Bob of Small End (80 page)

“
Late
again,” laughed Joe. “Been moving more chairs?”

“
Nope.
I’ve been moving and installing the equipment from your milking
parlour. It’s in the new shop now,” said Bob as he put his pint on
the table and sat down.

“
I saw
you when you were putting it in the van. What’ll you do with the
parlour now?”

“
We’ll
use it to develop ways to produce new toys, a research and
development place.”

“
I
thought you were going to do that in your own shop.”

“
Well,
I’ll design them there but we’d use your place to try out the jigs
we’d need.”

“
You
don’t need that much space to do that surely.”

“
No we
don’t, but we agreed to rent the building so we’ll keep it and put
it to use.”

“
Would
you like me to find someone else to use it Bob?”

“
Hadn’t
thought about that. It’s unlikely that we’ll use it to make toys
there in the future, it’s much easier if everyone’s in the same
shop. There’s room for another bench in the hall if we needed more
workspace. But I don’t know what Ken might want to use the shop
for. I’ll ask him and let you know.”

“
You
have two benches in the hall now Bob?” asked Jane.

“
Yes. We
made the second this week. Jack helped us install the stuff from
the old shop today.”

“
What’s
happening with your wholesaler?” asked Rose.

“
He
called for fifty of each set this week.”

“
I hope
he sells more than that!”

“
So do
we.”

“
Mor’
drinks anyone?” asked Jack.

Joe handed him
his glass, “I’ll have one.”

“
Not for
me thanks,” said Bob.

“
Girls?”

“
I’ll
have another,” said Rose.

“
Nothing
for me Jack.”

Jack returned
with the drinks and the menu on a tray. They chose their meals and
Jack placed the order with Len.

“
You
know we’re having an adults’ dance this week?’ asked Jane. “I hope
you’ll come.”

“
We
will,” said Rose, as Jack returned. “Won’t we Jack?”

“
Aye if
I must, but I ain’t much of a dancer.”

“
Then
you should come to the dance lessons,” said Jane. “Seven to nine
Wednesdays evenings, in the big hall.”

“
I
didn’t know you had started any classes,” said Rose.

“
This is
the first one. We have four more starting the following week and
we’ll add others once we get suggestions and teachers. You said you
might teach bird carving didn’t you Bob?”

“
Yes but
not this year. I should have time to do that after
Christmas.”

“
I’ll
remember to ask you then. Do you think Ken would be interested in
teaching something?”

“
Don’t
know. I’ll ask him but he’s even busier than I am so I don’t expect
he would.”

“
How
about you Jack?”

“
Nay,
too busy.”

“
Are you
too busy to print some letter head and cards with our new address
on for us Jack?”

“
I’d
rather not Bob.”

“
Try the
print shop in Big End,” said Rose. “They have a good
reputation.”

“
You
mean
Printer’s
Delight
?”

“
Yes
that’s right.”

“
Okay.
Thanks.”

“
Reminds
me Bob, here’s my bill,” and Jack handed Bob an
envelope.

“
Right.
Pay you at the end of the month?”

“
Aye.”

“
We’ll
have a longer holiday this Christmas Jack,” laughed Rose, “with all
the money you’re bringing in!”

“
You’ll
close t’shop Rose?”

“
Yes.
It’ll be nice to have Christmas away for a change. I could do with
a rest from cooking.”

“
Oh Bob,
before you came I told everyone that the BBC is broadcasting the
Small End documentary tomorrow night,” said Jane. “Did you know
about that?”

“
No.
What time?”

“
At
eight.”

“
I’ll
watch it.”

“
If you
don’t fall asleep first,” added Joe.

When he got
home he phoned Regina and Sam. He told Regina to watch the BBC
documentary on Sunday for he’d be in it and they would include
something about his company.

“
Can you
record it for me?” he asked.

“
I’ll
try but ask Sam, he’s got better equipment.”

Unfortunately
no one picked up the phone at Sam’s house so he left a message
about the show and asked him to record it. He hoped that one of
them would do it although he didn’t know what he would do with the
tape because he didn’t have a machine to play it on. ‘I’ll have to
buy one of those when I buy a microwave.’

Sunday morning
Ken and Bob worked on the new line, setting the routers’ positions
in their jigs and adjusting the heater and exhaust fans’ flow-rate.
It didn’t take long and, since it was only ten thirty, they made a
hundred pin-holders for the painting line.

“
That’s
it,” said Ken. “I’ll fine-tune everything on Monday.”

“
Joe
asked me what we were going to do with the old shop last night Ken.
When I told him I would be designing new toys there he asked why I
wouldn’t do that in my own shop. I told him I might and he said
he’d look for another tenant if we wanted. What do you think we
should do? Do you have other plans for the place?”

“
None
that I can think of. This place is much better. Lots of room to
move about in. It’s a good idea, ask him to look for someone else.
We’ll pay the rent until he finds someone.”

“
All
right. And Jane asked if you’d like to teach a course at the
Community Centre.”

“
No way.
Mary would kill me if I agreed to do that. Next year, maybe in the
summer or fall, but not now.”

“
I told
her the same thing when she asked me. I don’t want more work right
now. Oh she said the BBC’s running the Small End episode tonight.
Did you know that?”

“
Yes,
Mary told me. At eight, I think. I meant to tell you in case you
hadn’t heard. Let’s hope they do a good job on
Small End Wooden Toys
!”

“
Yes.”

Whilst waiting
for the show that evening Bob wrote to Maria. He told her what he
had been doing during the week and that June’s income had been
pretty good but didn’t tell her the amount. Then he asked about her
activities, saying that he hadn’t got a reply to his last letter
and hoped that she was all right. He didn’t include a poem for he
couldn’t think of anything to write about. He signed the letter
‘with love from.’ Then he went to the cupboard and poured a glass
of port, turned on the television and sat back to watch the
show.

He
enjoyed what they had done, how they covered the village and what
the committees had done and, especially, the way they had presented
the
Wooden Toy’
s development.
He called Jane after it had finished to ask her what she thought of
the program.

“
They
did a good job explaining what we’re doing in Small End. I
especially liked their shots of the village, the streets, houses
and the new development areas.”

“
What
did you think about the Community Centre part?”

“
It
wasn’t long enough. It should have shown more of the inside I
think. They did a good job on
Wooden
Toys
though. What did you think?”

“
It
covered all the most important things. The sequence showing my shop
then the milking parlour and ending in the new shop was excellent.
Brief, but complete. They demonstrated our growth in about four
minutes.”

“
Yes,
however I didn’t think they emphasised the wooden aspect. They
should have done that at the end.”

“
I was
concentrating on what they were filming and hardly heard the
narration. They spent a lot of time showing our employees. They’ll
like that. We’ll, I think you and your committee have done a great
job on everything. Did you record the show?”

“
Yes I
did. Do you want a copy?”

“
No,
Regina or Sam should have one for me. But thanks, if they didn’t
make it I’ll ask for a copy.”

“
Okay.
‘Bye Bob.”

“‘
Bye
Jane.”

Monday morning
Bob worked in the shop, mostly doing odd jobs, fetching the wood,
brushing the needles on the used pin-holders to remove dried paint,
screwing hooks on the front and back of the trains and carriages
and helping with the gluing. There were so many things to do and
time went quickly but he made time to call his bank and speak to
Mrs. Pringle. She arranged to see him at one o’clock. He told Ken
during the tea break that he’d be driving to Big End at lunchtime
to go to his bank and he’d order the new stationary.

“
We
could both go,” Ken said, “and take the vans. I’ll use one to drive
us back.”

“
Okay,
I’ll tell Lori to call the garage and let them know we’re coming.
She’s probably got a list of things for us to buy as
well.”

“
I know
we’re running out of train hooks.”

They
drove the vans to
The End Garage
and walked into to Charles’ office.

“
Hello
boys. Your girl, Lori, tells me you want to return the two small
vans. What’s up? Only delivering big loads now?”

“
Something like that Charles. A wholesaler will deliver for
us the future. Yes, we want to return the vans but not both right
now, we need one to get back home.”

“
One of
my boys would take you back if you like.”

“
Thanks,
we’d like that. We have to do some shopping first, though. Could he
take us in about half-an-hour?”

“
Sure.
I’ll have the paperwork done by then. You know, I’m rather glad
you’re returning them. We’re having a lot of requests for
short-term rentals and don’t have enough vans to fill all of them
so we are losing customers.”

“
You get
more money from short-term rentals too, I suppose.”

“
Yes,
that’s right.”

“
Then
you won’t charge us any extra for not giving you a month’s notice
will you Charles?”

“
Oh Bob.
I almost guessed you’d say that. Okay, I won’t. You take one of
them, do your shopping and someone will take you home when you
bring it here. Just give me the mileage on the clock before you
leave. Are they full?”

“
No. We
forgot to do that.”

“
Well,
fill the van you take and I’ll have someone look after the other
one. We’ll add the petrol cost to the bill.”

“
Thanks
Charles.”

Since it was
nearly one o’clock they drove to Bob’s bank first. Mrs. Pringle had
everything arranged.

“
No one
I’ve dealt with has paid-off their mortgage in one month! You must
be doing very well!”

“
We are,
Mrs. Pringle, we are. Thanks to you for helping.”

“
My
pleasure. And come back to me if you ever need to do it
again.”

“
I will,
Mrs. Pringle, but I hope I never do.”

They
drove to
Printer’s Delight
where Bob explained what they wanted and the young man said
that they’d be ready Friday. Their last stop was at the lumber yard
where they bought the screw-hooks. Lori had nothing else on her
list. Leon was not there so they had no news about the developments
at Small End. They bought a roll and a coffee at a deli, filled the
van with petrol and returned to Charles’ garage. He was standing
outside.

“
Hi. Let
me just check it and we can sign the papers.” He looked around the
outside and into the back, turned the key and checked the petrol
gauge.

“
It’s
fine, just like the other. So let’s sign the papers and we’re done.
I’ll be sending you a cheque for the days you haven’t used. Neil’ll
drive you to Small End.” However, instead of returning to the
office he walked them to a Rover parked in the back lot.

“
What do
you think of this?” he asked.

“
Whose
is it?” asked Bob.

“
Mine,”
said Charles. “Do you like it?”

“
Love
the looks. How much does it cost?”

“
I
bought it second-hand. I don’t know what you’d pay if you bought
one. You can’t have this but I can help you find a used
one.”

“
New
ones are very expensive Bob,” said Ken, “and you already have a
car.”

“
Yes, I
know, but this one looks a lot nicer.”

“
Ah,
hah! There you go; you’re beginning to think how you can spend your
money. I told you that would happen,” said Ken.

“
Just
interested, that’s all.”