Bob of Small End (93 page)

Five minutes
later Bob said, “It looks okay to me. How about you?”

“
Yes,
it’s just as Lori said. Then we accept it?”

“
Yes.
Unless Arthur finds something wrong,” said Bob.

“
Let’s
take it to him. I’ll call and see if he has time to see us
today.”

“
Mr.
Glane has no appointments between eleven and two” Jennifer told Ken
when he called. “Do you want to see him during those
hours?”

“
Yes.
Let’s make it at eleven. Thanks.”

Ken went to
the shop and told Craig and Lori that they liked what was written
and that he and Bob would take it to their lawyer that morning.
“We’ll leave immediately and be back after lunch. You’re in charge
until then. You might as well get used to it!”

On their way
to Southampton Ken and Bob discussed some of the details that we
not included in the offer.

“
What
date should we sell Bob?”

“
I’d
leave it as late as possible. Might as well get the income from the
toys we’ve made as long as possible. How about making it November
1st?”

“
That’s
okay with me but we’re planning to leave for Manchester before then
if we’ve found a place to live. I’ve agreed to start work the first
week of November.”

“
That’s
no problem. You can leave as soon as you like. Craig and I can run
the shop. In fact I’d let Craig run it and just turn up as a
consultant. That’ll be fun!”

“
He’ll
want you to design new toys for him if you were a
consultant.”

“
I
wouldn’t mind doing that if he asked.”

“
Should
we put that into the contract, that you’d be a consultant for a
year or two, paid at such-and-such a rate?”

“
No
thanks. No, I don’t want to do that nor do I want to tie them down
in any way.”

“
Bob,
about my house. I’ve talked to a couple of real estate agents.
They’re willing to sell it for me but they think I should lower the
price if I want to sell it this time of the year. They both thought
it would likely get around a hundred and seventy five hundred in
the Spring but doubted if it would get that now. When I told Mary
that she said I should offer it to you. She said that you liked it
when you saw it. What do you think? Are you interested in buying
it?”

“
It’s a
lovely place Ken but it’s too big for one person I
think.”

“
Yes,
but you might live there with Maria sometime. Look, think about it.
I haven’t listed it yet. Let me know before Monday. And I’ll drop
the price by ten thousand to sell it right now. I’d take a mortgage
from you ‘cos I know you and that you’ll be getting lots from the
company over the next two months, money from the toys we’ve already
sold.”

“
It’s an
thought. I do like the house. As a matter of fact, I’ve been
planning to renovate my house this winter. I’ll think about it and
let you know Monday.”

“
Good.”

“
So
you’ve found a buyer,” said Arthur. “That’s wonderful. I was
tempted to buy it when you told me about how much it generates but
I couldn’t run the company, I was also afraid that the market for
wooden toys might collapse. That was what my contacts also thought
when I told them it was for sale. They didn’t want to take the risk
even though the profits were amounts people dream of. You know,
you’ve done very well. And all within six months!”

“
We’ve
been very lucky, both in the number of toys we’re been selling and
in finding a couple of employees who can run the workshop and
manage the company. They can raise enough to give us half as a
deposit and we’re willing to loan them the rest. Here’s what they
propose. As far as we can see it looks okay. We want to know what
you think of it.”

“
I’ll
take a quick look now but I’ll want longer to think through each
clause. I can do that after you’ve left if no one needs to see me.
I’ll call you tonight to tell you if there’s anything you should
change. Let me read it now. Hum, I don’t see a date-of-sale. When
do you want to sell?”

“
November 1st is good for us Arthur,” said Ken. “It’s a
Friday. However, we usually get an order from We-Have-It on Fridays
so we want to sell the company after we’ve received that order.
That way the money from that sale comes to us.”

“
That
would be a bit awkward to arrange. I’d suggest a way around that.
Why not call the wholesaler on Thursday, October 31st and get the
order then. That way you’d get the order and the money. That way
the company can sell on November 1st with no complications. It
would be simpler and better I think.”

“
Yes. We
could do that. I’ll tell him we want to do that the week before we
sell.”

“
You
should have your auditor check the books a week or two before the
sale to be sure there’s no inconsistencies.”

“
Yes,
you’re right. Lori would want that too although she’s the one who
has been keeping them. Doing that would also help us deal with
Inland Revenue too.”

“
Okay.
Leave this copy with me and I’ll call you tonight Ken. Will you
call Bob or should I?”

“
Come to
supper tonight Bob,” said Ken, “and we’ll hear what you have to say
together. I’ve got a speakerphone. And you’ll be able to look over
the rest of the house at the same time. Can you do
that?”

“
Yes,
sure, Ken. Thanks. Mary won’t mind?”

“
No,
I’ll call her from here if I can. Arthur?”

“
Sure.
As soon as we’re finished.”

“
What
time can you call us?’ Ken asked. “Would eight o’clock be
okay?”

“
Yes,
that’d be fine.”

There was lots
to talk about over lunch and on the drive back to the shop. “Mary
says we’ll have to have chops from the freezer because that’s all
there is. She’s glad you’re coming Bob, because she knows you like
the house and thinks you should be the one to buy it.”

Once back at
the workshop they asked Lori and Craig to come to the office and
they told them that they would sell the company to them if their
lawyer didn’t find anything wrong with the offer. They also
explained what they had decided about the sale date and that the
income from the last week’s order would go to them. Lori and Craig
thought that was fair and agreed.

“
Our
lawyer will call us tonight to let us know if there’s anything else
we should discuss with you or change before signing. All he’ll do,
I imagine, is turn your proposal into a legal contract,” said Bob.
“He’ll need the name of your lawyer sometime, too.”

“
And
we’ll have to have the books audited by our accountant before the
sale too,” said Ken.

“
Yes. We
had thought of that and were going to ask you to have it done if
you didn’t suggest it. That way I know I’m in the clear and that my
records are correct,” said Lori.

“
Well,
we’ll tell you what he says tomorrow. Don’t say anything to anyone
here until everything’s totally settled, please.”

“
No, of
course not,” said Lori. “You know, I’m so happy about this. Thank
you!”

“
We’re
very lucky people,” said Craig.

“
Well
don’t celebrate until you know what our lawyer says.”

“
Do you
think I should tell my Dad and uncles about it when we get
home?”

“
I’d
suggest you just say we’re thinking very positively about it,” said
Bob. “It’s better not to tell them you’ve bought it until
everyone’s signed the contract.”

“
All
right. But I can’t help smiling!”

“
Me
too,” said Craig.

“
Oh,
another cheque arrived this morning,” said Lori. “It’s the July
29th one, £18,750. It’s in the safe.”

“
Good.
Then I’ll write a cheque for your £15,000 Ken,” said Bob. “Do you
mind if I post-date it to next week to let this one clear. How
about making it next Friday?”

“
That’s
fine.”

The only shop
that sold flowers in Small End was the newsagent. It never carried
many but Bob found three bunches which, when combined, would make
an attractive group. He bought them and had them gift-wrapped. Once
home he carefully unwrapped them, selected the best for Mary and
rearranged them with some wooden stems from his garden and put them
in a bucket filled with water. The rest he put in Betty’s best vase
and placed it in the living room. ‘The last time I’ve had flowers
in this room must have been ones from Betty’s funeral,’ he
thought.

Ken had asked
him to come at six-thirty so Bob had a bath and dressed in a white
shirt, his best grey trousers and a pullover. He sat in his lounge
and thought through the day’s happenings. He was very glad that
Lori and Craig would be buying the company. It solved so many of
the problems that had been bothering him. He hoped that nothing
would go wrong with their financing and that Lori’s father and her
uncles could get their mortgages. He began thinking about Ken’s
suggestion that he should buy their house. It was such a nice
place, a house he could never have afforded in the past. It was
exciting to think about it but it was scary too; it was too big a
house for one person and, although he might be able to buy it, it
would cost much more to run than his present home. He’d have to ask
Ken what the taxes were, how much it cost to heat, their water and
sewage costs, all that kind of thing. He’d have money coming in as
Lori and Craig paid the rest of what they owed but would it be
enough to cover what he’d have to pay Ken? Would there be enough to
run it and also pay for his holidays? Holidays came first, not the
house. Or did they? Then it struck him; if he bought Ken’s house he
could sell his house. Maybe he’d have plenty and could buy the
house and have holidays. He looked at the clock and realised he was
going to be late so he grabbed the flowers from the bucket, wrapped
them in the gift paper, put the wet bottom in a plastic bag and ran
to the car.

Ken opened the
door when he arrived. “Hello, Bob. I was beginning to think you had
forgotten about supper. Did you fall asleep?”

“
No. I
was wondering if I could afford to buy your house. We must talk
about what it costs you each year. These are for Mary. Can I give
them to her?”

“
Sure,
she’s in the kitchen. Come to the study after seeing her, I’ll be
there.”

“
Thank
you Bob,” said Mary. “These are nice. Can you put them in the sink
for now, I’ll put them in a vase when I’ve finished
here.”

“
You
don’t mind showing me the rest of the house later? I could come
back if you wanted more time to prepare.”

“
No, now
would be fine. We’ll do it after supper, no, after Arthur’s call.
You’d better join Ken now, he likes to have a drink with his guests
before supper. I can’t join you yet for I’ve still things to
do.”

It was scotch
and water again for Bob when he joined Ken. This time the fire was
lit and they sat looking at it while taking their first sips. Bob
felt so comfortable and relaxed. If anything was going to persuade
him to buy the house this was it. To have a study with a fireplace
like this!

“
Ken I’d
love to buy the house but I don’t know if I can afford to run it. I
need to know how much you pay for heating, water , taxes and so
on.”

“
I
guessed you’d be asking about that and you should take this. I
prepared it for the real estate agents. All the expenses are listed
though they’re last year’s, of course. This year they should be
about the same.”

“
Oh! You
pay about three times what I pay in taxes. And your heating is
nearly four times mine. Not much difference for water and sewage.
All that would have to come from money I’d get from the company, or
from the sale of my house, my pension wouldn’t carry
it.”

“
I’m
sure you’ll have enough, Bob, and still have plenty left over for
holidays. Holidays—that’s what this year’s really been about,
hasn’t it?”

“
Yes,
being able to have a nice holiday each year. But to have a house
like this and holidays too, I can’t believe it’s
possible.”

“
It’s
been a good year for me too, helping to set up a company, solving
interesting puzzles and then being offered a job near James’ home.
And having fun all the time too. We’ve enjoyed ourselves, haven’t
we?”

“
Yes, I
guess so. Most of the time. It’s been exciting but worrying too.
Just like the thought of buying this house, that’s exciting and
worrying.”

“
Maybe
that’s your nature Bob. Try to forget the worrying part and enjoy
the exciting part. That’s what I try to do. Ah, that’s Mary’s
calling; it’s time for supper.”

Squash soup,
with a touch of garlic and garam masala; lamb chops, with
cauliflower, green beans, roast potatoes and mint sauce, and ice
cream with a caramel covering, together with two glasses of wine
made Bob full and happy.

“
That
was wonderful Mary. Thank you. With a meal like that I can’t see
myself refusing to buy this house! I very much enjoyed
it.”

“
I’m
glad Bob. I’ll show you the upstairs after Arthur’s call. We’d
better go into the study now to hear it. Can you make the coffee
Ken?”