Bob of Small End (51 page)

“
We’d
better get some more of the plastic boxes, the ones you use to keep
the pieces in. We can use them to hold sets in since we won’t be
getting the boxes from Salisbury quick enough.”

“
Yes,
ask Lori to order a thousand of them. They’d have to be bigger than
the ones we use for the parts. Tell her to measure the size we want
before she orders.”

“
If you
make seven hundred sets a week you’ll need more than a thousand
Ken.”

“
You’re
right. Okay, tell her to order two thousand. We can stack the empty
ones and keep them with the wood but when they’re full you’ll have
to keep them at your place. We won’t have any room.”

“
Okay.
Storage’s going to be a big problem Ken. We’ll have to find another
place to keep them soon.”

“
Yes,
you’re right Bob.”

Ken walked
into the workshop just after they had finished the tea break Friday
morning. He was carrying a new router in one hand and a bag in the
other. He beckoned Bob into the office and showed him what he’d
bought.

“
Leon
sold me the new router and these three bits for a very good price
Bob. £181.35. He had to order the others. I ordered the wood and
we’ll have it Wednesday. It’ll be £457.80. Leon asked me if I
wanted to pay by credit card and was relieved when I told him we
still wanted to pay at the end of the month. He said you paid for
the overalls and glasses by credit card.’”

“
Yes. I
wanted to get used to using one. I think I’ll get one myself they
seem safe enough.”

“
I think
they are. Leon was happy when I said we’d pay by cheque, he pays a
fee every time someone uses a card. Did you know that?”

“
No. I
suppose it can’t be much.”

“
It adds
up.”

“
Lori
ordered the paint this morning and she asked me if I wanted to pay
by card or cheque. I told her by cheque, at the end of the month,
and they accepted that. They probably prefer a cheque for the same
reason.”

“
When
will it come?”

“
No
later than the end of next week, at least, that’s what they
said.”

“
Okay.
Supplies are another thing we need Lori to track Bob.”

“
I
haven’t told her we’ll buy a printer. Do you want to do
that?”

“
Yes.
I’ll ask her if we can buy it tonight and I’ll drive her to the
shop to get it. I’ll take Josh and Luke to Big End as well,” said
Ken.

“
She’s
ordered the plastic boxes. I don’t know when they’ll come but they
cost £300. The paint cost £65. I’ll add up what we’ve spent and let
you know on Monday. And there’s everybody’s wages. I’ve written
cheques for them. You should be the one to give them out. Here they
are,” and he handed Ken the four cheques. “We’ll only have about
£1,050 once these are cashed.”

“
We’ll
have to put some more in the bank then. How about another five
thousand. It looks as if our May expenses will be about the same as
April now that Luke and Jose have joined us.”

“
I guess
you’re right.”

“
Then
I’ll write a cheque now and you can deposit it when you’re next in
Big End.”

“
Right.
£2,450 for you and £2,550 for me. If we need more I’ll have to
borrow from the bank because I’ll need the rest of my savings for
my holiday. I hope I can soon put some money back.”

“
We
will. Don’t worry!”

The third coat
of paint on the farm, village and train sets was dry after lunch.
Jose and Lori glued then boxed the sets and everyone else started
making another hundred sets, trying to get as much done before four
o’clock.

As Ken was
handing out the cheques he told Lori that he wanted to buy a
printer and asked if she could do that today. “If you can I’ll
drive you and the boys to Big End.”

“
Oh yes.
Do that Lori,” exclaimed Luke. “I’m going to a concert and want to
shower and change first. It’d be a very short shower if we had to
bus to Big End.”

“
What
concert is this?” asked Lori.

“
The Bad
‘Ems. They’re in Bournemouth. Jose and I have tickets. We haven’t
been to a concert for nearly a year and are looking forward to
it.”

“
Will
they have tickets for me?”

“
I don’t
think so,” said Jose.

“
Can I
phone them Ken?”

“
Yes. Of
course.”

Lori found the
theatre’s phone number and called only to be told that the show was
sold out a week ago.

“
Oh
never mind. I’m not fond of the ‘Ems anyway. It’d just be fun to go
out tonight. So yes Ken, lets go buy a printer.”

Chapter 20 Sally

There was a
letter from Sally on the mat when Bob arrived home. In it she told
him she had sold her house and would be moving to a retirement home
at the end of the month. “When could you come to get the car?” she
asked.

He called her
after supper. “Would next weekend be all right Sally?”

“
Yes,
lovely. How long can you stay?”

“
I can’t
come until Saturday and I’ll have to return on Sunday. We’re very
busy right now. I’ll stay longer next time, I promise.”

“
Good. I
suppose you’ll come by train and bus?”

“
Yes.”

“
Then
I’ll expect you when you arrive. It’s a long journey.”

“
I know.
When Mom and I used to visit I liked looking out of the window of
the train and seeing the back gardens of all the houses and the
city’s outskirts so that part won’t seem too long. I won’t
mind.”

“
I’ll
have some supper ready when you come. ‘Bye Bob.”

“’
Bye
Sally.”

He thought
about her and about owning a car as he ate his meal. He’d park it
in his driveway and leave the van on the road or next to the
workshop. ‘I hope Sally has the manual to tell me how to look after
it. I’ll have to arrange insurance for the car. I’ll talk to the
agent about it tomorrow.’

After his
usual Saturday morning dusting and clothes-washing Bob found his
insurance agent’s number and called him, explaining that his aunt
was giving him her car and he would like to insure it.

“
We can
do that for you Mr. Barns. What is the car?”

“
It’s a
Vauxhall.”

“
What
year?”

“
What do
you mean?”

“
What
year was it made?”

“
I don’t
know,” said Bob

“
Do you
know the model number?”

“
No. I
really don’t know much about it.”

“
Well we
can’t insure it without more details Mr. Barns. Can you call me
when you collect it and I’ll arrange it for you then.”

“
I’m
collecting it next Sunday.”

“
Oh.
Then can you have your aunt phone us?”

“
I’ll
ask her to do that, thanks.”

He phoned
Sally and asked her if she could call his agent and giver him the
details.

“
What
kind of details Bob?”

“
The age
of the car, it’s model number and probably some other
things.”

“
I don’t
know all those things Bob. Like you, I don’t know much about the
car. I’ll phone David and ask him to phone you.”

“
Oh,
thanks Sally.”

Ten minutes
later David called.

“
Sally
has told me you want to insure the car Bob. I can arrange that for
you. I can use our agent or yours and it’ll be done by the time you
get here.”

“
I’d
like to pick it up next Sunday. Are you open on
Sundays?”

“
Oh yes,
Sunday’s a busy day for us. Now, who would you like to insure
with?”

“
Use my
agent please David. I’ve already spoken to him about it. Here’s his
number.”

“
Okay
I’ll phone him. He’ll phone you if he needs anything we can’t
provide. Oh, we’ve checked the car and put it in Sally’s garage.
It’s all ready to go. The ownership transfer has been completed and
it’s in the car with the manual. Just sign it where it’s
marked.”

“
Thanks
David.”

“
Safe
travel Bob.”

After coffee
Bob dug a few carrots, picked a couple of handfuls of peas and
pulled enough rhubarb to make a dessert that would last a week. He
stewed it with some chopped-up crystallised ginger and a little
sugar then stored it in the refrigerator. He didn’t normally eat
dessert but ginger-rhubarb mix was something he couldn’t
resist.

He walked to
the village store and bought the groceries after lunch. At the
check-out counter he asked if they kept any Thai sauces. “No,” they
said. “You’re the first to ask for that kind of thing. I’ll start a
list. We’ll stock it once three people ask for it. ‘That might take
a long time,’ he thought, as he left the shop. After putting his
food away he had a mug of tea, a nap and a bath, then went to the
Crown.

It was the
last night of the Spring Show and the bar was full when he arrived.
He collected his pint and joined Joe, Jack and Rose at the table.
Joe told him that Jane was at the show and wouldn’t join them that
night so they ordered and ate their meals, hardly saying anything
until the noise dropped when the crowd left for the show. Then Joe
told them he and Jack would be dismantling the show scenery Sunday
afternoon and asked if Bob could help. He replied, “Yes.” Rose
asked him how the sales for April had been.

“
I don’t
know Rose. I only know what you, Jenny and Leo have sold. I expect
we’ll have cheques this week then I’ll know.”

“
It
might take a week or two before the toys begin to move Bob. If you
remember I didn’t sell any of yours the first month I had them. We
were both a little upset about that.”

“
Yes I
remember. You sold the first one to a visitor who’s grandson was
interested in trains.”

“
Yes
that’s right,” she said.

The first
thing he did after breakfast on Sunday was write the cheques for
the April purchases so he could mail them that afternoon. Then he
rummaged through his stack of woodworking magazines, removing any
that had toy designs. He took these to the lounge and skimmed
through them while drinking his coffee.

He ended up
with a list of twenty or so toys they could make, everything from
fire engines or milk wagons to toy houses and the furniture for
them. There were many patterns for jigsaw puzzles, some with just a
few large pieces meant to be used by young children and others with
many small ones. There was even a design for a carousel but that
looked very complicated and he guessed it would have to sell for
fifty pounds or more to cover the costs. He listed them in order of
easiest-to-make, folded the magazines to the page where the article
was and put them in a box to take to Ken. ‘He’ll have to chose what
to make.’

After lunch he
put all the wood that was left in the shed in the workshop then
took down the struts and shelves. He brushed the walls to remove
the dust and swept the floor. Now it was an empty store room, able
to hold many plastic boxes or filled log-boxes. He’d fill the shed
first and use his spare bedroom only when the shed was full.

There were
four new helpers working with them on the stage that afternoon,
newcomers to the village. It didn’t take them long to dismantled
the scenery, take down the lighting system and unfasten the stage
curtains. They shook the curtains and put them in their big storage
boxes then moved, with everything else, to the biggest meeting
room. They would stay there until they would be taken to the new
Centre.

During his
supper of broiled fish he remembered he hadn’t told his children
about the holiday he’d be taking in August when he called them
last. ‘I’d better tell them tonight in case they’re planning to
visit me then.’ He called at nine, but no, they weren’t coming his
way. Sam and Lilly were camping again that summer. “We’re going to
Wales Dad. Bess insists we climb Snowdon. We’ll go the easy way and
it’s not hard, so you’re not to worry about us.” Regina told Bob
that they’d booked a two week holiday in Paris. “We’re going by
Eurostar. Bernard’s very happy about that. It was his idea. Several
of his friends have travelled that way already and say it’s
fun.”

Bob also told
them that his toys were being sold in over a hundred shops. “And if
they sell the toys we’re making I’ll be very rich,” he added. Both
were pleased but didn’t seem especially interested. Their interest
would pick up if he made as much as Ken predicted he guessed.
Before getting into bed he put a spare shirt and some underpants in
a small bag. He’d add his pyjamas and toilet bag when he got up for
he expected he’d have to stay in a bed-and-breakfast Monday
night.

When he
arrived at the shop in the morning Craig helped him load a hundred
of each set into the van. He used the office map and the retailers’
business cards to set his route.

“
I’ll be
back when I’ve delivered all these Ken. But I can’t deliver to
twenty shops and talk to the owners in one day so I’ll probably be
back Tuesday afternoon. Will there be another hundred of each
then?”