Free Bob of Small End by David Hockey

sold. I don’t want to carry it there and
back.”
    “ Sure.
Let me know if she has when you come back.”
    “ I
will.”
    Rose welcomed
him and asked if he had enjoyed his holiday.
    “ It was
very enjoyable Rose. Lagos is an interesting town, friendly people,
many lovely buildings and lots of exciting food. I’m thinking I
might go again, next year. How are you and Jack doing?”
    “ We’re
fine. We’re thinking about holidays too. Just for a few days.
Somewhere not to far away that we can drive to. We can shut the
shop Monday to Thursday any February week. Most of our customers
only come on the weekends then and it’s too cold to work on the
cottage so Jack’s free. Oh, yes, about your farm sets. I’m sorry, I
haven’t sold any more. I think it’s too early. We’ll probably sell
one or two over Easter and more during the summer. If you make any
village sets I’d like to have one, just to see how they look and to
find out if they’ll sell.”
    “ Okay,
I’ll make a couple and bring one to you in a few days time. I’m off
the Big End now to see if Jenny has sold any. ‘Bye
Rose.”
    “‘ Bye
Bob. Good luck.”
    Jenny was glad
to see Bob when he arrived. “I’ve some good news for you. I’ve sold
three farm sets and lots of animals and it’s not tourist time yet.
They sold to local people. Isn’t it great!”
    “ Oh yes!
That’s excellent. You know I also make train sets and I’m going to
make a village set next. Perhaps you would like to see them. I
could bring you some next time I’m here.”
    “ Yes, I
am interested. If they are a good as these farm sets I would like
to have six of each. Let me give you a cheque and a statement for
the ones I’ve sold.” She sat down, filled in a form and gave a copy
to Bob.
    “ As you
can see it says, ‘Sold three Small End Farm Sets at £22.50, minus
thirty percent commission. £47.25. Do you agree with
that?”
    “ I’m
sure that’s correct,” and he put the cheque and the form in his
wallet. “Thank you Jenny.”
    ‘ Oh,’
thought Bob, as he walked out of the shop, ‘that was nice. But now
I’m in trouble. I have to make six train sets and at least one
village set before I see Jenny again. I’m glad I didn’t tell her I
make birds. Well I’m not going to stop at the Fox nor have lunch
here. I’ll just do the shopping then spend the rest of the day in
my workshop.’
    At home, after
a quick ham sandwich and a mug of tea he went to his shop having
decided what he should do. He’d make two village sets, one for Rose
and one for Jenny. Then make train sets for Jenny. ‘She’ll probably
want some more farm sets so I’ll have to make more of them.’
    He sat on the
stool and took his village sketches from the drawer under the
bench. The village sets he had planned would have five simple
houses, three larger ones, four shops with a single window and two
with a double window, one church, one pub, one post office, one bus
stop with a bench for waiting, and lengths of small and large
hedges. ‘All this may be too much,’ he thought, as he looked at the
drawings. ‘It’ll probably take too long to make. They’d have to
sell for twenty five or thirty pounds to make it worth while. I’ll
have to think about this.’ He took down a length of house-sized
wood, long enough to make ten small houses, and began shaping
it.
    He stopped
working at seven. It was dark and his light was not really strong
enough for working on small details and he was tired. He’d done
enough for one day. He’d made all the houses. He made the larger
ones using the same production-line technique and just glued on an
entrance porch and a conservatory. The houses hadn’t been sanded or
painted but he’d try to paint at the end of each day so they could
dry overnight and he could add the second coat when he next
painted.
    He decided to
have his supper at the pub. He could tell Len about his holidays
and that he was now selling his toys in Big End. That would
interest