Bob of Small End

by David Hockey

  Chapter 21 Production

  Ken was standing behind his desk when Bob walked in Monday morning and pointed to the corner behind his desk, telling Bob he’d bought a safe in Southampton. “There it is. I was just going to bolt it to the floor but that can wait.”

  “How will you do that? It’s concrete. Do you have a carbide bit?”

  “Yes,” and he sat down.

  “The safe’s got a combination lock, here’s the number,” and he passed a piece of paper to Bob. “It’s the date we began our business—141996. That’s easy to remember, I’ve tried it and it works.”

  “What did it cost?”

  “£237.81. Here’s the bill.”

  “Thanks.”

  Bob sat down and asked “How many sets did you make last week Ken?”

  “Six hundred. We could have made more but things slowed down when Pat was installing the lights. He had to turn off the electricity for a while. The sets have been boxed and Saturday I stacked a hundred of each in the van and put the rest in your shed. We’re almost out of the log boxes and the plastic ones haven’t arrived so we’ll have to wrap the sets in newspapers and store them in your shed if the new boxes don’t arrive soon.”

  “All right. I’m driving west today and tackling the Dorset shops, the ones I haven’t yet visited. I’ll check the map, plan my route then leave.”

  “Rose dropped in early Friday morning. She was surprised to see the shop so busy. She told me she needs more sets. Perhaps you could see her on your way out.”

  “All right. I’ll put some more in the van before I go.”

  At Tyne’s Gift Shop Rose asked for ten of each set. “We are selling the new ones mostly but people still want the trains. Can you spare ten of each?”

  “Yes we can now Rose. Ken and I want to take you, Jenny and Leo to lunch someday. What days would suit you?”

  “That’s nice. Any day will do Bob. Jack’ll run the shop if I’m away.”

  “Oh that’s good. I was worried we might not find a day suitable to everyone. Then I’ll let you know the date we’ve chosen as soon as I can. ‘Bye Rose.”

  He drove directly to Lyme Regis and called at the two shops there then began the return journey, following the road to Bridport, Abbotsbury and Weymouth. He ended the day at Fortuneswell, tired, but happy, having left toys at ten shops. The traffic in the towns, lack of convenient parking spaces and having to explain who he was and what he was selling took time. None of the owners or managers had heard of Small End Wooden Toys. However each one was interested to learn that other shops were selling them and were willing to try. No one questioned the forty percent rate he offered.

  He arrived home around six, long after everyone would have gone home so he didn’t stop at the shop. He left the van parked on the road in front of his house and loaded it with sets using his carry-on to move them from his shed to the van. He looked at the Community Centre’s new wall as he walked to and fro; it was about four feet high. When he had finished loading he walked over and admired how straight each wall was. There were four openings. ‘So they must have four doors. One or two of them must be for emergency, I suppose. I’ll ask Jane about that when I see her. I hope the main door doesn’t face my house.’

  Tuesday morning he drove to Dorchester, handing out sets to sixteen customers. The shops were busy and the owners didn’t have time to chat. They heard what he said then simply said they’d take five of each toy as a trial. He arrived back at the workshop at three and everybody was in the meeting room having tea. No one was talking when he entered and he filled the gap by telling them that the toys they were making are now selling from Lyme Regis to Southampton and up to Salisbury. “What do you think about that?”

  “We’d be famous if you put our names in the boxes,” said Lori.”

  “We can do that,” replied Ken. “It’s not a bad idea. We could include a slip saying who made the toy.”

  “You’ll have to put all our names on each one then because everyone’s involved.”

  “All right,” said Bob. “I’ll ask Jack to make the slips.”

  “Hey, you don’t have to ask Jack,” said Lori. “I can do that and print off as many copies as you want.”

  “Yes, of course,” replied Bob. “We’ve always used Jack in the past. I wasn’t thinking. Okay. How many do we need Ken.”

  “We’re making seven hundred sets a week so let’s make enough to last ten weeks. Oh! How long will you be staying with us Jose? Luke?”

  “I’d like to stay until the end of August,” said Jose. “I’ll have to stop then to get ready for college.”

  “Okay, and you Luke?”

  “I haven’t found anything in South America I’d like to work on so can I stay here until I find something? Let’s say until the end of August, like Jose. That should be long enough.”

  “Well in that case make seven thousand Lori. We’ll make more when we run out. Don’t make them too big. Can you get fifty on a page?”

  “Easily. I don’t suppose we want to say much more than ‘Made by . . .’ and list our names do we?”

  They discussed what they should say and asked Ken if they could include small photographs of them as well. He politely said no to that. Then everyone except Lori returned to the shop. She went into the office and began typing.

  While she was typing Bob told Ken about the shops he’d visited, how busy they were and that they’d all accepted sets. “They mostly said they’d take them on a trial basis. I think that’s what they usually do when something new comes along.”

  They were interrupted by Lori who said, “Here they are. We should buy a paper trimmer; it’ll take a long time to cut all these with scissors.”

  “Yes. You’re right.” said Ken.

  “Can you get it tomorrow so we can start adding them to the boxes? Didn’t you mention that you were going to Big End?” she asked, as she opened the door into workshop.

  “Yes, I’ll do it tomorrow.”

  “Thanks.”

  He and Bob moved into the office after Lori left and Ken shut the door. “Here’s the latest news. First, the new pails of paint arrived. They’re stacked under the bench in the paint booth. I thought we might be able to store some of the sets there but there’s no room for that now. Second, Leon phoned to say that the two routers have arrived so I’m going there first thing tomorrow. I’ll have to buy some new blades for the belt saws.”

  “And the trimmer. The stationers or the art shop would likely sell them.”

  “I’ll deposit the cheques too,” said Ken.

  “The April sales ones?”

  “Yes. I don’t think we’ll get any more now. It is the twenty first.”

  “How much did we get?”

  “£1,639.50. They sold 46 villages, 37 farms and 30 trains. If we add what Rose, Jenny and Leo sold we made £2,581.50. We’re doing well so I’d like to pay everybody a little more, they’re all doing an excellent job.”

  “I agree but can we wait until we see what we’ve earned this month?” asked Bob.

  “Yes of course. I didn’t want to do it immediately and only if you agreed but I’d like to do it as soon as we can. I don’t think anyone wants to leave and no one has asked for more pay but I’d like to give them more because it demonstrates how much we appreciate all they’re doing.”

  “Yes you’re right. About tomorrow, do you want me to stay here until you return?”

  “Yes please. I’d be back before nine if I didn’t have the trimmer to buy

  “Then I’ll buy it. I can do that as I drive through.”

  “Okay.”

  Bob drove to the south of Dorset Wednesday morning, stopping in Poole before heading home. He called at seventeen new shops and each accepted the toys. Now there was only the north of Dorset to see but he decided to leave that until he heard from Salisbury Boxes. That way he could do two jobs at once. He stopped at Big End on the way home and bought a paper trimmer. It cost £13.75 and he used his credit card. Then he visited Home
and Holiday.

  “You’ve come just at the right time Bob,” Jenny said, as he entered the shop. “I’ll take another five of each.”

  “Then I’ll go and get them.”

  After collecting the receipt Bob said “I still want to take you to lunch, Jenny. In fact, Ken and I want to take you, Rose and Leo to lunch together. Is there any day that you could be free to do that?”

  “Yes of course. I’d like to see Ken and Rose again but it’d have to be a Monday or Tuesday. There’s too many customers for Susan to handle on the other days.”

  “Then it’ll be on one of those days. Rose can manage any day so I’ll find out what suits Leo. I’ll phone you and let you know when.”

  When Bob walked into the workshop office Ken told him that the plastic boxes had arrived. “They’re stacked behind the boxing part of the bench. I’ll make some shelves for them tomorrow. And Salisbury Boxes called. They said our boxes can be picked up anytime after lunch tomorrow.”

  “Oh, that’s good. Then tomorrow I’ll do Dorset north.”

  “We now have our own electricity meter Bob. I don’t know what it cost,” he added, knowing that was likely to be Bob’s next question. “We’ll have to wait for the bill.”

  Bob squeezed in seventeen more shops before calling at Salisbury Boxes on Thursday. Bill helped him load the paste boards in the van then told him he had something to show him.

  “It’s in here,” and he opened the door at the back of the room that led to the workshop. Don saw them enter and walked over carrying a piece of plastic.

  “Hello Bob. I’d like to show you this, it’s a new lid for your box. It replaces the pasteboard lid you’re using now. Look, this is how it works.” He picked up one of the Wooden Toys’ pasteboards, carefully cut off the lid portion then rolled the pasteboard into a box. “This plastic piece fits into the hole and makes the lid. Look.” He pushed the larger end of the plastic into the hole in the log, bent it and slipped an extended portion on the opposite side into the other side. “See, the wider plastic sides stop the lid from falling in. Now anyone can see what there is in the box.”

  “That’s very interesting. Let me try fitting it,” said Bob.

  “Okay. Of course the side you fit first into the box will have a quick-fastening adhesive on it. That will keep the lid in place when the box is empty but I haven’t added that yet.”

  Bob removed the plastic and refitted it. “Yes. It’s nice to be able to see inside. How much would this cost per box?”

  “If you ordered five thousand it would cost an extra fifteen pence per box.”

  “Oh. Well I’ll have to talk to Ken about it. Can I take this to show him?”

  “Of course. Let me know what you decide as soon as you can. There’s another company interested in the idea and they might want exclusive use of it but I told them you had first choice since you were the first to use this kind of box.”

  “Thank you. I’ll phone in a day or two.”

  The shop was empty when he arrived at five-thirty so he left the van by the side door and walked home. One of the boys would unload it tomorrow.

  The Community Centre’s walls were at the roof height now and were level, ready to take the supports for the roof trusses. There were plenty of openings for windows, several of them on the south side, facing his house. ‘That’s where the noise will come from in the summer,’ he thought.’

  There was a small package by the front door and he opened it in the kitchen. It contained five newsletters from the Gift and Toy Association and a note from Julie inside. “Here’s our newsletter Bob. Hope you like what I wrote. Good luck with your venture. Julie.”

  A colour picture of Bob and his stand was on the third page, under the heading Small End Wooden Toys was Julie’s article. She explained that Mr. Barns started selling his toys in 1992, shortly after his wife died and continued:

  “Rose Tyne was the first to sell the toys in her Gift Shop in Small End. Early this year Jenny Wood in Big End began selling them in her shop, Home and Holiday. Then our past treasurer, Leonard Tinnet, Leo to most of us, tried them out in his shop, Toys and Gifts, in Twinner and has sold many. A couple of months ago Ken Smith joined Bob and formed a partnership and shortly afterwards they built a larger workshop in Small End. The first and the second workshops are shown in the pictures on either side the stand that Bob had at our conference. He told me that he hoped all our members would sell his toys and Rose, Jenny and Leo told me that they sell quickly and easily. I suggest you call Bob and have him bring some of his toy sets to you. At the moment he sells trains and carriages, village and farm sets. Children can build their villages or their farms in many different ways and they have been scaled to suit the animals that many of us sell, generating more animal sales. Let’s hope that Bob and Ken make a zoo set next; we need one to house our giraffes, lions and elephants!

  “I’m sure we all wish them success in their new venture.

  “Julie Mayor.”

  ‘What a nice article’ thought Bob. ‘Ken and the others will be most pleased. And it’ll help me sell to association members who haven’t heard of us. I’ll call Julie tomorrow and thank her!’

  Bob was pinning the article he’d cut from the newsletter to the clipboard on Friday morning when Ken walked in.

  “Look at this Ken. It’s the Gift and Toy Association’s latest newsletter.” He gave Ken one of the extra copies. “Turn to page three. There. Isn’t that nice?”

  Ken read the article and beamed at Bob. “Yes it is. We should have lots of people calling us once they’ve read this. We’ve already got a lot of new requests. Lori has a list of at least ten who want more toys soon.”

  “That’s great! I’ve collected the next batch of pasteboards from Salisbury Boxes and they gave me this,” and he handed the sample box to Ken.

  “It looks nice, easy to open.”

  “Don’t worry about the lid falling away, it’ll be held on by an adhesive band. This lid adds an extra fifteen pence.”

  “Well I rather like the idea and we can afford the extra price.”

  “Yes, that’s what I thought when I first saw it. However I thought a lot about it on my way home and I now think we shouldn’t use it. Our chief feature is that we are part of the Green Movement. That’s what Craig said, remember? We shouldn’t spoil that image. But a plastic lid does exactly that.”

  “Hem! Maybe you’re right. Let’s just put a toy inside and see if it’s worth risking that.”

  “Okay but I still won’t think we should use plastic Ken, even if it does look nice.”

  “Okay. Then we won’t, though I’m not sure you’re right Bob because just about every thing has a plastic wrapping these days and customers are used to seeing what they’re buying.”

  “But that’s my point. Our toys appeal to those who don’t think in the same way.”

  “You don’t think that more people would buy them if they could see what was in the box?”

  “Well they can see what they’re buying—in the window display.”

  “They don’t display all that’s in the sets I bet.”

  “No but they’ll be shown if they’re interested.”

  “All right. I give in. We’ll not use the plastic tops. Where are you going today?”

  “Southampton and the eastern areas. I’ll go through Twinner and ask Leo when he could have lunch. It has to be on a Monday or Tuesday Jenny says.”

  “Let’s suggest Monday June 3rd. I’ll make sure I don’t arrange anything else for that day. Is that date okay with you?”

  “Yes it is.”

  Craig arrived shortly afterwards and Bob asked him to help unload the van. They then packed it with sets and Bob drove off thinking about what Ken had said. He was a bit unhappy about arguing with him but he was sure his thinking was correct.

  He gave Leo more sets on his way to Southampton and asked if he could come to lunch on Monday, June 3rd.

  “Don’t know. Let me call Lena and see if she can watch th
e shop that day.” He dialled, asked and hung-up the phone.

  “Yes. She can be here. Where are we going?”

  “It’s not been decided. Rose, Jenny, Ken will be coming too. Can you suggest anywhere?”

  “If the girls are coming it had better be in a restaurant near them. You or Ken will know the places near the Ends better than I do. Chose one and tell me where we’re going and what time and I’ll find it.”

  “All right. Then keep the 3rd free and I’ll phone you early next week. ‘Bye Leo.”

  “Cheers Bob.”

  Many owners smiled when they saw Bob entering the shops in Southampton and said they liked Julie’s profile. He thanked them, chatted and asked, as soon as an opportunity offered, if any Americans bought toys there. They told him that they frequently bought wooden articles, “perhaps because they are lighter than metal or pottery objects.” When he asked if they would put up a sign to promote his toys they all refused. “If we did that everybody would want to do the same,” he was told. ‘So that’s that,’ he thought. ‘If the shops wouldn’t promote the toys he’d have to find another way.’

  When he got back to the shop he told Ken what the owners said about selling to Americans and added “I’ll try to find out if the shops they have onboard would post a notice.”

  “I bet they’d charge a lot to do that.”

  “Yes I suppose so. All right I’ll forget the idea. Oh, June 3rd is okay for Leo. He suggested we chose a place near here so Rose and Jenny could get to the restaurant easily.”

  “Where it is doesn’t matter much, you or I could drive them to it. How about going to The Windlass Tree in Warmly? Mary and I’ve been there a few times. They have a good menu.”

  “Sounds good. If you have their number, would you make the arrangements.”

  “Sure. I’ll call them now.” Five minutes later they had a window table reserved for one o’clock.

  “I can take Rose and Jenny, Ken. Leo will drive himself.”

  “Why don’t I take all of you? I know where to park if their lot’s full.”

  “All right. I’ll phone Jenny and Leo and tell them and I’ll tell Rose tomorrow night.”

  “We made another seven hundred this week Bob. With those and another seven hundred next week we’ll have close to twenty five hundred sets. That’s the number we set when we said we’d take the gang to lunch.”

  “So we’re making twenty five hundred each month now?”

  “It’ll soon be nearer to three thousand. I’m keeping my fingers crossed about selling them, Bob. We can make them but can we sell them? That’s the big question.”

  “Yes it is, you’re right about that. It’ll take another month or more to find the answer. We’ll have to increase our territory though, if we’re going to sell that many, two hundred shops isn’t enough. I’ll have to look for other Gift and Toy Associations, those that border our territory and visit their retailers. Julie could probably tell me the association’s addresses and I could get membership lists from them.”

  “I’ve got a simpler idea Bob. Why not just go to the bigger towns? That must be where most of our toys sell. Doing that would save you a lot of time. For instance, you could just go to Bristol or Basingstoke or Portsmouth. You could do the villages later.”

  “I’d have to stay two or three nights in each area if I did that. And we’d need a bigger van. Let me think about it.”