Bob of Small End (76 page)

“
Can I
tell them that if they say they’ll be late?”

“
Sure.
It might speed them up.”

They continued
making train sets but, during their tea break, Jose said he wished
that he could switch to making a different toy, “just for a
change.”

“
You’ll
be able to do that soon,” said Bob. “It might even be next week.
Ken will talk about rotations tonight. There is a meeting at
three-thirty in the new shop.”

After the tea
break had finished Lori told Bob that another £18,500 had arrived
in the day’s mail. “The June income is now £50,643.75 but I think
that’s about it.”

“
Wow!
It’ll easily pay for the new equipment and the salaries. And I’ll
probably be able to pay off some of my mortgage. It’s very good
news. I’ll take the cheques before leaving tonight and deposit them
tomorrow.”

“
Is the
news tonight good or bad Bob?”

“
Good
news.”

Everyone was
seated when they arrived at three thirty and five chairs had been
saved for them in the front row. Ken made the announcements.

“
Those
of you who work here know that we now have a bell system because
you heard the rings when I was adjusting it.” He looked at the
first row and said “I’ve installed a warning bell. It’ll ring when
it’s time to work and when it’s time to stop. I put it in because
Craig and I just don’t want to keep shouting that kind of
thing.

“
Now
about the engagement celebration party. We’re giving it next Friday
afternoon. So we’ll stop at noon and drive to my place, have lunch
and a toast to Lori and Craig. You can stay as long as you like.
Bob or I will drive you back to Big End as soon as there’s three or
four of you wanting to leave.”

“
It’s
warm enough to swim in the river,” added Craig. “I’ve been doing
that for a month. But fishing isn’t very good, at least where we
fish near the bridge. It might be better round the corner, at Ken’s
place.”

“
I’ll
bring my swim suit,” Diane said. “Anyone else for
swimming.”

“
I
will,” said Craig.

“
Then I
better try,” said Lori.

“
Do you
have any floats or balls Ken?”

“
A
football and some old tennis balls. That’s all I think.”

“
Then
I’ll bring a plastic ball. We can have a game if there are enough
of us in the water,” said Craig.

“
Will
there be anything to drink,” asked Diane.

“
Yes,
but I think I’ll ration it to two bottles each. What do you think
Bob?”

“
Oh,
make it three, Ken. Just be sensible if you’re driving.”

“
This is
a great place to work, isn’t it!” said Diane.

“
You’ll
be getting engaged next Diane, just to have a party,” shouted
Alan.

“
No way,
not even for a party,” she replied.

“
Okay.
Okay.” Ken said. “Next. About changing shops. There’s a list on the
notice board. If you haven’t already read it look at it before you
go. Three people from this shop are to go to the old shop on Monday
to replace three from there who will come here. In the old shop
you’ll learn how to make train sets for two or three days. Craig or
I will arrange the next change when the last two from here will go
there for training. Any questions? You’ll know where you’ll be once
you look at the list so don’t ask me about that.”

“
What’s
happened to Ed? He can’t be coming back if you said the last two
will go there.”

“
No.
Ed’s quit. He’s going to work in construction.”

“
Then is
there room for my brothers?” asked Jean.

“
Yes.
There is now. At least for one.”

“
How
will you decide which one?” she asked.

“
I don’t
know. Do you have any recommendations.”

“
I can’t
choose between my brothers!”

“
No of
course not. Well, ask both of them to come here Monday and we’ll
see who does the best work.”

“
All
right.”

“
Lastly.
We’ll be closing the shop for a holiday from September 2nd to
September 6th. That’s what the red line means on the calendar on
the notice board.”

“
Do we
get paid for the holidays?”

Ken looked at
Bob and said, “Yes, you do, but we haven’t decided if everyone
should have the same pay because some have been working for longer
than others. We’ll let you know what we’ve decided nearer to the
time. All right?”

“
Sure.
I’m so happy to be working in a place like this I’m not going to
worry about how much or how little I get for holidays. At least,
not this year,” said Frank.

“
Same
for me,” echoed Ray and Diane.

“
Well,
that’s all I have to say. Have a good weekend everybody. See you on
Monday.”

Everyone got
up and crowded around the list on the notice board. One or two
copied the holiday dates into their diary and Alan did the same
using an electronic PDA. Ken watched him doing this but didn’t say
anything.

After they had
all left he told Bob that maybe Alan was another computer expert.
“He might help or replace Lori if she decided to quit.”

“
Quit? I
don’t think she’d want to do that Ken.”

“
But if
she became pregnant and had a baby she might take a few months
off.”

“
Oh it’s
much too early to think about that.”

“
Well
one has to plan for emergencies when there’s a company to run.
Could you do what Lori is doing Bob?”

“
Perhaps, but I wouldn’t want to. Keeping track of what toys
each retailer has, what each one of them has sold and so on is not
what I’d like to do.”

“
Exactly, nor me.”

“
More
cheques arrived today Ken. We’ve now got over £50,000. That’s about
all for this month Lori say’s. I have the cheques in my pocket and
I’ll deposit them tomorrow. You know there’s enough for us to take
something out now even with paying for the new equipment. I’d like
to do that and pay off my mortgage. I hate paying ten and a half
percent.”

“
All
right. How much would we take?”

“
How
about £35,000? That would leave plenty and my share would pay off
my mortgage.”

“
All
right. Lets go over to the office and write the cheques
now.”

As they were
leaving the building Ken collected the overalls and gave half to
Bob. “Mary will do the ones I’ve got,” he said. As they carried
them to Ken’s car Bob said they should buy a washing machine and do
the washing at the workshop. “It’s not fair, asking Mary to do
it.”

“
I
agree, but not now, there’s too much else to think about than
organising how the washing’s going to be done.”

At the office
Bob signed Ken’s cheque and Ken signed Bob’s, mostly for the fun of
it.

“
I’ll
tell Lori what we’ve done when I see her on Monday,” said
Bob.

“
All
right. Do you want me to drive you home?”

“
Yes
please. These overalls are heavy.”

On the short
drive to his house he asked Ken if he would be going to the opening
ceremonies.

“
Yes
we’ll both be there. It’s at two, isn’t it?”

“
Yes I
think so. Thanks for the ride Ken. See you tomorrow.”

“‘
Bye
Bob.”

There was a
letter from Maria on the door mat. She told him she’d been busy and
wanted to know what he’d been doing. It was signed, ‘with love
from.’

After a salmon
steak, grilled in the oven with some Italian dressing and a beer
Bob decided to go to bed. It was only eight o’clock but he felt
tired. It had been a hard week.

The sunlight,
shining through the window, awakened him at six thirty next
morning. He wasted no time lying in bed; his garden needed hoeing.
The camera shot of him hoeing was a prod, it reminded him that he’d
been neglecting it. He put half the overalls in the washing
machine, ate some toast and jam then hoed, gathered what ripe
vegetables there were, made sure the bean runners were climbing the
stakes and cut the grass. He had done all of that and washed the
rest of the overalls by ten when he stopped for coffee.

As he was
opening the kitchen door he glanced at the Centre and saw two men
who, he thought, lived in the village, carrying chairs out of the
door and placing them in rows. He guessed that the chairs were for
the opening ceremonies and, feeling guilty that he hadn’t been much
of a volunteer, he walked over and asked if he could help.

“
Sure.
There’s another two or three hundred chairs to bring out.
Thanks.”

So instead of
coffee Bob carried chairs, probably a hundred of them. One of the
men asked him if he could help them put them away at the end and
asked his name. He told them and the man replied “Oh you’re the guy
that makes wooden toys.”

“
Yes,
but there’s several of us making them now.”

“
Craig
Elton works there, doesn’t he? I know his father.”

“
Yes,
that’s right.”

“
Did you
know that Craig has just become engaged?”

“
Yes I
did. We’re having an engagement party for him and Lori next
Friday.”

“
I
haven’t met Lori but Pete say’s she’s a nice girl.”

“
Who’s
Pete?”

“
Craig’s
father. My name is Ronald Teller. This is Sam Bonny.”

“
Hello.”

They shook
hands then the men bid goodbye, saying they would see him when the
chairs had to be put away. Bob walked back to his house trying to
remember where he had met Ron Teller before. ‘It’ll come, once I
stop thinking about it,’ he told himself. He remembered just as he
was washing his coffee mug. ‘He’s one of Regina’s teachers. Maths
or science I think. I’ll ask him about that when I see him
later.’

Bob checked
the time; it was nearly eleven. He’d have a quick bath then drive
to Big End. He’d have to hurry or he wouldn’t be back in time for
the opening ceremony.

He deposited
the cheques from the retailers first in National Westminster then
walked to Lloyds and deposited the cheque Ken had written, his
first withdrawal from the company. He asked the teller how long it
would take to clear and was told five business days. ‘Right, then
I’ll book an appointment with Mrs. Pringle for the following week,’
he told himself.

He bought some
kippers at the grocery store, they were now a frequent Sunday
treat, and some hot sauce to go with the Thai stir-fries he
occasionally made. He didn’t cook often these days, he was mostly
too tired to do more than heat a pot pie or warm a prepared dinner
but things should become easier soon for he planned to just
supervise the crew or simply research toys in the near future. The
wholesaler could look after all of the deliveries. Gerry and Bert
could do any they didn’t handle and also do the work he used to do
on the line and Ken could look after the shop. Making toys was what
he liked doing most of all, not working on a production line and
he’d done enough delivering to last a lifetime.

He had a roll
for lunch, relishing the flavours and textures of the crusty bread,
old cheese and vinegary sharpness of the pickled beetroot he had
made three weeks ago. He decided to pickle some more; the beetroot
would taste even better in the winter after the vinegar had fully
soaked into the slices.

He joined the
crowds milling around the Centre’s parking lot at one thirty. There
were four or five hundred people already there, families with
children of all ages. He recognised a few but wondered where
everyone else came from. Tim and Peter from the garage were there
next to Jim Smith, his wife and Jack. Joe was standing at the back
of the chairs and he joined him.

“
Hello
Joe. Look at everybody! Didn’t know there were so many people in
the village.”

“
I guess
most of them are from the new houses or from Big End. Or maybe
there are people interested in moving here.”

“
Yes I
suppose so. How’s the farm?”

“
Busy,
taking off crops and transplanting fall brassica. We missed you
last weekend. How was it in Boston?”

“
Sally
was rather tired most of the time so we didn’t go out for a meal or
a drive. She’s on oxygen all the time. I ate dinner and lunch on
Sunday with her in the residence. The food was very nice. She
enjoys being there and has three or four friends now.”

“
There’s
no cure for emphysema is there?”

“
I don’t
think so.”

“
I’m
glad I didn’t smoke. That’s what usually causes it.”

“
It did
in her case, she thinks. Where’s Jane?”

“
Checking the activities and reminding key people of the
schedule they’re following. We’ll probably not see her until it’s
all over.”

“
Oh
there’s Ken and Mary,” Bob said. “I’d like to join them. Come with
me.”

“
Hello
Ken, Mary. You know Joe don’t you?”

“
Of
course. Hello Joe.”

“
Hello
Mary, Ken. We’ll have to stand I’m afraid. It’s too late to find
any seats. It won’t be too bad, Jane said the speeches wouldn’t
last long.”