be late this time, remember you’ve had your final warning!”
Gerry nodded his thanks and as soon as he left the shop he sprinted to the butcher’s shop to buy some liver for his Gran. But he was to be disappointed. Mr Thomas said regretfully.
“I’m sorry Gerald, I’ve sold out but I’m expecting a fresh delivery this afternoon. Pop in on your way home from work to check if it’s come in”
Gerry nodded; he had wasted nearly ten minutes on this errand so he barely had time to pick up a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar before returning to his work.
Upon returning he was told to start unloading the new van that was now parked at the rear of the shop. These boxes were heavier and bulkier than those that he had removed earlier. These were marked simply, ‘Electrical Equipment’ and were placed in the corner of the storeroom. There were two other men Gerry had not seen before dismantling the display units behind the counters. The only items for sale left in the shop were office accessories and sundries.
By the time he had finished unloading the van Gerry was beginning to feel the excursion and was ready for a drink of some kind. He went over to Matthews and asked if he could have a cup of coffee and offered him some money to pay for the beverage. To his surprise his boss refused to take the money, instead he said curtly,
“You don’t pay me now; I’ll take it out of your wages. Don’t worry; I keep a tally on what you drink each day”
Gerry went into the kitchen area and found Harry drinking a cup of coffee. He tried to strike up a conversation with the man,
“Those boxes you’ve been packing, are those going to Mr Matthews bric-a-brac shop?”
Harry looked at him as if he was a little simple and then a realisation dawned on him,
“Ah! That’s what he told your ex-boss was it. Another mug he’s caught out!” and laughed.
“Sorry, I don’t understand”
Harry turned to wash out his empty cup before answering,
“Kid, that’s what he tells people like your old boss. The stuff that’s remains in the shop, or what’s left of it, goes to the slop shops as he calls them. The stuff I’ve packed up goes into storage until he has enough to make a trip to London worthwhile. His brother has got a shop there where he can sell that stuff for double the price he paid your boss”
Seeing the look of surprise on Gerry’s face he laughed and walked out of the kitchen.
After washing up his own cup Gerry went back into the shop to find out what his next task entailed. It was to help Harry remove those packed boxes and stack them into the now empty van. By the time they had finished it was past the usual time for the shop to close and Gerry suddenly remembered the promise he had made to his Grandmother.
“Is it ok if I finish now Mr Matthews? I have to collect something my Grandmother is waiting for”
Matthews looked at his watch and frowned.
“Didn’t Evans tell you that I run flexi time here? That means you finish when all the work is done for the day”
Gerry looked around the shop, from what he could see there was nothing left to do.
Matthews did the same and then said,
“Ok, you can skip off this time but don’t forget your time is my time and if there’s work to be completed you will stay behind to finish no matter what time it is. Go on, get out before I change my mind!”
Gerry mutters his thanks, grabbed his coat and left the shop, hoping he was not too late to catch Mr Thomas at the butcher’s shop. To his dismay, as he arrived the man was locking up his premises.
“Sorry Mr Thomas am I too late to collect Gran’s liver order?”
The butcher smiled and passed a plastic bag to him,
“No Gerald. I was about to deliver it to your flat. I know Mr Matthews’ reputation for making his staff work late. You can pay me another time for the meat”
Heaving a sigh of relief Gerry thanked the butcher and returned to his flat, quite exhausted after a day of heavy lifting and carrying.
After their meal was finished and the table cleared Mrs Reynolds couldn’t help but notice how deflated and lost Gerry appeared.
“Is there anything wrong love, you’re not your usual self, tonight Didn’t your first day go too well with Mr Matthews?”
Not wishing to worry his grandmother Gerry replied quietly,
“I suppose I’ll have to find a way of adapting to his methods, but he’s not the easiest person to get along with. And the bloke I’m working alongside isn’t exactly a bundle of laughs either”
“Never mind Gerry, it all takes time to settle in new ways of working. Are you meeting any of your friends tonight?”
“No Gran, I think I’ll have an early night” With that, he rose and gave his gran a kiss on the cheek and went to his room after saying goodnight.
Now was not the time to tell the lad what the doctor had really said to her when they talked about the results of her tests. What would he do when I’m gone? he will have no family to turn to for help or advice. She dabbed her eyes and tried to concentrate on something else, but to no avail.
The next two days followed a similar routine to his first under Matthews but at least he did manage to serve some customers although they each indicated that it would be their last visit if the stock didn’t revert to its former choice. He tried to tell his new boss about the comments but he sneered and said,
“They’re not the type of clientele I want in this shop anyway”
New lockable counters and display cabinets had been fitted and were full of items such as mobile phones, computer accessories and peripherals. After his experience of being told he would have to pay for his beverages Gerry took the liberty of taking in a flask of coffee into work, he couldn’t afford to pay as over the week the cost would mount up. When he entered the kitchen on the third morning he found Harry helping himself to a drink from his flask, who turned around to see the look of annoyance on Gerry’s face,
“We share things here kid, you can have a fag if you want”
“I don’t smoke” was Gerry’s terse reply, to which Harry shrugged and said,
“Well you can’t say I didn’t offer” and proceeded to top up his cup, defying Gerry to challenge him further. Knowing he was no match for the older man Gerry made sure he drank the remains of the coffee from the flask and went back to work. Matthews had a message for him,
“No college for you tomorrow, they phoned me up and said your tutor is off sick this week so you can come in here and my son Quentin will give you a crash course in the stock we hold”
Now that his lunch break was only half an hour instead of an hour as with Mr Evans he was limited to eating cold smacks instead of going into one of the nearby cafes for something hot. Fortunately, those three days working for Matthews had been dry, even if a little cold, so he purchased his food and sat on one of the benches in the town square. On this particular lunchtime he was joined by Ernie Newsham who asked if he could join him. Gerry nodded and finished his smack and washed it down with a can of ice cold tea.
“I notice your new boss
doesn’t hang about in clearing out Mr Evans’ old stock. Any idea what’s happening to it?”
Gerry was glad to vent his anger at Matthews’ apparent deception of his old boss.
“He told Mr Evans he was going to sell off the old stock in his bric-a-brac shops, but Harry told me he’s taking the quality merchandise to London to sell in his brother’s shop for twice the price he paid for it. I reckon Mr Evans has lost out on at least a couple of thousand pounds”
Ernie shook his head,
“Poor David, he didn’t deserve that kind of treatment, he was an honest bloke who served this community”
Gerry nodded,
“Yes, and the last thing on his mind would be to cheat anyone else”
Ernie was quiet for a moment before he said casually,
“So, when was this stuff taken to London or is it still nearby?”
“Gerry walked right into Ernie’s trap.
“No, it’s still there. We’ve loaded it all into one of Matthews’ vans that’s parked in the yard at the back. It hasn’t gone yet because there’s supposed to be some stuff from another shop he’s clearing out”
“How blokes like Matthews get away with tricks like that is almost criminal” Ernie said in a resigned voice.
Gerry looked at his watch and stood up,
“Oh Heck! I’ve got to go now Mr Newsham or he’ll dock my wages for being late”
“Ernie smiled,
“That’s ok Gerry, see you around”
He ran back to the shop and found his boss waiting for him.
“Evans said you were a good timekeeper. Frankly I’m not impressed. Go and give Harry a hand transferring goods from my other van to the one you’ve put stuff in from here. If you can’t get it all in the van then bring the surplus into the shop. And make sure those items don’t get marked in any way. If they do it’s coming out of your wages”
He joined Gerry and they both walked into the back yard where Harry was re-arranging items in the first van. Matthews went and spoke to the older man before returning indoors.
The Reluctant Villain Page 6