

Making It

Published by David Hockey at Smashwords

Copywright 2019 David Hockey

## Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty Two

Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Four

Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Eight

Chapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty One

Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty Four

Chapter Forty Five

Chapter Forty Six

Chapter Forty Seven

Chapter Forty Eight

Chapter Forty Nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty One

Chapter Fifty Two

Chapter Fifty Three

Chapter Fifty Four

Chapter Fifty Five

Chapter Fifty Six

Chapter Fifty Seven

Chapter Fifty Eight

Chapter Fifty Nine

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty One

Chapter Sixty Two

Chapter Sixty Three

Chapter Sixty Four

Chapter Sixty Five

Chapter Sixty Six

Chapter Sixty Seven

Chapter Sixty Eight

Chapter Sixty Nine

Chapter Seventy

Chapter Seventy One

Chapter Seventy Two

Chapter Seventy Three

Chapter Seventy Four

Chapter Seventy Five

Chapter Seventy Six

Chapter Seventy Seven

Chapter Seventy Eight

Chapter Seventy Nine

Chapter Eighty

Chapter Eighty One

Chapter Eighty Two

Chapter Eighty Three

A note from the author

## Chapter One

"No, Betty, I'm not going. You know that, I told you yesterday. I don't want to spend that much money on a dinner and dance."

"Then I'll go with Bob."

"Bob Pringle?"

"Yes. He's already asked me. He heard you telling John that you were not going."

"You know what Pringle said in the locker room? That he'd slept with half the girls in grade twelve."

"Well, I won't be another one, don't worry. It's just the dinner and dance. I'm not going to the party afterwards."

"Well, I still don't like it."

"I'm not going to miss celebrating my graduation, Len. It's just one night. We'll still be friends."

They stopped talking and continued walking. Len was torn. It would cost him nearly two hundred dollars to go; renting a tuxedo, buying a bouquet, dinner and dance on the boat, drinks, taxis, it was just too much to spend on one night of celebration. He had the money, he had nearly eight hundred dollars in his savings but it was his safety net, something he would have to rely on if things went wrong. He had no one to support him after his dad died. He had clothes, shoes and food to buy. He could understand Betty wanting to go, her parents had paid for her dress, they had plenty of money. And she should go of course though he hated the idea of her going with Bob Pringle. Bob, the football hero, Bob whom all the girls adored and most of the boys as well.

Once they reached Betty's home Len had one more try.

"So you'll be going with Pringle then."

"Yes. I'd rather be with you but if you won't spend the money to go then don't blame me."

"I'll phone you on Saturday to find out what it was like."

"Yes, okay."

Len watched her walking up the drive to her front door. She was so lovely, the prettiest girl in grade twelve, no, in the whole school, as far as he was concerned. He was so lucky that she liked him, that they had become friends and that they started going out together. She looked back at him before opening the front door. Her long brown hair, tied together by a band at the back of her neck, something he loved to play with when they went to the movies and he put his hand around her shoulders. Her eyes, as she smiled at him, which she now did, their glow and depth, blue yet slightly green as well. He smiled back, for he couldn't help himself from doing it. He was pretty sure he loved her but didn't know what love really was. Betty was the first girl he'd ever gone out with, the first girl he'd ever kissed. Should he change his mind and spend the money? 'No, no, no,' he told himself, 'it is too much for too little.' And Betty would still be his friend he was sure. He turned away as she went indoors and walked to his apartment.

To keep his mind from thinking about Betty and the Friday night dance he took out his Graduation Dinner and Dance Invitation and made notes on its back; might as well put the thing to some good use. There was the furniture he couldn't take to his new place, he had to decide what he should keep. The clothes from his father's wardrobe and his drawers should be discarded, though there were some unused shirts he would keep. Pity they didn't have the same sized feet, there were two, almost brand-new pairs of shoes he'd have to throw out and he badly needed a new pair. Then there was food to buy for tonight's supper and, probably, things to do for the tenants.

Len's mother had died from cancer five years ago in 1977 and his father had died in March from a stroke when shoveling snow. The landlord had let Len continue to live the apartment, at the same low rent his dad had paid, until the end of the school year but, in return, he had to do the maintenance work his father had done. It wasn't much in the summer when there was no snow to shovel, cutting the grass took its place and that was easy. His father made his money by doing odd jobs for people in the neighborhood. He'd done that for years and everybody knew to call him when they wanted a toaster fixed, or a broken chair leg mending or some plumbing work. His prices were much better than calling a professional and his work was just as good, sometime better, and always quicker. Len helped him whenever he could and liked the idea of becoming a handyman after he left school. The job was interesting and changed from day to day. He would always be meeting new people and making new friends. It would be a good life but a hard one to get started. Who would hire an eighteen year old to replace a water pipe that had burst when it froze in the winter, something his father had done several times over the past years when it dropped to minus thirty. And it would be a long time before they called upon him to fix their appliances even though many had seen him helping his dad. He'd have to find a proper job in September once his summer post-office work had finished.

He bought six eggs, a loaf of bread and a bag of Macintosh apples at the corner store. That would take care of supper. Hopefully he'd be invited to eat at his uncles place tomorrow or he'd finish the eggs. Saturday he'd go to the supermarket and buy for next week.

Once he got home he put the eggs in the refrigerator then listened to the phone messages. Mrs. Kilmore had blocked her toilet again and Mr. Lantern told him that one of the lights on the fifth floor wasn't working. He collected the plunger and a bulb from the locked closet in the hallway where all the maintenance stuff was kept and took the elevator to Mrs. Kilmore's floor. The plunger released the blockage and Len reminded her again not to throw big balls of tissue into the pan. He used the stairs to get to the fifth floor and replaced the broken bulb. Then he returned the plunger to the locker and took the elevator to the first floor of the garage, collected the trolley, the two large plastic bins and rode up to the penthouse. There he flattened the cardboard boxes and put them and the newspaper in one of the bins and the glass and recyclables into the other. He did the same on the lower floors, keeping a copy of the Townsville Courier and the Globe and Mail to read later. He was glad he'd not have to do all these chores once he moved to his new place but he hated the idea of spending nearly half his earnings on rent. After he'd emptied the bins into the basement's large collecting boxes he returned to his apartment, washed his hands then fried three eggs for supper.

He remained sitting at the kitchen table after he had eaten, wondering what his future life would be like. He had a job for July and August, delivering mail for the post office, replacing the men who were on holiday, but nothing after that. Betty would be in Montreal, taking maths at McGill University, something he'd like to do but couldn't afford. It was in the grade twelve maths class last September where they had first met. If only he could go with her. Perhaps, if he went, then after a year or two they might become engaged and marry once they graduated. Get good jobs, buy a house and have kids. It might still happen even though he didn't go to college but was less likely. He sighed, 'time to face reality and give up dreaming. I'd better start on my father's things.'

He washed the supper dishes and put them in the cupboard then went to his parent's bedroom and switched on the lights. He emptied the contents of each dresser drawer onto the bed and threw items he wouldn't keep into garbage bags. Old sweaters, some with holes in the sleeves, shirts that were frayed around the neck, socks, underwear, trousers, all went into the bag. Shirts that seemed almost new and two that were still new, presents form last Christmas and decent handkerchiefs, he kept, placing them on the top of the dresser. In the closet there were three, hardly-used, suits, two gray and one dark blue. The only time he could remember his father wearing a suit was at his mother's funeral. There were five ties hanging on the wooden holder his father made. He'd keep the holder and the ties, he might wear one someday. The shoes, regretfully, he put in a garbage bag, but the slippers, also a Christmas present, he'd keep. They were large enough for him, lined and much better than the pair he wore. He'd take the bags to the Salvation Army tomorrow. Once he had his new apartment he'd have the town's auctioneer sell the furniture he wasn't going to keep. His brother, Dan, and sister, Barb, had taken all they wanted after his dad's funeral. Dispirited and sad he went to bed at nine; there was nothing of interest on television and he didn't feel like reading the papers.

Len's uncle phoned at nine Friday morning, asking if he would like to come for dinner that night. Mathew Smith, a former lawyer, lived in a house on the St Lawrence River, two kilometers from the edge of town. Len gladly accepted. He liked his uncle and had been joining him for Friday night's supper most weeks since his father had died. He saw more of him than he did of his siblings. He didn't like Barb's husband and Dan lived on the other side of Townsville but was always busy, either selling cars or doing things with his wife and their baby son.

He took the four bags of clothes and another filled with queen sized sheets to the Salvation Army and cut the grass before eating lunch, a cheese sandwich, glass of milk and an apple. He looked through the newspapers then vacuumed the floors, removed the recyclables and checked the bin at the bottom of the garbage shoot to see if it needed changing before the truck came back on Monday. The glass in the front door needed cleaning, another thing Mr. Thompson noticed, so he did that. Afterwards he shaved, although there wasn't much of a growth to remove, showered, put on his best jeans, then biked to his uncle's place.

Mathew Smith's place used to be a cottage, a run-down dump, when he bought it some thirty years earlier. It's beauty was in its surroundings, forty feet from the edge of the St. Lawrence river, over two acres suitably filled with trees, bushes, grass and a vegetable garden. It was a pleasure-ground for wild life and far enough from the town to make it seem like living in the country, but close enough to walk there if one felt energetic. The cottage was the first property Mathew had bought through a tax sale. As a lawyer he'd known about the sales and handled properties that other astute purchasers had bought but he'd not used the little money he had saved to buy one for himself until he heard that this particular cottage was being auctioned. He knew the place. As a kid he'd played with Sam, whose parents owned it, both in town and at the cottage. When Sam had been killed by a speeding motorboat while swimming in the river his parents stopped going there and neglected it. It sat, decaying away for twenty years, with the roof leaking and rain rotting the floors and walls. Mathew had visited it a couple of times, going in the last time through the broken door, looking at the decaying furniture, so badly ruined that people hadn't taken it and at the broken glass on the floor. After Mr. Newton died Mrs. Newton eventually stopped paying the taxes and it was put up for auction. If it wasn't for one of his clients telling him about the sale he wouldn't have known. He paid too much, for the location was attractive, but he was determined to have the place. The cottage, it's tear-down and building a replacement house, became a several-year hobby. It ended up becoming Matt's home, a place he was very proud of.

It was an unusual house, although Matt always referred to it as his cottage. It was long allowing every room except the kitchen to face the river. One entered in middle of the east side straight into the kitchen which spread along half the north wall. Matt's study was the first room on the southern river-facing side. A powder room was next to the study, then the space widened into the dining-living room. A patio door between two picture windows gave access to the deck. To go upstairs one had to walk to the far end of the living room and climb the stairs which ascended the north wall. Under the stairs was a small store room. Len had only been upstairs once, when Matt first showed him around the place. There were three bedrooms and a bathroom, with Matt's large bedroom stretching across the whole building, placed above the kitchen, study and powder room. It, and all the other rooms, had windows overlooking the river. A strange house, but a warm and pleasant one.

Matt was sitting on the deck at the back of the cottage, watching the passage of a large ship through a pair of binoculars. He had a bottle of beer on the table that lay in front of two Adirondack chairs.

"Hi, Len. Get a Molson and join me."

"Hello, uncle Matt. It's good to be here again. Thanks, I will."

Taking a beer from the fridge Len saw a stack of hamburger patties on a plate on the top shelf and his mouth watered.

"Is it hamburgers tonight uncle?" he shouted.

"Yep. I know how you like then. Me too, of course. You'll have to help me make the salad though."

Len joined his uncle and they sat, sipping beer and watching the occasional speedboat or ship that passed by and a group of ducks that slowly swam around a small reed bed. Len put his feet on the table beside Matt's and leaned back.

"I love being here. Someday I'd like to have a place like this."

"As a cottage or as a place to live in?" asked Matt.

"I'd like to live like you, next to the river, but I suppose that'd have to wait until I retire. I don't know what I'll do with my life but I expect I'll have to live in a town or city. I'll save up to buy a cottage."

"I guess school's over for you now Len. How do you feel about that?"

"Glad and sad, uncle Matt. Glad to have finished high school, sad about not going to university, I'd like to take a maths degree, like Betty."

"She's still your girlfriend then?"

"Ah, I hope so. It's the graduation dinner and dance tonight and she's going with Bob Pringle. I don't have enough money to go, or rather, I don't want to spend the money I do have on dinner, dance, tuxedo and taxis. It's expensive."

"It's your graduation. You might regret not going."

"Ah, no, I don't think so, uncle Matt. Anyway, it's too late now."

"You know, it's about time you stopped calling me 'uncle,' Len. Call me Matt. We're more like friends than relatives, aren't we?"

"I guess so, err, Matt."

They clicked their bottles together and took another drink.

"Your post office job, when does it start?"

"Monday, July fifth. Oh, you said you'd help me move my furniture? The guy who's apartment I'm moving into is leaving next Wednesday. It'll probably need cleaning so I'll do that after he's gone. Could we move my stuff afterwards? It's the end of the month and I have to vacate."

"Sure. What time?"

"About six? I'm sure to be done by then, he's going in the morning."

"How much stuff do you have?"

"My bed and mattress, a single bed, that is. A chest of drawers, chairs and dad's easy chair. That'll be heavy. The kitchen table and two chairs and some boxes of kitchen things, clothes, the television, my typewriter, some books, lamps and small stuff. It might all go in one load."

"What's happening to the rest?"

"The auctioneer is sending some men and a truck around tomorrow morning and taking it. I don't expect to get much for it, though."

"If you don't mind me asking, do you have any money left from your father?"

"About eight hundred. All the rest went on the funeral. It's my back-up, for emergencies only. I want to pay my rent, food and everything else from my post office salary."

"I might have some work for you fairly soon. I bought a tax-auction house nearly a year ago and it's close to the end of its redemption period. It'll need a lot of work. Sid and Johnny will help me but there's enough to do that I could find work for you to do as well. Interested?"

"Sure, but it'll have to be at the weekends until my post office job finishes."

"That's okay. I'll let you know if it becomes mine. Right, ready to eat?"

"You bet."

"Then I'll fire up the barbecue and we'll make the salad."

The lettuce, small carrots, radishes and green onions came from Matt's garden. They lay, freshly washed on the kitchen counter beside tomatoes from the store ready to be cut up and put into a large bowl. They wouldn't be able to eat more than a third once the bowl was full and they always divided what was left and Len took his half home in a plastic bag. Once the salad was made, Matt placed the burgers on the hot barbecue, pressing them down to squeeze out some of the fat and turning them over half way through when he put the buns on the upper shelf to warm.

They ate inside because it was becoming cold as the sky darkened; hamburgers on buns covered with ketchup and mustard, buttressed by slices of tomato, onion and dill pickle, complete with another beer, in a glass this time. The salad with blue cheese dressing was eaten afterwards, followed by a small dish of ice cream. They both felt they had eaten far too much, with Matt saying he'd only eat one hamburger next time, something he often said but never did. Len left at eight thirty and felt much happier about the evening even though Betty was dancing it away with Bob Pringle. Maybe his life wasn't so bad after all.

The auctioneer's assistant was giving Len a copy of the items they had taken from his apartment Saturday morning when Mr. Thompson showed up. He waited until they had left then told Len that he had a bit of a problem. "The wife of the new superintendent decided she didn't want to cook and clean for me so I'll have to find another couple. I know you'll not be living here but could you look after the place for me until I find someone? I'll pay you, of course."

"I've got a job, Mr. Thompson, with the post office. It starts in a week's time."

"That won't matter. You can do the work in the evenings like you did after your father died. How about coming here each evening for whatever time it takes. I'll pay you, say, twenty five dollars a week."

"Twenty five dollars? Okay, I'll do it. Thanks, Mr. Thompson."

"Good. And there's another thing I'd like done. I'm moving into the penthouse after Mr. and Mrs. Crew leave. Once they're gone, can you clean everything there and make sure everything's working properly? I'll pay you extra for that, depending on how long it takes."

"They're leaving? I didn't know about that. Where are they going? They've been here such a long time."

"To a rest home. She's unable to look after Mr. Crew any more. He needs full-time care now.'

"I see. All right, I'd be glad to do that as well."

"Good. One last thing. Can you tidy up the front flower bed? It needs weeding. And buy a few flowers for the bare spots. Give me the bills Saturday morning at ten and I'll pay you.

"Okay."

Len collected the hand fork from the locker and began weeding the flower beds, putting them in a garbage bag wondering what flowers he should buy to fill the gaps. Not knowing much about flowers the garden center would have to tell him what to buy. Once the beds were cleaned up he threw the weeds in the basement bin then biked to the garden center. He was told that violets would add lots of colour and last a long time so he bought ten boxes of them, carrying them home in a large cardboard box tied on his carrier. It took him half an hour to plant and water them and he stood on the sidewalk afterwards, thinking that they certainly made the entrance to the apartment block look much more attractive. He was about to walk back into the building when Jack Bentome, another graduate, shouted his name from across the street.

"Hi, Len. Didn't see you last night. Didn't you go? And, I guess you're not going out with Betty any more. Is that right?"

He crossed the street and grinned at Len.

"She was with Bob Pringle. Did you know that?"

"Yes, I know. I didn't have the money to go. It was just for the dinner and dance. She said it was her graduation and she had to go, even if I didn't."

"And to the party afterwards?"

"What? She said she wouldn't go to that."

"Well, she did. And it looked like she'd had a lot to drink."

"Hell. I suppose Pringle took her home, too. Damn."

"Well, he'd have to, wouldn't he?"

"Yes."

"Never mind, Len. There's plenty of girls in Townsville. You'll be okay. Cheers, I have to go. I've got to get the Courier for my dad. See you."

"Yes. Bye, Jack."

Len, very annoyed, put the garden tools in the locker then went to his apartment. He washed his hands then sat in his dad's easy chair, trying to decide what to do. Should he call Betty as he had said he would, or should he wait until she called him? What did she think about Bob Pringle now, he wondered. No, damn it, he'd wait until she called him.

Betty phoned about two o'clock but not on Saturday, two o'clock on Sunday afternoon. By this time Len was feeling very annoyed, almost angry, but it was his own fault he hadn't taken her. When she called she seemed very cool and distant.

"I'll tell you about Friday night, Len, but not on the phone. Meet me at Fanny's in half an hour. Can you do that?"

"Yes. Okay."

He was at the deli at two twenty and bought a milk shake, raspberry, his favorite, the first he'd had since last August.

He saw Betty arriving and sat, not getting up, just looking at her as she entered. She looked very tired. She joined him in the booth, sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"What would you like to drink, Betty?" he asked.

"Nothing, thanks. Finish your shake and we'll walk to the park. I don't want to talk here."

Len didn't like the sound of that so he quickly sucked up what was remaining, carried his empty glass to the counter then walked to the door. Betty followed.

They didn't say anything as they went along the sidewalk towards the park. Len didn't attempt to hold Betty's hand, nor she his. They found an empty seat on one of the side paths and sat down.

"I don't know how to tell you about Friday night, Len. But, simply, it was fun. Not the chicken dinner so much but dancing and talking with everybody. That was great. And I don't know what you really think about Bob but he was fun too. Everybody seemed to like him, he joked a lot and was a good dancer."

"Better than me, I suppose."

"Yes, he was."

"And you went to the party afterwards."

"Yes, I did. At least half the group went. It was at Jennifer's house, you know how big that is."

"What happened there?"

"We drank and danced, that's all."

"With Bob all the time?"

"Mostly."

"Did you kiss him?"

"Only when he dropped me at my place."

"He had a car?"

"Yes. He picked me up, drove to the dock and after the cruise he took five of us to Jenny's place."

"So what happens now, Betty. Are you going to go out with him?"

"I don't know. I like you, Len, but I also like Bob now I've got to know him a little."

"He's got a car and money to spend. That's why, right?"

"No, that's not why. He's just a nice guy."

"One who's also told his team mates that he'd slept with half the girls in grade twelve. You'd like a guy like that?"

"I don't believe that he said that. I think the story was made up or that he was just joking. He's not going to sleep with me, though. Nor are you, Len. I'm not ready for that kind of relationship."

"Well, that's it. I'm not ready to share a girl with Bob Pringle. So, good bye."

He stood up and walked quickly away, following the path towards the river not willing to let anyone see the tears that started running from his eyes. Betty didn't follow but sat on the bench and watched him go. She wondered if she had made a big mistake but cheered up. She'd be off to Montreal in two months so she should enjoy the friends she had now because new ones might soon take their place, although she'd be lonely at McGill at first, not that it mattered too much, it'd give her more time to study. And it would be nice to know more about Bob, Len was still a boy compared to him.

Len slowed down as soon as he turned the corner following the path beside the river. There was nobody there so he wiped his eyes then stepped on the grass and sat on a tree stump. His mind was in a turmoil as he tried to adjust to the fact that Betty wasn't his girlfriend any more. How important was that? Did he actually love her? He didn't know. How could he tell? She was the only girl friend he had ever had. Perhaps she wasn't anything more than a friend and he'd lost friends before. But this seemed different. He sat, disillusioned and feeling very sad. A big dog walked up to him and snuffed his trouser leg and a man, calling to the dog, bought him back to reality. Once they'd moved on Len stood up then followed the path away from where he and Betty had sat, along the edge of the park, then walked home. He was glad when he went through the entrance and one of the tenants told him that the door to the underground garage was stuck again. It took his mind off his own worries. He knew how to fix the door because it had happened twice before and he had helped his dad repair it. He took the adjustable spanner from the closet and the garage door opener. Just as he'd expected, it was the clamp in the center of the raising rod that had loosened again. It really needed a new one. He'd tell Mr. Thompson on Saturday and made a note about it on the back of the invitation card he still carried in his back pocket.

Unwilling to cook that evening, Len opened a tin of salmon, tipped it into a bowl, added some malt vinegar, mashed it into a paste then made two sandwiches. He went to bed at nine, feeling tired and unhappy but, luckily soon fell fast asleep.

## Chapter Two

He was still angry with Betty when he woke. How could she go out with Pringle when she was going out with him? He would never do such a thing. He tipped what was left of his corn flakes box into a bowl, added sugar and milk and spooned it down. Ahh, damn. How would he pass the day feeling like this? Cycling came to mind, he'd bike to Brockville and find out what they were doing on Dominion Day. If he rode fast enough he probably get rid of his anger.

So that's what he did, finding, when he got there that there would be a parade in the afternoon and fireworks in the evening, much the same as Townsville would be doing but bigger. He'd decide what to do on Thursday.

It was a hot day and he was sweating when he arrived home. Instead of having a shower he decided to swim in the afternoon and shower after that. He ate the salad and had a nap in his dad's chair then put on his swim suit, shorts and shirt and walked to the beach. It was full of school kids, younger ones with their mothers and many from his school. He didn't want to join any of his class mates for someone would be sure to ask him about Betty. That was the last thing he wanted to talk about, so he went to the far end, undressed then walked into the water and swam to the outcrop on the far side. He sat on a rock for a while then swam back. He sat under a tree until he was dry then put on his clothes and walked home. There were no messages when he got back to his apartment. He took the cart to each floor's garbage room and removed the paper, tins and bottles. He put the bottles and aluminum cans that could be returned to the store in separate bags. There weren't many, most people living in the apartments returned their own bottles and cans. It usually took Len three or four weeks before he had enough to make the trip to recover the deposit. He put the newspapers, flattened boxes, tin cans, pickle and other jars in the basement recycling bins then made supper, his freezer's last steak. He grilled it in the oven, boiled some potatoes and microwaved half the frozen peas, hoping his new apartment had a built-in microwave. He hadn't noticed when looking over the place. It had a stove and refrigerator, of course, and there was a communal clothes washer and dryer in the basement. If it didn't have a microwave he'd certainly buy one. It made cooking so much easier. He showered then watched television.

It wasn't as hot on Tuesday so Len decided to cycle to Sandbanks and swim there. This time he wasn't facing the sun and the cycling was easier. He chained his bike to a tree and walked to the beach. It was crowed but he couldn't see anyone from his school. It was too far away to come here if it was just to swim. He found a spot under a tree eventually, undressed down to his swim suit and waded out. This time he floated and practiced swimming under the water, staying down as long as he could. He bought lunch, ham and cheese rolls and a coffee, from the stand after he had dried, dosed for a while then cycled home, realising as he entered Townsville that he hadn't thought about Betty the whole day.

He locked his bike in the garage and climbed the stairs. Mrs. Judder and Mrs. Knott were standing outside the door to his apartment.

"Hello Len. We were watching for you in my room and saw you coming in. Can we have a word with you?"

"Sure. Come in, but forgive the mess. I've only got kitchen chairs to sit on beside the easy chair. Is there a problem?"

"Sort off. We're all very sorry you're leaving. Mr. Thompson told us about that last Saturday."

"Well I'm not entirely gone. I'll still be checking each evening to see if there's anything that has to be done and I'll keep doing that until the new superintendent arrives."

"Yes, we know there's a new man coming but we'll miss you especially. Some of us have known you since you were a baby. Everyone is sad and we want to give you a parting gift. We didn't know what to buy so we have a cheque. Here it is."

"Oh, thank you. That is very kind of you and everyone else," and he hugged each of them.

"Well, we'll be off then. Bye, Len."

"Bye Mrs. Judder, Mrs. Knott."

After he had closed the door Len opened the envelope. There was a thank-you card and a cheque for ninety two dollars inside.

'Wow, that's nice,' Len thought. 'I'll deposit it tomorrow. And I must put a Thank You card on the bulletin board.'

He removed the nearly empty bags of peas and corn from the freezer, mixed them in a bowl and cooked them in the microwave. This would be his last supper in the apartment that he and his family had lived in for so long: peas, corn, sardines, bread and a coke. He wondered what his parents would think about that. It was not the kind of meal his mom would have prepared, nor his dad, either. He missed them both and felt a little sad and lonely.

While eating Len thought about the cleaning he'd have to do in his new place. Vacuuming the floors meant that he'd have to carry the vacuum cleaner as he biked three blocks. Would it be better to walk it there? Probably. Clothes, detergent, Windex, bucket, all those kinds of things he could take on his bike. He should clean everything first then do the vacuuming, that would be best. He watched a documentary on the television for an hour, trying not to think about what Betty might be doing, then went to bed.

The cleaning Wednesday afternoon went more quickly than he had expected. Ronnie had already cleaned the place including the floors and Len didn't have to fetch the Hoover, but he cleaned the counter on both sides of the sink again. The fridge and stove stood on either end of the counter. He looked inside of the oven. It was so clean that he guessed it had never been used. The fridge had been cleaned, left open and unplugged. There was no microwave so Len added it to the list of things he'd have to buy and added paint. The walls were dingy and spoilt the look of the place. He'd buy some paint today and put it on this week.

Matt arrive with his pickup at six and half an hour later it was loaded. It took a little longer to unload and position the furniture in the new apartment but they were finished by seven thirty,

"I'll buy supper, Len. How about Chinese?"

"Oh, that sounds great. Thanks Matt."

There were two Chinese restaurants in Townsville and they chose the nearest. It was on Main Street, two blocks from Len's new apartment, next to a small supermarket, the one Len would mostly be using from now on. Over the meal he described how his week had been.

"So, that's it, Betty and I are finished."

"She may be right, you're both too young to know if this is the real thing. If you both are really in love you'll find out soon enough, I expect."

"I suppose so."

"Shall I come for supper on Friday, Matt?"

"Of course. I look forward to it. We'll have pizza? Haven't had that for a couple of months."

"Oh, good."

Len said hello to a young couple who were leaving as he entered the house. They lived on the ground floor like he did and were probably in their mid-twenties. The stairs leading to the two upstairs apartments had a door at the bottom. The door was shut and he had not seen anyone who lived there.

Thursday, July 1st, was Dominion Day, a holiday, and Len stayed in bed until eight, dozing between planning his day. Instead of watching the parade he'd paint the walls. It would dry quickly and it'd make the place look much better than the shabby brown colour it had right now. He hadn't asked Mrs. Ben, his landlord, if he could paint the walls but he knew from living all his life in an apartment block that they welcomed any improvement tenants did.

After breakfast he moved all the furniture into the middle of the room and put two sheets from his parent's bed on the floor next to the wall he'd paint first to catch any drops.

It took Len until one thirty to paint all the walls. He cleaned the brushes and washed his hands before making and wrapping two cheese sandwiches. He'd take them and a thermos of tea to the park and eat there while the slightly smelly room dried out. He ate on the log where he sat after leaving Betty, remembering that afternoon with some regret. Afterwards, he moved to a more comfortable seat and finished the last thirty pages of his novel before returning to the apartment. The walls were dry enough to give them a second coat, one coat of pale green wasn't enough to properly cover the brown. He walked for an hour while it dried and moved the furniture carefully back into place when he returned being careful not to touch any of the walls though all except the last one were already dry.

He went to his old apartment building at six to clear the garbage rooms and as he was leaving it a girl straddling a bike on the side of the road next to the entrance greeted him.

"Hi. You're Len, aren't you?"

"Yes. Do I know you?"

"Not yet, but you might. Bob Pringle told me about you. I'm Sylvie."

"Bob Pringle? What did he have to say?"

"He said that you used to go out with Betty Jones but broke it up after your graduation."

"Oh, he did, eh. Did he say why?"

"Well, he said you didn't take Betty to the dinner and dance and that he did."

"Yes, that's right."

"And that upset you and you broke it off."

"Because I'd heard bad things about Pringle and didn't like to hear Betty say she liked him."

"I guessed that was it. You know, you're wrong about Bob. He's a nice guy. I should know because I went out with him for a while."

"Oh. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because after Bob told me about you I found out where you lived and asked a lady who lives here what you were like."

"You did? Why did you do that?"

"Because I know Betty and I'm sure she doesn't want you to feel bad and I know of a way to cheer you up. But I had to check first, to see what you were really like."

"Well, what did this lady say?"

"Oh, she was sorry you were leaving and told me about your dad."

"You've got a nerve. Why did you go to all that trouble?"

"Well, that's the way I am. I need a boyfriend. I learned you had just broken up and might be interested in going out with someone so I thought I'd check you out, see what you look like, then decide if you'd do. At least for a while."

"Well, I'm damned! What kind of girl are you?"

"Just me. If I want something, sex, in this case, I go for it. Never met anyone like that before?"

"Only boys. That's what most of them, us, are like."

"Well some girls are like that, too."

"God! I'd never thought that could be true."

"Well, it is. How about it?"

"What? Having sex with you?"

"Yes."

"Without knowing anything about you? I don't think so."

"Then get to know me. How about taking me out for dinner?"

"Tonight?"

"Sure. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

"No. Okay, why not? How about Thai? It might be open today. Would you like that?"

"I like almost everything. What do we do with our bikes?"

"Ride them to the restaurant and chain them to the fence. Where do you live?"

"On Beach Street. With my parents. Come on, let's go."

Over supper Len discovered how unusual Sylvie was. She had all A's or A-plus in grade twelve, decided to go to Queen's University, dropped out after three weeks because she didn't like the other students who were mostly snobs and started working in her uncle's garage. She enjoyed fixing things and was twenty years old.

"It's my birthday next week. July ninth. You'll have to buy me a birthday present."

"I'm only eighteen."

"I know that. And I guess you've never had sex before, right?"

"Yes."

"There's not much to learn about it so don't worry. I'll enjoy teaching you what I know. Come on. Let's go. My parents like me to be home by ten which is a bit irksome. I might have to get a place of my own. We'll have to go to your place."

Len paid the bill, wondering what was happening to him, then followed Sylvie to their bikes and led the way back to his apartment.

"I fasten mine to the post at the back of the car port. You can chain yours on top of mine. There's plenty of room."

They went in the hall and Len unlocked the door to his apartment.

"This is it. Not too big but okay for me. One bedroom. That's all, just a bedroom, this room and the bathroom."

"That's what I want right now, the bathroom. Got any beer or wine?"

"Some beer in the fridge, that's all."

"Pour me a glass, Len, while I have a wiz."

"A wiz?"

"A pee. That's what we call it at home."

Sylvie dropped her coat on one of the kitchen chairs then went to the bathroom while Len filled two glasses with beer. He then sat down, wondering what would come next. It was funny and very unusual for him to be told what to do by a girl, one he'd just met, too. A good looking girl though. Was she really all that she had said?

She came out and took one of the glasses.

"Your turn. I'll see you in bed."

Len had a 'wiz,' then carried his glass to the bedroom. Sylvie was in bed, drinking the beer. The sheet covered only half of her body and she had nothing on.

"Come on. Drink your beer or put it down and get undressed. There's not much time."

Len had a quick swallow, switched off the lights and started taking off his clothes.

"Why did you switch off the lights, Len? I'd like to look at you."

"I've got an erection, that's why."

"You're supposed to have, silly. Okay, let's play."

That they did. It was the first time Len had touched a girl's breast or felt between her legs.

"Okay, stop now. You have to wear a condom. I put some on the side table. Do you know how to do that?"

"I can guess."

He picked one up, ripped the package open, took it out and rolled it into place. He then climbed on top, entered, and almost instantly ejaculated.

"My god. That was quick!" Sylvie exclaimed. "I knew it probably would be but not that fast. Right, have a rest then I'll teach you how to make love to a girl so she's satisfied." That she began to do twenty minutes later.

At nine forty five Sylvie rolled out of bed and stood up, leaning over the tired Len.

"That wasn't too bad. You learn fast."

She sat on the edge of the bed beside him.

"Now, once a week is my preference. On Saturday night. They don't mind my staying out until twelve on Saturdays. Not this Saturday, next week. That's when you can give me my birthday present."

"What do you want Sylvie. I hope it doesn't cost too much."

"A blouse. I've already seen the one I want and we'll buy before having supper. I'll come here at five o'clock. Will that be okay?"

"Five will be fine. I'll be here."

She bent over, kissed him, stood up and got dressed.

"Bye Len. See you a week Saturday. Oh, we missed seeing the town's fireworks. Are you sorry?"

"The fireworks I had here were much better than those in the town. I'm not sorry!"

"We'll have some more next Saturday," she said as she left, closing the door behind her.

'What a girl, woman,' thought Len. 'And she came to me because Bob Pringle told her about Betty and me. I guess he's not such a bad chap after all. I bet Betty's going to sleep with him before long. I'm sure Sylvie did,' and he fell asleep.

## Chapter Three

Len bought a new microwave the next morning, a small one so it wouldn't take up too much space and when he got home he placed it on the counter next to the fridge and tested it by heating a mug of water. It worked and had a turntable, which the one in his parent's apartment didn't, and it seemed to cook more quickly. He tested it again at lunch time when he microwaved slices of toast covered with blue cheese. They were delicious.

He cleaned the apartment building in the afternoon then cycled to Matt's cottage, picking up the pizza Matt phoned to tell him he'd ordered along the way. He was glad to do that, this way he could pay for the meal. Matt did that much too often.

It was a warm day and they sat on the deck to eat. Len had wondered how much to tell Matt about his week when biking out and decided to tell him everything. Matt wasn't his father, more a friend than an uncle now so he deserved to know what had happened. Having sex wasn't a crime, just something nice.

Matt smiled as Len described what had happened.

"You're a lucky boy, Len. Sylvie sounds like a nice girl. Can I meet her sometime?"

"Yes, I'd like you to. You'll like her."

"Do you know about me, me and Walter?"

"Not much. Err, are you gay, Matt?"

"Yes. Do you know why I stopped being a lawyer?"

"No."

"Well, I learned that I was gay when I was just a bit younger than you are now. It wasn't an easy time for me. I just didn't find girls attractive, not in the way I found one or two boys were. One weekend in July I was sitting on the sand in the park, just before going for a swim when a young man sat beside me and started taking. After a while he put his hand on my leg and squeezed it. I guessed what he meant and followed him to the toilets. It happened in one of the cubicles. It hurt but was very exciting. That's when I knew for certain that I was gay. I had a few boy friends over the next decades but only really fell in love when I met Walter. He was one of the doctors in the hospital here. I met him at a friend's Christmas dinner. Everything went well for several months. We would meet at our places but, occasionally, in the hospital, when he was on night shifts. We did that one night, using one of the beds in the new wing, when the chief physician and two members of the board walked in. It was hushed up, of course, but Walter was dismissed. He found a job in Sudbury. One of the board members must have leaked that I was gay and I began losing clients. I eventually gave up practicing law, closed my office and moved here."

"Do you still see Walter?"

"Oh, yes. For a couple of days every month if possible. We get together during the week. Walter works weekends and has days off mid-week. That lets married doctors have weekends with their families. And we holiday together, two weeks in the spring and two weeks in the fall. We go to different places, aboard and in England, not sharing the same room in England, of course. It's hard, not living together. We think we might live in Europe when he retires where it doesn't matter so much. Well, that's me. Now you know. Does it bother you?"

"Of course not, Matt. One can't help being what one is. I'm glad you told me."

"Yes. Life's what it is, right? Want another beer?"

"Yes, please."

When Matt returned they sat, looking over the water to the lights on the American shore and at the few stars in the sky.

"I'll be getting ownership of the house next week, Len. Are you still interested in doing some work there?"

"Yes, at weekends though, until September. Then I could work full-time if you have work I can do. Is that likely?"

"Well, if you can handle what we do, yes, I'd be glad for you to help. But it depends on me having a place to renovate."

"Okay. Then I'll not look for anything else and hope for the best. I'm sure I can carry wood, bang in a nail or mix cement. That's what the work would be, I suppose."

"Most of it, but there's more than that to it so we'll see."

Len met Mr. Thompson at ten Saturday morning after doing the maintenance and gave him the receipt for the violets and for the six lamp bulbs for the apartment corridors he'd bought to replace the ones he'd used over the past few months. He was reimbursed and paid for his week's work.

"Mrs. Crew phoned me last night, Len. They're moving out on Wednesday, July 14th and their furniture is being collected the following Saturday. Can you clean the penthouse after they leave?"

"Yes. Have you found a new superintendent then?"

"No, not yet. I've met one couple and am seeing two more next week. There's no hurry. I won't move in until later this month. Just keep track of what time you spend on cleaning and let me know."

"Okay, Mr. Thompson."

There was nothing more to be done at the building and Len wondered what he would do for the rest of the day. Normally he'd meet Betty and they'd bike somewhere or go for a walk and to the movies in the evening. He could go to the movies without her but what should he do for the rest of the day? He wondered if Sylvie might be interested in doing something with him but he had no way of finding out. All he knew was that she lived on Beech Street. Well, that wasn't a very long street and he could ride along it and look for her or her bike. He didn't know Sylvie's last name so he couldn't use the phone book. He decided to check the street and if she wasn't there he'd go for a swim in the afternoon. Oh, and he hadn't washed his clothes. Might as well do that when he got home.

There was no sign of Sylvie or her bike when he slowly cycled both ways along Beech Street, checking the houses and yards as he went. It looked like her parents had plenty of money for the houses were large and several had two cars in the driveway. He'd ride by again on Sunday, just in case she was there.

He went to the beach after he had washed and dried his clothes and eaten lunch. There were two groups that he recognized as High School students but they were mostly from grade eleven and ten. He said hello to those he knew but didn't join them. He swam for a while, going from the beach to the projecting corner on the west side and back, maybe two kilometers all told. He was a good swimmer and had come first in the school's ten-lap race when he was in grade ten. He lay in the sun afterwards but it was not warm enough to do that for long and he didn't want to get sunburn. He walked home, fried three eggs and some bacon for supper then went to the movies.

Sunday morning he lay in bed, wondering again what he would do with the day. Check the apartment phone for messages, sure, empty the garbage, ride along Beech Street and then what? Go for a walk? A ride? But it was cloudy and looked as if it might start to rain. Read a book then? He wouldn't mind reading but thought he had read all the novels he owned. There weren't many. Maybe he should start buying books and build a library. But, why should he do that? His library card would give him as many as he wanted and the town had a pretty good library. A sudden thought crossed his mind, if he was going to help Matt fix the house he'd bought then he should learn something about construction methods, tools, building codes and similar things. Probably Matt would have books that dealt with those things. He'd phone him after breakfast and ask if he had any books he could borrow.

"I've got a whole library of them Len. I'll find one or two for you if you like. Hey, why don't I bring them in and take you to see the house? Are you free this morning?"

"Yes I am," thought Len, with a surge of happiness.

"I'll be with you at ten."

Matt arrived with two books and a map of Townsville.

"Would you like a coffee?" asked Len.

"Sure, as long as it's not instant."

"No, it's not. I kept the cafeteria."

Len filled the kettle and placed two heaping tablespoons of ground coffee in the glass container.

"Don't you warm it first, Len?"

"Usually, I just forgot today. Want a cookie?"

"No, thanks. Here, look at the map while the kettle boils."

Matt spread the map on the kitchen table and pointed to a section on the east side of the town.

"That's where the house is, in the old factory area."

"Then it must be in a pretty run-down part of town," said Len.

"Yes, it is, and that's why it's cheap. There are a few factory survivors still living there who are getting old and don't have much money. Some don't pay their municipal taxes. Their house usually ends up in an auction sale. One or two die each year and their inheritors don't want their houses and sell them off cheaply. I've a friend, Jimmy Baker, you might know his son, Jason, by-the-way. He went to your school. I've known Jimmy from elementary school. He became a real estate agent before I had my law degree and he referred lots of clients to me when I was practicing. He still helps me, letting me know when properties, mostly in this area but anywhere that he thinks might be worth restoring come on the market."

"Why do you buy in this location Matt? Even if you make a nice place people won't want to live in this area.

"You'd be surprised, youngsters buy there. Those looking for their first house. If I do the job carefully and keep my prices down I can still make a profit. The town council like the taxes rolling in after I've finished so getting a building permit has been easy. Moreover, the newcomers improve the area, tidying their gardens, planting trees, improving the small park where the factory used to be. And that, Len, allows me to ask more on the next house I fix."

"How many do you do each year?"

"Usually one, sometimes two. It depends on how many are being sold. Hey, where's the coffee? The kettle turned itself off a minute ago."

"Sorry. But it'll still be warm enough. I'll make it."

After pouring in the water and stirring Len asked, "Does that generate enough money for you to live on?"

"Just about. The only large expenses I have are my holidays. It doesn't cost much to live in the cottage. Taxes, food and wood for heat in the winter, that's about it. I have two banking accounts. One holds the money I use to buy and fix houses. The other holds the money I need to live on. I draw money from the first account each quarter and put it in the second. That makes accounting easier, especially when the taxes are done. Of course, I've got some savings, enough to keep me going until I die, I hope."

"If I start a business I'll do the same, Matt. Have two accounts. Sounds very sensible. I'll pour the coffee now, it should be ready."

Len pushed the plunger down and filled the mugs. As they drank Matt showed him one of the books he'd brought.

"I suggest you read this one first. It's straight forward and easy to follow. It explains how to build a wooden shed, one someone might want to build for their back garden, an eight by twelve foot shed. It has many diagrams, showing the floor plan, the sides, front and back, how to hold a skill saw, nail two-by-fours together, how to make strong corners, framing a window, everything. It lists the items to buy, the kind of nails to use, hinges, how to fit door locks, roofing materials, stains and paints. You'll know a lot after you've read this, although I expect you'll already know much of it. You helped your dad when he fixed things I seem to remember."

"Yes I did but he never built sheds, just fixed door locks or mended broken windows. When I was young I used to play with the putty and mom complained about the mess I made of my clothes. What's the other book?"

"The electrical code. Not that you're going to be an electrician but I often have to rewire houses and I run all the wiring. But I have an electrician check all the receptacles before it's inspected by a man from the hydro. The main things to learn is where the wires must run—how deep within each stud to drill the holes, the maximum distance between two outlets, wire gauges, how to fit pot lights, how to wire two-position switches, etc. Just look it over, don't try to learn everything, you can't and it's not necessary. Right, finish your coffee and we'll go."

Being Sunday there was not much traffic and they arrived at the house twelve minutes later. Matt parked the pickup on the road opposite the house and they sat in the cab looking at it. It was one in a row of detached houses, all made from clapboard, all, except a few, weather-beaten and tired looking. Paint was flaking from the window frames of the house Matt had bought, two of the upstairs windows were broken and weeds filled the sides and small front garden.

"Doesn't look like much, does it, Len."

"Well, I can only see the outside. What's it like inside?"

"I don't have a key yet and haven't been inside but we can look through the windows. Come on."

They crossed the road and entered the garden.

"Watch out for broken glass, Len."

The front window was partially covered by torn drapes but they could see the stained carpet on the floor, the discoloured wall paper and a large hole in the far wall where the corner of a cabinet might have been pushed into it. A door-less opening at the back of the room led to a kitchen. A flight of stairs stood opposite the front door going upstairs. The stair railing was broken in the middle and the bottom half hung into the living room.

"There's a small bathroom and two bedrooms upstairs I'm told. Let's look through the kitchen window."

They made their way along the track kids or interested adults had made around the house until they could see through the kitchen window. A cracked stone sink lay in front of them with a wooden counter on either side. Cupboards hung on the opposite wall and torn linoleum lay on the floor. There was space for a stove and a refrigerator. There was a door facing them on the right side that, presumably, led to the basement.

"What do you think Len?"

"Well, it's not a place I would want to live in."

"No, nor I. But it'll look a lot different when we're finished."

"How's the place heated?"

"Oil. See the vents in the floor? There must be an oil tank and a furnace in the basement, one I'll have to replace, for sure."

"You can tell what needs to be done just by looking at it?"

"More-or-less. It gets easier with each house you fix. I'll show you the last one I did, it's in the street behind this."

They walked down Clarence street along Drew, turned the corner and stopped three houses along Frazer.

"There, number eight, the one with the young tree in the front. How does it look to you?"

"A bit out of place. It's bright and cheerful, clean and attractive."

"Exactly. That's just what I wanted to achieve. That's why the Painter's bought it. He's new in town. They married about six months ago and he has a good job. They wanted a home where they can raise the kid that's due in three months, a house with a garden. Here, they've got that and the park is right opposite."

"He's lucky to have enough money to buy a house."

"I think he got some from his parents, not sure. There are five other houses around here that I've renovated. They're all much the same. It's a poor neighborhood right now but it'll get better as new industry comes and employees need places to live. Okay, I'll drive you home now."

"Like to have lunch with me, Matt? It'll only be ham and cheese, on a plate or in a sandwich. Plus a beer. And can you buy me another dozen? You can see how my new place looks now. I've painted the walls."

"Sure, that'd be fine. But, remember, don't ask me to buy beer for you, it's illegal. I'll buy a dozen and you just pinch the box when you come on Friday."

"Yes, of course," said Len, with a smile. His uncle knew very well that he was sensible enough to handle a beer or two even though he wouldn't be nineteen for another six months.

## Chapter Four

Delivering letters in the summer was just the same as it had been the last two Christmases except it was much nicer. No slippery paths, no blowing snow and no freezing winds. There weren't as many letters to deliver but his route was longer. Moreover, Len knew most of the other workers and he ate his sandwiches with those that were there when he returned to the office. He was free to leave after completing the afternoon delivery.

The week passed by, slowly, Len thought, when thinking of his date with Sylvie. He collected his pay cheque at four on Friday, rode to the bank, deposited it and drew out one hundred dollars. He hoped that would be enough, with dinner and a present to buy for Sylvie on Saturday and his week's groceries.

At the apartment block he checked the answering machine in his former apartment. There were no messages. He removed the recyclables from the garbage rooms, vacuumed the corridor carpets, mowed the grass and tidied the flower beds. He looked at his watch after washing his hands. He'd be at Matt's cottage just about six.

They ate spaghetti bolognaise and salad. Almost all the salad's ingredients came from Matt's garden; gardening was his summer hobby. His winter hobby was writing a novel. Len was very familiar with Matt's garden for he had helped him hoe and water the plants in past years. That and fishing, that's what they did together in the summer months. There were sunfish, perch and bass in the reed beds with praying pike hunting them. Pike they didn't want but they gave a great struggle when caught.

"And the job?" asked Matt. "How's that been?"

"Fine, much like it was over Christmas. Not so heavy a load to carry but more streets to walk. Good exercise. I don't mind walking. Oh, I should have told you last week, Mr. Thompson wants me to continue checking the apartments each night until he finds a new superintendent."

"I thought he had one."

"He did, but the guy's wife doesn't want to care and cook for Mr. Thompson when he moves into the penthouse so he's still looking."

"I see. Well, I'm going to start working on the house Monday with Sid. Johnny's got a full-time job so it'll just be Sid and me. Do you still want to help on the weekends?"

"Yes, please. I've read the books you lent me and got two others from the library. It's very interesting and I think I'd like to do this kind of work more than anything else in my life."

"Well, it's messy, dirty and hard. You might change your mind after a few hours. What about starting next Saturday?"

"Hmm, that's a bit difficult. I have to meet Mr. Thompson at ten each Saturday to get paid. Can I come about eleven?"

"Sure. Wear old clothes. I have a hard hat that'll probably fit you. I'll get it and you can try it on."

The hat fitted although Len said it felt uncomfortable when he put it on.

"You'll get used to it. I'll bring it to the house on Saturday. Are you seeing Sylvie this week?"

"Yes, tomorrow."

"That's nice. Don't forget to bring her around here sometime."

"Yes, I will, but I'll have to ask her first."

"Want to come fishing Sunday?"

"Love too. What time?"

"Early or late? You know those are the best times."

"Early, I guess."

"Seven o'clock here then. I'll have the boat ready. Do you want to check your fishing gear?"

"Yes, I'd better."

"It's in the boathouse. Let's fetch it. And don't forget to buy your licence"

Matt had a sixteen foot aluminum boat that was tied to his dock or floating in the boathouse that was just big enough to hold it. During the winter two ropes, passing through pulleys fixed to the rafters and wrapped around an electrically-driven drum lifted and held the boat out of the water. Shelves fastened to the back wall held fishing gear and tackle boxes. A twenty horse outboard motor and an electric trolling motor stood on stands underneath the shelves, together with a gas tank and oil cans. Several rods and long-handled fishing nets stood in the corner.

They took the two rods they preferred and their tackle boxes to the cottage and put them on the kitchen table. The first thing they did was check the lines. Matt replaced his for it had several worn lengths. Len's looked all right so he took his file and sharpened the hooks of the lures he might use then handed it to Matt while he dismantled and greased the reel. Once Matt had finished they returned the gear to the boathouse and Len cycled home.

Mr. Thompson, after giving Len the money for his week's work, reminded him that Mrs. Crew would be leaving on Wednesday.

"She'll leave the keys in your mailbox. Can you let the auctioneer's men in on Saturday? They told her that they'd come at eight. Can you be here at that time?"

"Yes I can."

"Good. I don't know how long they'll take but I'll come at ten as usual. And can you clean the place on Sunday? We'll look at it together when I come and see what has to be done."

"Okay."

Len washed his clothes and sheets, using the machines in the basement, when he returned. After lunch he shopped for groceries at the nearby supermarket then had a shower. He had an hour to wait until Sylvie arrived. Trying to fill the time he dusted his apartment then tried to read one of the library books. Finally he stood outside at the end of the drive waiting for her.

She arrived on her bike exactly on time. Len reached out to kiss her but she brushed him aside.

"Not here. I don't want my parents to know I'm seeing anybody."

"Why not? And who would see you here, anyway?"

"Somebody might drive by and tell them. They think I should settle down. I'm nearly twenty, they say, and I shouldn't keep switching boyfriends. Try and make it with one or you'll never get married. They don't understand me. I don't want to settle down."

"So you're going to ditch me. When? Today?"

"No, of course not. Maybe next month or the month after. I don't know. But it'll happen, I'm sure, so don't expect otherwise or you'll be miserable."

"Will you have other boyfriends when we're together?"

"No. one at a time is enough for me. Okay. I'll chain my bike and we'll go shopping."

"Won't people see us walking together?"

"Probably, but that's not kissing so it doesn't matter."

They fastened her bike to Len's then walked to the store where Sylvie had seen the blouse she wanted. It was pale pink with a line of small antique cars crossing diagonally over the front and back. Len paid fourteen dollars for it.

"Thanks, Len," Sylvie said. "Okay. It's five thirty now and I want to go to the movie. Raiders of the Lost Arc is on and it starts at six. So we'll go there and have supper later. And I'll pay for our movie tickets. You know about the film?"

"Oh, sure."

"Have you seen it?"

"No. but I'd like to."

After the film they walked to a restaurant renowned for its fish and chips discussing the movie's plot, agreeing that the ending was a disappointment. After eating they walked to Len's apartment.

"Make some coffee, Len and then we'll go to bed."

"Coffee? You don't want wine or beer?"

"Not tonight. I want to stay awake until twelve not doze off."

An hour later Sylvie told Len he should buy some condoms because she was running out of them.

"Where, Sylvie. Do you buy them here, in Townsville?"

"No, of course not. I buy them in Brockville. I catch the bus, do a bit of shopping and buy them there."

"Where do you get them?

"The pharmacist on King Street. You'll find it. You could cycle there, along highway two. You'd be there in less than an hour."

"That might be a problem. I'm busy every day except tomorrow. Are they open on Sunday?"

"Yes, I've often shopped there on a Sunday. Buy a lot, then you won't have to go there for a month or so."

They talked for a little while longer then had another tangle of sex.

"I've told my uncle about you, Sylvie. He'd like to meet you. What do you say?"

"That would be fine. But I'm not going to introduce you to my parents."

"No, I understand. How about having supper with us next Friday? I'll have to check first but I'm sure it'll be okay."

"Where does he live?"

"In a cottage about two kilometers from town, on River Road. I cycle there."

"So I don't have to dress up?"

"No, of course not. Jeans are fine. That's what he usually wears."

"Okay. Now how will I know if we're going?"

"You can phone me or I can phone you."

"I'll phone you. I don't want you to phone me. Give me your number."

Len wrote it down and gave it to her. "I don't even know where you live except it's on Beech Street."

"Number twenty five. But don't go there. That's forbidden. Okay."

"All right. And what's your last name?"

"Tate, Sylvie Tate. At your service."

"Then I'll take advantage of that," laughed Len, and did so.

It was a cool morning on Sunday and Len wore a sweater as he rode out to the cottage, knowing that it would be cooler still when they were on the water. Matt was standing in the boat when he arrived. It was tied up to the short dock that lay beside the boathouse and he was connecting the gas tank to the outboard.

"Hi, Len. Had breakfast?"

"Yes, some cereal. And you?"

"No, not yet, had to get some gasoline. I knew it was empty so I drove into town earlier and filled the tank. I'm having coffee and toast. It won't take long. You should have some too, cereal isn't enough for a growing lad."

Eating didn't take more than twenty minutes and they were out, speeding down to the large bank of reeds that lay to the west shortly after that. Once there Matt stopped the outboard and used the trolling motor to move slowly around the beds. They hadn't gone more than fifty yards when Matt's rod dipped sharply.

"I've got one, Len. Wind your line in and get the net ready, please. Oh, damn. Don't bother, he's got away." He wound his line in and found he'd lost his lure too. "It could have been a pike. It was big, whatever it was."

"Didn't you use a wire leader? I have some if you don't."

"They're in my box somewhere."

Matt looked through his tackle box and found the plastic bag that held his wire leaders then fastened an eight inch one to the end of his line, attached a swivel and another lure.

"I'm using the same kind again, a dipping plug. What are you using?"

"A metal spoon. Maybe I should switch."

It was Matt's lure that was struck again. This time he managed to bring the fish to the boat and Len moved the net carefully underneath and lifted it into the boat.

"A smallmouth," Matt said, "about three pounds. Nice. I'll have that for supper. We'll share it if we don't catch another."

They fished for another hour and both caught pike which they unhooked and released. They didn't catch any more bass. Once home they tied the boat to the dock rather than putting it in the boathouse for Matt said he'd be out again during the week. He cleaned and filleted the fish in the cottage and gave one side to Len.

"Here's your dinner. I'll put it in a plastic bag with some ice."

"Thanks, Matt. Oh, can Sylvie come for supper on Friday?"

"Sylvie, your new girlfriend? Sure. that'd be fine."

"She asked me what she should wear. Jeans, I told her, saying that's what we both usually wore. So that's what she will be wearing, I think. In other words, don't dress up for her. Okay?"

"I wasn't going to, Len. Don't worry, it'll be the same as normal."

"Thanks, Matt. And thanks for the fish and fun."

"We must do it again. Maybe next Sunday?"

"I can't. I have to clean the penthouse at the apartments then. How about one evening this week?"

"Wednesday's okay for me."

"Okay. Wednesday. I'll be here about six thirty. Bye Matt," and Len gave him a hug before fastening the fish to his carrier and getting on his bike.

It had warmed up by lunch time and it was pleasant biking to Brockville. He chained his bike to a lamp post and walked along the street, glad to stretch his legs. He found the pharmacist, walked past it, gathering his courage to enter. 'Surely,' he told himself, 'if Sylvie can do it, I can.' He entered the store, picked up a basket, and walked along the end of each aisle looking for condoms. Unfortunately, none of the aisle notices said 'condoms.' He then walked along the aisle that held 'Family Products' and found them towards the far end. There were several varieties and he chose the one that Sylvie had provided, buying all they had on the shelf then, since he didn't know if he had enough, he bought a dozen more of a different kind.

The young girl at the check-out looked at him with a smile when she gave him his change.

"I see you're going to be busy," she said, as he said thanks. Len didn't know what to say and blushed. She laughed quietly and said, "Have fun."

'Well, that wasn't too bad,' thought Len, as he unchained his bike. 'Next time will be easier.' But perhaps there won't be another time, popped into his head. Perhaps Sylvie will move on to someone else before these are used. How do I feel about that? He thought about her all the way home. Was it just sex or did he feel more than that towards her? He was pretty sure he felt more. But how about her? What did she feel? Surely she must feel something about him? He'd have to ask her. Or could he? Maybe that would bring things to an end. He didn't want that. Damn. It was so confusing.

## Chapter Five

Mrs. Crew had left a message on Len's answering machine and he phoned her when he arrived at the apartment building on Monday. "Can you come up Len, please. I have something I'd like you to do."

When he arrived she showed him several full garbage bags stacked in the entrance hall to her penthouse. "They're full of clothes, mostly Bills. He won't need them anymore. And a couple are full of stuff I won't need either. Can you take them to the Salvation Army for me? It's quite a lot, I'm afraid. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," said Len. "I'll take half tonight and the rest tomorrow. I'm sorry your husband isn't very well but I'm sure they'll look after him properly where you're going."

"Yes, I think they will. And I've got something for you. Two of Bill's shirts. They are still in their packages and he's never used them. You look as if you are about the same size. Sixteen and a half around the neck, that's what he was. How about you?"

"Well, I wear anything between sixteen and seventeen. Thank you."

"When we leave on Wednesday I'll have another bag with the used bed linen and towels in it. Can you take that as well?"

"Of course."

"I'll leave it outside my door. Thanks, Len."

"Let me put these bags outside now then I won't have to disturb you when I take them."

Len put the bags outside and took the shirts Mrs. Crew offered, saying he was sorry she was leaving and wished her good luck. He put the shirts in his old apartment, emptied the garbage rooms and sprayed them with deodorant, something he did when one or more smelt a little off, then carried four of Mrs. Crew's bags, holding two in each hands to the back of the Salvation Army store and put them in the bin. Afterwards he walked back to the apartments, collected the shirts and rode home.

There was a letter from Mrs. Crew in his box when he arrived at the apartment block on Wednesday. In it were keys to the penthouse and thirty dollars. A short note thanked him again for being so kind. There were two extra garbage bags to go to the Salvation Army outside her door. He wondered if he should go into her apartment but decided against it. All her furniture was there and he didn't want anyone to say he had taken something. He did the usual cleaning and maintenance then carried the rest of Mrs. Crew's bags to the Sally Ann. He went home to eat after that and put on jeans ready for fishing. There was a slight drizzle and he wondered if Matt would cancel the trip and almost phoned him to check but decided that he would want to go anyway. A little rain didn't usually stop them fishing. He put on a light rain jacket and cycled to the cottage.

It was a good time to fish. Rain seemed to make the fish hungry, though neither Matt nor Len knew why that should be. They both caught a bass in the first half hour, plus several small pike, a sunfish and a perch. They only kept the bass, releasing the others, before returning to the cottage.

"So, you're bringing Sylvie on Friday?"

"Yes, although she hasn't phoned me yet. It'll be about five thirty, my usual time, if that's okay."

"Sure. What shall we eat?"

"Hamburgers and a salad would be nice."

"All right. And you're still okay with Saturday? It'll only be with me, Sid doesn't work on the weekends."

"You know I can't get there until eleven or a bit later. The auctioneer's men are collecting Mrs. Crew's furniture and Mr. Thompson and I are checking her place once they've finished."

"No problem. Come when you can, there's lots for you to do."

Sylvie phoned Len Thursday evening asking if the dinner was on and was told it was. "Come here at five and we'll bike to Matt's place."

"In jeans?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Err, about Saturday, Len. I can't see you Saturday. Dad's brother and his wife are staying the weekend and we're going out to dinner that night. So we'll have to have our fun on Friday evening."

"Oh. Okay. Too bad, I was looking forward to seeing you twice in the same week."

"Don't get fancy ideas, Len. We're not going out with each other."

"I keep forgetting that."

"Well, see you tomorrow at five. Bye Len."

"Bye Sylvie."

'Damn. I shouldn't have said that,' he told himself. 'I must never do that again or Sylvie will say goodbye.'

Matt was standing beside the table that was fastened to the garden shed cleaning carrots when they arrived Friday evening. They lent their bikes against the cottage and walked over.

"Matt, this is Sylvie. Sylvie, Matt," said Len.

"Hello Matt," said Sylvie. "I'm sorry, I don't know your last name."

"Smith, Mathew Smith. Hello Sylvie. And I don't know your last name either."

"It's Tate, Matt," said Len.

"Tate. Does your dad manage the Royal Bank in town?"

"Yes, he does."

"Then I've met him. And borrowed money from the bank. Well, welcome to my cottage. I'm glad to see you. Pick a few tomatoes Len while I get a cucumber. It's for a salad, Sylvie."

"Can I do anything?"

"Help me find a cucumber. That's all we need now, the rest is in the kitchen. We'll make the salad and have a beer before cooking the hamburgers. Do you drink beer, Sylvie?"

"I drink almost everything. Beer would be fine."

It didn't take long for the three of them to clean the vegetables and make the salad. They put it in the fridge and took bottles of beer to the deck where they sat and drank.

"What do you do, Sylvie?" asked Matt.

"Repair and maintain cars and trucks. In Bobby Tate's garage. He's my uncle."

"That's a unusual job for a girl, isn't it?"

"Not really. I've always been interested in mechanical things. Meccano was my favorite toy, that and other construction toys. I worked in my uncle's place since I was sixteen, on Saturday's when I was in school, but full time now."

"You never wanted to go to university or to a technical institute?"

"Oh, I tried Queen's, my parents told me I'd have to go there. But I quit early enough to get most of the money back. Mom and dad didn't like it but they know what I like doing and they've got used to it."

"I suppose you fix your dad's car."

"His old one, the one mom uses, not his new one. He takes that to the dealer. Is that Toyota pickup yours?"

"Yes. It's very handy for work. Len's told you I buy and renovate old houses?"

"He's not said much about you so far, Matt. We only met a couple of weeks ago."

"Well, that's what I do now I'm retired. I used to be a lawyer. Do you like fishing?" Matt asked, not wanting to continue talking about himself.

"I don't think I've ever fished."

"Never fished! You're missing a lot. We could go now, if you like. Want to?"

"Err, no, not now. Another time."

"I bet you've never been camping either. Have you?"

"No. It's not something my parents would do."

"You must have gone to a summer camp, surely."

"Nope. I'd rather work at fixing things. I'm not much of a people person."

"Have you still got the tent we used Matt?" asked Len.

"I think so. It should be on one of the shelves in the spare bedroom."

"Good. Then how about camping with me one weekend, Sylvie. Would you like to do that?"

"Don't know. Where would we go?"

"To a lake about twenty kilometers north of here. Where Matt and I used to go. Do you think the farmer would let us do that, Matt?"

"I don't think Ken still owns it. I've driven by when going to see Walter several times. The farm is abandoned, bushes and shrubs are filling the fields and the house is empty. I'm sure it'll be alright."

"Right, then how about it, Sylvie. Want to try?"

"Okay. Next weekend?"

"Do you mind, Matt? Me missing a Saturday working on the new house?"

"Not at all. Grab your fun while you can. But let's see if I still have the tent and camping gear."

Matt stood up and led the way to the spare bedroom where shelves covered some of the walls. There were lots of books, mostly law books, boxes with labels on the side, a filing cabinet and, in the corner next to the window, were two short shelves of camping items, including a bag which Len immediately recognized as the one that held the tent.

"Looks like you've still got everything, Matt."

"Yes, I guess I do. Take it now and check it over before going. You'll need fuel for the camp stove, of course. I think that box has all the kitchen things and cutlery. There are no mugs or plates, you'll have to use your own. You might as well keep everything, Len. I won't be going camping in the future."

"Wow, thanks Matt."

"I'll load it in the pickup and take it to your place tomorrow, after we've finished. Now, let's make the supper, I'm hungry."

The hamburgers were cooked on the barbecue and they ate on the deck using trays to hold their bowls of salad and a plate holding two burgers; everyone wanted two. A fresh bottle of beer for everyone sat on the table next to mustard, ketchup and slices of dill pickle, tomato and onion.

Matt and Len talked about the times they used to go camping while they ate and the problems they had; forgetting to bring the water, running out of fuel for the camp stove and hearing noises in the night which they thought might have been a bear but turned out to be a family of porcupine which they saw when they shone the flash light.

"Are there bears around where you went?" asked Sylvie. "If so, I don't want to go."

"There could be bears anywhere, Sylvie," said Matt. "But it's unlikely you'll see any. We never did and we must have camped there twenty or more times."

"I wonder if the road to the lake is still open," said Len.

"Probably overgrown, but you'll be using bikes so it won't matter. I hope you can carry everything on them."

"I'll add a carrier to mine," said Sylvie, "although I could make a bike trailer. That would hold much more."

"There's a lot of stuff. Can you actually make one?" asked Len.

"It'll be easy, once I've found the wheels. I'll look for them tomorrow."

"Will your mom and dad mind you going camping?"

"They won't mind that but they would mind me going with a boy. I'll have to invent a story. A friend of mine will help, I've often helped her."

Shortly after eating Len and Sylvie helped Matt wash the dishes then they cycled back to Len's apartment and spent the next hour in bed with Len having three fewer condoms when Sylvie said goodnight.

## Chapter Six

Saturday Len got up at six even though he wasn't going to the post office because there was a lot to do at the apartments. He ate quickly, cereal again, and put on his heaviest shoes. He emptied the garbage rooms, replaced a burnt-out light bulb and vacuumed the floors. Three men from the auctioneer arrived with a large truck just before eight and he let them into the penthouse. One of the men made a list of all the things they removed, occasionally carrying a few light articles himself. The other two used a trolley or their muscular arms to move the rest. Len left them to it and cut the grass while this was happening. He was weeding the flower beds when Mr. Thompson arrived.

"Hello Len," he said. "Let's have a look at the penthouse and see what needs doing."

"They're still taking out the furniture, as you can see, Mr. Thompson."

"That's all right. We won't get in their way. Let's go."

"Are you the boss?" one of the men asked when they arrived, addressing Mr. Thompson.

"Yes, I guess I am."

"Well, there's no point in taking the curtains, most of them are torn or discolored. We won't be able to sell them."

"Okay, we'll get rid of them," Mr. Thompson replied. "Take them to the Sally Ann, Len."

They walked around the penthouse discussing what had to be done. The carpets were dirty and badly needed cleaning. In several places it seemed that food or coffee had been spilt and an attempt at cleaning it had been done but the stains were clearly visible. The walls needed painting for rectangular lighter patches showed where pictures had been hung. The place smelt of tobacco smoke and the ceiling had a yellowish tint probably also caused by tobacco smoke. The kitchen, bathroom and powder room needed a good clean. They agreed that there was at least a week's work to be done.

"I don't have that time, Mr. Thompson. I've already got a full time job."

"Yes, I know. And the carpet really needs steam cleaning. It's too good to throw away. And the smell! I'll have to get the ceiling repainted as well as the walls. I didn't know it was this bad. Can you clean the kitchen and bathrooms?"

"Yes, that shouldn't take too long."

"Okay. How about doing that, getting rid of the curtains and cleaning the windows and I'll pay you thirty dollars. Would that be okay?"

"Yes, thanks. I'll start tomorrow. Have you found a superintendent yet?"

"Yes, I have. They'll come in the middle of next month. But I'll move in as soon as the clean-up's finished. Here's your money for this week's work. I'll come next Saturday to check how things are going."

"I won't be here on Saturday. I'm going camping for the weekend. Can you make it Monday? Monday after I've finished work, about five o'clock?"

"Yes, okay. You're doing an excellent job, Len. I hope the new superintendent is as good as you and your dad."

"I'm sure he will be."

They waited for the men to finish then locked the door and rode down to the entrance hall with them. Len hung the penthouse keys in the key locker and left the building with Mr. Thompson then biked to Matt's new house.

"Sorry I'm late Matt," he said as he walked in the door.

"I'm glad you're here. Just in time. Put on the hard hat then hold the end of the cupboard while I unscrew it. That's it. Hold it tightly, my end might drop when it comes loose."

They removed the cupboards and threw them into the skip that was standing in the front garden. It was already three quarters full, holding the kitchen counter with its attached cupboards, the sink, the oil heater and hot water tank, some wall board, and a load of ceiling tiles.

"That's the last of the big things. Just the broken glass and what's in the garden. Well, what do you think of the place now?"

"I've not seen much of it although I can see what you have removed."

"Yep. Those things usually have to be changed, those plus the bathroom fixtures. They're okay here so they're remaining. Just need to be cleaned up. I'm ready for lunch. Did you bring anything?"

"No. Quite forgot."

"I thought you might so I brought lots. Ham and cheese with lettuce sandwiches and a thermos of tea. How about that?"

"Sounds great."

They sat on the back step and looked at the tiny rear garden while they ate. Len told Matt about the work he had to do at the apartment, something he'd do tomorrow. When they had finished lunch Matt asked him to work in the basement. "The walls need cleaning then painting. The paint, roller and brushes are in the pickup. When that's done the floor needs tackling. There's a crack across one corner. It's nothing serious, it often occurs. I've some cement mix to fill it, then the whole floor will need painting.

"What do I clean the walls with?"

"Soapy water should do it. I've some other things if that's not good enough. It's latex so you can paint over it even if it's still damp. Not where it's really wet, though. There's a bowl, detergent and cloths in the basement. You'll have to use cold water I'm afraid. Tip the dirty water into the laundry tub. Oh, clean the oil tank first, at least all you can reach. I'll paint it next week. I'll be upstairs if you need me."

The oil tank took half an hour to clean and needed lots of detergent, water and scrubbing. The walls were much easier and were ready to be painted by two thirty. There were four gallon cans of pale blue paint in the truck and Len took two to the basement then fetched the brushes. Painting took less than an hour. He shouted to his uncle that he had finished and Matt came down to look at what he had done.

"Yes, very good. They'll have to be repainted when they're dry, of course, or there'll be patches. We'll do that next week. Let's get the mortar mix and I'll show you how to fill the crack."

Matt mixed the mortar in an old metal bowl then poured a little water along the crack from a cup. "It needs just enough to dampen it. Now you can use the knife to push the mix into the crack. Yes, that's right."

Matt used the edge of the knife to level the cement then asked Len to clean the bowl and tools. "Leave everything by the sink. I'll have to add a bit more mix when it's dry because it will shrink. It's beginning to look good down here. You've done a good job. Now, if you help me carry the scrap drywall downstairs we'll be finished for the day. Want to have supper at my place?"

"No, Matt. It's my turn to host, although we'll have to have a pizza or some kind of take-in."

"Pizza's fine with me. Do you have beer?"

"Three or four."

"I'll buy a dozen and forget them at your place. How about if I come about six? I need a shower. And I'll have to bring the camping gear. I forgot all about it this morning."

"Okay, that's great."

They locked the house doors and left, Matt in his Toyota and Len on his bike, both feeling tired but happy.

While they were eating Len told Matt about the work he had to do tomorrow. "I told you Mr. Thompson's moving into the penthouse. Well, we looked at the place this morning. It's dirty, frankly. Mr. Crew smoked so it smells and the walls and ceiling have a yellowish tint. The carpet really needs changing but he's going to have it steam cleaned instead. He first asked me to paint the walls but changed his mind when he saw that the ceiling should be done too so that's also going to be done by a professional. He doesn't like spending money, I think, and that'll cost him. He's a nice enough guy but money-careful. I'll be cleaning the kitchen, bathroom and powder room. That's what I'm doing tomorrow. They don't look too bad but the cupboards in the kitchen are plastic-coated. Even cleaned up they won't look very nice."

"When was the apartment built?"

"About thirty years ago."

"And nothing's been upgraded?"

"That's right. You know, you and Sid could replace the kitchen cupboards, maybe the counter and sink, too. I could suggest that to Mr. Thompson, if you're interested. I bet you could do it a lot cheaper than other companies, those who have to pay their workers union rates. What do you say?"

"Well, we could do the work, certainly, but I've never thought about doing that for others."

"Are you interested?"

"I'll have to think about it."

"You know, if you did a good job, and I'm sure you would, and earned a profit, then perhaps Mr. Thompson would renovate all his units. He could then increase the rent and make more money. I bet he'd like that."

"I'd make more money too, but have much less free time."

"That wouldn't be too bad, would it? And it wouldn't be all done at the same time, just as people moved out of the building. You'd still have time to write your novel and to garden."

"The novel's stuck. I don't think the story I was trying to write is any good. I might have to dream up another this fall."

"Would you think about it and let me know sometime this week. If you're interested I'll suggest it to Mr. Thompson when I see him. That'll be a week on Monday, after we come back from camping. And thanks again for giving me the gear."

"Let's hope Sylvie can go with you. You'll not want to go camping by yourself, I guess, but don't ask me to replace her. I need a better bed these days."

Cleaning the penthouse filled Sunday morning and an hour of the afternoon after having a short break for lunch. Len was tired when he was finished and not looking forward to delivering mail on Monday in the rain which had already started and looked as if it would continue for another day or two. 'Well, it's better to rain now than next weekend,' he thought as he walked to the Salvation Army with three garbage bags filled with old curtains, wondering what they would do with them. Once they were dropped in the bin he walked back to collect his bike. Water from passing cars splashed over him and he looked forward to the shower he'd have when he got home.

Matt phoned him that evening about seven. "Okay, I'll try it, at least the penthouse. Tell him about me and what I do and ask if I can give him an estimate on redoing the kitchen and bathrooms."

"I'm sure he'd be glad to do that. He'll certainly want several estimates. You know that you'll be competing against all the others in town."

"Yes, I realize that. It won't make any difference except they might be able to buy what they need at a lower price. If they're big enough to handle sub-divisions the wholesalers will give them a big discount. I can't get that."

"I see. Well, if any of those guys bid then they'll get it. Too bad."

"Yes, but maybe their estimate will still be more than mine for their labour costs will be more."

"Don't under-bid, Matt. There's no point in doing that."

"No, I won't."

The rain sputtered to a stop Tuesday. Sylvie had phoned him in the evening saying she had arranged her weekend "with a girlfriend" and she could come. "I told my parents that I was going with Monica to Kingston for the weekend. Well, she is, but not with me, with her boyfriend. And I've started making a trailer for my bike."

"What did they say about the trailer?"

"Nothing. They don't know about it, I'm making it at Bobby's and I'll keep it there."

"You saw how much stuff there is but there's also a five gallon water container to go as well. And food and drink."

"It'll be big enough, don't worry. You buy the drink and I'll buy the food, okay?"

"All right. Beer or wine?"

"Both, a dozen beers and two bottles of red. We're having a holiday!"

"Okay. Bring the trailer to my place on Friday after four thirty. I'll be back and ready then. It'll take us an hour to get there and another hour to set up. We'll be able to eat before it gets dark if we leave by then. Oh, bring a flash light, I don't have one."

"You buy one too. We might need two. I hope it doesn't rain."

"Me too."

Len checked through the camping gear Wednesday evening. Two sleeping bags, two air mattresses and the tent were in separate bags. He spread the tent on the floor, vaguely remembering a ripped corner but couldn't find it. The ground sheet and the fly were okay and there were plenty of wire pegs and the old axe they used to drive them into the ground. The plastic water container and kettle were missing. 'I guess Matt uses them when fixing houses. I'll buy them.' He shopped Thursday evening, making two trips, one to buy the container and kettle and the other to Matt's cottage to collect the wine and beer he'd asked Matt to get. A plastic bag held his toiletries, a roll of toilet paper, the shorts he slept in, a swim suit and a spare shirt. That, he thought, would be all the clothes he needed.

Sylvie was waiting for him when he arrived home Friday afternoon. The bike trailer was easily able to hold everything although it became very heavy when the five gallons of water, beer and wine were put in. Len covered the contents with a blanket.

"We'd better hitch the trailer to my bike, Sylvie. It's going to be hard to pull."

"Nonsense. It rolls easily and shouldn't be any trouble."

"Wait until we get to the hilly part!"

There wasn't any hills between Townsville and the old farm, only a few inclines. Sylvie managed the easier ones but Len insisted on riding her bike when they came to the two longer and steeper slopes. He found the opening through the woods along which Matt used to drive the pickup. The track was overgrown and difficult to push the bikes and trailer through. Luckily it wasn't far to the edge of the lake where they used to camp.

"Well, here we are. What do you think? It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, although I expected a bigger lake. Did you swim here?"

"Sure. It's not sand, just stones and dirt. There's fish here too but we didn't bring any fishing rods. We used to catch them and grill them on that old oven rack," and Len pointed to where it was lying on the edge of two parallel lines of stones.

"Right," he said. "We should put the beer in the lake to cool. That's what Matt always did first. He had coke for me those days. I'll do that then clear the area where we put the tent. You can unpack."

He sunk the bottles then pulled out the weeds and small bushes where the tent would go, using the axe to chop off two that were too big to be hauled out, cutting them off an inch below the ground and filling the holes with dirt afterwards. He laid the groundsheet down and unrolled the tent on top of it. Both were held in place by hammering the wire pegs through the holes in each corner. That done, he asked Sylvie to help him. "Hold up the far end of the tent, Sylvie, while I crawl inside with the pole."

They had the tent up ten minutes later. "I don't think it's going to rain but we might as well add the fly," Len said.

"What's that?" asked Sylvie.

"A rainproof sheet that is put over the tent."

That was easily added and they crawled inside so Sylvie could see how much room there was.

"Well, now we're camping," and Len leaned over and kissed Sylvie. "And we'll be spending all the night together."

"The dirt underneath is damned uncomfortable," said Sylvie. "I don't like it."

"We don't sleep on the floor. There's two air mattresses to lie on. That's the next job."

Len rolled out the air mattresses then said. "Ah, I forgot. We'll have to blow them up ourselves. We can't use the electric pump because we don't have the truck. We could use the bike pumps but that would be very slow."

It was tiring inflating the mattresses and they took frequent breaks. While doing so Len told Sylvie how his week had gone and asked about hers.

"Much the same as usual, changing oil most of the time, greasing when the service called for it, changing air and gasoline filters, the normal things. Did one front suspension and helped Frisk change an engine. Bobby let me use the welder to make the trolley in my lunch breaks. I bought the wheels at the hardware store."

"You did a very good job on that. It pulls easily."

"I worried about the tires getting punctured over the rough ground coming in so I brought a tire repair kit. It's in my saddle bag if you need it."

"I have one too. Never used it yet. What are we going to have for supper? Do we need a fire?"

"Hot dogs. I've got hamburgers too but forgot to ask you to bring a frying pan so I don't know what we can do with them."

"We cooked them on the oven rack. You have to be careful or they'll drop into the fire. Burnt hamburgers aren't too bad if you cut off the worst parts. I'll look for wood and start a fire. Oh, come with me and I'll show you the area we used as a toilet. There should be an old trowel there to dig a spot when you have to crap. I'll put the toilet paper just inside the tent."

Len found the trowel. It's wooden handle had rotted away but it was still usable. They both gathered wood, finding enough dry kindling under the trees and bushes. It didn't take long to start the fire and they let it burn until there were plenty of red embers. Sylvie cleaned the oven rack with leaves and sat it on the stones across the hot coals.

They had both hamburgers and hot dogs that evening. Buns, relish, ketchup and mustard—Sylvie had bought everything. They both drank beer and Len thought he and Sylvie would have to cycle back to town to get more tomorrow for they each had three, leaving only six for Saturday and Sunday. There were apples for dessert.

They didn't stay long after supper, both anxious to find out if sex was as good in a tent as it was in a bed. Len thought it was, Sylvie was not so sure until she got on top.

## Chapter Seven

The sun woke them but they stayed in bed, enjoying being together with nothing to make them get up. Sylvie thought they could stay there all morning but Len needed to wiz. He pulled on his sleeping shorts and his shoes and made his way to the bushes. His watch said it was still only seven. He raked the fire with a stick and put a handful of grass across the three or four coals that showed some red spots and blew. Once the grass caught he added a layer of thin sticks then thicker ones and crawled back into the tent.

"My turn," said Sylvie, and she got up, put on her shoes and went out.

"Aren't you going to put on your nightie?" asked Len, as she stood up.

"Why?" she replied. "There's no one here except you."

He took off his shorts then, walked to the edge of the lake and stepped out of his shoes. He put a foot into the water then waded in up to his knees,

"Is it cold?" asked Sylvie.

"Not really, once you're in." He moved further out until the water covered his stomach. "No, it's okay," and he fell backwards and floated. "Come in. it's fine."

Sylvie took a while to join him, first having a wiz then finding the stony mud she was walking on a bit unsettling.

"Not bad," she said, as she reached out for him.

"Yes," Len replied and he grabbed her. "Can we have sex in the water?"

"I don't know," Sylvie said. "Let's find out."

They could play but without a condom they didn't finish the act and it wasn't as much fun as it was on land, so they swam, splashed water at each other then got out and dried in front of the fire which was now throwing flames into the air.

Len made the coffee in the saucepan and showed Sylvie how to make toast by holding the bread on the forks of a green stick he cut from a young tree. They washed the mugs and plates using warm water from the saucepan which Len then used to put out the fire.

"What shall we do now?" asked Sylvie.

"There's Kooting about twelve kilometers from here. We could ride there and have lunch if you like."

"I've made a salad that I thought we would eat for lunch" said Sylvie, "but we could have it for supper.

"What's for supper?"

"Steak and baked potatoes. Salad would be okay with that. All right, let's go for a ride."

They tidied up, checked that the fire was out, unhitched the bike trailer and made their way through the wood and back to the road.

Several shops, a bank, a post office, two restaurants, a pub, a B&B and a garage, plus maybe a hundred houses formed the Kooting village. They chained their bikes to a lamp post and walked, hand in hand, around the central streets, looking into each of the stores, buying ice creams at the grocery, reading the menus posted outside the restaurants and walking into the park-like area to watch the ducks in the little lake. It was too early to eat lunch so they continued their bike ride taking the road that led north. They stopped after about five kilometers at the top of the rise deciding what to do next; should they continue cycling or have an early lunch.

"There's not much to do in the country," said Sylvie.

"No, I guess you're right. Unless you live there and have a place to look after. I know what we can do this afternoon though. We can walk around the lake and I'll show you the old beaver lodge and the damn they made.

"Okay, let's go back and eat."

They chose the restaurant where they saw a group of ladies entering, thinking that the locals would know the best place to eat. They had taken the table for six in the bay window and Sylvie and Len sat next to the other window. The menus were slotted into a box holding condiments and knives and forks wrapped in a paper napkin. When a young waitress asked what they would like Sylvie chose a ham and mushroom omelette and Len fish and chips. Both were excellent and the lemonade was just the right drink to quench their thirst. After Len had paid the waitress they both used the washroom then unchained their bikes and rode back to camp. Once there, they gathered more wood then Len searched for the track that would take them around the lake. It was overgrown but still clearly visible once he'd found where it started.

The lake was L-shaped, fed by a stream running into the larger end and out at the end of the smaller section. An old beaver dam across the exit had formed it. The track they were following kept close to the lake but they had to make small detours when they met fallen trees and one large patch of overgrown bushes. When they came to the dam they stopped so Len could show Sylvie the beaver lodge.

"There, to the left. Do you see the mound sticking out of the water? That's the top of the lodge."

"Are there any beaver here now?"

"No, they moved away before we arrived, maybe fifteen or more years ago. They wouldn't hurt you even if they were here. You'd be lucky to see them because they're nocturnal. There's probably a few stumps around here from trees they've felled. I'll look for them. Okay, follow me,": and Len stepped onto the dam and carefully walked across.

"Come on, Sylvie. It's very strong, and wide enough. It's been here for years and all the animals use it, you can see that from the flattened grass on either side and their droppings."

Sylvie crossed the dam and Len hold her hand to help her up the slope on the other side.

"Look, there's a stump from one of the trees they've felled. You can still see the teeth marks."

"Oh, yes. Just like the one in the town's museum. It's a pity the beavers aren't here now."

"Farmers don't like them. They flood the land and the woods so they welcomed the trappers. I don't know whether the ones around here were trapped out or just moved away."

They continued following the path around the lake but when they were about three hundred yards from their camp Len told Sylvie that there was an old sugar shack somewhere near them. "Let's see if we can find it."

It took them about twenty minutes to discover tit. The shack was old but looked to be in good shape. They moved from the woods into a clearing that surrounded it, crossed the open space, stepping over a broken glass jar and several ruts that looked as if they were made recently until they came to the side of the shack.

"Someone must be using it, Sylvie. I guess the new owners are making maple syrup. Let's take a look inside." He tried the door handle but it was locked.

"Pity. Last time we were here the evaporating tray was still in place but partly burned out. They must have put a new one in. I'll look through the window."

Len stood on the remains of a bench to look into the window but there was thick curtain tacked across the inside and he couldn't see through it. "There's a curtain here and I can't see anything," he told Sylvie. "Okay, let's go back to the camp and have a beer."

"What is this for Len?" asked Sylvie and she pointed to a hose pipe that ran under the shack's door and along the side of the track that a car or truck must have made.

"Don't know," said Len, after looking at it. "Why would anyone want water in a sugar shack? Let's see where it goes." It didn't take them long to find that out, it went to the old farm house.

"I know," said Len. "They must use the shack as an extra bedroom, a place where friends can sleep if they have a big party. There's electricity in the shack so they'd be fine."

"Yet this place doesn't seem to be used, Len. I can't see anything inside. Try the kitchen door."

He did but it was locked. They looked in all the downstairs windows. There was nothing in any of the rooms.

"Well, I don't know why they wouldn't want to stay in the house. It must be more comfortable there than staying in the sugar shack."

"Perhaps they smoke pot in the shack and don't want to be found. Police could see cars if they were parked at the farm."

"I suppose so. Well, it's not our business. Let's go back to the camp. I'm ready for a beer. How about you?"

"And a fire, yes. I've some donuts and they need to be eaten."

"Great, although coffee might be better than beer."

"You're right. Donuts and coffee first, then a beer."

"Okay, I'll make the fire. No, why don't you do it Sylvie, it's part of camping."

"Sure. It looks easy."

And easy she found it, because almost anything using her hands was easy for Sylvie. They sat on the ground leaning against a big tree near the water to eat and drink.

"Do you want to swim again?" asked Len.

"No thanks. But I wouldn't mind a nap. How about you?"

"A nap? Oh, I see," he said, laughing. "Yes, I think a nap would be just great."

They napped, eventually, getting up about six and feeling hungry. Len stoked up the fire and they drank beers whilst waiting for it to build a bed of hot embers. Sylvie then produced two steaks and two large, foil-wrapped potatoes that she placed at the edge of the coals.

"Twenty minutes should be enough for these. Time to open the wine."

"Okay, but we'll have to drink out of the mugs. I didn't bring any wineglasses."

"That's okay. I've done that before."

Sylvie used a stick to turn the potatoes around and placed the oven rack over the fire as the flames died down. A little later she added the steaks. "They should be ready in about ten minutes. The salad's in the plastic bag. Put it into the bowls. There's salad dressing next to it in the box."

They ate, enjoying the food and watching the birds fly in groups towards their roosting sites, finishing the wine but not opening the second bottle.

"The worst thing about camping," said Sylvie, "is sitting on the ground to eat."

"Yes, it is. We never had to do that, we always took chairs in the pickup when we came."

"When was the last time you were here, Len?"

"Must be six years ago. We didn't come after my mom died. Didn't feel like it and didn't want to leave dad alone in the house."

"I see. You know, I could borrow a truck from Bobby the next time we come, I'm sure he'd let me have one. Then we could put chairs in it."

"So you like camping then?"

"Well, parts of it are very good. Not the sitting down part, though."

"And not blowing up air mattresses, either," said Len. "We wouldn't have to do that if we had a truck. Though I'm not sure about coming here again. If we used the truck we'd have to find out who owns this place and ask permission because we'd have to clear the path for it."

"I suppose so. I don't really mind. I can say I've been camping and that's enough for me. Build up the fire. It's too early to go to sleep. How about finishing the beers?"

"There are only two left. But there's another bottle of wine."

"Okay, open that. Let's get drunk."

"I've never been drunk. What's it like?"

"A happy time. Happy, cozy and hazy. You can't remember what happened the next day,"

"I'm not sure I'd like that but I'll try. Hang on, I'll get the beer and put some more wood on the fire. You get the wine and mugs."

There was not quite enough alcohol to make both of them drunk. Len was affected most of course. They laughed a lot, talked about the old days at school and what they did with their friends. Near the end of the wine, which they drank straight out of the bottle this time not bothering with mugs, Len felt lightheaded and didn't want any more.

"You finish it, Sylvie. I just want something to eat. how about you? I'm going to make some toast."

"No, I'm all right. Leave enough bread for breakfast."

"I only want a slice or two. I think it'll straighten out my head."

"What for? That's what being drunk's like, having a happy head."

They went to bed shortly after that, going to sleep almost immediately.

## Chapter Eight

Len woke first, had a wiz then climbed back into the sleeping bag. They had zipped the two bags together to make one big one the first night. He thought it would be nice to cuddle and have a little sex but Sylvie wasn't interested this time and just wanted to sleep.

He lay there, wondering what they could do that day. It was a pity they hadn't brought the fishing rods. They could go for another bike ride but there weren't any other villages worth visiting, at least as far as he could remember. Matt and he never had any trouble finding things to do. They explored, made bows and arrows, fished, swam, looked for birds, even climbed a few trees. He didn't think Sylvie would want to do any of that. After a while he drifted back to sleep.

They both woke at ten and lay there, talking.

"I think I want to go home," said Sylvie. "I've had enough camping."

"Okay. I couldn't think of what to do today, anyway. Want to have lunch, or brunch, I suppose, before going?"

"Might as well. There'll be less to carry back that way. You better take all the food that's left. I can't take it home."

"Thanks. Let's pack up the tent before eating. Do we need a fire?"

"Not for the lunch. It's just cold cuts, some ham and cheese. And the bread. But I'd like some coffee."

"So would I."

He got dressed then started the fire. As soon as Sylvie was out of the tent he let the air out of the sleeping bags folding and rolling to empty them completely. They removed the fly sheet and rolled it up, pulled out the wire pegs that held the tent poles and the tent bottom in place, folded the tent and packed everything into their bags except the groundsheet, which Len turned over to let the bottom dry. It took less than ten minutes to strike camp. They sat, leaning against the tree again, ate, but didn't have much to say to each other. Once finished, Len poured the rest of the water over the fire while Sylvie packed the trailer. They pushed the bikes out to the road then cycled to Len's apartment where they unloaded the trailer.

"You might as well keep the trailer, Len. I don't think I'll be using it again."

"I'll look after it for you. I'm sorry camping wasn't so much fun. It wasn't the same as it used to be for me, either. It's something one does when young, I guess. See you next Saturday?"

"Probably, but not sure. I'll call you." She kissed Len. "Bye," and got on her bike and cycled off.

Len, after putting away the remaining food, biked over to check the apartments. After emptying the garbage rooms he vacuumed the floors then cut the grass. The violets had taken and he weeded and watered them. He waved to a couple of tenants as they drove in then rode home. For supper he had baked beans on toast, something everyone in the family used to eat. Afterwards he showered, set his alarm clock and went to bed.

He found Mr. Thompson waiting for him in the lobby when he arrived with his nearly empty postbag on his shoulder Monday morning and they took the elevator to the penthouse. The ceiling and half the walls had been painted. The carpet still showed the stains.

"I've arranged for the carpet to be cleaned after the painting's finished. It'll need a second coat on the wall so the carpet won't be done until Friday, I guess. I like the work you've done cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, Len. I checked things on Saturday. Here's the fifty five dollars I owe you."

"Thanks, Mr. Thompson. About the kitchen, can you come and look at it again."

They walked through the living room into the kitchen where Len pointed to the cupboards.

"I did my best but they don't look great to me. The plastic covering is coming off at the bottom and along the edges, although you have to run your hands along it to feel it. Look," and Len put a finger under one edge and pulled the edge of the plastic down. A little dirt fell as he did that and lay on the counter. "Sorry about that. I didn't pull all the edges down when cleaning." Len pulled a tissue from his pocket and wiped the counter.

"Ah, that's not too good. Any of the other apartments like this?"

"I know that some are. A few tenants have asked me what they should do about it and I told them to glue them back into place. I guess they've done that but I don't know."

"I see. One of the things I've been thinking about for the past few months is whether I should renovate or sell this place. I've decided to keep it, that's why I'm moving in, which means that I'll start renovating the place. I might as well start with having the penthouse kitchen done after what you've shown me. That way I'll have an idea what doing others might cost. Thanks for pointing this out, Len."

"Could I make a suggestion, Mr. Thompson. My uncle, Mathew Smith, renovates old houses. He must have done a dozen or more. One of the things he always does is the kitchen. He has two other men working for him and when I saw your kitchen I asked him if he wanted to bid on doing yours, that is, if you wanted it done. But he's never worked for others before, only renovated property that he owns, but he's willing to give you an estimate if you like."

"Hmm, how do I know how good his work is?"

"You could go and see the house he's working on now if you are interested. Anyway, if you want to include him when you get estimates I'll give you his phone number and you can arrange to meet him."

"All right. I'll take it. It'd be good to get some idea of what it would cost."

Len wrote Matt's phone number on a piece of wallpaper that was lying on the floor and gave it to Mr. Thompson. "I'll see you next Saturday sir?"

"Yes. I'll be here.

Len, as he collected his bike, wondered if he'd also see Sylvie on Saturday. He phoned Matt as soon as he got home that afternoon and told him what Mr. Thompson said.

"He's got your phone number and would probably want to see the work you're doing at the moment. Is the kitchen finished?"

"All but the caulking and the painting."

"Let me know what happens Matt."

"Of course. You coming to supper on Friday? I want to hear about your camping trip."

"Sure."

"Bring Sylvie."

"I'll see if she can come. Bye, Matt."

But, of course, Len couldn't find out whether Sylvie could come. She had told him not to phone her. He'd have to wait until she called him. That she did, Wednesday evening, saying that she would be busy over the weekend and that she'd phone him next week. She didn't want to join him at Matt's on Friday either.

Len spent more time doing the cleaning and maintenance at the apartment than normal. He found the summer evenings too long and wished he had more to do than read library books about renovating houses, much as he liked the idea of making a living by doing that. Friday he told Matt that he and Sylvia might have split up.

"I don't know why. She didn't find camping so much fun. It wasn't the same for me, either, not like it used to be with you. We didn't seem to have much to do. We biked to Kooting Saturday morning and had lunch then walked around the lake in the afternoon. Hey, remember the old sugar shack? Someone's using it. There's tire marks outside and a track where they drive in. And they've run a hose pipe from the farm house to the shack. Yet the farm house is empty. Why would they do that? Why live in the sugar shack when there is the farm house?"

"No idea. They can't be living in the shack, there's no toilet there, as far as I remember. Anyway, it's not of our business. It's sure to be the new owners using it for something."

"They can't be syruping at this time of the year yet the tire tracks are fairly fresh."

"Well, you'd better not go there anymore. You might get into trouble."

"We probably won't. Oh, did you see Mr. Thompson?"

"Yes, on Tuesday. He came and looked at what we were doing on the house on Wednesday and took me to see the penthouse. I gave him several brochures showing him what was available in kitchen fixtures. He's going to choose what he wants then get several estimates. I don't know what he wants yet so I haven't bid. He'll probably contact me next week."

"He said he wanted to move in after they have finished painting and the carpets have been cleaned. That might have been done today. I didn't look. But I guess he'd want to move in as quickly as possible. Which means, you'd have an advantage if you could say you'd be able to do it immediately. Can you?"

"Sure, just as soon as we get the things he wanted. We can easily leave the house. Are you coming tomorrow?"

"Yes, after I've seen Mr. Thompson."

"Okay."

Matt showed Len around the house when he arrived on Saturday. New, double-glazed, windows had been put in and the inside doors and door frames had been replaced with grained wooden ones that went well with the beige walls. The bathroom looked bright and a new lampshade installed. New switch covers and the obligatory GFCI receptacle installed at the side of the sink. New tiles had been laid on the walls around the bath tub. The two bedrooms and the hall had been carpeted. Downstairs the kitchen had been finished with new cupboards, a composite granite counter, new sink, taps and a tile backsplash. The walls were now a semi-gloss green. The linoleum on the floor had been replaced by tiles and fluorescent lights had been installed under the counters to illuminate the counter. The living room and stairs were not done and Matt thought everything would be finished next week. A second coat of paint covered the walls of the basement and the oil tank was now a dark brown. A new furnace and hot water heater stood where the old ones had been.

"We've added insulation around the top of the cement blocks but I left the floor for you. It's going to take three coats, a primer then two top coats and drying time between each one. Can you come back tomorrow?"

"Yes, but I can't on Monday."

"No problem. We'll do the last coat. What time tomorrow and I'll be here."

"Nine would be fine."

"Okay. The paint cans are by the furnace," and he pointed. "You know you should start at the far corner and finish by the basement stairs? Otherwise you'll have to walk over wet paint to get out. But of course you would know that. Sweep the floor before starting, Len. There's still some concrete dust where we filled the crack."

"What are you going to do about the steps?"

"Paint them once the floor is dry. I should have done that earlier but forgot."

Sweeping the floor and putting on the primer coat took just over an hour. Len left the cans and brushes on the steps then washed his hands. This time there was hot water. Matt was outside rototilling the back garden.

"Hi, Have you finished in the basement?"

"Yes. Want some help with that?"

"Please. Take the weeds to the skip. Once I've finished here I'll till the sides and you can rake them. The front will have to wait until the skip's gone. They're taking it this afternoon."

"What about the path going to the back door?"

"That'll be the last thing. Not sure what to use yet, flag stones or concrete slabs."

"Are you going to change the gate, it needs something."

"No, just tighten, clean and paint it. It'll look all right."

They worked until noon when Matt said, "I have to leave now, I'm having lunch with Jimmy. He called, saying there's another place I might be interested in. Help me put the things away.

Len biked home wondering what he'd do the rest of the day. Checking the apartments, washing his clothes, going to the library for more books, maybe a novel as well this time, and buying groceries, of course. Perhaps watching a show on television in the evening. That should fill most of the day.

It didn't take long to paint the basement floor the second time on Sunday. Once he'd finished that he raked the tilled garden while Matt removed the weeds.

"I know it's early but I haven't bought the grass seeds yet so we might as well quit. Let's wash and I'll buy you lunch at the deli."

After lunch Len cleaned his apartment. There was not much to do, a bit of dusting then vacuuming, that was all. He wished he had a balcony, even a small one, but his place was on the ground floor and he had nothing outside he could call his own. He'd enjoy looking after a few flowers. Right now there was just a patch of grass at the front and chipped stones at the back of the building.

He walked to the park and along the riverside. He missed Betty and the times they walked together, their discussions and the movies they saw. He wondered if she was still seeing Pringle. He supposed so but certainly wasn't going to call and ask, although he'd ask anyone else he saw who might know something. He was in two minds about Sylvie. Sex with her was exciting and something he really looked forward to but they didn't have much to talk about. Cars and fixing them didn't interest him. She wouldn't be interested in his daily mail delivery job, that's for sure. He could describe what he was doing with Matt, fixing houses was something practical she might like to talk about. He could try that next time he saw her.

He needn't have worried about what to talk about because she phoned him Wednesday evening saying that she'd not be seeing him again.

"It was fun, wasn't it? But you're a bit too young for me. Do you mind?"

"Do I mind? Of course I mind. It was great and I liked it very much. Didn't you? Was it me? Didn't I satisfy you, was that it?"

"No. you were fine. The next girl you sleep with will be very happy, I'm sure. No, we don't have enough in common. I think I'm going for an older man next. But, thanks, Len. You filled the gap for me. See you around. Bye," and she hung up.

Len sat down, feeling angry. 'That was a hell of a way to say goodbye. Surely we could have met and talked about it a bit more? Damn Sylvie.' He thought some more and realized that Sylvie was just like that; it was the way she picked him up so he might have expected that she would drop him just as suddenly. But to do it by phone! He took the last bottle of beer from the fridge and drank it, wishing he had more, but he couldn't phone Matt just for that.

He told Matt that they'd broken up when they were on the deck before supper on Friday night but didn't explain how it had happened.

"Are you very sad?" asked Matt.

"Sad? No, I'm not sad. It was just so sudden, that's all. It wasn't that I loved her. We had too little in common, I suppose. Ah, forget Sylvie. How did your week go?"

"Same as usual. I put in a bid to do the penthouse kitchen but haven't heard from him yet."

"Did you say you could do the work immediately?"

"Yes."

"That should help. Did your real estate agent have anything for you?"

"No. It was a four-unit apartment. The owner's wife wanted to move to Florida and buy a place there. That's why it was for sale. I think he was asking too much for it although I didn't see inside. It might have been in very good condition but I'm not into renting places. Jimmy knows that so I'm surprised that he bothered to show me."

"Did you tell him that your new house was ready for sale?"

"Yes, and told him I was looking for another one. Normally I wouldn't have bothered because that's the second I've done this year, but I'm looking for one to keep you busy once your post office job finishes. The only trouble is I'll be away the last two weeks in September. Off for a holiday with Walter. But Sid will look after you so it'll be all right."

"Is there anything for me to do tomorrow?"

"Help spread a load of crushed stone where the path will be then collect some paving stones. That's all, the rest is done except for adding the grass seed."

Spreading and leveling the stones and tamping them down with an eight by twelve cement block was hard work and it took nearly two hours. They had a coffee break before going to the building yard to buy the paving stones. These were in place before twelve thirty when they stopped for lunch. Afterwards Matt spread the grass seed and Len used the back of the rake to cover it. Matt sprayed it with water before they left, shutting the gate then standing on the other side of the road looking at it. "Jimmy will put up a 'For Sale' sign tomorrow. Oh, I'll have to make a sign, 'Keep of the Garden—Grass Growing.' Here, Len. Your wages," and he gave Len five twenty-dollar bills.

"Thanks, Matt. But it's too much. Half that would be enough."

"Ah, you're my nephew, so I want to help you. And I'm glad you're interested in this kind of thing. It's not a bad line of work. Think about trying it after the post office job finishes."

"I will, although it's a lot harder than I thought."

"It'll get easier as you toughen up."

## Chapter Nine

Sunday was cool and a lovely day for a bike ride. Len packed sandwiches and a bottle of coke and set off at eight, aiming to have lunch at Sandbanks park. He arrived just after eleven and found the place crowded. Everyone from a dozen kilometers, especially those with children, seemed to be there. He found a space under a tree and sat down watching the kids dig in the sand, make sand castles, paddle and swim. He waded out and swam after he had cooled down from the ride then ate his lunch, queuing up at the small stand afterwards to buy an ice cream. He was sorry to leave but he had clothes to wash and an apartment building to check when he got home. He took it easy on the way back, arriving at five when he showered and did his laundry. There was not much to do at the apartment block, just clearing the garbage rooms and checking the halls to see that everything was okay.

The week passed as usual. Matt phoned him Thursday night, telling him that Mr. Thompson had given him the contract. "Can you help me move the cupboards and kitchen counter tomorrow? I'd ask Sid to help but he phoned on Monday to say he'd found a full-time job. I only learned this morning that I've got the job so I ordered everything and it'll be ready tomorrow. The men at the lumber yard will help me load but I need someone to help me unload."

"I could be at the apartment at five, Matt."

"That would be fine. And can you help me on Saturday?"

"Sure. And Sunday if you need it. Mr. Thompson will find me when he comes. But I'll have to do his work first. That'll take about an hour."

"No problem. Thanks Len."

Len helped Matt unload the upper cupboard unit from his pickup and carry it to the penthouse. "We'll leave it in the hall and get the counter and the lower cupboards next," said Matt. They also left those units in the hall then fetched the new sink and plumbing fixtures.

"Is he changing the appliances, Matt?"

"No. I would if I was living here, because they look like they are the originals and must be on their last legs. Now, can you help me take down the upper cupboards. It won't take long."

"Of course. I can stay as long as you like."

They removed the upper cupboards then the lower ones and put them in the pickup. It was getting dark but the outside lights gave them enough light to rope them into place.

"What will you do with them Matt?"

"Leave them at my place until I get another house to fix. Then I'll put them in the skip. We'll pack up now. Let's get a curry at the pub. That's what I'd like to do."

"Sounds good to me."

Over supper, when Len drank two large cokes for he was thirsty but wasn't old enough to buy beer, they discussed how they'd handle the work tomorrow.

"I try not to vacuum the halls before nine, Matt. It annoys some of the tenants. How about I help you until then and come back once I've finished? We can start at seven, if you like."

"You can? And work on Sunday? That way we'll be finished this weekend. He'd like that!"

"Sure. What about painting the kitchen afterwards?"

"We could do but there might be some plastering to do, to fill in the screw holes, if they show. He's got a tin of the paint they used a few years ago and I can use that, if it's still okay."

"Are you adding under-cupboard counter lights?"

"Yes. He liked that idea. They're no problem, there are plenty of outlets and I'll run them from those."

"Don't they have to be inspected? That's what the hydro book said."

"Not if I just plug them in."

"Ah, yes, that would be okay."

"And he likes the idea of adding a tile backsplash."

"So would everyone, I guess. It would be brighter and nicer than the paint they've got."

The first thing they did on Saturday was mount the upper cupboards. They were screwed in place by eight o'clock. Len swept the kitchen floor then helped Matt move the lower cupboards into place before leaving to do the garbage rooms and vacuum the halls. He was finishing the lower floor when Mr. Thompson entered.

"How's everything, Len?"

"Fine, Mr. Thompson. Matt's in the penthouse, if you'd like to see him."

"Good, I'll have a look at what he's doing. Here's your money. Were there any expenses this week?"

"Thanks. No, there were none."

Matt was caulking the holes where the screws that held the slightly larger old cupboard had been when Len returned. "Well, what did he say?" he asked.

"He was very surprised how much we'd done. I had to tell him that you had helped me. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, that's okay. What can I do next?"

"We'll install the sink first then we'll have water when we add the tiles. It's easiest if we add the taps and the drain to the sink before fastening it into place. Adding the taps is straight forward but there are instructions inside the box if you need them. You do it while I fetch the tiles from the Toyota."

Len was surprised that Matt would let him do the job without him watching but it was easy to do. Matt checked that they were correctly fitted then installed the drain pipe and lowered the sink carefully into place, pressing it firmly onto the bead of silicone seal he'd drawn around the rim. Sitting on the floor he reached inside the cupboard and fastened the clips that held it in place. "Now you install the taps and the rest of the drain."

Matt checked the work then turned on the water and looked for leaks. "It's fine Let's have a coffee and some cookies. They're in the paper bag in the hall."

After the break Matt hung a plastic sheet across the door and gave Len a face mask. "You have to wear that when you're sanding. There might be lead in the paint for one thing and it's not healthy to breathe in the dust."

They sanded the gloss paint on the wall where the backsplash would be then wiped it clean. "Now, let's see how the tiles fit," said Matt. He laid a row of tiles on the counter, separating them with wooden match sticks. "I'll have to cut off an inch and three eighths. Now you measure what we need under the window."

Len did that, finding that the tiles were half an inch too long.

"Right. I have a tile cutter and a box of tiles in the pickup. We'll cut them outside."

After cutting the tiles they dusted themselves off, washed their hands and faces in the new sink and dried them on paper towels that Matt had brought then went to the deli for lunch.

"What do you think about this morning, Len? Still like the work?"

"All but the sanding. I don't like breathing through a mask and it's hard on the arms."

"Your arms will get stronger although mask breathing never becomes comfortable. Don't skip it though, especially when working with fiberglass insulation batts. Have you seen anything of Sylvie or Betty?"

"No. I know Sylvie's not interested in me anymore but I don't know where Betty is. I suppose she's at home but she might be on holiday."

"Why don't you phone her?"

"I can't. She's going out with Bob Pringle, I think."

"Are you sure about that? I saw him with the Longmont girl Wednesday evening, going into the movie house."

"With Jenny Longmont? I thought that she was going out with Kyle Benson."

"Maybe she is. They might have been inside. I only saw Bob and the girl going in. The others may have already gone inside. You don't mix with that lot?"

"No. they've got money and do things I can't afford."

"Maybe you'll be able to one day, Len. Okay, I've finished. If you're ready we'll get back to work."

Once in the penthouse Matt mixed a tray of tile adhesive and spread a layer with a notched trowel and pressed the first tile in place, adding others either side with a tiny gap between each. Once the first row was in place he pressed them firmly down with a rubber-faced float.

"Now you try it Len."

Len added a row without difficulty. The last tile was the most difficult, edging it in under the window ledge. He told Matt that.

"Yes, and because it was a shorter one. Edges can be difficult and might have to be re-cut if you make the gaps too wide. Ensuring the edges are lined up solves that problem. Make sure they're pressed in firmly." Len used the rubber float again, pushing a little harder.

"Right. Now you keep mixing the adhesive and I'll put the rest on. That'd be quicker. I'll leave the last few rows for you to finish so you're sure you can do the job."

Matt's tiles were laid within the hour and he passed the notched trowel to Len, telling him to do the last three rows. That he did with Matt watching.

"Good. It'll take a day to dry so we'll grout them tomorrow afternoon. Let's clean up then have supper. We'll get a curry take-out and eat at my place."

They used the phone in Len's old apartment to order the take-out, tidied the penthouse kitchen and washed their hands. Matt left a note for Mr. Thompson, telling him that they were waiting for the tile adhesive to dry before continuing.

"Why did you leave the note?"

"Just in case he comes in tomorrow morning and wonders why we're not working. Okay, put your bike in the pickup and we'll be off."

Sunday morning Len did his washing and cleaning then walked across the town to where Betty lived hoping to see her but without luck. He did some shopping on the way home, had lunch then met Matt in the penthouse at two o'clock. Matt showed him how to mix the grout and put it on then let him do the rest. It didn't take long and they used damp sponges afterwards to clean away the excess.

"It has a bit of a sandy look Matt. What do we do about that?"

"It'll come off with the remover. I'll do that in a minute."

"And that's it?"

"No. It needs a sealer to stop water penetrating the grout. Can't put that on until the grout is dry. It's easy and I'll do it tomorrow. No, we'd better do it together and then finish the job by removing the edge tapes and tidy the ends. What time tomorrow is okay for you?"

"After work, I guess. Say five o'clock."

"Okay. We'll clean up then go."

"I've got to check the building next. You go and I'll see you tomorrow."

Matt was waiting in his pickup Monday afternoon when Len arrived home. He locked his bike at the back of the car port, changed into working clothes then they drove to the apartment building.

"First we'll seal the tiles. It's easy and quick, just watch," said Matt.

Once that was done they carefully removed the edge tape from the corners where the tiles ended and from the receptacle boxes.

"We have to put little extenders under the screws holding the outlets and switches in place. I usually don't switch off the electricity when I do that but I'll do that now so you don't get a shock if your screwdriver slips. Just be careful though."

Matt turned off the penthouse hydro and showed Len how to add the extenders. Once the cover plates were in place Matt used a caulking gun around the outside edge of the tiles to blend them into the wall and counter top.

"Now the counter lights. I've drilled holes where the screws go but be careful you don't touch the caulk."

Matt added one of the fluorescent lights while Len added the other. They ran the wire to a receptacle box, stapled it into position under the upper cupboard and turned the lights on. "Turn on the kitchen light too, Len. Right. See anything wrong?"

"No. It looks great to me."

"Yes, he should be pleased with this. Okay, let's pack up. Supper's on me. How about Thai?"

"Lovely. Can you clean up while I check for messages and do the garbage."

"Let's do it all together, that'd be quicker."

There were no messages and, with Matt's help, clearing the garbage rooms was done in ten minutes. While waiting for their supper Matt gave Len two hundred dollars.

"That's for helping with the penthouse, Len."

"All that for a few hours work? Why? How much did he pay you?"

"He paid the list price for all the materials but I get them with a ten percent discount. And I charged him four hundred dollars for the doing the job. So it adds up. That's why I think that this could be a good job for you. Not as an employee but as an owner of a company doing this kind of work. In fact, if you had just ten men working for you, mostly full-time, then you'd easily make more than I earned as a lawyer."

"Wow!"

"You'd have to get more experience and that'd take a year or two. It's a pity I don't have another house to work on."

"Let's hope Mr. Thompson likes what we've done and will let us do more."

"That'd be nice but there's much more to renovating a house than modernizing a kitchen. Ah, here's the food."

## Chapter Ten

Drinking a beer on Matt's deck Friday evening, Len learned that Mr. Thompson was very pleased with the result and said he would modernize each apartment when the tenant left. "He said there would be one at the end of this month. He'll show me the place sometime next week, at a time the tenants agree to, and ask for a quote. I think he'll not bother to get other estimates but I'm not sure."

"That's perfect for me. That's when the post office job finishes so I can help full time."

"Yes, that's what I thought. He said it's a one bedroom apartment. Are their kitchens different from the one in the penthouse?"

"Yes they're smaller, but the one and two bedroom kitchens are the same size. Like the one we had when living there. You've seen that."

"Yes, but not with the idea of modernizing it. But I remember how it looked."

"Will you charge him the same amount?"

"Depends on what he wants done. Probably a little less since it won't be as big. I'll let you know next Friday after I've seen the place. How about fishing tomorrow? Interested?"

"Not in the morning but the evening's okay."

"No, that's when Walter phones me. How about Sunday morning?"

"That's okay."

"About seven?"

"Yes. That'll be grand."

Saturday morning followed the normal routine. Len had finished the inside work and was cutting the grass at the apartment when Mr. Thompson arrived.

"Hello Len. I must tell you how nice the penthouse kitchen looks now. Mr. Smith told me that you helped him. You both did a very good job."

"He's my uncle, Mr. Thompson. I like doing that kind of work and I've helped him renovate one of his houses."

"Yes, he told me that. Well, the Lees are leaving at the end of the month and I'm going to ask your uncle for an estimate to do their kitchen."

"Oh, it's Mr. and Mrs. Lee who are going? I didn't know who it was. Well, I hope we can do it for you. My job at the post office finishes at the end of this month and I don't have another one."

"Well, we'll see what your uncle wants to charge. Here's your money. Any expenses this week?"

"No, none. Thanks."

Len put the money in his wallet thinking that he should buy a Guaranteed Investment Certificate with some of his savings now to get a higher rate of interest than he was earning in his savings account. He should talk to Matt about that.

"I'll be moving in this week, on Thursday. The furniture will be moved in on Wednesday. So please look after the penthouse garbage room after that. There will be a lot of empty boxes for the first day or two. Okay?"

"Yes, sir. I'll do that. What date does the new superintendent arrive?"

"On September 21st."

"Okay, I'll make a note of that."

Len caught a large bass when they were fishing Sunday morning and invited Matt to join him for supper. They cleaned the fish before Len cycled home and he was putting it in the refrigerator when there was a knock at the door. He opened it and found two policemen standing there.

"Are you Len Andrews?"

"Yes."

"I'm Police Constable Davidson and this is P.C. Leonard. Can we come in?"

"Err, yes. But why?"

"We have something to tell you and a few questions to ask."

"Well, come in. Take a seat, won't you."

"We prefer to stand," said Davidson. "You sit down, please."

Len sat on one of the kitchen chairs wondering if the owners of the farm where they had camped had found out who they were and reported them but, surely, that wouldn't mean two police officers would call on him. P.C. Leonard took out a notebook and Davidson started talking.

"I've some bad news for you, I'm afraid. Your brother-in-law, Jeffery Sheldon, is dead."

"What? Jeff's dead? How? Was it an accident? Is Barb okay?"

"Steady, son. Your sister's okay. But it wasn't an accident, he was killed."

"Killed? How? When?"

"That's what we want to talk to you about. It happened sometime last night. Where were you from eight o'clock yesterday evening?"

"I was here."

"All the time? You didn't go out?"

"No. I read then, watched TVO, then went to bed."

"Was there anyone here with you?"

"No. I was alone."

"All right."

"Where's Barb?"

"She's at your brother's home. She'll have to stay there for a few days. The murder was committed in her house."

"My god! Was she hurt?"

"No. she's all right, just very upset."

"I'm going to see her. Can I do that?"

"Yes. Just don't leave town for the next week or two. We'll probably need to talk to you again."

"All right."

As soon as they had left Len phoned his brother. Sarah answered.

"Hello?"

"Sarah? It's Len. I've just heard about Jeff. How's Barb? They told me she was with you."

"Yes, she's sitting in the lounge. Dan's with her."

"I'm coming over. Are you two okay?"

"Yes. We're fine, just shocked. She'll be glad to see you."

Before leaving Len phoned Matt and told him what had happened and he said he'd drive to Dan's place immediately.

Barb was sitting in the corner of the sofa with a cold cup of coffee on the table in front of her. Rob was asleep in the bassinet beside her, his right hand holding Barb's little finger. When Len walked in Dan removed the finger and put the bassinet on the floor. Len sat down and put his arm around his sister. She wasn't crying, just staring at the opposite wall.

"I'll make some more coffee," said Sarah.

"Matt's coming too," Len replied. "I phoned him."

"Oh," said Dan. "Then I'll wait until he comes before telling you what we know."

Five minutes later Matt arrived, as did Sarah with the coffee and a plate of cookies.

"Barb's told us all she knows," said Dan. "It happened sometime last night, sometime after I left."

"You were there last night?"

"Yes. Sarah saw Barb at the supermarket yesterday afternoon. She was reaching up for a packet from an upper shelf and Sarah noticed that her arm was black and blue with bruises. She asked Barb what had caused that and Barb said she'd fallen down."

"I didn't believe her," said Sarah. "They were all around her arm, not just in one area. I asked her if Jeff had done it and she just started crying. I suggested we have a coffee and talk about it but she just shook her head and walked away. I told Dan about it when he came home and he went to see her."

"When was that?" asked Matt.

"About seven thirty," replied Dan. "I got home about ten past seven. Nobody was looking at the cars and Harry said he'd stay until nine and I might as well go home."

"What happened when you got to Barb's?" asked Matt.

"You sound just like one of the policemen Matt," said Sarah.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to understand what happened that's all," he replied.

"Barb was there all alone. Jeff had gone out. I asked her what had been happening and she . . ."

"It only happens on the weekends," Barb said, stirring herself and sitting upright. "He drinks. That's when it happens. It's only then."

"What happens?" asked Matt. "What does he do?

"He just gets mad, grabs me and strikes out. I don't know why. He just does it. It's as though he's annoyed with me for something. It never happens during the week and he's always sorry when he sobers up."

"He hits you every weekend? How long has this been going on?" asked Dan.

"About two months. I think it's because he had a new boss about four months ago and now he hates his job."

"He's still a night security guard at the supermarket?" asked Matt.

"Yes."

"As I remember, he works from nine to seven."

"Yes, from when the store closes until it opens."

"There are two of them?"

"That's right, the other man's in charge. Jeff thought he should have been given the job but the other guy got it," said Barb. "He makes Jeff do all the rounds and doesn't let him nap at all."

"So he started drinking?" asked Matt.

"No, he always drank, we drank together. But I didn't get drunk and he often did. He only drank at weekends though, because of his job."

"Where was he Saturday when I came?" asked Dan.

"With the men he gets the drink from I think."

"What men?" asked Matt.

"Well, he found out he could buy moonshine at half the price of the gin we usually drink. It's okay but not as nice. I drink it with lots of orange juice. It's no good with tonic."

"Why did he stay with those men?" asked Len.

"I think he's started gambling. For the last three or four weeks he's been very short of money. He still gives me the money for the rent and utilities. I buy everything else. He earns more than me, of course. We've always done it that way."

"So you think he might be gambling with those men?"

"I don't know. I know he goes to visit them to get the booze. We used to keep it in the fridge but he hadn't been bringing it home to drink the last few weeks. He just arrives home sometime in the night. That's when he's mad at me."

"Did you tell the police all this?" asked Sarah.

"Yes, I did."

"Did you find him?" asked Matt.

"Yes, on the floor in the kitchen. I thought he was asleep but his face was all bloody and he was dead. So I called the police."

"What time was this?"

"About seven, I guess. I'm not sure."

"They brought Barb here about ten this morning," said Sarah. "They told us what had happened and questioned us. I guess they did the same with you Len."

"Yes," he said.

"They haven't been to see me," said Matt. "I suppose they will."

"Barb's staying with us until they say she can go back. I guess her home's a crime scene now," said Sarah. Barb stated crying and Len held her close.

"It'll be all right," he said. "We're here. We'll look after you."

## Chapter Eleven

Everyone stayed and had lunch at Dan and Sarah's house, eating chicken and chips from KFC. Rob woke up and Sarah breast fed him, planning to do that for a while although he was now over seven months old. His smiles and waving hands helped to cheer everyone up but after he went back to sleep Barb began crying again.

"I know he shouldn't have hit me but he did love me and I loved him. If only he could get a different job. He tried at the beginning but couldn't find anything and gave up. I don't know what I'm going to do now. I can't pay the rent as well as all the other things. I'll have to find another place, an apartment, not a house."

"There's one coming vacant at the end of the month in the apartment building we lived at," said Len. "It's a one bedroom apartment. I don't know what the rent will be but it must be cheaper than your house. Matt and I might be renovating its kitchen before it's let."

"Oh, you're not renovating houses now Matt?" asked Dan.

"It's an idea Len had, that we might renovate the apartments in that building. They're about thirty years old and need doing."

"I thought you were working at the post office Len."

"I am. I've been helping Matt at the weekends. I like doing it and I hope there's enough work to keep me busy for a while. My post office job finishes in September."

"It'd be strange," said Barb, "moving back to that building. I guess I'd know some of the people living there."

"You can walk to your job at the supermarket," added Len.

"Yes," and she teared up again.

Sarah, who was sitting beside her on the sofa, gave her a hug. "Nobody will expect you to go to work for a while and you can stay here until you move, if you like."

"No, thanks, I'll move back as soon as the police let me. I'll have to get used to living alone and there's so much to do if I'm moving. Oh, god."

Dan, Matt and Len looked at each other then Dan asked if anyone would like a drink. Sarah and Barb shook their heads but Matt and Len nodded and the men moved into the kitchen where Dan kept his liquor on the end of the counter. Len had a beer and the others drank scotch.

"How's work, Dan?" asked Matt.

"Not bad. I've reached my target each month so I'm sure to get a good bonus at the end of the year. Makes up for the past two years."

"Yes, it's hard when your income goes up and down," said Matt. "I know. It's something to worry about, Len, if you work for yourself."

"Yes," replied Len. "That's why I save as much as I can. What can we do to help Barb? There must be something. Any ideas?"

"Not at the moment," said Dan.

"We can move her things to the apartment when she's ready," said Matt.

"And I can take the things she doesn't want to keep or sell to the Salvation Army."

"I'd better be going," said Matt. "The police are probably looking for me."

"Why?" asked Len.

"Relatives are the most likely suspects, that's why. About supper, shall I still come Len?"

"Sure. About six. I'll have to go too, got the apartments to clean. I'll say goodbye to Barb and Sarah."

They all walked in to the lounge but the women were not there. They were upstairs, talking in the spare bedroom.

"I've not got my night dress, nor my toothbrush. I wonder if the police will let me go in to fetch them."

"I've got spares. You'll be all right," answered Sarah. "Dan, weren't you supposed to work this afternoon?"

"I phoned Joe this morning and told him what had happened. He said I needn't come in today. Len and Matt are leaving now. Is there anything you'd like them to do before they go?" The women shook their heads.

"Can I come and see how things are tomorrow evening?" asked Len.

"Of course. Come and have supper with us," said Sarah.

"No, I won't do that. You'll have lots to do and I don't want to add more. I'll come about seven thirty, just to give you a hug, Barb, and see how you are."

"Thanks, Len," she replied.

Len fried the fish, cooked the frozen fries in the oven and the peas in in the microwave. They drank beer while they ate and discussed what might happen to Barbara in the future.

"I know she loved him," said Len, "but I didn't think it was a good match. He was always a bit of a crude man. Used too many swear words and had no idea about how the world worked. I think he quit school when he was sixteen. Hung out with gangs when he was young."

"How did they meet?" asked Matt.

"At the supermarket. He's the security guard where she's a cashier."

"He's a lot older than her."

"Six years, he must be twenty six now. He was, I should say. He took her to the movies and to the pubs. Barb always liked tough-looking men. I hope she changes that notion or she might get into trouble again."

"It might be a long time before she starts looking for a man again. As she said, she loves him."

"I wonder who killed him?" asked Len.

"I bet it was one of the men he played cards with."

"That would mean it would be one of the guys selling booze."

"Not necessarily. Could be anyone. I bet it won't be long before the police find him. It's bound to be one of a group they know about."

"I suppose they know who the moonshiners are," said Len.

"I suppose so."

"Did they come and see you this afternoon?"

"The police? No, not yet. I don't have anything to tell them."

"How's the new house? Anyone interested in buying it?"

"I don't think so. I've not heard anything from Jimmy."

After work on Monday Len cycled to Dan's house to see Barb. She was wearing a new dress and looked cheerful. She smiled at him as he walked into the kitchen. She was sitting at the table holding Rob and the bottle he was drinking from.

"You look a lot happier now, Barb. Did the police let you into your house?"

"No. Is it the dress? Is that why you asked?"

"No, it's because you're smiling."

"Ah, that's Rob. He's a cheerful baby. I wish we had a child," and her smile collapsed.

"You will, I'm sure. You'll find another man."

"I don't think so. Here, hold Rob. Be careful. he needs changing. I'll get the diapers."

They changed him together after Barb explained that Sarah was next door, telling the neighbours why the police were here yesterday and today.

"They came today as well?"

"They came in the afternoon. They were looking for Dan. He was at work, of course, so I sent them there."

"Why did they want to see him again?"

"I don't know, just more questions, I guess."

"When will he come home?"

"It'll be about nine thirty this week. He's doing the afternoon and evening shift."

"Oh, then I won't see him. I hope everything's okay. So you don't know when you'll be going home?"

"Not yet. I'm not looking forward to it now. It's nice, being here."

Len stayed until Sarah returned and was about to leave when the phone rang. Sarah picked up the phone and listened for a while.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, Dan. They must do that for everyone involved. And there must be fingerprints on the door knob, including yours. They have to check yours to eliminate it and find the unknown. Don't worry."

Sarah told everyone what had happened and that Dan had to make a signed statement about when he had been to the house.

"Why haven't they come to see me?" asked Barb. "I could tell them that."

"They probably will tomorrow, they're probably waiting for you to recover a bit," said Sarah.

"I expect they'll want my fingerprints," said Len. "But I haven't been there since the time dad died."

Len did have to give his fingerprints. They came on Tuesday evening and when he called Matt afterwards he found that he, also, had his taken earlier that day.

"So they must have found some prints somewhere that they want to identify," said Len.

"I guess so. On the door knob, probably. Oh, I saw the kitchen this afternoon and gave Mr. Thompson an estimate. He said 'go ahead.' So I guess we've got the job."

"Oh, good. And that reminds me," said Len," I must ask him if Barb can have first refusal to rent the place. Supper with you Friday night, is that still on?"

"Sure, and fishing Sunday, too, if you like. It's getting near the end of the season, remember."

"Yes, pity. That bass was good."

## Chapter Twelve

On Wednesday there were many flattened cardboard boxes in the penthouse garbage room. 'He must have had all his things moved in,' thought Len. 'I wonder if he's here too.' He knocked on the door to ask if there was anything he wanted done but the door didn't open. So he removed the boxes and vacuumed the hall floor which had become rather dirty.

He heard a vacuum cleaner running inside the penthouse when he checked the garbage room Thursday evening and he knocked on the door. It was opened by a woman who had a scarf tied around her head.

"Oh, hello. I was looking for Mr. Thompson. Is he here?"

"Not now. He was here but he left half an hour ago. I'm just cleaning the place. You're Len, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"I'm Mrs. Jeffrey. My husband and I will be looking after the place mid-September. We'll be staying in the apartment you'll be living in I suppose."

"I'm not staying here now. I moved out when another superintendent couple were expected to come. Have you seen the place?"

"No, can I?"

"I'll show you right now, if you like."

She pulled off the scarf, took some keys off a hall table, shut and locked the door and said, "Let's go."

Len showed her his old apartment. He didn't say that Mr. Thompson was renovating the kitchens, guessing that he wouldn't do that if he wasn't able to increase the rent. It didn't seem to matter for Mrs. Jeffrey seemed pleased with the unit. She didn't stay long and thanked him before returning to the penthouse.

Len was emptying his pockets and putting the cents into his piggy bank Thursday evening when it suddenly struck him that the broken glass jar he'd almost trod on when he and Sylvie were walking towards the old sugar shack was a mason jar. 'That's what the booze Jeff drank was in, I bet. So that's what the shack is used for now! To make moonshine. I wonder if the police know that.'

He wondered what to do. Should he phone and tell them? But it was only a guess. They might not be using the shack to do that. He'd talk to Matt before doing anything.

Friday evening this was the first thing Len said to Matt.

"I think that the old sugar shack where we camped is being used to make moonshine Matt."

"Why do you think that? Here, take this and we'll talk on the deck," and he gave Len an Ex.

Len told Matt about the broken mason jar and his thoughts that that was what the liquor was sold in.

"Have you asked Barb about this?" asked Matt.

"No. Of course, that's what I should do. I'll phone her right now. Can I use your phone?"

"Yes, of course."

Unfortunately there was no answer when Len phoned. He tried again every half hour until he left at eight thirty and again when he got home. 'They must be at the movies. No, it can't be that, there'd be a baby sitter looking after Rob. I wonder where they are.' He stopped calling at nine thirty for it was time he should be in bed.

He woke early and thought about what he should do. It was too early to call his brother's place and he'd have to go to the apartments before going to see Barb. He got up, had his breakfast then rode to the apartments and did what he could until it was time to vacuum. The grass didn't need cutting and he was finished by nine thirty. He wondered if Mr. Thompson would come down to see him or if he should go up to the penthouse. He decided to go up and found him inside the apartment.

"Come in Len. How do you like the place now? I had Mrs. Jeffrey clean it yesterday. She's the wife of the new superintendent, Alex Jeffrey. Alex and Margaret, you'll see them when they come in September."

"I met her yesterday, when I was emptying the garbage room. Yes, the place does look a lot nicer than the first time we saw it."

"Aye, it does. Here's your money," and he took out his wallet and paid Len. "You'll keep on until they move in?"

"I will. Thanks," and Len pocketed the bills. "I don't know if you've heard but my sister's husband was killed last Saturday."

"Killed? No, I hadn't heard. Have they caught the killer?"

"No, not yet."

"How is she taking it?"

"Not very well but she's recovering. Trouble is, she can't afford to stay in the house they're renting without her husband's salary. Could my sister take the Lee's apartment? After we've renovated it, that is. I'm sure she'll like it. As you know, she grew up in this building."

"Yes, of course she can. I'm so sorry Len. It must be very hard for her."

"Yes, it is. Thanks, Mr. Thompson. I'll let her know."

## Chapter Thirteen

What to do about the sugar shack worried Len. As he was going down in the elevator he realised that just finding out if Jeff got the moonshine in mason jars wasn't enough proof that it was being made at the sugar shack. 'The best thing to do is to go there and take another look. I might be able to see through the window if the curtain's been moved.'

It was quicker to cycle to the old farm without the trailer but he slowed down as he got nearer. He found the entrance just as a car appeared on the horizon so he continued along the road and past the drive into the farm. He could see signs that it had been used, grass that had grown through the driveway stones had been flattened recently. He didn't stop but just glanced at it as he rode by. After the car had passed and gone out of sight he made a U-turn and rode back, this time checking the driveway more carefully. It looked as if someone had been there recently for a couple of strands flipped upright just as he passed. When he reached the track leading to the camp site he stopped, looked carefully in both directions then got off and pushed his bike along the trail until he reached the edge of the wood. He hid the bike behind the trunk of a fallen tree then walked quietly along the trail towards the spot where they had camped, listening carefully as he went. He heard nothing. At the camp site he turned right along the path that led around the lake until he got near the sugar shack area then stopped and listened for two or three minutes. Again he heard nothing so he cautiously moved through the trees and bushes towards the shack, stopping every few yards to listen. He heard people talking just before he reached the clearing that surrounded the shack and he moved behind a large tree. He could just see the back of a pickup. It's tail gate was down and a number of cardboard boxes were on its floor. There was the sound of a door being closed by what might have been a kick, then one man appeared carrying a box. He put the box in the back then shut the tail gate, got in the truck and started the engine but didn't drive away. Five minutes later another man crossed the gap between the shack and the truck and climbed in.

"You sure the door is locked?"

"Course it is. Ok, go."

The truck moved away, along the road to the farm and Len relaxed but waited until he was sure the truck didn't return before moving towards the shack. He saw the broken bottle as he went, wondering if he should pickup some of the larger pieces and take them to the police station; they might have fingerprints on them and they might match the ones the police must have found at Barb's house. He hesitated, decided to do that if he couldn't see what was inside the shack and continued.

The curtains were still covering the window and Len couldn't see inside. He walked around the building but there was only one window, something he knew already but was worth checking in case he was wrong. The roof vent, where steam used to escape, had been boarded over and covered with shingles so there was no point in trying to climb up there. It wouldn't be possible without a ladder anyway.

He carefully picked up the largest pieces of broken jar, holding them near their edge and placed them on his handkerchief. He gathered its corners and made his way back to his bike. He pushed it along the track and climbed on after making sure that no one was on the road. Forty minutes later he was at the police station. There he lent his bike against the wall without chaining it to the post thinking that no one would steal it from that position. He walked in, still holding his handkerchief by its corners, and spoke to the constable that sat behind a counter.

"I want to talk to someone who's involved with the murder of Jeff Sheldon."

"Why's that, sonny?"

"I've got something to tell them and something that might be a clue as to who did it."

"Oh, you have, eh? What's your name then."

"Len, Leonard Andrews. Jeff is, was, my brother-in-law."

"Oh. Right. Well the guys who are looking after that aren't here at the moment. Wait there and I'll get the sergeant."

A minute later a burly sergeant, smoking a cigarette, appeared. He held out his hand which Len shook.

"I'm Sergeant Contree. Come with me, Leonard," and he took Len through the door and into a small room.

"Take a seat. Now, what do you have to tell me."

Len put the handkerchief on the table that lay between them and started his explanation, saying that Jeff drank moonshine, probably gambled with the people who made it and lost money. "And I think that one of them killed him."

"Why do you think that, Len?"

"Because it happened on Saturday night, after he'd been drinking. He was probably followed home and murdered." Saying this didn't sound too plausible, even to Len, so he added, "I think I know where they make the moonshine. And here," quickening his tone, "might be some evidence," and he pointed to the broken glass that lay on his handkerchief on the table.

The sergeant put his hand out to pick up a piece when Len said, "don't touch it. I think it might have fingerprints on it and they might match the ones your people must have found at my sister's house."

"Oh, is that so? Well, if they do then I might think more of your story about who the murderers are. But I would like to know where the moonshiners' place is."

"Well, I'm not sure it is being used to make moonshine but I think so," and Len described what he had seen that morning and where the sugar shack was. The sergeant made a few notes as Len told him this.

"All right, Len, leave it with us. We'll look into it. Leave your handkerchief and the glass. You'll get the hanky back when we've finished. Thanks for your help."

It was now eleven thirty and Len decided to see how Barb was before having lunch so he cycled to Dan's home and rang the doorbell.

"Hello, Len," said Sarah, as she opened the door. "Have you come to see Barb?"

"Yes," he replied, "how is she?"

"Okay, I think, but she's not here. They let her go back home late yesterday and we took her over after supper. We helped her tidy the house. They'd done their best to remove the blood from the floor but we gave it another wash. She seemed sad but felt glad to be back in her own place. Are you going to see her?"

"Yes, I'll go there now."

"Tell her to phone us if there is anything we can do."

"I will. Thanks Sarah. Bye."

"Hello Len," said Barb as she opened the door. "I wondered if you'd be coming. I've some tea made, it's in the kitchen. Want a banana?" she said as she led him there. "The bread's gone moldy so I can't offer you a sandwich. I'll go to the store later and get some groceries."

"If you like I can do the shopping for you."

"No, I've got to talk to the manager about going back to work."

"Do you want to start already? I'm sure they'll let you have more time off."

"I've got to earn some money. And keep busy. Oh, they've released Jeff's body and I'll have the funeral a week on Saturday. At St. Andrews. I've spoken to the vicar and called the undertakers. Thank god he had insurance. It'll pay for everything. I don't know how many people will come but the undertakers will provide food and drink at the funeral home afterwards."

"You'll have to put an announcement in the Townsville Courier. To let people know."

"I suppose so. I don't think he had any friends, just old drinking buddies. I don't suppose any of them read the obituaries."

"How are you going to let his mother and father know?"

"I can't. They were living in the States when we got married and only his mum came to the wedding. His dad hates him, don't know why. Jeff wrote to her three or four times but she never replied. I don't even know her address."

"I see. Well, how can I help? Oh, Mr. Thompson said he'd be happy if you took the Lee's apartment. But it wouldn't be until Matt and I have renovated the kitchen. I don't know what the rent will be but it'll certainly be less than this house."

"Good. I've been worrying about that. I don't want to stay here longer than necessary. I'll phone the owner and tell him I'll be leaving. I expect I'll have to pay for another month, though. I'll call him after you leave."

"Well, if there's nothing I can do I'll leave now. I'll phone you tomorrow to see how you are."

"You don't have to do that every day, Len. I'll be all right."

"I hope so. Oh, Barb, when Jeff got booze from the moonshiners what kind of bottle was it in?"

"It wasn't in a bottle, it was in a Mason jar."

"I knew it! That's what I thought. I bet I know where it was made. Thanks."

"What do you mean, Len. You're not going to talk to them are you?"

"No, I've told the police what I know and they'll look after it. I just wasn't sure that I was right. Right, see you then Barb. Take it easy," and he gave her a hug. "Call me or Sarah if you want us to do anything."

## Chapter Fourteen

Len told Matt that he'd been to the sugar shack and to the police as they were getting the boat ready Sunday morning.

"When I asked Barb if the moonshine came in bottles she told me they used Mason jars. And it was pieces from a Mason jar that I took to the police. I bet it's not long before they catch the killer."

"Well done. Let's hope so."

"She's arranged Jeff's funeral. It' next Saturday, at St. Andrews, at twelve o'clock. I don't suppose many will be there."

"I will be," said Matt.

They got in the boat with Len in the stern. He started the outboard and steered to the reed beds where they used the electric motor to make their way slowly around each one. For some reason no fish bit. They gave it an hour and a half then gave up.

"They must think the season's finished too," said Matt as they unloaded the boat.

"Do you want to put it in the boathouse now?"

"No, I think I'll go out again tomorrow or Tuesday. Maybe we can go again next weekend. Sunday, I guess. About Wednesday, how about it if we start at eight?"

"Sure. I'll wait at the entrance until you come and let you in the garage. You can park in stall seven. It's not used and it's also by the elevator so that will make moving things easier."

"Right. We'll work until five and the same on Thursday and until we finish on Friday. Sounds good?"

"Perfect."

After washing his clothes, cleaning the apartment and having lunch Len sat down with the Courier and looked at the advertisements hoping to find a job. He'd done that each weekend during August but found nothing. There was a job for a short-order cook and a sales lady for a clothes store this week but nothing else. He'd get some money from helping Matt this week but after that he'd have to start using his savings. He hoped that more people would leave the apartments so that they could continue doing renovations but that didn't seem very likely. It was a nice place, people liked to stay there and not many people would leave in the fall unless they had to. He decided to walk around the town and look in the windows of the shops. Maybe there would be an ad in one seeking help. He would even work as a waiter if one was wanted.

Two hours later he was back in his apartment; he had found no jobs. After a while he picked up a novel for he didn't feel like reading about house renovating just then. If only Betty hadn't moved to Montreal. Or if Sylvie was still with him.

Tuesday evening, after Len's last day working at the post office, the phone rang. It was a man from the Townsville Courier.

"Hello, my name's Ronnie Peters. You may have read some of my articles. Can I come and talk to you?"

"Me? What for?"

"You were the one that discovered the bootleggers, weren't you?"

"Err, yes, it could have been me. Why, what's happened?"

"There were two men in court yesterday and Sergeant Contree told the judge that you had found the shack where they made the booze. I've been calling all day but I guess you were working."

"Yes, I was. Oh, so that really was the place where it was made. Sure, I'll talk to you. You know where I live?"

"Of course. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Len tidied the living room, thinking he would get a second easy chair when he had another job. It would be nicer if two people could sit at ease. It didn't matter this time for when Ronnie came they sat on either side of the kitchen table.

"So, tell me how you found the place, Len."

"Well, we were camping by the lake, a place where I often went with my uncle until a few years ago."

"Were you with your uncle this time?"

"No, I was with a friend. I'm not going to tell you who it was because that person's parents didn't know about it. So please don't ask me who it was."

"But I have to know."

"No you don't. I'm not going to tell you anything if you are like that."

"Okay. I'll skip that then. Well, how did you find the place?"

"I knew that there was an old sugar shack nearby and we found it. It was locked and we couldn't see inside but there was a hose pipe leading to it. Coming from the farm house. Now, why would there be a hose pipe running to the shack? That's what bothered me. We looked in the windows of the farm and it was empty. I kept thinking about it and about the broken jar, a Mason jar, sitting on fresh grass that I almost trod on."

Ronnie made notes while they were talking then he said, "I know about your brother-in-law's death, of course. I'll tell you some more about that when we've finished, but you thought the two events were connected, didn't you?"

"Yes, that's right. Jeff had been buying booze from a moonshiner. My sister, Barb, told me that. so I went back to the shack last Saturday to see if I could find anything else. There were two men there, loading a pickup with boxes. I couldn't see what was inside the boxes. So I picked up the biggest pieces of the broken jar, thinking there might be some fingerprints on them and took them to the police station. That's where I talked to Sergeant Contree. Did he find any fingerprints on the glass?"

"It wasn't mentioned in court."

"Oh. I'll have to ask him. Were the men charged with murder?"

"No. Just with making moonshine. I guess they'll be fined and the equipment destroyed. That's what usually happens."

Ronnie asked a few more questions then he told Len what he'd found out from talking to the police about the murder.

"They said that Jeff played cards at the weekend with three other guys. The night he was killed he had accused one of the men of cheating and started beating him. He was dragged off and told to go home. They took the beaten man to hospital, his face was bleeding badly and he had a broken arm. They stayed there overnight, according to the police, so it couldn't have been one of them that killed Jeff."

"Then they don't know who did it?"

"No, I guess not. But it's not that simple. The men were known to the police. They're thought to be part of a gang of crooks, suspected of stealing trucks and cars. Now, it's possible that they phoned one of their mates and he went to Jeff's house, perhaps not to kill him but to beat him up. That's what the sergeant thinks but he's got no proof."

"I hope they don't come after me."

"They won't, you had nothing to do with the gang. And I don't expect the moonshiners will either. They're not the same type. Right, the story will be in the weekend's Courier. Don't forget to buy a copy."

"I always do. Hey, you don't know of any jobs do you? The work I was doing has just ended and I'm looking for another."

"You looked in the classified section?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, I'll keep my eye open and let you know if I hear of one. Thanks for talking to me. Cheers, Len."

Matt arrived just after eight Wednesday morning with the cupboards lying flat in the back of the pickup. He followed Len into the garage and parked where shown. He carried his tool box and Len the cardboard box holding plumbing parts to the apartment and they went into the kitchen.

It didn't take long to remove the upper cupboards and take them to the garage. This time they installed the new upper cupboards before removing the lower one, it was easier to hold them in position that way. The sink's water pipes and drain were disconnected then the lower unit removed. Finally, the new lower cupboards were installed and levelled.

"Coffee time," said Matt, and pulled a thermos out of the plumbing box. "There's four donuts here," he told Len. "You can have three if you want, I've had my breakfast."

"So have I, Matt."

"In that case it's two each," he replied, taking the chocolate one.

Afterwards they installed the sink and connected the pipes.

"Tiles next?" asked Len.

"After we've sanded the wall and cleaned up the dust, yes, but I think we can do both tiles and painting at the same time if we're careful. I'll do the tiles and you do the painting."

Matt covered the kitchen entrance with the plastic sheet and handed Len a new mask and they sanded the wall. Afterwards they cleaned the wall with a damp cloth and sucked up the dust on the floor with a hand vacuum. Next they carried the old cupboards to the truck and returned with boxes of tiles. Matt laid a row of them on the counter and started measuring as Len returned to the truck to fetch the paint, roller, tray and brushes.

"Enough for the morning, Len. I'll buy lunch at the deli."

They washed their hands and walked outside to shake their clothes free of dirt. Len greeted two residents as they were doing this and wondered what they were thinking. "We're renovating a kitchen," he told them. Afterwards he wondered if that might inspire them to ask if theirs could be done as well. That would be nice, nice, in fact, for everybody.

While eating cheese and ham rolls and drinking milkshakes Len told Matt that a man from the Townsville Courier had interviewed him because the moonshiners had been caught.

"It'll be in the weekend Courier. I wonder what he'll say. And he told me what the police had found out about Jeff," and Len told Matt what he'd heard.

"He'll probably try to interview Barb," said Matt. "I hope he doesn't upset her."

The afternoon's work went well, Matt cut the end tiles so the row would fit then mixed the tile adhesive and fastened the tiles while Len gave the kitchen walls their first coat of a pale-green paint but they didn't finish before five.

They were both tired, and Len was not looking forward to emptying the recycle boxes but with Matt's help it went quickly.

"Thanks, Matt. Let me buy supper this time. What would you like?"

"Hamburgers and fries. How about you?"

"That sounds perfect. Let's go to Burger King."

After eating Matt reminded Len that the tile adhesive wouldn't be dry enough in the morning and that they should leave things until the afternoon.

"I'll get there at one and grout them while you give the walls a second coat. It looks like we'll be finished Friday morning."

"What about the under-cabinet lights?"

"Ah, I'd forgotten all about them. I'll buy them tomorrow."

Len stayed in bed Thursday morning, not getting up until nine thirty. He still felt tired and wondered if he was getting a cold. Hard work didn't normally make him feel like this.

Matt had parked the truck on the side of the road and was sitting inside, waiting for Len to arrive. It was empty now, the old cabinets dumped by Matt's entrance. They left the truck there and went directly to the apartment. Matt grouted while Len painted, neither talking much. Matt finished first, cleaned the float then watched Len as he finished painting the wall around the kitchen door.

"Have you found a job yet, Len?" he asked.

"No. I've been looking but there's nothing."

"You might have to go to Toronto or another city to get one. Have you thought about doing that?"

"No, I haven't. I don't like the idea of doing that, I like it here. Townsville's always been my home."

"You know, it's not likely I'll get any more work for several months. The only potential work is if Mr. Thompson wants more kitchens done. And if he only wants them done when tenants leave we'll be lucky to get more than one or two. Think about moving, just in case you have to. Buy the Globe and Mail this weekend and see if there's anything in Toronto, just in case you can't find any here.

As Len cleaned the roller and brushes he thought more about moving to a big city where he knew nobody. He hated the idea but he'd buy the Globe and look, more to satisfy Matt than to actually find a job.

The work was finished Friday morning by ten. The tiles cleaned and sealed, fluorescent lights installed and the place carefully cleaned.

"Think Barb will like it?" asked Matt.

"Yes, both the way the kitchen looks now and living here as well. Have you told Mr. Thompson that we'd be finished today?"

"No. Let's use the phone in your old apartment and tell him."

They put all the tools and cans in the truck then phoned him but there was no reply. Matt left a message saying they'd finished and hung up.

"Coming for supper tonight, Len?"

"Yes, please."

"Come about five and help me put the boat away for the winter then."

"Did you fish this week?"

"I went yesterday morning. Caught a big bass and that's our supper. Bass and frozen fries. How about that?"

"Sounds perfect. Okay, see you at five."

Putting the boat away for winter was not a difficult task but was made easier when two people worked together. The two supporting straps had small weights hung on them so that they sunk to the bottom of the boathouse and all Matt had to do was run the boat into the boathouse and use the electric motors to raise it. Len kept it level while Matt operated the motors. He then placed the flush muffs over the water intake and connected a hose to them. Running water through the outboard he started the engine and ran it for about ten minutes, disconnecting the pipe from the gas tank after that then ran the engine dry. The hardest part was doing this when the boat was hanging from two straps above the water. Having Len there made it much easier because Len could keep the step ladder in place while Matt worked. With all the maneuvering involved it was easy to tip the ladder over if it wasn't held. After the gasoline was all used Matt hung an open gallon tin under the drain plug and removed the bottom and top plugs to let the warm oil run into the tin.

"What do you do with the used oil, Matt?"

"Take it to my gas station. They add it to theirs for disposal. Okay, it's just about finished. Hand me that rag, please," pointing to the cloth hanging from a nail under the window. He used the rag to wipe the lower drain hole then replaced its plug.

"Now the tin of oil and the funnel with the bent end. Thanks," and he slowly poured fresh oil into the motor, replacing the top plug when excess oil ran out of the filling hole. The last things he did was remove the battery, hand it to Len to place on the floor, then the gas tank, also giving it to Len, and pulled out the boat's drain plug, letting the water that lay in the bottom of the boat run out. Getting carefully off the step ladder he used the electric motor that controlled the front to raise the front of the boat a few inches and the last of the water run out.

"There, that's done. Bring the siphon and I'll put the rest of this gas in the Toyota."

"What about the battery?"

"Leave it there. I'll connect the trickle charger tomorrow. Well, I'm glad that's done for the year."

After the gas had been siphoned into the Toyota they washed their hands. Matt took two beers and the cleaned fish out of the fridge and they sat on the deck to drink the beer while the oven heated up for the fries.

"I've been thinking about possible jobs for you, Len. There's a place just north of Brockville where they make prefabricated homes, the ones you occasionally see on the back of trucks, well, half-houses, as they're shipped in two pieces to the buyers. It'd be interesting work and you'd learn more about building houses. What do you think?"

"Would they be looking for workers this time of the year?"

"I don't know but it's worth thinking about. You could still live in Townsville. It's, what, about twenty minutes bus ride from Townsville."

"I hadn't thought of working in a place like that. It's not a bad idea. I'll go there next week and see if there's a job."

"No, don't do that. You have to prepare first. Find out all you can about the company, how long they've been doing it, what their houses look like, how they are made. To get a job these days you should do more than just show up and ask."

"How do I find all that about them?"

"Go to the library and ask at the information desk. They might have an idea where to look. Some trade magazine, for instance. Not here, go to the Brockville library. Or the newspaper office and ask to look at any articles they have about the company."

"That's a lot of work. Do you really think it's worth it?"

"It is, if you want to work there. Also go to their sales office and get a brochure. Read that then think about what it'd be like to work there."

"Right. I'll do that on Monday."

"Seriously, Len. Don't just go there and ask for a job. Do some research first. Show that you know about the company and it might help you to get an interview. That's the way the good jobs are found."

"All right. I will."

"Okay. I'll put the fries in the oven. You want to cook the fish?"

"I'd rather you did it, I don't want to spoil it.'

They ate on the deck, talking about Jeff's death and the funeral as the sky darkened.

"Have you got a dark suit?" asked Matt.

"No. just a dark brown one."

"The one you wore at your dad's funeral?"

"Yes."

"That didn't really fit you. I've got three of four dark ones. Why not try one of them, we're about the same size. Let's go and see."

They carried the dishes and empty bottles to the kitchen then Matt took Len to his bedroom. He opened the closet and pointed to the far end of the hanging suits.

"You can have any of those. All I need these days is one. Try one on while I clean the dishes."

The suit that Len tried fitted him although it was a bit loose around the shoulders and the trousers were a little shorter than he was used to wearing. He kept it on and walked to the lounge where Matt was sitting.

Matt looked up and smiled. "Except for the green shirt you look like a lawyer now. Does it feel okay?"

"Yes. Does it look okay though?"

"Good enough, I think. Better than the one you have already, that's for sure. Okay, keep it. Take another if you like."

"Oh, no. one's enough. Thanks Matt."

"Do you have a white shirt and a dark tie?"

"Yes, I do."

"How about shoes? Although I don't have spare shoes."

"I need a new pair. I'll get one this week."

"Okay. There's some plastic covers in one of the slots inside the closet. Put the suit in one of them to take home."

It wasn't until Sunday morning that Len remembered there would be a story about Jeff's murder in the Courier. He walked to the corner store and bought a copy, taking it home to read over a mug of coffee. Peters' article was on the front page, complete with a picture of Barb. He called Len "a young detective," saying it was him who found the moonshiners' location and thought that the murder was related to the gambling that followed the drinking. "Unfortunately, the murderer has not been caught," it concluded.

Len wondered when Peters had interviewed Barb and rang her up to find out how she was.

"He came to see me immediately after seeing you, he said. What do you think of my photo? Never thought I would be on the front page of the Courier!"

"It's fine, Barb. Then you're doing okay?"

"Sure. I've talked to Mr. Thompson and he said I could move in anytime and he wouldn't charge any rent for the first month. That was nice wasn't it?"

"Wait until you see the kitchen that Matt and I put in. It looks much nicer than before, lights under the cabinets and a tile backsplash."

"Great! I'm deciding what I want to take with me. You had to do the same when you moved, I guess."

"Yes. Townsville Auctioneers sold what I didn't take. Matt moved my furniture. Let me know when we can do that for you. Oh, it'll have to be before Matt goes on holiday. He leaves September 17th."

"Then I'll ask him if he can help me move sometime next week. Can you help too?"

"Sure. There's not much chance I'll have a job by then. Are you back working yet?"

"Yes, I returned last Monday. Everybody was most kind. Some said they'd be coming to the funeral and sending flowers."

"I hadn't thought about sending flowers."

"Don't bother, Len. There'll be plenty, I'm sure."

## Chapter Fifteen

Len caught the ten fifteen bus to Brockville Monday morning, leaving it in the town's center and going straight to the library. There were two people waiting to talk to the lady at the information desk so he went to the newspaper rack and took one of the several copies of the Recorder and Times, opening it to the classified section while sitting down in one of the easy chairs. There were seven jobs advertised; two short-order cooks, two waiters, one window installer, one salesperson and one bank teller. None of these, he thought, were worth applying for, although he might try being a waiter if nothing better came. He returned the paper and went to the desk, waiting until the man in front had finished asking if they could order a book for him. When his turn came he asked where he could find information about the town's prefabricated house company.

"Robert's Homes?" she asked.

"Is that what it's called? Yes, that must be the one."

"Hmm, the Chamber of Commerce, I guess. I'll phone them and see what they say."

She picked up the phone, eventually speaking to someone who read off some facts that the librarian noted on a piece of paper. After about five minutes she hung up.

"Tom Robert and John Bent started building prefabricated homes in 1966. They went bankrupt in 1969. Tom Robert reopened the factory in 1971 and they employ between fifteen and twenty five people. Their address is 22 Town's Edge Road and their telephone number is 613-966-5544. And we might have some of their brochures now I come to think about them. Come with me," and she walked to display near the entrance and eventually found several of them on the bottom rack.

"Here you are," and she gave one to Len.

"Thank you. I can keep this?"

"Of course."

Len sat in one of the easy chairs and looked at the brochure. It was a letter-size page, light brown in colour, folded into three sections,. One the front page was the name, "Robert's Homes," running diagonally across coloured photographs of several bungalows. The inside three sections were headed by photographs of three different bungalows with descriptions of each underneath. On the back of the pamphlet the other two sections stated how homes could be designed to suit the desires of the buyer and gave the company's address, phone and fax numbers. 'That would be a great place to work,' Len thought. 'But they aren't advertising in the newspaper, so I guess I'll be out of luck.'

He wondered what to do then decided he might as well have a look at the place now he was in Brockville. He went back to the librarian and asked her if she had a map of the town.

"How much detail do you need? There's a map inside the Welcome to Brockville pamphlet on the same rack where you found the brochure. If you want more detail come back to me."

"I just want to see where Robert's Homes is."

"Oh, just follow Oak Road north until it comes to Town's Edge Road."

Len found the Brockville pamphlet and Oak Road but it didn't extend to Town's Edge Road so he returned to the librarian.

"How far is it to Town's Edge Road from here," and he pointed to the end of the Oak Road shown on the pamphlet.

"A kilometer, I guess."

"Okay, thanks."

So it was about two kilometers from the library. He'd walk there now and take a look.

He used the map to find Oak Road and followed it north. It was a nice day for a walk and the road was wide enough so that he wasn't bothered by the cars and trucks that came along.

When he reached Town's Edge there was a sign stating "Industrial Park" pointing to the left so he went that way, passing some empty lots and three large buildings, the largest of which was the last one, number 22. Beside the entrance was a sign saying Robert's Homes. An eight foot high chain-link fence enclosed the lot. On the left side there were open sheds containing lumber, metal sheets and building materials. Next to it was a very large one-story building which was clearly the factory. A shorter building, which looked as if it contained four or five offices, butted onto the front of the factory.

Len stood there wondering if he should walk in. He hadn't planned to do that and was dressed in jeans, a white T-shirt and a light jacket. 'I suppose it would be okay to wear this if I was working in the factory but not to go for an interview.' So he turned away and walked back to town. He had half an hour to wait before the next bus to Townsville so he went to the Tim Horton's coffee shop next to the bus terminal and had a coffee and donut. Afterwards he looked at the bus route that was posted on a wall at the bus station and found that the bus had a stop that was about half a kilometer from the factory. 'That would be just right, if I worked there.'

He caught the bus home and had finished his lunch when the phone rang. It was Matt.

"I've some shopping to do and I'll be in town shortly. Will you be there for the next half hour? I've heard from Mr. Thompson."

"Oh? I'll be here. Is it good news?"

"I'll tell you when I see you," and he arrived fifteen minutes later.

'I saw Mr. Thompson this morning. He'd checked the kitchen and thinks we did a good job and paid me. Here's two hundred for you. He said we could do all the others when they came empty. That's good news, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Have you had lunch? I've just finished mine but there's lots more ham and cheese in the fridge."

"You eat late then, it's past two o'clock. Did you sleep in this morning?"

"No, I went to the prefabricated homes factory."

"You did? What did they say? Did you get a job?"

"Ah, I didn't go in. I didn't think these jeans and T-shirt were good enough for an interview."

"You're right. What did you find out about the place?"

Len showed Matt the brochure and told him what little he knew about the background of the factory.

"The bus from Townsville has a stop just half-a-mile from the place. That'd be fine if I worked there."

"So when are you going for an interview?"

"Tomorrow."

"Wear your suit then. The one I gave you. It'll impress them."

"I thought of wearing my brown one. I think yours is too formal."

"A bit, I suppose, but I think you've grown out of your brown one. How old is it now?"

"Four or five years, I guess."

"Well it won't look any better as you age so you might as well get rid of it. Have you bought shoes yet?"

"No, I'd better do that today."

"Get ones that go with the suit, formal, black ones."

"Okay, but I'll have to buy two pairs then. I need a casual one for everyday use."

Len got up early Tuesday morning, had a shower, dressed in Matt's dark suit with a white shirt and one of his dad's ties and his new black shoes. He ate a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast then walked to the bus stop, catching the eight forty-five bus to Brockville. He got off the bus at the stop near the factory and began walking, wondering how it would go and hoping for the best.

The gate was open and a dozen or more cars stood in the parking lot. He crossed the lot making his way to the main entrance, opened the door and stepped into what seemed to be an office. It was a fairly large room with metal filing drawers, wooden cabinets, three desks complete with typewriters and telephones and a couple of easy chairs pushed into one corner. A middle-aged woman was typing at one desk and looked up when he came in.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

"I was looking for Mr. Roberts. Is he here?"

"Yes. Do you have an appointment? I don't have one marked down."

"Ah, no. I'm looking for a job."

"Then you have to see the factory manager, but we're not hiring right now. Come back in the spring."

The door of one of the connecting offices opened abruptly and a middle-aged man came out saying, "Cathy, take these drawings to Jim, please. He needs them right now."

"Tom, if I do that this contract might not get the ten o'clock post. Can't he come here?"

"He's showing the Beatie's how their bungalow's progressing and he phoned to ask for the drawings. I can't go because I'm waiting for the bank to call me about the loan."

"Okay, I'll go, but don't blame if it misses the post."

Len, thinking quickly, said, "Can I take them?

"You? Who are you?"

"He's looking for a job, Tom."

The phone rang and Tom Roberts said, "Let him take it, Cathy. Tell him where to go," and he left the drawings on her desk and went back into his office.

"What's your name?" Cathy asked.

"Len Andrews."

"Okay, Len. Take these, go through that door into the factory," and she pointed to it, "and just walk down the centre aisle. They'll probably be along there. If you don't see two men and a women talking together ask one of the workers where they are. One of the men will be Mr. Denny. Give the drawings to him. Come back here after you're finished. Oh, and wear one of the hard hats that are hanging on the wall by the door."

"Right, I'll do that."

Len picked up the drawings, opened the door and walked into the factory. It was large, much bigger than it appeared to be from the road, and stretched back a hundred or more feet under rows of fluorescent lights. A walkway, about five feet wide, clearly marked by a bright orange strip, ran across the back next to the office block. Hard hats were hanging on a row of hooks beside the door he'd just entered by. To his right were four doors, one must open into Tom's office. The centre aisle was directly in front of him. also delineated by orange strips and two other aisles ran parallel and on either side of the central one. In between the aisles lay two platforms made from rows of wood. On these lay what seemed to be stud walls. Men stood along the aisles nailing two-by-fours together. Len could see what must be the visitors. They stood with another man at the side of one of the platforms thirty feet away talking together. He put one of the hard hats on and walked toward them and, when he got nearer, he called, "Mr. Denny?"

The man wearing a blue overall turned his head and said "Yes?"

Len offered him the drawings which he took, saying "Thanks." He stared at Len for a moment then turned back to the couple. "Right, Let's move to the next section and take a look."

Len left them and walked back to the office, hanging up the hat as he passed by the rack. The girl was typing and just said to him, "Sit down. Mr. Roberts will wants to thank you."

Ten minutes later Mr. Roberts came out of his door, smiling. "Got it," he said to Cathy. "Now we're all right for another six months."

He looked at Len and said, "Thanks. You gave them to Jim?"

"Yes, sir," and Len stood up.

"Did Cathy tell you we aren't hiring right now?"

"Yes she did. And she told me to come back in the spring. I'll do that," and he started walking to the door.

"Hey, Tom," said Cathy. "Wait a minute. I've been thinking. We don't need anybody on the line but we sure need someone in here. You know how it's been since Bonnie left. He could do her job."

"Can you type, son?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," said Len, thanking his grade ten English teacher who gave a bonus if his student's essays were easy to read. Len's handwriting was fair enough but when he told his dad why he was rewriting an essay he gave him a typewriter for Christmas.

"He doesn't have to type," Cathy said, "I can do that. All he has to do is everything else. That'd help a lot."

"If you say so. Come inside," and he pointed to his office door. "Tell me about yourself, and we'll see."

Len entered and sat in one of the chairs facing Mr. Robert's desk.

"Okay, what's your name, where did you go to school and what jobs have you had?" he asked, taking out a pad of paper and picking up a pen to take notes.

Len answered, saying he'd just finished grade twelve at the Townsville High School, how he'd like to take a maths degree but couldn't afford to go to university and what he'd been doing to earn money. During the discussion Mr. Roberts learned that Len's mother and father had died and he shook his head. "I'm sorry about that," he said. "Do you know anything about computers?'

"Well, I've used one at a friends a few times but I don't have one."

"Okay. I'll hire you for a trial period of one month. If it doesn't work out then we'll say good bye. I'll pay you two hundred and fifty a week and you'll start next Monday. Eight thirty to five. Half hour for lunch," and added, with a smile, "don't wear that suit, people will think you're the boss."

He stood up and shook Len's hand then walked with Len to the front office and told Cathy what he'd done. "You'll have to train him, Cathy."

"No problem. Here's the contract. If you sign it I'll take it to the post box."

"Thank you, sir," said Len, "I'll be here on Monday," and he left the office, smiling.

He walked to the bus stop then continued walking. He wanted to celebrate before going home and nothing could be better than a coffee and a donut right now. He'd call Matt as soon as he reached home and tell him. He had a job, at least for a month and let's hope it would be for a much longer time than that.

He phoned Matt as soon as he got home but had to leave a message. Matt phoned back about an hour later. "I was in the garden. It's pretty dry and I had to water it. The pump was running so I didn't hear the phone. Congratulations." Matt had a gasoline-engine driven pump that drew water from the river. The pump stood in a wooden box next to the garden and it was rather loud when running.

"I'll have to buy some slacks and jacket. He doesn't want me to wear a suit. Said people would think I was the boss if I wore that!"

"Sorry, I don't have anything that you can have."

"Oh, no, I wasn't asking for that. I'll buy them tomorrow. I don't start until Monday."

"Get two pairs of trousers then, they'll be the first to go."

"All right. I'll see you at Barb's at nine Thursday, then. Bye Matt."

It took two pickup loads to move Barb's furniture from her house to the apartment and the place was packed when they had moved it all in.

"Are you sure you want all this Barb?" asked Len.

"I thought so, but I'm not sure now. Perhaps I don't need the extra dresser in the bedroom but I do want two easy chairs. Have to have a nice seat for visitors."

"Why not buy a small kitchen table and just have two chairs for it? Sell the dining room table. It's too big for here."

"Yes, I guess so. That'd make it better. Okay, please take it and the dresser back to the house. The auctioneer's men are coming tomorrow. And you might as well take this box of flower vases. I guess there's no room for all of them either."

They returned the items to the house then went back to Barb's and took her for lunch.

Saturday Len did his usual maintenance on the apartment building and collected his money from Mr. Thompson. Once home he had a shower and changed into Matt's lawyer suit for the funeral. He walked to the church and stood outside waiting for Barb. She arrived a minute after he did and was dressed in a dark green dress.

"It's the darkest I have. Do you like it?"

"Yes. It looks fine. Shall we go inside?"

"Let's wait until nearly twelve so I can say hello to people coming."

"Okay."

Matt parked his truck in the lot behind St. Andrews at eleven forty and Dan and Sarah arrived just afterwards. They joined Len and Barb and stood next to the front door. Five minutes later the minister came out of the church and stood with them. Barb introduced him to the others and ten minutes later two cashiers, the supermarket manager and the night-time security guard gave their condolences as they went past and into the church. Ronnie Peters arrived a minute later immediately followed by Dan's boss and another salesman. All-in-all there were twelve plus the minister at the funeral service.

Jeff was cremated and Barb collected the ashes three days later. Not knowing what to do with them she asked Matt if she could bury the box in his lot.

"Next to the big pine tree, Matt? He used to like walking in the park and always sat on the bench under the pine trees."

"Of course. When do you want to do it?"

"How about tomorrow afternoon. I finish at three."

"Okay, I'll pick you up. What time?"

"Oh, three thirty would be good. Thanks."

## Chapter Sixteen

Len, of course, couldn't join them because first thing on Monday he was scratching his head outside Robert's Homes.

He'd caught the seven forty five bus to Brockville Monday morning and arrived at the factory five minutes after eight. The metal gates were closed and locked so he stood, waiting for someone to open them. 'This won't be so good in the winter,' he thought. Luckily Mr. Roberts arrived shortly afterwards.

"Hello, Len. You're nice and early."

"Hello, sir. It's the bus from Townsville. The next one doesn't arrive until nine."

"Oh, normally I'm here at seven thirty so you'll not have to wait most days. I'll just park the car and we'll go inside."

The first thing Len noticed when he entered the office was that its layout had changed. Cathy's desk remained where it was, next to Mr. Robert's office, but the other two desks had been moved. One was on the other side of Mr. Robert's door and the other was pushed into one of the corners,

"This is your desk, Len," Mr. Roberts said, pointing to the one near his door. "I want you to learn how to use a computer. A man from the store will be here at nine and he'll help you get started. Think you can manage it?"

Len looked at the monitor and keyboard sitting on the desk and the wires dangling from them, some going to the computer box that sat on the floor others going to a printer that stood on a small table next to the desk. A pad of paper sat on a shelf below the printer and the top of the paper fed upwards and through the back of the printer and out of the top.

"I'm sure I can. What do you want me to do with it, sir?"

"Oh, not 'sir.' Call me Tom. Everyone else does. I want to put all the records we keep on paper into the computer. The first will be employees' attendance. Cathy will show you what we do now. I want you to use a spreadsheet called Visi Calk. I'm told it would do the job and the man will show you how to use it. Oh, here's Cathy. She'll show you what to do after I've had a few words with her. While you're waiting hang up your coat and read the notices on the board. They'll help you to know what's going on. Hi Cathy. Had a good weekend?"

"Sure did, Tom. We went to Ottawa Saturday and stayed overnight. A surprise birthday present from Al."

"What about the kids, did they go too?"

"No, mum looked after them. Hi, Len. Has Tom told you what you're to do?"

"Yes," Len replied. "And that you'll teach me how to do it."

"Not the computer part. Just what we have done in the past."

"Not right now, Cathy. Come into the office, there's the new contract that came in Friday. Jim said we'll be short staffed for another two weeks and can't start them until September 27th. One guy's sick and two others are on holiday. Bring the letter we usually send when that happens and I'll go over it. Len, wait for Cathy. She won't be long," and he walked into his office, leaving the door open.

Len hung up his coat but went over to the desk he'd be using and looked at the computer setup. Ken, his friend who had a computer, didn't have a printer nor what Len recognised as a floppy drive. He sat down and opened the drawer that lay underneath the printer and saw some manuals, a box of floppy disks and some kind of cleaning kit. He was about to take out the computer manual when a voice said, "Hello. I'm early but I've got a lot to do today. Are you the kid who's going to use the computer?"

"Yes."

"My name's Pete. I'm from Amity's. Have you used a computer before? And what's your name?" He pulled up a chair and sat beside Len.

"Yes, I have. But not a printer nor floppy disks. My name's Len Andrews."

"What did you do on the computer, Len?"

"Played Pac Man and Space Invaders."

"I should have guessed! Right, watch me. Your boss wants you to use Visi Calk so I'm going to install it now then teach you how to use it. It's easy, you'll have no trouble."

He lent down and switched on the computer then the monitor, floppy disk drive and the printer.

"I'll have to show you how to use the printer as well. Right, now we just have to wait until it's ready then I can install the spreadsheet. Think you'll like this job?"

"Oh, yes. I'm really looking forward to leaning how to use the computer. I bet there'll be lots of jobs for people who can use them in the future."

"Sure will. Right, move over a bit and I'll install the spreadsheet."

He opened his brief case and pulled out a floppy disk that was labelled Visi Calk and put it in the drive. It loaded and in a few seconds a worksheet appeared on the monitor screen.

"Right, this is what it does." He used the cursor buttons to highlight one of the many boxes on the screen and typed in '24'. Then he highlighted the box underneath and typed in '6', when, at the bottom of the column which held the numbers, '30' appeared.

"See? You type in members and it adds them. You can do the same in rows. Watch," and he typed '4' in the cell next to the '24' and '28' appeared at the end of the row.

"That's all there is to it. But what it does is make adding or doing other calculations very easy. It saves a lot of time and doesn't' make mistakes. You'll love it and so will your boss."

"Hi, Pete," said Tom, who had emerged from his office with Cathy. "You're early. Any problems?"

"No. I've installed Visi Calk and am showing Len how to use it."

"Good, then we'll leave you to it. Can you do the letters now, Cathy?"

"Sure. Five minutes and you'll have them."

"Right, Len," said Pete. "Now you use it. Get rid of those numbers first like this," and he showed Len how to delete them.

Len moved to the front of the computer, removed the other two numbers then added several more, seeing how the program gave the correct additions at the bottom and side of the sheet.

"Now type a word in one of the cells at the top. A short one, like 'Date.' Good. Now type 'one' in one of the cells on the left. Okay. So you can label columns and rows. You'll often need to do that. What are you working on first?"

"Employee time cards."

"Well you can type their name, then the day, like Monday, then how many hours he has worked. You'll find the best way to do that. Give me a call if you run into any trouble. Okay, now we'll print the sheet."

He showed Len how to do that and paper was pulled up line-by-line and was pushed out the top of the printer. Pete lent over and pulled the sheet up further then tore it away from the page underneath.

"Okay, pull off the perforated strips. It comes off more easily and cleaner if you bend it backwards and forwards a couple of times first."

Len did that then put the sheet on the table.

"Right. The next thing to learn is how to save information. There's a box of floppy disks in the drawer. You'll have to format them before you use them. It's easy. The drive manual will show you how. I'll do one now to show you how easy it is. Right, watch me."

"That's also how you can erase everything if you want to use the disk again. Just reformat it."

"I hope I can remember everything you've told me."

"Use the manuals before calling me. Everything's in them. Oh, if you have to multiply or subtract numbers read the manual, it'll tell you what to do. Okay, I'm off now. Good luck, Len."

Pete stood up, walked to Tom's office and said "I'm leaving now, Mr. Roberts. I think he'll be all right." He said goodbye to Cathy and left.

"God," said Cathy, "I hope you can remember all that stuff. I'm sure I couldn't, Tell me when you are ready to learn about the time sheets."

"Okay, let me practice for a bit first."

"All right, we'll do it after the coffee break. That's ten o'clock, normally. Did you bring some lunch?"

"Yes,"

"Good. I normally eat in the lunch room. You'll meet most of the others if you eat there."

"Then I will too. Thanks."

Entering numbers and words into Visi Calk was easy enough but Len had to use the manual to recall exactly how he printed the page and again, when he wanted to name and save the file onto the floppy disk. He was doing this when Mr. Denny walked in from the factory. He looked at Len and gave a little snort.

"What's all this, then, have we gone all modernised Cathy?"

"You know what it is, Jim. We talked about it several months ago. You've met Len, if you remember. He took the drawings to you last week. Len, this is Mr. Jim Denny. He's the Operations' manager. Jim, Len Andrews."

Len stood up and offered his hand to Mr. Denny, "Hello sir."

Jim gave another little snort then shook Len's hand. "Well, don't get us all into trouble, young man."

He turned to Cathy and gave her a well-used envelope. "Tell Tom I need to see him sometime this morning. After coffee would be best."

"Okay," she replied.

Jim turned back to the factory door, took another look at Len and the computer and left the room.

"That's Jim," Cathy told Len. "He's okay but takes a little getting used to. Don't call him Jim until he asks you to. He's the boss of all that happens on the floor and he wants everybody to treat him that way."

"Are he and Tom partners?" asked Len.

"No. Tom is the owner, it's just that Jim has been here from the beginning and knows best how to run the operations. Tom handles everything else. Or, rather, Tom tells me what to do and Bonnie and I do it, the ordering, making up the pay envelopes, stock taking and inventories, with Jim's help, of course, dealing with inquiries and visitors until Tom talks to them. Things like that. If you're any good handling some of it it'll will be a big relief to me. How's the computer going? Ready to look at the time cards now? That's what Jim gave me in here," and she held up the envelope. "He collects them Friday after the workers have left and brings them to me on Monday morning."

"Okay, but did you say we'd do that after coffee?

"Yes, but I'll just show you the cards and the sheet we copy them onto and you can think about how you're going to put it on the computer during the break."

"That's making Len work through his break, Cathy. Shame on you," said Tom, who had just opened his door.

"It's no problem, sir," said Len.

"It's Tom," said Tom. "It's only Jim who likes to be called sir for a while. Makes people know who he is, that's what he told me. How's it going, Len?"

"I think I can do what you want but you'll have to see what it looks like. I can start now, if you like."

"No, have a break first."

"Jim said he wants to see you sometime this morning." Cathy said.

"Good, I want to see him too. I might as well do that now," and he disappeared into the factory.

"Okay, Len. Come over here and I'll show you the cards and the record sheet."

Cathy removed a file from one of the cabinets and took out the top sheet. She sat down, opened the envelope and took out a dozen or so time cards.

"Look. These are the cards after they have been used. There's a rack by the entrance door to the factory and a time machine. When they come in they take their card and push it into the machine and it stamps the time into the box for that day, either going in or going out, morning and also for the afternoon if they've been out during the lunch break. Okay. Now we take the times off that card and put them on this sheet which shows the names of everybody working for one of the supervisors. We've two of them, Ned and Benny, so there'll be two sheets to complete. At the end of the week we add the times for each worker and put it in the bottom box under his name. Then we multiply that number by his pay rate and that's what he has earned for that week. We pay them on the following Thursdays. Make sense?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Right. Now what you have to do is the same thing on the computer."

"Is everyone paid the same for an hour's work?"

"No, they get more if they've been here longer, provided their supervisor and Jim agree, so there are different rates. I'll give you the rate for each one when we come back from coffee."

"All right."

"Okay, let's go then."

Cathy put the time sheet back into its folder and into the cabinet and returned the time cards to the envelope which she put in her drawer.

"You have to be careful with these, the pay rate is confidential, of course, and the time cards are important because that's how we know what to pay everybody. So look after them. I'll empty a cabinet for you later today and give you the key. The key to your desk should be in the right-hand drawer. Right, come with me," and she led the way to the factory door, entered and turned right. The lunch room was at the far end next to a washroom and a locker room where Len could see clothes hanging on hooks.

The room was filled with people when they entered, most drinking coffee or tea, some talking, but they looked up when Caty and Len entered. Cathy cleared her voice then said, "I want you to meet Len. Len Andrews. He'll be working in the office, doing some of what Bonnie used to do and working on the computer that Tom has just bought. I won't take Len around to introduce each one of you, he'll never remember all your names. So, here's Len, and is there enough coffee in the pot for both of us?"

"Sure, Cathy. I just made a new one," said a strongly built man who sat in a chair close to the counter where the coffee machine sat.

"Thanks, Benny," and they made their way over to the pot.

"Benny, meet Len, Len, meet Benny Larkins. He's one of the supervisors. And Ned, he's the other supervisor, Ned Lyle, Len Andrews."

"Welcome, Len," said Ned. "I'm glad we going to use a computer. Perhaps we won't get any pay issues in future, eh, Cathy?"

"Oh, come on, Ned. We haven't had any for months."

"Yes, I know, but it was a real bollocks when we did."

"Bonnie was sick that week and she scarcely knew what she was doing, don't forget that."

"Right, well, don't get sick, Len. It causes lots of problems."

"I'll try not, Mr. Lyle."

"Naw, I'm Ned, son. Just Ned. And this is Benny, right Benny?"

"Sure. We're all friends here."

"Not quite, we've got a couple who aren't."

"Don't go into that, Ned. Just help me keep them separate."

"We try to, don't we Benny."

"Yep," he said. "Want a cookie, Len, Cathy?"

"Yes please," they both replied. Cathy took two and Len one and he said 'thanks.'

They filled two mugs with coffee, added milk then left the two supervisors who were talking about some problem installing a different sized hot water tank in one of the bungalows and sat together in a corner.

"Don't you want to sit with the people you usually sit with, Cathy?" asked Len.

"I just sit anywhere there's space for me and talk to anyone."

"Who pays for the coffee, tea bags, milk and sugar?"

"Tom does. I get them each week or when we run short. He used to give cookies too but they all went each day so we stopped doing that."

"I'd better bring some in then."

"Well, let's both do it. I'll do it tomorrow and when that one's nearly gone you buy another bag."

"Okay. Do Tom and Mr. Denny have coffee here?"

"Sometimes, maybe once or twice a week. They're usually busy most of the time and just have one when they can. I take one to Tom's office when he asks for it."

They sat and watched everyone for a while then a bell sounded and everyone got up, rinsed their mugs then hung them up to dry. With only one sink this took two or three minutes. Cathy and Len were the last to leave.

"Looks like everyone has their own mug."

"Yes, that's right. You've got one of the visitors' mugs. Bring your own tomorrow, Len. Got one that looks different from all the others?"

Len looked at all of them carefully then said, "Err, I don't think I have one that's different."

"Then buy one or wrap tape around the handle of one of the ones you've got."

"Okay, I'll do that."

Making up a spreadsheet that looked like the one Cathy gave him wasn't hard although he had to make two, one for each supervisor because the paper wasn't wide enough to take all the employees' names on one sheet. The names on the top of the columns caused another little problem for some of the surnames were very long. Len typed the first five letters of the first name and the same for the surname underneath then showed Cathy what he'd done and told her why he had done that and she said it'd be fine, but thought that they should see if there was a wider printer if everything else worked out. The days of the week made the first row followed by rows named 'Total,' then 'Rate' and, finally, 'Amount.'

Len then took the time cards, used the calculator Cathy had lent him to add the morning and afternoon times for the first worker and put the totals on his spreadsheet for each day. Each time he entered a number Visi Calk added and entered the total in the 'total' box at the bottom for each employee. It was amazing, Len thought, watching the machine do all the additions. Since he didn't have the rate each employee was the bottom two boxes were unfilled. He'd have to find out how to make the computer multiply numbers though before he tried that. He printed the sheet for the first supervisor and showed it to Cathy.

"Very good," she said. "I'll give you their pay rates and you can finish the job."

She unlocked the large drawer on her desk and gave Len a page from one of the files.

"Give this back to me as soon as you have finished, and don't say anything to anyone about anyone's pay. Remember, it's confidential."

"All right," he said, "but I'll have to find out how to multiply numbers first so it might take a while."

He named the spreadsheat and saved it then found the page where the manual explained how to multiply numbers and practiced doing it on a blank spreadsheet. It wasn't hard and twenty five minutes later he took the two completed sheets and the employee rate page to Cathy.

"All done. Do you want me to save the file on the computer or destroy it?"

"Can you save it securely?"

"You mean that it needs a password to open the file? I don't know. I'll check."

Ten minutes later he told Cathy that he could save the file securely and she told him to do that and memorise the password. That he did and hoped that he'd not have to remember too many passwords then decided to make up a spreadsheet on which he could record each file name and its password and give it to Cathy to lock in her drawer. He was finishing this when Tom and Mr. Denny walked into the office. Cathy showed them the pay sheets Len had given her.

"He's already quicker than Bonnie and I'm sure he'll be faster the next time he does it."

"Ah, but is it accurate?" asked Mr. Denny.

"I'll double check when I've finished this filing," said Cathy, pointing to the pile of drawings and files on a side table.

"How long do we keep the time cards, Cathy?" asked Mr. Denny. "Is it still for a month?"

"Yes. Just in case there's a problem with the pay. Then we destroy them."

"Hmm, I wish it was longer but I'll tell Ned to start keeping a record on a calendar. It's Paddy O'Donovan, Tom. He's the one who's sick. I'm sure there's something going on."

"Get a doctor's certificate then," said Tom.

"He's only sick for an afternoon and, occasionally, for a day. So I don't think I can tell him to do that."

"How many days is he sick?"

"It varies, sometimes two or three a month, sometimes four or five. Sometime for a day but mostly just afternoons. Ned can't figure out what's going on but he's sure something is."

"How about his sick leave?"

"He's given the first five days but after that he's not paid but he doesn't complain about it."

"Well, I'm sure you and Ned can find out what's going on."

They broke for lunch and Cathy sat with Len while they ate then left him to talk to a few friends. Len just watched the group wondering what they were all talking about. Politics and sports seemed to be the most common topic although the two men closest were talking about the tool sheds they were building. After lunch Tom gave Len the material lists for the three basic bungalows they built and asked him to make up some kind of sheet that would show how much wood they bought for each bungalow and their dimensions and lengths.

"I don't know if you can do that," he said, "but I'd like to store enough wood to build three or four of these bungalows any time we want and not have to wait for deliveries. See what you can do. Then, if you can, find out how much space that amount of wood would take up. It would be a good test of your mathematics!"

"I'll try. It might take a few hours," Len replied.

He thought about how to do it and quickly ruled out the idea of listing the timber sizes along the top, there so many that there just wasn't enough room to do it that way, so the bungalow names headed the columns and wood dimensions ran down the side. He went from largest size of wood to smallest, from lengths of sixteen feet to eight feet each broken into widths from two-by-sixteens down to two-by-fours. Underneath he did the same with different thicknesses of plywood. It was easy but time-consuming to copy the number of each size from the order lists for each bungalow into the correct cell but the spreadsheet was finished by three o'clock. Visi Calk did the additions and Len was left with a column of numbers from which he had to calculate the volume. He decided to do it for each size, realising that there'd have to be space to move between each stack of wood. He made another spreadsheet with length, width and thickness heading three columns, those three figures to be multiplied together and appear in the fourth column and began entering each size of wood they ordered in a list under these headings. Tom appeared as he was adding one of the sizes and watched Len.

"Very good," he exclaimed. "I can see what you're doing. You just need how many pieces of each size for each bungalow then another multiplication. I like that."

"I've already done those numbers, Tom. Here's the print-out," and he handed Tom the spreadsheet.

"Wow, that's quick. I'm glad I bought the computer and hired you. It would never get done if I had to do it by hand. How long do you think it'll take to get the final figures?"

"Oh, before the end of the day."

"Great."

"But I can't just calculate the size of the building you need. You have to decide how much room to leave between each stack."

"Yes, I guess so. I'll do that with Jim when we have the figures. Good work, Len."

An hour later Len had the volume of each size of wood they'd need to construct each bungalow. He pushed his chair away from the desk and stood up, stretching.

"It's a lot quieter than it was when Bonnie was here, Len! And you've missed your coffee break. I didn't want to interrupt you. Do you want to get some now?"

"No, I'd like to give this to Tom. Is he in?"

"I think so. I'll just check." She got up and tapped on Tom's door then entered.

"No," she called to Len. "Maybe he's with Jim." She crossed Tom's office and walked through the open door to Jim's office.

"Oh, here you are. Len's got something to show you, Tom."

"Tell him to bring it here please, Cathy."

"Okay."

Len took the sheets of printout to Tom, discovering that he and Jim Denny had a connecting door between their offices. He held out the sheets to Tom who said, "Put them on the table so we can all see. Ah, yes. Look Jim. This shows what wood each bungalow needs. And this, I suppose, gives the volume of each size wood, right, Len?"

"Yes, it does. Of course, if you wanted to keep enough wood for three of each kind of bungalow you'd have to multiply the numbers by three. And you'd need space between each stack, as we discussed earlier."

Tom turned to Jim and said, "It's what we talked about last year. It'd save time when we get several orders at the same time. It'd be quicker if we stocked our own supply of wood."

"Yes, I agree. And once we're caught up would be a good time to build a storage building. How big would it have to be Len?"

"Well I don't know that yet. Do you want to store enough wood for three of each of these bungalows?"

"Yes."

"If you tell me how wide each aisle should be I can calculate what space you'd need for each bungalow in ten minutes," said Len.

"What do you thin, Jim? Five feet?

"No, better make it ten."

"Okay. Can you do that Len?" asked Tom.

Len nodded and walked back to the door.

"Don't you want these papers Len?" called Tom.

"No, it's all on the computer. I'll print a new set once I'm done."

When Len gave Tom the new sheets Tom said, "Jim and I have been discussing the need to stock all the other items we would need, the fibreglass insulation, shingles, counter tops, electrical fixtures. The only way we could find out how much room that would need would be for someone, you, in fact, to find out. So that's what I'd like you to do next."

"Ned and Benny would help," added Jim. "They'll show you where we keep the items. Come and see me about nine tomorrow. I'll be ready for you then. You'll have to have a hard hat. Use one of the visitors tomorrow. Okay?"

"Yes, Mr. Denny."

"Oh, I guess you're all right, son. You can call me Jim now."

"Thanks, sir, Jim."

"He's not knighted yet," laughed Tom. "Just Jim is enough."

A loud buzzer sounded and Tom told Len that the workers would be leaving now.

"It's five o'clock all ready?" Len asked.

"It is. What time is your bus?"

"Five fifteen. There's one every half hour at this time during the week."

"Well, you'd better leave and catch that one. You were early this morning. You could catch the next bus each morning, if you like."

"But I'd be five minutes late that way."

"That's all right, you amply make up for it during the day. Well, see you tomorrow."

Len changed his clothes when he arrived back at his apartment, putting on the old pair of jeans and a working shirt before setting off to clean the apartments. It took him over an hour and he felt tired after he had finished. He didn't feel like cooking anything and microwaved a TV dinner for supper. Matt telephoned later to ask him how the day had been.

"Oh, I enjoyed, it, Matt. The boss, Tom Roberts, has bought a computer and I'm the only one who uses it. I used it today to help them find out what size of a storage building they should make to store wood."

"That sounds fun. Were you doing that all day?"

"That and the pay sheets. I'm going to find out how much room the other things used in building a bungalow take tomorrow. So that means I'll be moving around the factory. I look forward to that. It's a big place, Matt."

"How many work there?"

"Let me see," and Len added the numbers of workers, the supervisors, Tom, Jim and Cathy. "Twenty six plus me, right now. Two are on holiday, though."

"It'll take you a long time to remember all their names."

"I guess so. But it's a very interesting job."

"Let's hope it keeps that way. Oh, you remember I'm off on holiday on Friday? So we won't have our supper this week. I'll be back first of October. I'll call you then."

"I hope you and Walter have a good time. Where are you going?"

"To Paris. To the same hotel we went to the first time we had a holiday together."

"That'll be nice. Don't eat too much of that rich French food."

"I'll try not, but it's tempting. I hope the job continues to interest you, Len. See you in October."

"Bye, Matt. Enjoy yourself."

Len spent the rest of the week measuring and calculating the space each of the many things used in building the three featured bungalows. He gave the figures at the end of each day to Jim who was designing the building when he was not solving problems in the factory. The section where the wood for the bungalows would be stored was protected from the weather by movable steel sidings. The refrigerators, stoves, water heaters, plumbing and electrical items were stored in a large, locked enclosure under the same roof. The storage building was to be made large enough to hold extra, undesignated, lumber and metal siding.

On Thursday, after Len had handed the day's pages of measurements to Jim and was about to leave Tom asked him to come into his office.

"We've had another order today, Len. I told them that the bungalow couldn't be ready until December or even January and that it would be very hard to install if there was much snow but they were very keen to have it before Christmas. Their family is arriving for the holidays and they wanted to move out of their apartment and into the bungalow before they came. Eventually I accepted their order, promising to get it done, if the weather permits, on time. The hydro, water and septic system are already on their lot so it won't be as much work as normal. Nevertheless, we'll have to do a bit of shift work. So, what it means for you is that I'd like you to work on the floor until it's finished. Are you okay with that?"

"Oh, yes. I like working with my hands."

"But I like you working with your brain and using your mathematics and want you to come back to the office afterwards. And I want you to do the time cards on Monday mornings as well."

"All right."

"Good. I'll tell Jim and he'll assign you to one of the teams."

After leaving the factory each night Len had to work another hour or more cleaning the apartments but this was his last week to do this. He did it particularly well on Saturday morning, his last day, and Mr. Thompson gave him a fifty dollar bonus on top of his pay.

"Thanks, Len. You have been very helpful. You remember that the Jeffrey's are coming today? Will you come back to show them what to do?"

"Yes. Do you know what time they're coming?"

"Their furniture will be arriving around twelve he said, so I guess they'll be here a bit before then."

"I'll give them enough time to settle in and come at five. I'll leave a note to tell them that on the counter by the sink and my phone number in case that time's no good."

"Thanks, Len. His name is Alex Jeffrey, Alex and Margaret."

There was no phone call from either of them so Len met the Jeffrey's at five that afternoon. Their furniture had been arranged in the apartment and Margaret was busy unpacking cardboard boxes and filling drawers. A wooden box full of paint brushes, rollers and painting equipment was outside their door suggested that Alex earned most of his money as a painter. Len showed Alex the locker where he could store the box, for it was big enough to store it and the cleaning and maintenance things for the apartment. He showed him the trolley in the basement that was used to collect the recyclables, told him the days the garbage trucks came and had him practice using the extended holder that was used to replace the lobby light bulbs for he hadn't used one before. It didn't take Alex long to grasp the routine and Len was able to leave in half an hour. He was happy when he left the building for he no longer had to spend hours maintaining it any more. The day's work at the factory was enough. He didn't check Barb's apartment to see how she was, he'd do that tomorrow.

## Chapter Seventeen

Monday morning Len entered the office and sat at his desk waiting for Jim to bring the time cards. He turned on the computer and started the program and made sure that the paper was properly seated on the printer's pins. Jim came soon after he'd finished and gave Len the cards.

"Come and see me after that's done Len," he said as he left.

Jim assigned Len to work with Ned Lyle. Ned and Benny each supervised one of the two assembly aisles along which both sides of the bungalow were built. Len joined the crew which was just starting a new bungalow and constructing the stud walls. It was a mid-sized bungalow and the wall assembly for their half of the bungalow took a day to build. Len moved with the crew to the next stage and helped fasten the walls together then continued the series of tasks that went with constructing a house, working from the outside to the inside: adding the particle board and the plastic siding, the window frames and doors, wiring and plumbing, the roof and it's shingles, insulation, gyprock, painting, tiling, interior fittings and, after six weeks, the windows. There were specialists who did the electrical wiring and the plumbing. A second bungalow was started as soon as there was room and available workers and Len was moved back the line, to do things he could manage, going from one job to another.

He enjoyed it but after the fourth bungalow he began to think that this kind of work wasn't for him. It became boring although this changed somewhat when he met and worked with Paddy O'Donovan, the man who mysteriously became sick from time to time. Paddy liked talking and was friendly to everyone. He had a wide range of stories, most, thought Len, invented, that he used to tell to anyone who would listen. Paddy often sat by Len during the lunch hour and regaled him with stories of his, as he would say, 'wonderful youth.' Many of these stories he had already told to others so Len was quite frequently his only audience. Len looked forward to hearing the next story and was somewhat disappointed when Paddy left immediately after the morning shift one day. When he asked Paddy the next day why he wasn't there yesterday afternoon all he said was that he felt sick. By November, as Paddy's sick afternoons added up Len had a good idea of what he was doing on these days. Although he never talked about sports of any kind Len noticed that Paddy's sickness frequently coincided with some sporting event occurring in Toronto or another near-by city. Len never told anyone about his suspicions until one day, following a big hockey game in Toronto he risked asking Paddy how he enjoyed the game. He watched Paddy's face as he asked this and noticed a faint blush appear.

"How'd you know?" he quietly asked Len.

"I just guessed. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Ah, that's me boy. They'll fire me if they find out," he whispered back.

"But I know they're trying to find out if you really are sick so be careful. I wouldn't do it so often if I were you."

"Right, I knew they must wonder. I'll cut it back for a while. Pity, there's a great game next week in Syracuse."

One lunch break Tom sat with Len and asked how the work was going. Len told him he was glad to be working, but that the repetitive nature of the job lessened his interest. He didn't go as far as saying that it was boring but he thought Tom got the idea.

"I'd like you back in the office after Christmas, when we're caught up. There's a program called WordStar that I think will be very useful for us. You can type letters and documents, move paragraphs and, I think, check spelling with it."

"Isn't that something Cathy should use?"

"Yes, but you pick these things up so quickly I thought you could use it to begin with. Once you know it well enough I'd like you to teach Cathy."

"Oh. Well, it would be more interesting than constructing. I like building but I don't like constantly repeating the same task."

"No, I understand that."

Len thought about Tom's request. It would be interesting to learn the new program but, again, it wasn't quite what he wanted to do. He wanted to actually build, not on an assembly line but out in the open air, where the wind blew and the sun shone. Ideally, it would be nice to build a cottage beside a lake or river, just like Matt had done. As this passed through his mind he wondered why Robert's Homes didn't build cottages. It would be simple to turn one of the bungalows into a cottage. All it needed was for one wall to be mostly made of glass and the rooms rearranged. 'I bet that would sell,' he thought. A week later he sat next to Tom and Jim when they came in the coffee room together and suggested the idea.

"People buy cottage lots," he added, "then they hire a builder to construct the cottage. I bet many would like to be able to buy a prefabricated cottage and be able to use it the next week."

"We have sold bungalows that were by the water and were to be used as cottages, Len, but we've never designed ones expressly for that purpose."

"All you need to do, I think, is have a big glass wall, two adjacent patio doors might do for that, and rearrange the rooms."

"That's not a bad idea," said Tom. "What do you think Jim?"

"It could work. We'd have to design a few and see if anyone wanted one."

"We'd need a new brochure," said Tom.

"And a new name. Robert's Homes and Cottages. How about that."

Maybe. Thanks, Len. I wonder why we never thought of doing that."

A week later Len was asked to go to Jim's office. When he got there Jim and Tom were looking at several drawings.

"What do you think of these, Len. It was your idea and we thought you should see what we are likely to offer."

Len looked at the drawings. There were four cottages, with different window walls, room layouts and sizes. Like the bungalows, each would be built in two halves, with the joining line running along the peak. Len was impressed and said so.

"I think that these might sell just as well as the bungalows," he predicted. "All you need to do is put brochures in each of the real estate offices. That's perhaps all the advertising you'd need."

"We do that with our bungalows and would certainly do the same with these. So this is what you had in mind?"

"Yes, exactly. That is, if you think they would sell."

"Well," said Tom, "we're going to design a brochure and distribute them in February. And I'm going to increase your salary to three hundred dollars a week. Let me know if you come up with any more good ideas."

"Thank you very much, Tom," said Len, and left the office with a smile on his face.

The last Friday in November Len had just arrived to have supper with Matt when Matt told him Mr. Thompson had called him. "He's been asked if all of their apartments could be renovated. They said they were willing to pay the five percent rent increase he would be asking if this could be done. It seems that Barb was, more or less, responsible for this. Since she knew many of them she had been asking them to have coffee with her Saturday and Sunday mornings. When they were there they saw and liked her kitchen and wanted the same. They called a meeting early November and told all those who came about it and Barb let them see her kitchen that same evening. Just about everyone wanted the same thing. So two of them talked to Mr. Thompson and he agreed to get it done but only if everyone wanted it. He didn't want to have to go through the same thing several times in the future as people changed their minds. Well, it took a couple of weeks but, eventually, everyone signed the paper requesting it and agreeing to the rent increase and he's asked me to do it. How about that!"

"I wish I could help, but I'm sure he won't want it to be done just on the weekends."

"No. That wouldn't work. Look, why don't you quit your job and do this? You told me that working in the factory has become tedious. This job is repetitive, sure, but you're your own master. And you'd make more money. There's forty eight apartments to do. We'd share the profits and you'd get forty eight times two hundred dollars. That's nine thousand, six hundred dollars! And, if we did three a week, it'd only take sixteen weeks. That means, if we could get more work, you could earn about thirty thousand dollars a year. You earn what, two hundred and fifty a week now?"

"He increased it to three hundred a week now Matt."

"All right. You earn three hundred a week and for fifty two weeks you now earn fifteen thousand, six hundred a year. Bye working for yourself you'd earn twice as much! And, remember, I quoted on the low side to get this contract."

"But you only have one contract. What would I do after we had finished it?"

"Help me with another house renovation. There's two that might be mine come June, one's that I bought at auctions earlier this year. And there might be others that Jimmy finds. Think about it, Len. Why not take a chance? That's what I think you should do. You want to make money, this might be the way to do it."

"I don't know. It's scary, Matt."

"Yes, of course it is. But if you don't take a risk you might regret it forever."

"Yes, but . . ."

"Look, Len. You're young. You've got your whole life ahead of you. This is the time to make mistakes. You're not married, you don't have kids to look after, no mortgages and no debts. Risk it. Let's do it together."

"Ah. Let me think about it, Matt. I was so lucky to find this job. And I'm not sure I'd be able to find another after this one's done."

"Yes, I know that. But do you want to work for someone else all your life? Always be at their beck and call?"

"No, I don't. You're right, I guess. Okay, I'll do it. But I can't start right away. I'll have to give my notice."

"I guessed that and told Mr. Thompson we can't start until the new year. I also need time to get all the cabinets, fittings and items we'd need ordered and set the dates they will be needed."

## Chapter Eighteen

Len spent the weekend wondering how he would tell Tom that he was quitting. He knew Tom would be disappointed, maybe even angry. But he'd have to do it and he should do it now, although, probably, he only need give a week's notice. But it would be better to get it over with.

Monday morning, Len entered the office when he arrived and, instead of sitting at his desk and waiting for Jim to bring him the time cards he knocked on Tom's door.

"Just a minute," Tom said, "I'm on the phone."

Five minutes later Tom opened the door and said," Oh, it's you, Len. I thought it was Clare. Come in."

Len entered and stood when Tom sat down and said, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Tom, but I will have to quit."

"What?" said Tom. "Quit? Why? You're doing so well. Why do you want to leave?"

Len, having thought through this pending conversation so often, simply ended up telling him, "I want to work for myself. My uncle has found work we can do together. It's renovating apartments, the kitchens actually, something we've done before. I told you about it when you interviewed me. Well, there are forty eight apartments to do and he wants me to help him."

"I see. And what are you going to do after that's finished?"

"Hope that there's another job."

"I like you, Len, but you can't quit then come back when you've finished some job. If you work here it can't be just when you like to."

"No, sir, I understand that."

"Well, I can understand how you feel. That's what I wanted, to work for myself. I'm sure you'll make a go of it. When will you be leaving?"

"I thought I should give you plenty of notice, Tom. I'd like to stay on for the rest of the year. May I?"

"Of course. We need your help. Okay. it's good of you to let me know so soon."

"Thanks, Tom. I'm very grateful," said Len, before turning and leaving the office. He went to his desk and got the computer ready to do the time cards. Jim came in shortly afterwards, then Cathy. Len took the cards and was entering the times into Visi Calk when Jim came out of the office and tapped him on his shoulder.

"Tom tells me that you're quitting. I'm sorry to hear that. This is a good place to work, you know. You might regret it."

"Yes, I know that, but I have to do it."

"You're leaving, Len?" asked Cathy, who stood up and came over to him.

"Yes."

"Don't you like it here?"

"Yes, of course I do, but I eventually want to work for myself and an opportunity has just come up. I have to take it."

"Oh. We'll miss you. When are you going?" she asked.

"At the end of the year."

"Then I guess you'll have to teach me how to use the computer. I don't think Tom will want me to go back to the old way."

"Okay. I'll do that at lunch time."

"No," said Jim. "We'll arrange a time. Not just yet but before you leave," and he left the office. Len transferred the time card data to the computer, filed a copy of the spreadsheet and printed the sheets for Cathy and Tom, then he joined his crew on the line.

At Friday's supper, Matt told him that he'd signed the contract with Mr. Thompson and ordered all the supplies they would need.

"They're going to deliver the cabinets each week, three at a time. To the apartment building and unload them in the garage. You or I will have to be there to let them in. The smaller things, paint, fluorescent lights, tape, brushes, etc. I'll collect when we need it. I've already got enough of that for the first month."

"Do you have to pay for all of this now?"

"Monthly. That's normal, and Mr. Thompson will pay me at the end of each month so I can manage it without drawing on savings. And, not only that, with such a large order I get twenty percent discount! Before I only got ten. So we'll be making more money than we thought. We'll split what we earn, of course."

"Wow, that's great. Oh, on Monday I told Tom, my boss, that I would be leaving at the end of the year. He was a bit annoyed but understood why I was doing it. He did the same, years ago, he says. But he implied that I shouldn't expect to go back. He's not going to let me come and go as I'd like."

"Well, you must have expected that."

"Yes, I did."

The following Monday Tom told Len while he was entering the time sheets that it was time he learned how to use WordStar.

"Once you know how to use it I want you to teach it to Cathy and how to use Visi Calk. I've already told her that's what I want and she agrees. Starting next week, Jim has agreed for you to be in here each afternoon. I'll have the new program by then. Oh, and a new printer, one that Cathy can type letters on. It'll be ready for you next Monday."

"Okay. I look forward to it."

Monday, December 13th, Len began spending his afternoons in the office, learning how to use WordStar. It was an easy program to understand and he enjoyed using it to type letters and a speech Tom had written then printing them on the new machine. The speech was for the Christmas party, something Len learned they held each year. Everyone and their spouses were invited to a party at the Empress, one of Brockville's hotels. The hotel organised everything and Tom paid for the buffet, wine and beer. If anyone wanted liquor, Cathy told Len, they had to buy it from the bar that was set up in one of the corners. She also told him that dress was informal, that most men just wore good trousers, a shirt and a sweater. Only Tom and Jim wore jackets.

By Wednesday afternoon, Tom knew enough about Word Star to spend the afternoons teaching Cathy. He taught her how to use Visi Calk first. That way she could do the time sheets next week, while Len was around to help her. She found it easier than she had expected and had no trouble handling the cards the following Monday. Len taught her how to use WordStar the same afternoon and she could type letters and documents faster than Len by Wednesday afternoon.

The factory closed for Christmas at noon the next day and the office party started at seven o'clock. Since they wouldn't reopen until Monday, January third, this was Len's last day.

He hung up his hard hat with the others. He had his own now, it was given to him in October, and "Len" was written on the front. But Jim, who was watching employees check out, told him to keep it.

"You'll need one in your next job," he said. "And you've earned it. Are you going to the party tonight?"

"Oh, yes, I'm looking forward to it."

"Right. See you there."

He had lunch, cleaned and tidied the apartment then showered and put on his best trousers, a shirt and a sweater. It had snowed last night and he wondered if he should wear his boots and carry his shoes in a bag but decided against it. The pavements would be cleared in town and he'd rinse his shoes when he got home. He read for a while and caught the six forty five bus to Brockville, getting off at the stop nearest to the Empress. A sign in the lobby told him the party was being held on the second floor in the room called 'King.' There were clothes racks with hangers near the door and about half of them had been taken. Len hung up his coat then entered the room. Tom, his wife and a young woman stood just inside the door to greet people.

"Hello Len," he said. "I'm glad you could come. Darling, this is Len Andrews. Len, this is our daughter, Tina."

"Hello Mrs. Roberts, Tina."

"This is Len's last day, he only joined us in September but he was very helpful and I'm sorry he's leaving."

"Why are you leaving, Len?" asked Mrs. Roberts.

"I want to work for myself and there's a job just come up that I can do."

"Well, I wish you luck. It isn't easy, working for yourself."

"I know. I don't know how it will work out but I must try."

"Good for you."

"Len," said Tom. "You're about Tina's age. Would you be her escort tonight?"

"Dad!" Tina exclaimed. "I don't need an escort. Just about everybody knows me. But I'll be your escort," she said to Len, "if you need one."

Len looked at Tina. She was pretty, not as pretty as Betty, and had a smile on her face.

"Well, I'd like you to be my escort. Can you buy me an orange juice?" he asked with a smile.

"They're free. Let's get one together," and she led the way to the bar and asked for them. While waiting Len asked her what she was doing.

"Taking History at Queen's. I started in September."

"What's Queen's like?" he asked, wishing he was there.

"It's okay. Didn't like Frosh week and I'm glad I'll never have to do that again. The courses are challenging and one of my lecturer's knows less than I do but the others are all right."

"Do you live in residence?"

"Yes. I share a room with a girl from New Brunswick. Thanks," she said to the man behind the bar as he handed over the juices.

"I'd rather have a beer," said Len, "but not tonight.

"Why?"

"Because you're my escort and I want to behave."

"Don't be silly. Drink these and I'll have a wine while you have a beer."

They drank up then ordered again. Once served they looked for empty seats and saw several on the other side of the room so they made their way to them, smiling or saying 'hello' to people they passed. Choosing seats beside a small table they sat down and Tina said, "tell me about the work you've starting.

Len described what he and Matt would do and that it would keep them busy for about three or four months.

"And, after that?"

"I don't know. I hope something turns up. Matt says he should own a couple of run-down houses by then, ones we would renovate."

"I see."

"And you? What are you going to do after you graduate?"

"Teach, I suppose, although I'd rather continue, get a masters and a Ph. D. and do research."

"Research what?"

"Emigrants' occupations in Ontario. Perhaps in the eighteen hundreds, maybe earlier. But I don't know how well that's been covered. Maybe something like that in another province if Ontario's been done."

"Why does that interest you?"

"Oh, I'm not sure. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the early days in her life and what it was like for her mother and her grandmother. Fascinating."

"I've sometimes thought that I'd like to live as simply as they did. Looking after myself in the wilderness."

"I wouldn't want to do it by myself. It would be too hard. But joining a group doing that might be fun."

They continued talking along these lines for another ten minutes then Tina got up and said she should say hello to others.

"I've been to seven or more of these Christmas parties and know most of the men who've been in the company for a few years."

"I should do the same, at least, join them and say goodbye too."

They returned their glasses to the bar and separated.

Paddy was telling a group of women one of his tales. Len stopped at the edge, listened for a minute then waved to him and walked towards Jim. He was standing with two ladies and talking to Ned Lyle. Jim saw him approaching and called him over.

"Len, this is my wife, Josephine and Ned's wife, Dorothy. This is the young man who has started us using a computer."

"Hello. But it wasn't me, it was Tom. He wanted it done. I just learned how to use the programs."

"And Cathy does it now," added Jim. "Tom said he'd have to learn how to use it next. I hope he doesn't want me to sit at a desk in front of a screen after that."

"Now, Jim," his wife said, "he won't do that. He needs you on the floor. You know that."

"So do I," echoed Ned. "I hear you've left, Len. Why?"

Len gave a quick summary of what he was going to do and why he was doing it, thinking it would be unfortunate if he had to repeat the story each time he talked to somebody. Luckily, it didn't turn out that way. Either most people didn't know he was leaving or they weren't interested in why he was going. He talked to Benny and Paddy and about five of the men after leaving Jim and Ned. Mostly the men talked together and the wives made groups talking to each other. Just a few couples stayed together.

There was plenty of food, spread out on a long table at the end of the room. Most people ate then had a drink then ate again as the evening passed, the buffet was topped up frequently and the noise grew louder and louder. Len sat with Tina while they ate but they separated afterwards. Towards ten Len was feeling tired. Several people had left and he wondered if he could also. He was making up his mind to do that and was looking for Tom to say goodbye when Paddy joined him. He held out a pint of beer.

"Here's a Christmas gift," he said, as he wobbled a little closer. "Drink it up before I spill it," he added with a laugh.

"No, thanks, Paddy. I've drunk enough and I'm just about to leave. Give it to someone else."

"Okay, if you say so," and he started drinking the pint he'd offered to Len.

"Had a good time then, Paddy?"

"Sure, me boy. Always do at these parties. It's good of Tom to give them."

"Anyone said anything about you being sick?" asked Len, in a quiet voice.

"Aye, Ned did, about a month ago, so I've cut back. I don't want to lose my job and he said that'd happen if I didn't smarten up. Thanks for warning me, Len."

Len saw Tom at that moment and he said goodbye to Paddy and wished him good luck.

"Have a good Christmas, Len," Paddy said. "See you in the New Year."

"No, you won't, Paddy," and Len quickly explained what he was going to do.

"Well, then I wish you all the best, me lad. Hope you make it," and they shook hands.

Len made his way to Tom and said he would be leaving.

"Thank you for taking me on. I'm very grateful."

"I'm sorry you're leaving, Len, but I'm sure you're doing the right thing and I hope you are successful."

"Do you know where your wife and Tina are? I would like to say goodbye to them."

"They left just ten minutes ago. Tina had a party to go to and Wanda took her there. She won't be back for half an hour, I expect. I'll tell them that you said goodbye."

"Thanks, sir. I hope next year's a good one for you."

"It'll likely be so. You know, we've already had inquiries about building cottages. A great idea. I should give you a bonus for that. Damn it. I think I will. I'll send you a cheque, Len. All the best to you."

They shook hands and Len left the party, taking his coat off the rack, walking down the stairs and out the door to make his way through the some freshly fallen snow to the bus stop. 'That was nice of him,' he thought. 'I wonder what the bonus will be.' He didn't find out until the following Tuesday, for Christmas lay in between. It was a cheque for a thousand dollars.

## Chapter Nineteen

Len spent most of Christmas day with his uncle. Matt had bought a goose and was basting it when Len arrived about eleven o'clock. He couldn't disguise the present he had bought for Matt so he gave it to him the moment he entered the kitchen.

"Happy Christmas, Matt. I hope you like this," he said, as he gave the rod to him. It was carefully gift-wrapped but was, clearly, a fishing rod. Matt put the baster down, closed the oven door then accepted the present. Not saying a thing, he unwrapped it and held the rod with care, admiring its construction and light weight.

"Thanks, Len. It's a beauty. Something I've always wanted but never got round to buying. It's a pity it's winter and I can't use it for months. I love the feel. It should cast a plug exactly where I want it to go."

"You'll be catching all the fish then. Perhaps I shouldn't have bought it for you."

"Your present is in the living room. Can I give it to you when I've finished getting the meal ready?"

"Sure. How can I help?"

"It's all done, just needs cooking. The goose should be ready about one so we'll eat then. Want an egg nog?"

"Yes, please."

"The container's in the fridge. Pour me one, too."

Matt removed his apron and they took the drinks to the lounge. He lit the fire before handing his gift to Len then he sat down and watched as Len opened the package. There were two books inside, Parts One and Two of Renovating Houses, a newly-released manual on how to successfully renovate old houses.

"Thank you, Matt! It's a perfect gift.

Len scanned through the index then the chapters in Part One then said, "I like the way it starts by listing then describing the many things to check when looking at a house you are thinking of buying. That'll be very helpful."

"I looked through it and there's a lot that I still don't know so you'll be teaching me before long!"

"Thanks very much, Matt. It's just what I need, especially if I am sometime going to start on my own."

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'll have two houses this June. But I told you that. If you like you could buy into the deal."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, let's say that a house came up that I was able to get for fifty thousand dollars. Now, if you had, say two thousand dollars and I let you join me, then you'd own four percent of the venture and you'd get four percent of the profit we make when it sells. So, if it sells for, say, sixty five thousand dollars and the renovations cost five thousand then there's ten thousand dollars profit. So you'd make four hundred dollars."

"But I'd earn more than that if I worked for you."

"Yes, of course. But if you invest you would get the four hundred without doing any work. See?"

"Yes. But I'd rather work and be paid."

"You can do both."

"Oh, yes, of course."

"Do you? Look at it another way. Let's say that your two thousand dollars was put in when the house was bought. We get the house a year later and the renovation takes, say, two months. Thus you've made four hundred dollars for investing two thousand dollars for fourteen months. That's just under twenty percent profit."

"A bit over seventeen percent the banks give, said Len.

"That's right."

"Yes, but we might not get the house then the money has sat all that time without earning interest."

"Right. And we might not sell the house for that much profit. There's a risk in investing. But it's been worth it for me and I think it would be for you too. Think about it."

"It would have to be for future houses, wouldn't it? I couldn't invest in the two you have right now?"

"You could, if I let you, but I won't. To learn about these things you should do it from the beginning. Save your money and we'll do it on the next house. I'll introduce you to Jimmy Baker and we'll see if he knows of any other houses, not that we'll need one for the next three or so months. We'll be busy enough then. Right. Want another egg nog?"

"Yes, please."

They ate the goose, trimmings and vegetables, most of which came from Matt's garden that he had frozen, in the dining area of the lounge with four candles on the table. The room darkened as dusk fell and the candles lit the table making it look very attractive. Christmas pudding, soaked in brandy, with a creamy white sauce followed. They left the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink and Len accepted a scotch afterwards and they sat in front of the fire with some music from the radio softly filling the background.

"I 'd like you to come to the family's Christmas lunch, Matt," said Len, after adding a little water and taking a sip. "It's on Tuesday. It's just Barb, Dan and Sarah. And, I guess, baby Rob will be there too. We just eat lunch at a restaurant. It's about the only time we get together as a family now. We used to have Christmas with mom and dad but it's just us, now."

"That's nice and I'd like to do that but I can't Len. Walter's coming Monday evening and staying until Thursday."

"He could come too."

"No, I don't think so. Not this year. Maybe next year. It would be more of a strain than a happy lunch for him. He doesn't know anybody. You'll have to meet him, though. Come for supper or lunch sometime in the week. I'll talk to him and we'll set a date. Okay?"

"Yes. I'd like that."

"Oh, I've arranged with the supplier and Mr. Thompson for the first two weeks supplies to be delivered Thursday morning. At eight. I was going to meet them but could you do that? I have a garage opener but Alex will let them in. I'd just like you to be there to check that they deliver everything. A copy of the order list is in the envelope by the kitchen door. Take it now and the garage opener, in case Alex is busy elsewhere. They'll put it all in the same parking space we used before."

"Which apartments do we do first?"

"The tenants made a list. Some want it done while they are away, others want to be present while we do the work. To get the contract I had to say that we'd do three a week, unless there was a problem. It's going to be hard, doing that number each week. I know you can manage it and I hope that I can. I've not got your energy. I'll bring the list when we start."

"Are you very worried about taking on so much Matt?"

"No, not really. But I'll be glad when it's over."

"Has Mr. Thompson paid anything yet?"

"Yes, he's given me ten thousand dollars towards the cost of the new cabinets, tiles, sinks and lamps. And he'll pay us for what we've finished at the end of every month. It's in the contract. That's in my desk. Do you want to look at it?"

"No, not now. My head's a bit woolly. I've had too much to drink."

"Okay, no more booze. Have a nap, if you like. I might," and they sat there, watching the flames flicker as the day grew darker, occasionally talking in between a few nods.

Matt put Len's bike in the back of the Toyota and drove him home about five o'clock. His apartment felt cold and Len turned up the heat then made a mug of hot chocolate. 'It was a nice Christmas after all,' he thought. 'Having it with Matt made all the difference.' Now he had a week with nothing to do except read. Then he remembered Matt's present and began to look forward to reading the books. Perhaps he should make notes like he did at school when he made notes of the important things, things that he had to remember to pass the exams, only this time it was stuff he should remember to become a success. Yes, that's what he'd do, but not this evening. His brain wasn't clear enough.

The family Christmas lunch was held at the Dragon, a Chinese restaurant. There were two things about a buffet; the best was that Len could choose what he wanted, the worst was that he was tempted to eat too much. He was careful this time for he remembered the last time he had eaten here and felt stuffed for the next two days. Hot and sour soup, two bowls, made a good start, for he could then easily take just small amounts of stir fried beef and broccoli, steamed kale and Singapore noodles, finishing with an almond cookie. He gave his fortune cookie to Barb who learned, twice, that she would become rich. She took this as an omen and ordered another cocktail. At the end, Dan said he'd pay for everything because he had a good bonus this year. Roy was well behaved but mainly because he slept nearly all the time. Hugs and kisses and they were finished two hours later. Len walked Barb back to her apartment, telling her she might see him and Matt a lot for the next three months because they were renovating the kitchens in the building but she already knew that since she had been showing people what they had already done to hers and she had attended the meetings.

Once back at his apartment Len collected the snow shovel from the back of the car port and cleared the path to the front door. Sam, one of the upstairs tenants, cleared the driveway because it was his car that parked there. There wasn't much snow to move and afterwards he resumed making notes from the first of Matt's books. Doing so made him all the more keen to find and start working on his own renovation. He wondered if he could do it alone, without Matt's help, if something happened to Matt or if he was too busy. He didn't think so, as he remembered how it needed two people to do one of the simplest things, raising and holding the upper cabinet in the kitchen. It made him realise that he would have to have a partner, or an employee. He knew how to find one, he'd go to the Employment and Immigration office in Brockville. That, or find a school friend who was looking for work. But, that was for the future, not right now.

Matt phoned Tuesday evening and suggested they go for supper on Wednesday evening.

"We'll drive to your place and walk to the restaurant. It's not much fun for you to cycle here in the winter. About seven, is that okay?"

"Yes. Where are we going?"

"To the Thai place. Walter likes that as much as we do."

"Oh, that's good."

Walter was a small man, going bald and a little over-weight. But he smiled and joked a lot and was very friendly. Len could see why he would be a popular doctor. He and Matt sat close together in the booth over supper and Walter told Len that he was going to retire in the summer.

"Walter's going to live with me at the cottage," Matt added. "We're not going to hide our relationship any more. We so much look forward to it."

"It's a pity we can't get married," said Walter.

"Maybe someday," Matt said, and they smiled at each other.

"Will you help Matt and I when we do house renovations, Walter?" asked Len.

"No, I don't think so. I'll applaud or make suggestions. I'm not used to making or fixing things."

"I might not do it any more, Len, not after the two I've bid on, not now that Walter will be living with me. We won't have to worry about money when we're living together."

"Oh," said Len.

"Don't worry, I'll always be around if you have questions, I'll be your mentor."

"Well I certainly want to keep doing it. Those books, Matt, they're so helpful. They make it sound so easy. I've been taking notes."

"Okay, here's the deal," said Matt. "After we've finished the Thompson job I'll take you to one of the auction sales and we'll also ask Jimmy Baker to find places for you."

"Thanks, Matt. And I'll have to find someone to help me, an employee."

"Yes, you will, for safety reasons as much as help in lifting heavy objects. You don't want to fall down or get injured if there's no one around to help."

"I never thought of that, but you're right. Say, could I meet Mr. Baker this week? Before we're busy? It'd be nice if there's something waiting for me after we've finished the two houses you get."

"Which I might get, Len. The owners might find the money to repossess them before the year's up."

"Yes, I know."

"I'll call Jimmy tomorrow."

They walked back to Len's apartment where Matt reminded Len to be at the Thompson building at eight and said he'd call when he knew about meeting Jimmy. Len shook Walter's hand who then gave him a hug and said he looked forward to meeting the rest of his family.

"Perhaps we can have a family picnic at the cottage this summer when they could meet Walter," said Matt.

"I'd like that. I bet they all would," said Len. "Well, happy New Year, Walter. Matt said you're leaving tomorrow."

"Yes, that's right," said Walter. "Goodbye, Len," and they climbed into Walter's BMW and drove off.

Len arrived at the apartments at seven forty five the next day and used the garage opener Matt had got from Alex to open the door. He checked the parking space they'd been allocated to make sure nothing was being stored there then waited just inside the garage for the delivery truck to arrive. It came just after eight right after Alex turned up. He shook hands with Len then helped the men carry the cabinets and other materials to the parking space. Len used the order list to check that everything was there then signed the delivery sheet and the men drove off.

"Come and have a coffee with us, Len," said Alex.

"Thanks, I'd like that."

Margaret had made Len's old apartment much more attractive than it was when Len lived there with his dad. Three pots of flowers, pictures of family members, cushions that were colour-coordinated with the furniture, matching rugs and the smell of bread being baked welcomed them.

"The bread smells delicious!"

"You can have some if you like. It's for us and for Mr. Thompson. You know I cook supper for him?"

"Yes."

"Well, he likes the bread I sometimes include and he asks me to make loaves for his breakfast too. Sit down, Len. I'll bring the coffee."

They talked about the renovations Len and Matt were about to do. Alex had a list, the same one that Matt had, thought Len, and Alex knew that they'd be starting with apartment number twenty two, the Mickens.

"They're here and looking forward to it."

"They know that the kitchen will have to be empty?" asked Len.

"Oh, yes. They all know that. They were told that they would have to eat out or order in for the two days you'll be working."

"And keep out of our way, I hope," said Len. "We'll have to work hard to get it done in the time."

"Yes, I'm sure they know that."

"Here, Len, try these buns. Alex always has them with his morning coffee."

"Current buns! You're a lucky man," Len said.

"They're delicious," said Alex.

They were, too, but Len resisted taking the second one. He guessed that he'd put on weight this Christmas but wasn't too worried, he was sure it would come off in the next three months.

Matt phoned Thursday evening asking how the delivery had gone and saying that Walter had left.

"No problem, Matt. It was all there. Did you call Mr. Baker?"

"I tried to but I guess he's on holiday. I'll try tomorrow and let you know if he replies."

"Thanks. See you Monday if not before."

"Right. Cheers, Len."

Matt didn't call, either about Jimmy or about having supper together Friday evening and the next three days passed slowly. Len walked, shopped, read and took notes. He walked past Betty's house twice, hoping to see her and wondered how she was doing. He hoped Matt would call and invite him to spend the New Year's evening together but he didn't. He spent the evening alone. Eventually Monday, January the third, arrived and the hard work began.

## Chapter Twenty

The Mickens were all ready for them when Len knocked on the door at eight o'clock, telling him that their kitchen was empty. Boxes that must have held everything from plates to saucepans, whose handles stuck out of top of a large box, took up a quarter of their living room. A kettle and four mugs lay beside the television and a container of milk stood pressed against the window, presumably to keep cold. Mr. Micken asked if he could help but Matt said, "no, thank you."

Matt and Len had talked about the sequence they should follow in order to do the work as quickly as possible. The first thing was to replace the cupboards and counter, of course. That was done in less than an hour with the sink installed in the last fifteen minutes. Then Len hung the plastic sheet across the door to stop dust from escaping and they sanded the wall where the tiles would go. Len wiped the walls and sucked up the dust afterwards while Matt fetched the tiles and adhesive. They were given mugs of tea about ten thirty but didn't stop working. The adhesive was pasted on and the tiles mounted by the time they stopped for lunch at two, all but the end tiles which had to be cut,. Having found out that the kitchens for both the one and two bed apartments were the same size they decided to cut the end tiles on Sundays in future instead of each day. They ate their sandwiches in the kitchen although Mrs. Micken invited them to sit with them in the lounge. Matt excused themselves, saying, "we're not clean enough to do that, but thanks."

Len helped Matt cut the tiles after lunch, doing it just outside the garage door. It was cold work but it wasn't snowing. Matt then fastened the cut tiles in place and Len painted up to their edge. The first day's work was finished just after four. Mr. and Mrs. Micken asked to see what they had done as they were leaving and were very happy with what they saw.

"Can I move the things into the cupboards now?" she asked.

"No, please don't. The paint is still wet and the tiles could be moved. Remember the arrangement, we put on the second coat of paint tomorrow morning and grout the tiles. Then we leave it to dry and come back the first thing on Wednesday and seal the grout and install the under-counter lights. It'll be finished before ten, then you can move everything back."

"Yes, I remember. Okay."

Matt took the old cabinets and the counter home. Once past the entrance he pulled them off the truck and dragged them to the back of the disposal space behind the hedge at the entrance to his lot. He'd break them up so they'd take less space on Sunday.

Tuesday Len gave the walls a second coat of paint while Matt cleaned then grouted the tiles. That took just over an hour. They removed the plastic sheet that hung across the doorway but asked the Mickens not to go in because the paint was still wet.

"We'll be back at eight tomorrow to finish and it'll be done before coffee time," Matt told them. They then went to the fourth floor and asked the Prices if they could start work.

They repeated the routine, cupboards and counter then tiles and first coat of paint, finishing close to six o'clock. Wednesday morning they first sealed the Mickens' tiles then added the fluorescent lights then went to the Prices and continued.

Everything went as planned except that the tiles at the Underwood's could not be sealed until the grout had dried. Len told Matt he'd do that and install the lights on Sunday morning.

"Good. Thanks. I'll have to break up the cupboards to make room for the rest. I just hope there'll be enough to take them all. And there's the tiles to cut for the next week."

"We could order a skip if you don't have enough room."

"I don't want to do that yet. The scrap will get covered with snow and it will freeze and it'll be hard to move as we add more."

"What about cutting the tiles?"

"That shouldn't be a problem if it's not snowing. I could do it in the tool shed if it does snow but the place will be covered in dust. No. I'll rig a tarpaulin outside to work under if it's snowing."

"I can't help?" asked Len.

"No. It shouldn't take long. I'll see you Monday then."

"Okay."

Each week was much the same. The supplies for two weeks arrived alternate Saturday mornings and one of them was always there to sign for delivery. Mr. Thompson checked each of the kitchens they had done on Sundays and paid Matt at the end of the month for the next month's supplies and for the completed work. Matt paid Len each week, giving him six hundred dollars each time.

Len was nineteen on Thursday, February tenth, three days after Rob's birthday when he gave him a soft-cloth monkey. Matt gave Len a multi-trayed tool box and a set of metric and imperial wrenches and also took him to dinner at the pub, for he was now old enough to drink. They were so tired every evening that they didn't stay long, each ready to go to bed.

Matt, when setting up the schedule with Mr. Thompson and the tenants' representatives, had told them that they needed a break and that they'd take February fourteenth and fifteenth off, a Monday and Tuesday. He drove to Sudbury on the Sunday afternoon and stayed at Walter's place, returning on Tuesday evening. Len simply stayed in bed each morning, shopped for a freezer-load of TV dinners, washed his clothes and cleaned his apartment. By the end of February they had renovated twenty three kitchens.

March continued, kitchen after kitchen. Matt and Len became automats, hardly speaking to each other for it was no longer necessary, each knowing what to do next. The only variation was meeting different tenants, the cookies or cakes they were given and the thanks they received when the work was done. They had completed thirty seven units by the end of March. Easter weekend followed and they didn't work Friday except for the tile sealing that Len did, going carefully around the fluorescent lamps that Matt had installed before they left on Thursday. Matt drove to Sudbury to stay with Walter and Len collapsed. His bank account was growing; by now he had earned over seven thousand dollars and he had over ten and a half thousand sitting in his savings account.

When Matt returned he phoned the equipment suppliers, telling them to deliver only four sets on the ninth. He did that because there were two unused sets sitting in their parking bay, remaining from the time they had a holiday and from the Easter weekend. On Saturday, April sixteenth, they could feel that the end was near; only seven more kitchens to do.

Monday Len stood at the garage door, waiting for Matt to arrive so that they could move the cabinets to the next kitchen. As usual, Len was five minutes early but Matt didn't show up. He waited until eight thirty, wondering what had happened. The untreated roads were slippery from the icy rain that fell over the weekend and he wondered if Matt had slipped off the road somewhere. Alex showed up, saying the Lennard's had called him asking when the renovators would arrive and asking why they were late. Len didn't know what to do. Another quarter of an hour passed then he found Alex and asked if he could drive him to Matt's place to see if he was in a ditch somewhere. Len was sure that Matt would have driven the most direct road to the apartment building and they followed the same route. The streets in Townsville had been sanded and salted so nothing would have happened there, it was only River Road, the road that passed by Matt's cottage, that something could have happened. They saw nothing as they drove along it and when they got to the entrance to Matt's place Len asked Alex to stop so he could walk to the cottage. He knew Matt must be there because he could now see his Toyota parked by the side of the building. It wasn't until he walked around the hedge that he saw Matt. He was lying on the ground in front of a large jumble of broken kitchen cabinets, his clothes and boots covered with a thin layer of ice. It was obvious that he must have been lying there some time. The axe that he used to break down the cabinets lay on the ground beside him.

## Chapter Twenty One

Len stopped in shock, not wanting to believe his eyes. He walked to Matt and knelt down to look more closely. Ice covered his clothes, hands and face. Len gently touched his cheek. It was frozen under the icy covering. He leaned over and put his ear close to Matt's mouth which was open, hoping to feel some slight breath but there was none. He lent back, devastated, and started crying. He stayed there for a minute or two then slowly stood up. He must tell Alex that Matt was dead and call the police. What had happened to Matt he could not guess. It didn't look as if he had been attacked, it just looked as if he had fallen down. Perhaps he slipped on the ice and hit his head on the blade of the axe but it didn't look as if that could have happened, the axe was a foot away from his head and he couldn't see any blood. He wiped his eyes and tried to stop crying but couldn't. He stumbled around the end of the hedge to Alex's van and told him what he'd seen. Alex got out and walked with Len to look at Matt's body. He also bent down to touch his cheek then stood up and shook his head.

"He's dead, Len, and must have been so for several hours. You must call an ambulance and the police. Go and call from the cottage. Do you have a key?"

"Yes, I do, but I'm sure it's open since Matt is still here," and he started crying again.

"Go and call them now. You'll have to wait here until they come. I'll go back to the apartments and tell the Lennard's that their kitchen can't be done for a while."

"Tell the others too. I don't know when they'll get done. Tell Mr. Thompson too. I'll call you and him when I know what I'm going to do."

Alex drove off and Len walked to the cottage. The kitchen door was unlocked and the place was warm. He found the telephone and called 911, saying he needed the police because his uncle was dead.

"No, it's not a natural death. He's lying by the gate and covered with ice."

He didn't ask them to call an ambulance for, surely, the police would want to inspect the scene before the body was removed.

He stood by the window watching the road until he saw two police cars approaching then walked out to meet them before they turned into the lot. He stood on the road and held up his hand. Three policemen and a policewoman got out of the cars and Len took them around the hedge and showed them Matt. One of them bent down and put two fingers on Matt's neck and held them there for a while. He shook his head then stood up.

"He's dead. Call the office and get them to send the doctor out, Sid. What's your name, please?" he said, looking at Len.

"Len Andrews."

"You live here?"

"No. I live in Townsville."

"Did you stay here last night?"

"No," and Len explained that his uncle didn't show up for work and the building superintendent had driven him here to find out what had happened.

"When did you arrive?"

"Just before calling you."

"And his name is?" pointing to Matt.

"Mathew Smith."

"Right. Well, go back to the cottage and wait there. I'll let you know what's happening after the doctor arrives. You go with him, Polly."

The policewoman asked Len if she could make him a tea or coffee whilst they waited but he shook his head. They sat in the kitchen looking out of the window at the road.

"Were you close to your uncle, Len?" she asked.

"Yes. I had supper with him on Fridays almost every week before we started working together."

"Did you call your mum and dad?"

"They're dead," Len said and started crying again. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

"Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

"Yes. I better call them," he said. "And Walter. I have to call him. Oh, god. I better do that now."

"Why not wait until we hear what the doctor says. Everyone will want to know what has happened. Look, he's just arrived and an ambulance."

"Can we go down there and hear what he says?" Len asked.

"I suppose so. I don't think the sergeant will mind."

The doctor was standing next to Matt when they arrived, speaking to the sergeant.

"Heart attack or stroke, I'd guess. I'll know better after the autopsy."

"Was it quick?" asked Len.

"You're his nephew?"

"Yes."

"Well, I don't know. He might have blanked out or he may have laid there for a while. He wouldn't have felt much, I'm sure." He faced the sergeant again. "Send the body to the morgue when you're finished," and he walked back to his car.

The sergeant nodded to the two men from the ambulance. "Okay. You can take him now."

Then he asked Len if he wanted a life back to town.

Len didn't know what to say. What could he do back in his apartment? And he couldn't continue working on the kitchens. He couldn't see himself doing that for several days. And he had to call Walter. To do that he'd have to stay here because he didn't have Walter's phone number. Hopefully Matt would have it somewhere in the cottage.

"I'm staying here. There's things I have to do before going home. Thanks."

"You'll be alright by yourself?" asked the policewoman.

"Yes, I think so."

The men had used a stretcher to move Matt's body to the ambulance by this time and it reversed and drove towards Townsville.

"Will there be an inquest?" Len asked the police sergeant.

"No, not if it was a heart attack."

"When should I arrange the funeral?"

"Someone will let you know when the body can be removed. Probably tomorrow. What's your phone number?"

Len gave him his number, adding that if he wasn't there it would record a message.

The sergeant gave Len his card, telling him to call if he needed more information then they left.

Back in the cottage Len sat on one of the kitchen chairs and cried again. He stayed there for twenty minutes then stood up. He had to call Walter, Barb and Dan.

Matt had a comfortable room, his "study," he called it, with a desk facing the river flanked by two-drawer filing cabinets. Len was sure Walter's phone number would be in one of them. Before going in he removed his shoes and used a damp mop to clean up the mud that he and the policewoman had left on the kitchen floor. He sat at the desk and opened the drawers. They were filled with paper, envelopes, pens, a stapler, keys, rubber bands, stamps, candies, and several business cards, none of which had Walter's name on it. The worst thing was, he didn't know Walter's surname, only that he was a doctor in one of Sudbury's hospitals.

There was a box filled with letters in the lower drawer. Len wasn't going to read any of them but hoped that there might be an address on one of them but a quick skim through them showed that there wasn't. He gave up and picked up the phone and called the operator.

"Please connect me to the largest hospital in Sudbury."

A minute later she said, "That'd be the Sudbury Regional Hospital. Please hold."

A receptionist picked up the phone and Len told her quickly what had happened.

"All I know is that he's a doctor and his first name is Walter. Oh, he's not married and he works weekend."

"That'd be Dr. Bitsey then," she replied. "I'll page him."

Three minutes later he was on the line.

"Walter, this is Len, Len Andrews. Matt's my uncle and we had supper together."

"Yes, I remember. Has something happened to Matt?"

"Yes. I can't say this any other way than to tell you that he is dead," and Len started crying again.

"Dead? He's dead? No, he can't be."

"Yes, he is," Len managed to say. "The doctor thinks he died from a stroke or a heart attack."

"Oh, god. When?"

"Sometime yesterday. I only found out today." Len quickly described what he'd seen. "They've taken him to the mortuary in Townsville."

"I must be there. Give me your phone number and I'll call as soon as I've arranged it."

"I'm at Matt's cottage now and I'll stay here for, say half an hour, then I'll go to my place. Here's my number. Oh, what number do I use if I have to call you again?"

"The hospital or my home," and Len copied both numbers down.

"I don't have room for you to stay with me, Walter. You could stay at Matt's place or in Townsville."

"I don't want to stay at the cottage. I can't do that, I'll be crying all the time. I'll stay in town."

"I don't know when they'll release the body."

"It'll be soon if it is a heart attack. I'll drive down today and call you when I get there. My god, this is terrible."

Len waited a while, getting over his call to Walter. It must be very hard for him, worse, probably, than it was for him. Then he called Barb. There was no answer and he couldn't leave a message for she didn't have an answering machine. He'd call her in the evening. He called Dan's home and Sarah answered. He told her what had happened and asked her to tell Dan then he hung up. 'What should I do now?' he asked himself. The kitchens came immediately to mind. He'd have to finish doing the kitchens. But he couldn't do it by himself, it needed two men to fasten the upper cabinet and to get things done in a reasonable time. He'd have to go to Brockville and find someone at the unemployment centre. He'd have to do that this week and start work again next week. He should call Mr. Thompson and tell him that, and call Alex, who could let the remaining tenants know what was happening. He'd call Alex first and picked up the phone. He didn't have to search for his number because it had been his for so many years.

"So, Alex, I can't go back to doing the kitchens until next week. Maybe later, because I have to find someone to help me."

"Help you do what?" asked Alex

"Lift the cupboards mostly but also do the painting. I can do the rest."

"Well, what about me?" he asked. "That's what I do, painting. You hire me. I don't have any work at the moment."

"I was going to pay seven dollars and hour, two hundred and eighty dollars for a forty hour week."

"Hey, I'm a professional. But, seeing as it is here, in my apartment block and I don't have to travel, make it eight dollars an hour and I'm yours."

"Okay. You're on. Then we'll start next Monday. Can you let everyone know?"

"Sure, and I'll see if Mr. Thompson is in and tell him."

"Thanks, Alex. Oh, the next lot of supplies is arriving on Saturday, at eight. Can you be there to let them in? I'm not sure what I can do this week except looking after Matt's affairs."

"Sure. I'll see to it. I'm sorry about this Len. Bye."

'What's next,' Len thought. 'Matt's funeral, I'll have to arrange that. I wonder if Walter knows if he wanted a burial or cremation? And Matt's will. I'll have to find that or find out who is his lawyer and tell him what's happened. And his income tax return. It's due at the end of the month. Does he do that himself or does he have an accountant? I'll have to stay here and look through everything to find out who to call. There's so much to do. Poor, poor Matt. What a horrible way to die. And he was all alone. And so young. Why, oh why, did he have to die like that,' and he began crying again.

## Chapter Twenty Two

Len found many of the answers to his questions quickly. Matt was very organized in his filing. The top drawer of the right-hand cabinet was full of files dealing with the houses he had renovated and the work he and Len were doing on the Thompson apartments. The first file held receipts and copies of orders for the supplies they had ordered for the kitchen renovations, all placed in chronological order. The drawer underneath held files labelled Tax-1975 and the remaining years up to Tax-1981. Len opened that one and there was a covering letter from Alan and Son, Accountants on the top of a copy of Matt's 1981 income tax return. He had an income of a bit over fifty four thousand dollars that year and had sold a house. 'I'll call them and tell them that Matt has died and ask if he has sent in the papers for last year's return. I guess he has because it would be next to the one with this year's receipts if he hadn't.'

A receptionist put him through to a Mr. Alan. It must have been the father for he was very sad to hear that Matt had died.

"I've known him for thirty years. Since we both went to college in fact. A very nice man. I've done his tax returns for the past twenty or so years."

"Has he sent you the papers for his last year's return? If not, I'll look for them."

"Oh, yes. He does that in March as soon as he has his T-slips. But there's no need to worry. There's plenty of time for a person's last return and there are a number of things that have to be done. Have you told his bank yet?"

"No. I don't know which bank he uses."

"The Royal Bank. You'll have to phone them."

'Ah, yes,' thought Len, 'Sylvie's dad. Matt said he'd borrowed money from them.' "Do you know the name of his lawyer?

"Yes, I should. Just a minute I'll check his files." Len heard him flip a switch and ask his receptionist to bring him Mr. Mathew Smith's file. "Just the latest one."

A minute later he told Len that his name was Jackson, of Newsome and Jackson. "Here's his phone number," and he read it out. "Bye-the-way, he and I will need a copy of the death certificate. Let me have it as soon as you get it."

"Where do I get that from?"

"The doctor will give you one. The funeral directors will probably want one too. Who are you going to use?"

"I don't know."

"Is he going to be buried or cremated?"

"I don't know."

"Probably his lawyer will know. Or a good friend. That's Dr. Bitsey, I think."

"Oh, yes. I'll ask him. Thanks, Mr. Alan."

"I'm very sorry that this has happened. A stroke or heart attack, you say. I shouldn't have thought that would happen to him. He looks very healthy. Well, goodbye Mr. Andrews. Perhaps we'll meet soon. I'd be happy to help you in any way I can."

"Thanks. I think I'm going to need an accountant. I'm going to do what Matt had been doing, renovating houses. You'll see we are already working together when you look at the papers for this year's return. Goodbye."

'Now, what's next? Oh, the bank. No, I should call Matt's lawyer first.'

It was eleven o'clock and Len felt tired although all he had done was stand, sit, talk and think. He made himself a coffee then phoned Matt's lawyer.

"Hello, Mr. Jackson. My name's Len Andrews. Mathew Smith is my uncle. I have to tell you he died sometime yesterday. The doctor thinks it was a heart attack or a stroke."

"Mr. Smith's dead? I can't believe it. Mr. Mathew Smith? Well, I am surprised."

"I'm calling because I have to arrange his funeral and I don't know if he wanted to be cremated or to be buried. Do you know, please?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure he wanted to be cremated. Mr. Smith put that in his will several years ago I seem to remember. Just a minute, I'll check."

It took four or five minutes for him to pick up the phone again. "Hello, Mr. Andrews?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"He wanted to be cremated and his ashes spread over his vegetable garden. Please bring me a copy of his death certificate as soon as you have it."

"I will, but I don't know when I'll get it."

"They'll give it to you when they release his body. If he died from a heart attack you'll probably get it tomorrow."

"Okay, thanks."

'Now what? Call the bank, I guess. No, I'll not do that just yet. Matt's bills have to be paid for the apartment. I guess his Visa's in his wallet and the police have got it. Once I tell the bank I bet they'll stop paying and I don't want that to happen yet. So what do I have to do next?' he thought and began to feel very sad again. 'Oh, Matt, Matt. Why did it happen to you?'

After a few minutes he got up and looked around the lower floor. The windows and patio doors were all shut, of course. He'd lock the kitchen door when he left. He opened the fridge to see what he should remove. The milk, some ham slices, the cheese and butter. The beer and wine could stay and the jam. He should take the cream cheese, too. He put them in a plastic bag, checked that the baseboard heaters were on and set the thermostat to eighteen degrees. Finally, he took the spare key for the Toyota from the rack and locked the back door. The pickup started on his second turn of the key and he drove slowly back to his apartment and parked it on the road.

He ate some of Matt's ham for lunch, thinking that he'd forgotten to look in the bread box and there'd probably be a loaf in that. He took a piece of paper and started making notes about what he should do the next time he went there. That would be to cut the last batch of tiles, probably. He was wondering what he should do next when the phone rang. It was Walter.

"I'm in the Stay-Put motel, Len. Just arrived. Can we meet this afternoon?"

"Yes, of course. Do you want me to come there?"

"You have a car?"

"No, I'm using Matt's Toyota. I have to. We've not finished the kitchen renovations and I need it to remove the old cabinets."

"Oh, yes. That's what he was doing when he died. Oh god, poor Matt. Ah, sorry. It must be bad for you too. When shall we meet? Err, how about in half an hour? At three? I'm in room sixteen."

"Okay."

Walter's room was nicer than Len had thought they'd be when he drove into the empty parking lot. He had unpacked and was wearing jeans and a thick sweater. They sat down, Walter in the chair and Len on the edge of the bed.

"You've got more frozen rain here that we have in Sudbury. I wonder if that might have affected Matt's balance and caused him to fall or precipitated his heart attack. Have you heard from the doctor yet?"

"No. I think I'll not hear until tomorrow."

"I'd like to go to the police station and find out. Do you mind? And I'd like to see Matt too."

"Okay. I'll drive, if you like. I know where to go."

"All right."

Walter put his overcoat on and they left the room. At the police station they told the officer why they were there. He took them to Sergeant Contree who stood up when he saw Len enter. Len introduced Dr. Bitsey, saying he was Matt's friend. The sergeant nodded his head and shook Walter's hand.

"There's been no word from the doctor yet, I'm sorry."

"Can I see Matt? I have to, he was my best friend."

"I'll phone the doctor and find out what's happening. Sit down while I do it."

The autopsy was finished and they learned that Matt died from a brain aneurism. The doctor would have the death certificate waiting for them when they came and they could arrange for the body to be taken after that. The sergeant said he'd have an officer take them to the morgue and they were there, entering the doctor's office, ten minutes later. After the introductions Walter asked if he could see Matt.

"Yes, you can. Come with me," and he took Walter and Len to the morgue and retrieved Matt's body. Len was shocked to see the cuts that were on Matt but Walter seemed to expect them. He put his hand on Matt's face then bent down and kissed his forehead.

"Bye, Matt," he said. "I love you," and he kissed his head again. He stood up and wiped his eyes before turning to the doctor and saying, "Thank you."

The doctor pushed Matt's body back into its slot and they returned to his 's office where he gave Len the death certificate and a big plastic bag that contained Matt's clothes and the items that were in his pockets.

"You know what to do with the death certificate?" he asked.

"Only that I have to take it to Matt's lawyer and his accountant."

"And the bank. His lawyer will give you a list of things to do, I expect. I'm very sorry this happened. He was otherwise in very good shape."

They shook hands and left. In the truck Len said they should take the certificate to Matt's lawyer first and get copies made.

While driving there Walter said, "He made a will shortly after his sister died, your mother, Len. He discussed it with me before drafting it. I told him I didn't want anything and he left everything to you and your siblings. I don't know if you get equal shares but the lawyer will tell you."

Mr. Jackson was busy when they arrived and they had to wait twenty minutes before a lady left his office. As she was leaving Mr. Jackson saw them in the waiting room and invited them into his office. After being introduced to Dr. Bitsey Len handed him the death certificate.

"Ah, yes. That was very quick. I'll have a few copies made for you." He called in the receptionist and gave her the paper, asking for five copies. "Now I can call a meeting to read the will," he continued. "Let me see," and he looked at his appointment book. "You and your brother and sister are inheritors and they should be present. Do they all work?"

"Yes, they do."

"Then how about Thursday evening at six o'clock? Do you think they could manage that?"

"I'm pretty sure they'll be able to come."

"About Matt's body. He wanted to be cremated, I told you that, I think."

"Yes, you did," said Len.

"I knew that's what he wanted," said Walter.

"You'll have no trouble if you ask Manning's to do it. Mr. Smith's body is in the town's morgue?"

"Yes, it is," said Len.

"I suggest you go there and arrange it now. That'll be best for everybody."

"All right. Thanks," said Len.

They shook hands and walked to the reception room and the receptionist gave Mr. Jackson the copies of the death certificate. He kept one then took a large envelope, put the others in and gave the envelope to Len. "Let me know if you need more," he said,

They drove to the funeral home next. A lady at the front desk took them to a room and a man soon appeared, introducing himself as Mr. Ninaldy, "I'm Mr. Manning's assistant. How can I help you?"

Len and Walter explained what had happened, gave him a copy of the death certificate and said that they wanted Matt's body cremated.

"Just cremated? No religious service? No visiting?"

"Yes, that's all," said Walter. "That's what he wanted. Just the simplest possible cremation."

"Can we hold a memorial, a reception for his friends and relatives? We have wonderful rooms. Let me show them to you," and he started to get up.

"No," said Walter. "He has few friends and didn't want any kind of fuss made. Just the cremation, that's all."

"All right, sir. We can do that Thursday. Do you want the ashes?"

"Yes, please," said Len.

"They'll be here for you on Friday morning then. Do you mind paying now?" he said.

"No, I'd be glad to," said Walter and he took out his wallet and gave Mr. Ninaldy a credit card.

"Thank you," he said. "I'll be back soon," and he left the room.

"Can I share that with you, Walter?" asked Len.

"No. I want to do it, please."

"All right."

They looked around the room, waiting for Mr. Ninaldy to return. He wasn't long and gave Walter his card back, asked him to sign the Visa slip, gave him the copy afterwards and a form which had been filled in stating what the funeral home would be doing.

"Thank you for coming here, Dr. Bitsey, Mr. Andrews. We appreciate your business."

"I didn't like him much," said Len to Walter, when they were back in the truck.

"I suppose they would not make much money from a simple cremation," answered Walter. "Now we have to see the accountant, isn't that so?"

"Yes. He's the who's been doing Matt's income tax returns."

Mr. Alan was busy with a client when they went into the office so Len left a copy of the death certificate with the receptionist. By now it was nearly five and they were both feeling tired.

"Let's stop now, Len. I just want to rest for a bit. Can you drive me back to the motel."

"Of course. I feel the same. We'll start again tomorrow. What time should I come?"

"How about nine? Then I want to go to the cottage. Matt's got a picture of the two of us that I gave him and I'd like to keep it. Do you mind?"

"No, of course not. And anything else you want. I think he should have included you in the will."

"Well, I told him not to. But he wouldn't mind my taking that picture, I'm sure."

Once back at his apartment Len phoned Barb, telling her about Matt's death, what he had been doing that day and that Matt had left them something.

"Mr. Jackson has to read the will to us and he suggests Thursday at six o'clock. Can you make it?"

"Oh, yes, for sure."

"Okay. I'll come and get you about five forty five. How are you doing, Barb?"

"Fine, but how are you?"

"I'm okay, just trying to accept it."

"You and he were pretty close, weren't you."

"Yes, we were. It's so, so sad." Len began to tear up and quickly said, "I have to phone Dan now. See you Thursday then, Bye, Barb," and he hung up.

He sat for a while then phoned Dan's home, hoping that he was there and he was. Len told him about the meeting with Matt's lawyer.

"Can you make it?" Len asked.

"Does he want Sarah as well?" he asked.

"No, just you, Barb and me. That's all."

"Okay, what's his name?"

"Jackson, of Newsome and Jackson."

"Okay, I know of them. How are you doing, Len?"

"I'm okay. It was a big shock but I'm getting used to it now. I've been so busy seeing different people. And Walter's here."

"Walter, his boyfriend. "

"Yes. You and Barb should meet him. He's a nice guy."

"I guess we'll meet at the funeral service."

"Matt didn't want one. He just wanted to be cremated and his ashes scattered. There'll be no service or viewing or burial."

"Oh, I see. I don't know if that's what I'd want. Nor Sarah, I guess. We haven't talked about it."

"Then I'll see you on Thursday at six, Dan."

"Yes. I'll be there."

## Chapter Twenty Three

When Len drove to the motel to collect Walter Tuesday morning he found him putting a small suitcase into his car.

"I'm not staying, Len. There's not much for me to do here anymore. I thought about calling one or two of my past friends last night but decided not to. We haven't kept in touch, so I'm going home."

"You still want to visit the cottage?"

"Oh, yes, please. For the picture."

"Right."

"Wait here. I won't be long. I'll just make sure I haven't forgotten anything and check out."

Walter's BMW followed Len as they drove to the cottage. Len parked Matt's pickup by the cottage's door but Walter left his car on the road. The plus five degree temperature yesterday had melted some of the ice on the track and left muddy patches. Len waited at the kitchen door until Walter arrived and they took off their shoes before stepping inside.

The picture Walter wanted was in the living room mounted in a silver frame sitting on one of the wall unit's shelves. It showed him and Matt, with arms on each other's shoulder facing the camera on a boulevard in front of a river.

"It's Paris, where we were on holiday. You don't mind if I take it?"

"No, of course not. Take anything you want, please."

Walter walked around the living room stopping at a model gondolier, carefully made from wood with red cushioned seats, just waiting for people to step inside.

"I bought that for him, again when we were on holiday. You can guess where."

"Venice, I bet. Take it, please. I'm sure he'd want you to have it to remember the good times."

"Thanks, I will. But that's all."

"Are you sure? There'll be other things you might like, just look around."

"No. This is enough. Thanks, Len. I'll be off now."

"Do you want a coffee before you go?"

"No. I'll stop half way and get one. Take care, Len. I wish you all the best. Come and see me if you're ever in Sudbury."

"I will."

Walter put his shoes on and they hugged each other goodbye. Len stood at the kitchen door watching him walk to his car and drive away then made a cafeteria of coffee, filled a mug and sat in the lounge drinking it, wondering what he should do next. 'Go through Matt's files, I suppose, to see if there's anything I should take care of.' He finished the coffee and went to Matt's desk where he sat down and opened the top drawer of the right-hand cabinet which contained the files of renovations Matt had done. The second file held the details about the house he had helped Matt renovate. A summary of the key financial transactions was the first page. It showed that Matt had sold the house and made a profit of $12,562.38. 'How can he be so precise?' he asked himself. The other pages showed him how; everything that Len could think of had been tracked, from the initial cost of the house, to the items bought, how much and when he paid Sid and Johnny, the payment to Jimmy Baker, even the gas used in the Toyota. There were many receipts held together with a large metal paper clamp. 'Well, this is how he did it. He certainly was thorough. I suppose I'd have to keep the same kind of record. The accountant would want it when he does the taxes.'

Each of the files in that drawer contained similar evidence of what Matt had done. He had made between thirty and fifty thousand dollars each year since he had given up being a lawyer and become a renovator. 'So I could earn this much too,' Len determined. 'Is that enough? It's enough to live on, perhaps to raise a family with, but not much more. Do I want more? Do I want to be really rich? I suppose so. But what would that mean? That I'd have to renovate many more houses. But there aren't that many around, even going to Brockville or other towns. So I'd have to do more, like build houses. I guess I could do that, it's not much different from renovating. Could I try making one this year? I'd have to find a plot of land first. I should talk to Jimmy Baker. If Matt thought he was a good guy then he'd be the one to ask. Have to think more about this. And there's the two houses Matt bid on. They'll have to be done first. How will I find out if he got them? By mail I suppose. I'll check the mail box when I leave.' He didn't open the lower drawer for he knew it contained Matt's income tac files, nor did he open the other filing cabinet for he knew it contained, papers etc. in the top drawer and a box containing letters, presumably all from Walter, in the lower drawer. 'Damn. Walter should have taken them.' He took the letters out of the box, put them on the desk and searched for brown paper, finding some on a shelf. But before wrapping the letters he wrote a note, saying he hadn't read any of them, just looked at the signature and was sure he would want them. He added his address at the top then realised that he didn't have Walter's address, only his phone number. 'I'll have to call him later, after he's got home.' He wrapped the letters well, tied the parcel with string and wrote his own address in a corner, just in case the package got lost. He didn't want it to fall into someone else's hands. He poured out another mug of coffee, heated it in the microwave and sat in the kitchen wondering what he should do next. 'I might as well continue the renovations. I'd feel better if I had something to keep me busy. Yes, that's what I must do.' He phoned Alex and asked him if he would be free to continue helping him that week. Alex said he was and Len asked him to find out which apartment they should work on and tell the tenants to empty their kitchen cupboards. They arranged to meet at eight in the garage, as usual.

'Now what next? Nothing to do here. Oh, I'll have to clear out all Matt's clothing sometime.' He sat for a while, saddened. A little later he shook his head, blew his nose, got up and opened the bread box, finding half a loaf of bread with patches of blue mould on the cut end. He put it in a bag to take home, put on his shoes, locked the door and drove the Toyota to the mail box and lifted its flap. The box was empty.

He phoned Walter after he had eaten his lunch, guessing he would be there rather than at the hospital and explained that he'd found several letters in one of Matt's drawers.

"They're all from you, Walter. I haven't read them, I just checked to see who had signed them. I'll send them to you but I don't have your home address."

"Oh, have you got a pen and paper?" and, being reassured, he told Len where he lived.

"I'll take them to the post office and mail them this afternoon. Are you going back to work this week."

"Not until Thursday, then back to my regular schedule. It'll be so different without being able to see Matt. I probably won't retire this year. So much to think about. It'll be the same for you, I guess. Matt told me how close you were."

"Yes, we were. Bye, Walter. Good luck."

"Good luck to you, too, Len. Goodbye."

Two minutes later the phone rang..

"Mr. Andrews?"

"Yes."

"It's Mr. Jackson, Mr. Smith's lawyer. I've phoned his bank but they have to have a copy of his death certificate for me to continue. I think you were to give them a copy. Do you not want to do that?"

"Well I thought they would stop paying any bills that come in if they knew he was dead."

"That's one of the several things I have to arrange. And Mr. Smith had a safety deposit box. Do you have his keys?"

"Yes, I do."

"Is there a flat key with a number stamped on it among them?"

"Let me look," said Len and he pulled the keys out of his pocket, "Yes, there is."

"Please bring it to me. I need it."

"Right, I'll bring them right away."

"And you'll give the bank the death certificate?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, Mr. Andrews. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

'So I made a mistake. He shouldn't be so rough on me, though. Better get the death certificate to the bank right now.'

He put on his jacket, walked to the post office and mailed Walter the package. Then he took the safety deposit key to Mr. Jackson's office and left it with his secretary. Afterwards he walked to Matt's bank. He didn't know if he should just hand it to a teller so he asked the lady at the inquiry desk.

"I think you should give it to the manager," she said, as he explained the circumstances. "I'll see if he's free." She picked up a phone and a minute later a man walked over and introduced himself.

"Mr. Andrews? I'm Mr. Tate, the branch manager. Let's go to my office," and he led the way.

"Sit down, please. I earlier had a call from Mr. Jackson, Mr. Smith's lawyer. He told me what had happened. I'm very sorry. You and he were close, I understand. You worked together, is that right?"

"Yes, we did."

"Are you going to continue the work you were doing?"

"Yes, I am. It's not finished yet."

"Then may I suggest you open an account here, with this bank. I'm sure we can help you, just as we did Mr. Smith. Do you have an account with another bank?"

"Yes, I do."

"Well you could keep that or you could transfer it to this bank. That is, if you decide to work with us."

"What's the advantage of switching banks?"

"Well, we know what Mr. Smith does and, therefore what you will be doing. So we are able to arrange mortgages perhaps more easily than your bank."

"I see. I'll have to think about it."

"Yes, of course. Please do that. In the meantime, you have the death certificate?"

"Yes. Here it is," and Len took the folded paper out of his pocket and handed it over.

"Thank you. Please think about what I've said, Mr. Andrews. Goodbye."

"I will. Goodbye."

So that was Sylvie's father, thought Len as he walked out the door. And there was Sylvie, standing behind someone at the business counter. She saw him and waved and he walked over.

"Hi Len. What are you doing in my father's office?" she asked.

"Giving him Matt's death certificate."

"What? Matt's dead? Oh, no. How terrible. Oh, it's my turn. Wait until I'm finished and tell me about it." She turned to the teller and gave him an envelope. Len turned away and walked to the door of the bank and waited for her. She joined him a few minutes later.

"We'll have a coffee at Dunkins and you can tell me about it. When did it happen?" she asked, as they crossed the road.

"Sunday. I discovered him yesterday." 'Yesterday,' he thought, 'it was only yesterday. It seems like a week ago, so much had happened since then.' "I'll tell you all about it when we sit down."

They bought two coffees and sat in a corner and Len told Sylvie what had happened.

"Poor you," she said. "And poor Matt. What a thing to happen. He couldn't have been much more than sixty. So you're going to finish the job you were doing with him?"

"Yes. And, perhaps, the two houses he bought in an auction sale. That is, if they have been left to me. Barb, Dan and I are inheritors but I don't know of what yet. We'll be told Thursday night."

"His death must make you very sad."

"It does, Sylvie. He was a very nice man."

"Yes he was," and she held his hand. "Come on," she said. "I know how to cheer you up."

"What?" Len said.

"Come on. Follow me."

They drained their coffee and headed out of the door. Sylvie held his hand and took him along the road towards the garage where she worked but turned a corner one block before they got there and they walked along the street.

"Here," she said. "In here," and she climbed two steps and used a key to open the door. "This is where I live now. I moved out in January and live here."

"You do?" asked Len, looking around at the room.

"Yes. It's a one bed apartment. Close to work and the shops."

"Didn't your parents mind?"

"A bit, but I'm twenty now and they understand I want a life of my own. Right. Don't just stand there. Have a wiz, get undressed and we'll have a fuck."

"What? You mean that? You said I was too young for you."

"Well, you are. It's just this once, I think. Just to cheer you up."

"Christ, Sylvie. I might get steady doses of depression if this is the reward. Where's the bathroom?"

"Over there," and she pointed. "The bedroom is the door next to it."

Len used the toilet and was glad he'd had a shower that morning. He walked into the bedroom, undressed and got into bed, waiting for Sylvie to join him. She did and he remembered what she liked and made sure she was satisfied before entering and climaxing himself. He laid back afterwards, smiling. Sylvie looked at him. "There, I knew that would help."

Len grinned back. "It sure did. But the sadness might reappear in a minute or two."

"Nope. One's enough. We'll rest for a bit then you can take me to supper."

"All right. Thanks, Sylvie. You're great."

"Yes, I know," she answered, tucking her head on Len's arm and closing her eyes.

They stayed in bed for nearly an hour then dressed and went to the Thai restaurant where Sylvie told him what she had been doing. Not much had changed apart from moving into her own place. She still worked at her uncle's garage and looked after the books now as well as working on the cars. She was depositing some cheques when she was at the bank.

"Have you found your 'older man" yet?"

"No., not yet. Still looking. Oh, I had a couple of weeks with Bob Pringle in January."

"You did? I thought he was going out with Betty?"

"He did, for a while, but she went to McGill. That's when he shacked up with me."

"Here?"

"Yes, of course. He still lives at home."

"What's he doing?"

"Still looking for a full time job, I guess. He takes part-time ones until he can find a full time one."

'Hmm, I wonder if he's any good with his hands,' thought Len. 'But no, I don't think I should hire him. He's likely to be a bit unreliable.'

"Want another beer?" he asked.

"Sure, but no dessert." They each had another beer and Len wondered if he'd be asked to go back with her but she kissed him on the cheek when they left the restaurant and said goodbye. 'Well, it's better this way. I have to work in the morning. She's a very nice girl. Would make someone a nice wife. That is, if she was faithful.' He smiled and walked home.

## Chapter Twenty Four

Len drove the pickup to the apartments Wednesday morning, parked on the road and carried his tool box to Alex who was waiting outside the garage door. They entered the garage and carried one of the upper cabinets to the Little's apartment. Len knocked on the door and was welcomed by Mrs. Little.

"We're very sorry to hear about Mr. Smith's death. Everyone was talking about it. How are you doing, Len?" she asked.

"I'm slowly getting used to it. It was such a shock and he died all alone. I hope it was quick and that he didn't feel any pain. Thank you for asking. Alex will be helping me renovate the kitchens now."

"Hello, Mrs. Little," Alex said, "Mr. Little," who joined them.

"Can we come in?" asked Len.

"Yes, of course. The kitchen's empty, all ready for you."

"Thanks. We need a bucket if you have one or a big bowl. I forgot to bring mine this morning."

"I have a bucket," she said. "I'll get it for you."

"Thanks."

They left the cabinet in the corridor, entered the kitchen and Len told Alex that they would first remove the upper cupboards.

"If you support the weight I can remove the screws. Put your elbows on the lower cabinet, yes, like that. It won't take long."

Len removed the screws that were holding the upper cabinet to the wall then helped Alex lower the cabinet. "Now we take this to the garage and bring up the new cupboards."

Len fastened them to the wall while Alex held them in position. "Right, now I'll remove the sink then we'll take the lower cupboards to the garage."

Len unfastened the plumbing, catching the water that drained from the U-trap in the bucket, then eased off the sink They took the lower cabinet and its counter to the garage and carried up the new one and a box of cut tiles that Len had found in Matt's tool shed early that morning. The lower cabinet was installed next, then Len pinned up the plastic sheet and they sanded the wall, vacuumed the counter and swept the floor. Len then told Alex he'd be installing the sink next then do the tiles. "Can you paint the walls while I do that?"

"I'll have to clean them first. Have you got a rag, if not, I can get one from my place."

"It's in the box at the back of where we store the cabinets with the paint and brushes. Let me know if there's something you want that we don't have and I'll get it."

"Okay," said Alex and he left.

Once the sink was connected Len emptied the bucket and gave it to Mrs. Little.

"How about a nice mug of coffee, Len? You shouldn't work all the time. And I made a banana cake, especially for you as soon as I knew you were coming."

"Thanks, I'd like that. So would Alex, I'm sure."

"Where is he? Oh, here he is. Come and have coffee and cake Alex."

"Err, Mrs. Little, we'll have to have it in the kitchen," said Len. "We're too dusty to sit in your living room."

"All right. I'll get Ken to bring in a couple of kitchen chairs."

They sat, drank and ate, while Mr. and Mrs. Little stood by the door.

"I'm looking forward to the new look," said Mr. Little.

"And the counter lights," added Mrs. Little. "They'll make a lot of difference."

"You know that we'll not be finished until Friday morning?"

"Yes, we know. You have to seal the tiles before we can use it."

"Yes, that's right. Okay, thanks for the coffee and cake. The cake was delicious. We should get back to work now," and Len stood up, handing Mrs. Little his mug and plate. Alex did the same and Mr. Little removed the chairs.

While Alex was wiping the walls Len fetched the adhesive and a box of uncut tiles from the garage then began installing them. They finished their tasks about the same time. Len cleaned the rubber float and Alex washed the roller, tray and paint brush. It was two thirty and they were hungry, having worked through the lunch hour.

"The adhesive needs about twenty four hours to dry, Alex, so I can't grout them until tomorrow afternoon. Can you meet me here at, say, two?"

"Yes. Then I'll do the second coat?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Okay. So I'll have worked about eight or nine hours. Will you pay me tomorrow?"

"Yes, okay."

"Good. Thanks. Well, I'll go and have some lunch then. See you Len."

"Right. Thanks, Alex."

Len told the Littles that the paint was wet and asked them not to go in the kitchen. "We'll be back at two tomorrow. Can't come before because the tile adhesive has to set."

"Yes, we know," said Mr. Little. "Friends have told us."

"You've worked through lunch, Len. Want a bite to eat?"

"No, thanks, Mrs. Little. I have to be off."

'Damn,' Len thought, as he walked out the door. 'I should have asked Alex to help me put the old cabinets in the truck. Well, I guess I can do it myself.' He went to the garage, opened the door then drove his truck to the parking space, hoping no one would drive in while he was hefting the cabinets into the back of the truck.

Loading them wasn't as hard as he thought. Once the tail gate was down he just slid them in. Before, with Matt, they'd put them in with the tail gate up and the ends stuck up into the air. This time though he'd have to rope them in place and fasten a red flag at the back. Luckily he knew that Matt kept ropes and the flag under the seat. Once the cabinets were fastened and flagged he drove to the cottage and dumped them. He fetched the axe from the wood shed and broke them up, throwing the pieces on top of the large pile that was already there. The heap of broken wood made the place look very untidy and he'd be glad when the cold weather had gone and he could get rid of them. He drove home and made himself a sandwich and thought about what he should do next.

'Cut tiles, enough for the remaining kitchens, for sure.' There was only one box of cut tiles left so he knew that they had to have more. 'What else? They'll deliver the last lot Saturday morning and I've asked Alex to let them in. I might as well do that so I don't have to pay him. I'd better be sure I have enough cash to pay him tomorrow. Let's say he worked nine hours, it'll probably be nearer to eight but I don't want to be mean. Nine hours times eight will be seventy two. Matt paid me two hundred. Wow! I'll be rich in no time with the money Matt took plus, what, two hundred minus seventy two, err, one hundred and twenty eight, if I can get people to help me and have more work like this.'

Thursday after breakfast Len collected a box of uncut tiles from the garage, drove to Matt's cottage and used the tile cutter to cut them. He wondered what would happen to all the tools, the snow blower, rototiller, lawn mower and table saw. 'I suppose it'll all have to be sold and the cash split up between those who inherit all Matt's money. I wonder how much he's got, had, I should say. He said he had enough to live on without fixing houses if he wanted. And who will get it beside us? If not Walter, then who? Not a church, I'm sure. Maybe a charity. Well, I guess we'll find out tonight.'

Alex was late arriving at the Littles, showing up about two fifteen.

"Sorry, Len. Had to unblock a toilet," he said, as he got ready for painting.

"Mrs. Kilmore's?" Len asked.

"Yes. How did you know that?"

"It happens now and again. She puts in too much tissue paper."

They worked, Alex completing the second coat finishing half an hour after Len had cleaned up after grouting the tiles. As usual, he left fitting the under-cupboard lights until the next morning when he would also clean and seal the tiles. Once Alex had finished they said goodbye to Mrs. Little and carried the paint cans, brushes, grout to the truck which was parked on the road.

"Thanks Alex," said Len, after they had loaded everything. "I'll pay you for nine hours work. Here's the money. I'll be here on Saturday to check the delivery so you don't have to be there. Can you come next week?"

"Yes. Monday at eight by the garage door?"

"Yes, please. Oh, does Mr. Thompson know we did one this week?"

"He's away. Left on Sunday. Gone to visit his son in Vancouver Marg told me. He'll be there for two or three weeks. He'll phone her when he wants her to start cooking dinner again."

"Oh, all right," Len said, thinking that he wouldn't get paid until he came back. He was glad that he wasn't short of money.

Len unloaded the truck at his apartment and left it on the road. He showered and had lunch, finishing off the ham and cheese that he'd taken from Matt's fridge. Then he shopped for more groceries and wondered whether to wait until after seeing Mr. Jackson to eat or have something before. He decided to wait, it wouldn't take long to read a will. Then they might eat together. He'd like that.

He was at Barb's apartment at quarter to six and they drove to Mr. Jackson's office. During the trip Barb told Len that Sergeant Contree had phoned her yesterday to say that they hadn't caught the man who killed Jeff. Seeing Len had reminded him of the case, and he said that it was doubtful if they ever would catch the man but the file hadn't been closed.

Dan was at the office when they arrived, sitting in the reception room. Mr. Jackson's door was open and Dan stood up and said now everyone was here they should go into his office. Once inside Mr. Jackson said, "Please shut the door and sit down."

Len wondered why he hadn't asked them to take their coats off but they all did as they were told.

"Thank you. I'm sorry to rush this but I've just had a call from my wife telling me that our daughter is waiting for me to pick her up from school. I'd thought my wife was doing it but she's in the middle of a charity meeting and can't leave. So, I must shorten what I must tell you. In brief, I am the trustee and I will be looking after Mr. Smith's will. You three, as his sister's children, are to receive everything. Daniel and Barbara, if I may call you that, are to receive all the money he has in his GICs, that is his Guaranteed Investment Certificates. They add up to two hundred and fifteen thousand dollars plus the interest. So both of you will receive somewhat more than one hundred and seven thousand five hundred dollars. Leonard, you are to receive everything else."

"My god," said Barb. "I'll be able to buy a house."

"Wow!" said Dan. "Good old Matt. Always knew he was a good guy."

"Leonard," Mr. Jackson said, "there are several things you and I must do. Since you will be receiving the Toyota you should change ownership. Get it insured first, as the new owner. If you use the insurance company that Mr. Smith used it'll be easier. Then take the ownership papers, insurance details, a death certificate and this letter," and he handed Len an envelope, "and get the ownership transferred."

"To the office where I got my driving licence?"

"Yes. And the cottage. I'll arrange and register the transfer of ownership. That might take a week or so. I'll call you when I need you to sign papers."

"When do we get the money?" asked Barb.

"You could come here on Monday or I could send it to you."

"I'll come here, "said Barb.

"Me too," echoed Dan.

"I get everything else?" asked Len. "What about the two houses Matt bought at an auction sale? Do I also get those?"

"Yes, you do."

"Wow!" Len said. "Now I have plenty of work."

"I think that is everything. If you have questions please arrange a time to see me. Now, do you mind, I must leave."

"Of course," said Dan, "we'll go. Thank you very much Mr. Jackson."

"Thank Mr. Smith, not me," he replied, as he got up and started putting on his coat.

Once outside they clustered together, smiling and laughing.

"Ain't this great," said Dan. "We're going to take a cruise!"

"I'm going to start looking for a house this weekend," said Barb. "Over a hundred thousand dollars. I'm rich!"

"And I've got lots of work," said Len. "Hey let's have supper together."

"Not me," said Dan. "I want to tell Sarah." He gave them both a big hug then walked to his car and drove off.

"Yes, let's do that Len," said Barb. "Where shall we go?"

"Manolias."

"That's very expensive, Len. Are you sure?"

"Why not? Just this once and I'll pay. We're celebrating."

Soup, filet mignon, rich chocolate dessert, coffee and an expensive bottle of red wine set Len back a hundred and ten dollars after tipping. It'd be a long time before he came here again but it was worth it. Barb talked about where she'd like her house to be and what it would include, even going as far as saying it should have three bedrooms, "room enough for two children,"

"You have a boyfriend?" Asked Len.

"No. But I'm looking," she said with a smile, a little drunk.

Len drove her home then went to his apartment, took off his shoes and lay on the bed, too excited to undress. 'What a week it's been! From Matt's death to now. Inheriting Matt's cottage. And his truck. Wow. Where should I live now? It'd be silly to rent an apartment when I have the cottage. I should move there. Or should I sell it? No, definitely not. Matt wouldn't want that. Nor do I, it's a great spot. I'll move there as soon as I can. Have to phone Mrs. Ben tomorrow. I hope she doesn't mind. I told her I'd be staying here for at least a year when I took it over. But she'll understand after I tell her what's happened.' And a few seconds later he fell asleep.

## Chapter Twenty Five

He woke in the middle of the night feeling uncomfortable then finding that he still had his clothes on. He went to the toilet feeling a bit woozy from all the wine he'd drunk, then undressed, hanging his trousers and coat up, hoping they wouldn't be too creased, and went back to bed. He had to rush in the morning for he had forgotten to set his alarm clock. He parked outside the apartment building, went in by the garage, collecting the tile sealer, tool box and the lights and was knocking on the Little's door just after eight. He refused a mug of coffee although he soon regretted doing so for he hadn't had time to eat or drink when he got up. Sealing the tiles, using silicone seal where the tile edges met the paint, then installing the under-counter lights took less than an hour and he had tidied up before Mr. Little had finished his breakfast.

"It's all done Mrs. Little. You can move things in now but don't touch the corners where the silicone is, it's the white caulk, until tomorrow. It'll be set by then. Let me show you where the switches for the lights are."

She came into the kitchen which was now lit simply by the new lights.

"I like the way I can see the counter Len. I'm glad they were put in."

"The switches are on the lights. You can see them if you bend down or you can feel for them. They're just here," and he took Mrs. Little's hand and guided it to the switch. "Press here," and he moved her finger a little and pressed it and the light turned off. "The other light is just the same."

She switched the light on again then smiled. "Well, thanks. Len. You and Alex have done a great job."

"I'm glad for the work, Mrs. Little."

He collected the tools and the tin of sealer then said goodbye. He stored them behind one of the cabinets at the back of their parking space and wondered what he should do next. 'Get Matt's ashes or get the car registered in my name. No, I can't do that. I have to insure it first.' He drove to the funeral home where he found the door closed. A small sign said that they were open from ten until nine but could be reached if there was an emergency by phoning this number. So he drove to his apartment and had cereal, four slices of toast and two mugs of coffee, for he was hungry and very thirsty.

He found the name of the insurance company on their policy slip next to the ownership papers in the wallet that held the truck manual and called them. He explained what had happened and asked for the same insurance that Matt had, telling them his age and where he lived, adding that he'd be moving to Matt's cottage in about a month. He was surprised at how much the insurance cost and said so. The lady told him it was due to his age and that he was new to the company, but the amount would decrease as he got older, especially if he didn't have any accidents. The insurance papers would be sent to him by mail but he was insured as of now.

Len showered and put on his weekend clothes, trousers, an undershirt, shirt and sweater, not bothering with a coat for it was sixteen Celsius. Then he drove to the service office and lined up to transfer the car ownership. When he explained what he wanted at the counter he was referred to a supervisor who knew how to handle his situation. He looked at the death certificate and read the letter that Mr. Jackson had given Len, asked to see Len's driving licence then asked about the insurance he had. It took about twenty minutes for the transfer to be completed and a new ownership certificate was printed with Len's details on it.

It still wasn't ten o'clock so Len sat in the truck and wrote down things he must do next: Matt's ashes, spread on the garden, order skip and load it (do I need 2?), make a spreadsheet listing expenses (Alex's pay, plus?), a log sheet of kilometers driven in the truck (note odometer readings each day), Matt's cottage—remove old clothes (try good ones on first)—phone Mrs. Ben, phone hydro and telephone. He stopped listing, knowing that there would be many more things to do but it was past ten now and he'd get Matt's ashes.

The receptionist left Len in the entrance hall while she went to get them. She handed him a small red bag, tied with a ribbon. He could feel that there was a box inside. She also handed him an unsealed envelope. "This explains that you have permission to transport cremated ashes," she said. "Keep it with you when you carry them."

"Thank you," Len said, and he drove home. He put the box on the top shelf of his wall unit. He could scatter them today if he liked, for the snow was all gone from the garden. There were still piles of it next to the hedge by the road where wind had driven it but the garden was clear though the dirt must be soft. He'd have to buy a pair of boots before scattering them if he was to do it before the soil dried. Might as well buy them anyway, he'd need a pair when living in the cottage. He pulled out the list of things to do then telephoned Mrs. Ben. There was no answer. He'd call her in the evening. He'd have to make a list of expenses. Well, why not buy a computer and use Visi Calk? It would do the additions much better than he could. Yes, why not? And it would be a deductible item, something he read about in one of the renovation books. If he was running a business he was allowed business expenses, although some could only be deducted over several years. Mr. Allen would know all about that. He go to the store right now and buy one. Now, what was the store that Tom used? He couldn't remember but wanted to use the same one because they gave good service and he knew the technician, Pete. Oh, yes, he said he worked in the Amity's store.

He got his cheque book and a small note book and pencil then went to the truck where he wrote the date and odometer reading on the first page. This trip was entirely for business. He filled the truck with gas, keeping the receipt in the book then drove to Brockville where he parked in the small shopping area where he knew there was a store that sold televisions and computers. He went in and asked if he could speak to Pete.

"No, sorry, he's out, looking after a customer. Can I help?" the man behind the counter said.

"I want to buy a computer and Visi Calk and WordStar," explained Len, "and a printer, one with a wide carriage, a floppy drive and a box of disks."

"We don't have any wide printers at the moment but there are some on order. They should be here first thing next week."

"Okay, I'll come back for it. But I'll take the rest now, please."

Len gave the man a cheque and he copied details from his driving licence on the back and gave him a receipt. They put the computer and monitor on the passenger seat and all the rest on the floor. He drove carefully back to his apartment with his hand lying over the monitor and computer to ensure they didn't move. Once home he cleared the end of his kitchen table and connected everything together. Unfortunately he needed an extension cord because the cord on the surge protecting box wasn't long enough. By now it was one thirty and Len stopped to have lunch. He'd go to the hardware store after he'd eaten.

Before leaving he phoned Mrs. Ben, hoping she'd be in. She was and became quite annoyed when he told her that he would be leaving the apartment.

"You've only been there a few weeks. Why are you leaving?"

"My uncle died and left me his cottage, Mrs. Ben. I want to move there."

"Oh, I'm sorry that he died. What was his name? He must have lived in town if you're moving to his place."

"Mr. Smith, Mathew Smith."

"The lawyer?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I know him. He was my lawyer when I bought the four-plex you're living in. I liked him, even though others didn't after we heard about his affair with that doctor. So he's dead. I didn't see an obituary? No one put one in the Courier, I always read those."

"An obituary, no, I quite forgot."

"When did he die?"

"Last Sunday."

"Well it's too late now to put one in this week's paper. Is there going to be service."

"No. He's already been cremated."

"I see. Well, I'm sorry you're leaving but you know it causes me a lot of trouble, advertising for a new tenant then interviewing them."

"Look, Mrs. Ben. I'll pay for a month but I'll be leaving before the month's up. Perhaps you can rent it as soon as I leave and earn more."

"Maybe. When will you leave?"

Len looked at the calendar and quickly calculated. He wanted to finish the renovations before leaving and there were six more to do. "Saturday, May 7th. It'll be free after then. And I'll pay for the month of May."

"All right. Keep the place tidy while you're there because I'll have to let people see it."

"Yes, I will. Thanks, Mrs. Ben."

He put the phone down, glad that that had been settled. He crossed Mrs. Ben's name off the list. 'Now, let's get the extension cord.'

The computer was newer than the one Tom had bought but it still took some time to boot up. Once it was ready he copied the Visi Calk program into the computer then wondered how he should label the rows and columns. 'I'd better look at how Matt organised his and copy that. It'd be the best way, I'm sure. And Mr. Alan would recognise it immediately. Now, should I got to the cottage and get them?' He decided to put the WordStar program on the computer first then go.

Matt's cottage felt cold when he arrived but Len didn't turn the heat up since he only wanted to get the files. Once collected he thought about walking around the place to see what he had inherited. 'No, I can't do that. It's only a few days since Matt died. It'll wait.' He carried the files to the kitchen, put on his shoes and left.

He felt tired and depressed when he arrived home and didn't look at the files nor turn the computer on. He sat down, wishing he had a friend who he could talk to. He had friends, of course, but no close friends. The last year he'd gone out with Betty rather than with other boys. He'd join them if there was something special to celebrate, after a football win or at the end of term. Should he go to the movies? No, that's not what he wanted. Watch television? Maybe. Or read? But he didn't have any novels and he'd finished the second book on renovating. And he lay back, thinking of the times he and Matt had had together.

After a while he went for a walk, going to the park where he sat on a bench and watched the ships make their way along the river and listened to the birds call and watched them fly by with grass to build their nests in their beaks. He thought of Matt and how sad it was that he died so early and in such a way. Half an hour went by until he stood up, stretched his legs by putting them one by one on the seat, then walked home. Once there he took a TV dinner from the fridge's freezer. It would have to be an evening when he'd simply watch television.

Saturday morning he checked the arrival of the last six kitchen cabinets, counters and items. Two weeks more and he'd be done. Alex turned up as the large truck pulled away, too late to help but the men in the truck did most of the work anyway.

"You're okay for the next two weeks, Alex?"

"Yes. Monday at eight down here?"

"Yes, please."

"We need a new paint roller and a new paint brush. I hate working with ones that are partly clogged."

"Okay, I'll buy them today. Anything else we need?"

"How about the paint, will there be enough?"

"Oh, yes. Matt has more at his cottage if we need it." 'He was going to paint his bedroom with it to get it ready for Walter,' Len remembered. 'He told me that when he said Walter was going to live with him.'

"Right, I'll see you then," and Alex moved to the waste containers room. Len picked up the paint roller and brush, dropped them in the active garbage container. then walked to the hardware store where he bought new ones leaving them beside the tins of paint in the garage.

Once home he switched on the computer and looked at Matt's expense records. The left column was headed 'Date.' The second was headed 'Helper.' It was subdivided into four columns, the first of these was headed 'Sid.' The next 'Terry.' There were two more but un-headed columns. After that there was another sub-divided column headed 'Items,' with 'What?' and 'Cost' heading the subdivisions.

The first entry was 'Drywall' which cost '$94.65.' It was bought on January 6th, Len read, when he looked to the left of the row. The last sub-divided column was headed 'Misc.' and it's sub-columns were headed 'What?' and "Cost.' On January 7th Matt had bought gas and it cost '$12.23.'

'Right, I'll make up my spreadsheet the same way.'

It took him an hour or so to do this then he rethought. 'Should I make up a separate list for transportation items, like gas and oil changes? And keep a copy in the truck? I could write in the amounts as I buy them. And have a column for the odometer readings? No, I think it best if I print several sheets with those headings and keep them in the truck then transfer the dates and amounts to this sheet.' So he saved the page he had constructed and made several copies of another spreadsheet to keep in a binder in the truck. He headed that 'Truck Expenses' and saved the file.

It was close enough to lunch time now so he ate, then sat thinking for a while, letting his second mug of tea go cold. 'Well, I might as well check Matt's cottage next.' He found a roll of garbage bags to take, guessing there'd be things he'd have to discard, then drove to the cottage.

## Chapter Twenty Six

The first thing he did after removing his shoes was turn up the heating to twenty two. Then he looked for the slippers Matt used. They were almost new because he'd given them to Matt two Christmases ago. They fitted, as he was sure they must, for he and Matt were about the same size. Then he climbed the stairs and walked to the storage bedroom where the camping gear had been. The shelves were still full of law books as were the boxes when he opened a couple. The filing cabinet was locked and Len guessed it contained files relating to past clients. He'd have to open it to find out what it contained but that could be done later. He wondered what he should do with the books. 'There must be hundreds of copies of them in Ontario so I can't give them to a library. I'll just have to dump them.'

The next room was the bathroom. Matt's electric razor, tooth brush and toothpaste sat on the small counter that was beside the sink. Towels hung from two rails on the other side. The cabinet had some aspirin, sleeping pills, laxative, Alka-Seltzer, a box of Band Aids, two tooth brushes still sealed in their packages and a pair of scissors. A cupboard in the corner held folded sheets, pillow cases, blankets, towels and a hot water bottle. 'No point in throwing any of this away,' Len decided. He put Matt's tooth brush and electric razor in the garbage bag then changed his mind. He'd keep the razer, clean it and try using it.

The next room was the spare bedroom. It looked as if it had never been used. There was a made-up double bed, two side tables with lamps, a dresser with an attached mirror and two pictures on the wall. Len opened several drawers; they were all empty.

The last bedroom was Matt's. He had a large, probably queen-sized, bed. There was only one pillow and, although the bed was made up, the pillow still held the impression of his head. There was a book on the side table next to the pillow. Len lent over to see what Matt had been reading. It was David Copperfield.

The bedside table's three drawers held pyjamas, briefs, socks, handkerchiefs and some more sleeping pills. They were, like the others in the bathroom, off the shelf, non-prescription pills. Len didn't know that Matt had trouble sleeping but it seemed that he did. He put the briefs in a garbage bag and wondered if he should add the rest but decided not to right now. Maybe he'd do that later.

The chest of drawers was full of shirts, briefs, sweaters, undershirts, socks, handkerchiefs and two swimsuits. Again, he put the briefs and swimsuits in the garbage bag but nothing else. There were five suits, a blazer and several trousers hanging in Matt's closet and several pairs of shoes on the floor. Len looked at all of the clothes for a minute then took out the blazer and tried it on. It fitted and when he looked at himself in the mirror he was surprised at how handsome he appeared. 'Well, I'm sure Matt wouldn't mind me wearing this or any of his other clothes. But I'll have them dry cleaned first. Thank you, Matt, my friend.' He hung up the blazer and tried on a pair of shoes. They, also, fitted. He tried another pair. They, too, seemed okay. He walked around the room after tying up the laces, then took them off and tried a pair of trousers, finding them more comfortable than the pair of jeans he was wearing. As he changed back he knew he'd not have to buy clothes or shoes for several years now.

There was nothing downstairs that Len would discard but his dad's chair would be better than the one Matt used so he'd swap them or, maybe, keep both. Two winter coats, hats of various kinds, scarves and gloves were in the cupboard under the stairs and several tins of paint were at the back. He checked the fridge and freezer again. Nothing there to use quickly except the carrots in one of the refrigerator's drawers. He'd take them. All the rest would keep until he moved in. He didn't bother checking the workshop or the garden shed for he knew more or less what they contained. He turned down the heat, left the slippers by the kitchen door and locked up, taking the carrots and the half-full garbage bag.

When he got home there was a message on his phone. It was from Barb, asking him to call her as soon as possible. He did so immediately, worrying that there could be something wrong. She picked up on the first ring.

"Len? I've found the house I want to buy. Can you come and look at it and make sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Right now? It'll be dark soon."

"Yes, please. It's just what I want and there's an open house tomorrow and if it's okay I want to buy it before then."

"All right. Shall I pick you up?"

"No, it's only five minutes from here. I'll walk there."

"What's the address?"

"29 Elm Walk."

"Right, I'll be there. Have you got a key?"

"The agent will let us in. He said he could come with five minutes notice, that is, if he wasn't with another client."

"Okay. Call him. Bye."

Barb was waiting by the gate when he arrived. He parked across the street and walked over.

"That was quick Barb! Are you sure there's not a better house? You've only just started looking."

"Well, I took Friday off and have already looked at nine other places. This is the best."

"How much are they asking for it?"

"It was fifty nine thousand, nine hundred and fifty dollars but they reduced it to fifty five thousand last weekend. And what's more, it's empty. They've already moved to Winnipeg. Oh, here's Jimmy. Hi, Jimmy. This is my brother, Len."

"Hello Len. Glad to meet you."

"Are you Jimmy Baker?"

"Yes."

"Well, so I meet you at last. My, our, uncle, Matt Smith said you and he have bought and sold several houses over the years."

"Yes. I'm very sorry about his death. Barb told me all about it. We did a lot of business together."

"You and I might do some too. I'm going to renovate houses, just like Matt did. Keep me in mind if something turns up."

"I will. Right, shall we go in?"

"I want to look around the outside first before it gets dark."

"Of course."

The walked around the house. It must be a four bedroom house because it was quite large. Len wondered why Barb would want such a big one since only she would be living in it but didn't say anything. He wished he'd had a pair of binoculars so he could check the shingles but they looked okay. Jimmy saw him staring at them and said, "they're three years old. Don't worry about them."

The windows and front and back door frames were in excellent condition and he could see no cracks in the house or basement walls. The back yard was grass and the driveway ended in a single car garage.

"It looks fine out here to me, Barb. Are you going to buy a car?"

"Maybe. But not until I've learned how to drive. Can we go in now?"

"Sure."

Jimmy took the key from the lock box that was hanging on the front doorknob and switched on the hall lights. The stairs started just past a pocket door on the left which opened to a lounge. A similar door on the right just past the hall closet showed a dining room. The hall continued past the doors and the stairs and Barb walked to the end and turned right and switched on the lights.

"Here's the kitchen," she said, "and look, it opens to the garage and the dining room. I like the big window above the sink. It faces south so there'll be lots of sun. Right, turn around and open the door on your right, Len. See? A Powder room! And there's a family room ahead of you. The door to the left is the way to the basement."

"It's an oil furnace," said Jimmy. "The oil tank is in the basement."

"What do you think so far, Len?"

"It looks wonderful. I can see why you would like it. Show me the upstairs."

Barb took the lead again, switching on lights as she went with Len and Jimmy following. Barb turned to the left at the top of the stairs and opened the two doors that were there. "There are four bedrooms, Len. This one at the front is a big double, the other is a single."

"Will you use this one?" asked Len.

"No. Mine's on the other side."

She opened the door to the bathroom which faced the top of the stairs, didn't say anything, then opened the last two doors. "See, here's the other single and this one will be mine. Come and look," and she almost pulled Len into the room and to the other side past two closet doers. "An ensuite! Something I never thought I'd have," and she pointed to it. "It's sitting above the front hall."

Although the shower was small the room was just perfect. Len wished that Matt had put one in his house.

"What do you think?"

"I think it's lovely."

Jimmy smiled then said, "the only way you can avoid others from bidding is to accept the sale as is."

"What do you mean?" asked Barb.

"You can't offer less, for instance."

"Oh, yes, I guessed that," she said.

"I should look at the basement too," Len said.

"Yes, but take a closer look around all the rooms first and tell me if there's any reason not to bid then we'll go and look at it."

Len couldn't do much but look around the room, at the hardwood flooring, opening and closing the windows, checking the closets, flushing the toilet and running water from the taps. There was a fireplace in the family room and there was a two-piece metal trap door underneath the grate.

"You can clean it from here," said Jimmy, "but there is an opening underneath, in the basement, where it can also be done."

"I see," Len said. "I can't see anything wrong so far Barb."

"Well, check the basement too, please."

"Yes. Can you turn up the heat first. I'd like to see the furnace when it's working."

"Where do I do that Jimmy?" asked Barb.

"There's a thermostat on the wall opposite the powder room," he replied, watching Len as he pushed his finger against the fireplace's trapdoor to check that it opened.

"Oh, yes. I see it," said Barb.

The walked downstairs to a large basement. There was a foot or more above Len's head so that wouldn't be a problem if Barb found a tall man to share the house with. The furnace, oil tank and the hot water tank stood together in one corner.

Jimmy pointed to a small metal door, located half-way up the wall beside the furnace. "That's where you can remove the ashes if you let them fall through the trap door," showing both Barb and Len. "I won't open it because it may have ashes inside. You'll need a metal pan to collect them."

"Something like this?" asked Len, taking it from the gap between the oil tank and the wall.

"Ah, yes. That must be it," Jimmy replied. "Well, what do you think?"

"Nothing wrong as far as I can see. How about insulation?"

"The usual, fibreglass batts in the walls and five inches in the attic."

"Well, Barb, if you're sure this is what you want I think you should sign for it right now."

"Great. I will. Do you have the papers, Jimmy."

"Oh yes. Let's go to the kitchen and you can sign them on the counter."

Two minutes later Barb owned a house.

"Hey, I forgot to ask," said Len. "When do you get possession?"

"As soon as the lawyers have transferred the deed," said Jimmy. "This week if you have all the money."

"I've got it," said Barb. "It's waiting in the bank."

"I'm not sure you'll have access to it until the cheque is cleared," said Len. "Better talk to the manager on Monday and see what he says."

"And I'll need the name of your lawyer," said Jimmy. "Who is it, please."

"I'll have to ask Mr. Jackson if he'll be my lawyer. And I better take Monday off."

"You might lose your job if you keep doing that, Barb, "said Len.

"I don't mind if I do. But I'm working tomorrow so I don't think they'll mind if I ask about changing my schedule."

After Jimmy had left with the signed contract to telephone the sellers Barb and Len stood outside the entrance just looking at the house.

"Isn't it nice, Len? I'm going to have a nice garden with lots of flowers in the front and I'll have a patio at the back with a large umbrella. You could put that in, couldn't you? I'd pay you."

"I'd be glad to, Barb, but I wouldn't want you to pay me."

"Come, let's celebrate," she said. "My turn to buy dinner."

"Okay, but we're not going to Manolias. They charge too much."

"McDonalds then!"

They didn't go to McDonalds but went to the town's second-best restaurant, Giovanni's, and ate and drank Italian. Len didn't see what the meal cost but guessed it was almost as expensive as Manolias.

## Chapter Twenty Seven

Len was washing his clothes Sunday morning when it struck him that he hadn't washed Matt's bedsheets and pillow case and he'd be moving there the following Saturday. He might as well do that today. And take Matt's ashes with him and check the garden to see if it was dry enough to scatter them. Once his clothes were in the dryer he sat off, with the ashes and permission-paper next to him on the seat.

At the house he put Matt's ashes on the kitchen counter then stripped the bed and put the sheets and pillow case in the washing machine then went to see what the garden looked like. Matt had rototilled it last fall so the dirt was bare but it stuck to his fingers when he picked up a piece. His boots would build up big clogs of earth if he walked over the garden so the ashes would have to wait. He returned to the cottage and collected the keys to the workshop and garden shed doors. With luck Matt might have some unused seeds left over from last year.

It was a long shed, about eight feet wide, divided into two eight foot lengths by a wall. A wide window in both parts faced the river.

A short ramp led up to the raised floor so the snow blower, rototiller and lawn mower could easily roll in. Len opened the door and walked in. Rakes, hoes, shovels, spades and forks hung from nails driven into the wall opposite the window. The rototiller had been pushed to the back next to the lawn mower. Shelves above them held tins of oil, a new air filter, a sharp knife that Len remembered Matt using to cut away weeds that clung to the tiller's forks, a potato spacer and a few special tools used in maintaining the tiller.

The bench under the window was clear. There were bags of fertilizer on the floor underneath, a half-filled bag of grass seed, two five-gallon pails, a bucket and a big bag of peat moss. Shelves either side of the window held open boxes, one of which contained packets of seeds. Len checked the packets; cucumber, squash, three kinds of tomato, onion, a large bag of bush green beans, two kinds of lettuce and beets. None of the packages were full. He put them back in the box and left it on the bench to take to the cottage. If he was going to have a garden he'd have to decide what to plant and then buy the seeds that Matt didn't already have.

There were a pair of boots under the bench and Len tried them on. Like Matt's shoes, they fitted so he wouldn't have to buy boots. Hanging on the wall was a clip board holding several pages. The top page was headed 1982, the ones underneath were headed 1981, 1990 and so on. They were plans for the garden. Len laid them out on the bench. They showed how Matt had moved crops around his garden. They seemed to follow a plan, each quarter rotating clockwise each year. 'Presumably that's important,' thought Len. 'I'd better do the same this year. Crop rotation, that's what it's called I think.' He clipped the sheets back on the board and put the box of seeds on top to take to the cottage then walked to the other end of the shed and unlocked the door.

It was just as he remembered, tools neatly hung, strong wide shelves holding things like the tile cutter, a chainsaw, a circular saw, hand saws, tool boxes, a jig saw and two electric drills. Smaller shelves held sets of wrenches, drill bits, a bit sharpener, safety glasses, staple gun and boxes of staples, a blow torch, rolls of solder, paste, tape measurers of different lengths, oil cans, paint brushes and wood planes. Screwdrivers, chisels, hammers, saws, adjustable wrenches and pipe wrenches hung from a board. Step ladders hung from hooks screwed into the ceiling joists and there were two extension ladders hanging on the wall outside the shed. Everything one might need when renovating houses Matt had. Len's collection of tools inherited from his father or given by Matt was miniscule in comparison.

He locked the door and stood outside, looking at the land. The track just inside the perimeter where he learned how to change gear, steer and brake in Matt's half ton five years ago was still visible as was the sheared off corner of the boathouse which he unfortunately clipped. Matt never replaced it. Perhaps it was a warning to him, to remind him to be careful when turning corners. He sighed, collected the seeds and garden plans from the garden shed and locked that door then went back to the kitchen. The washing machine had stopped so Len put the sheets and pillow case in the dryer and turned it on. They would take forty minutes he guessed so he went to Matt's study with the box of seeds and the earlier year's planting diagrams, sat at the desk and found a package of letter-sized paper in a drawer. He'd make a diagram for this year.

The 1979 plan, drawn four years ago, showed where each crop was grown. Len only had to copy it, that is, if he wanted to grow all the same vegetables. He looked it over carefully. He never thought Matt grew enough corn so he would double the number of rows. But that meant reducing something else. Squash grew beside the corn. He liked squash and it kept for a long time; he'd not change that. Potatoes were cheap enough to buy so he'd stop growing them. Which gave him room to grow more of something else besides corn. What should he try? Eggplant came to mind. He liked that. And peppers, red and green. He'd try growing them and wondered why Matt hadn't done so. He looked at the garden plans and found that Matt had grown peppers in 1974, his first year of keeping records, but didn't continue. Perhaps they were too difficult or the soil isn't right for them. Well, he'd try and see what happened. He made a list of seeds he should buy and put it in his pocket.

It was one fifteen when the dryer stopped. Len made the bed and put Matt's ashes on the desk in the study. It was time to go home and eat. This time next week Matt's cottage would be his home. He locked the door, drove to the entrance and checked the mail box. It was still empty.

He walked in the afternoon, thinking about the things he'd have to do beside renovating the kitchens. Get rid of his own furniture for one but maybe Barb would like some of it. She'd need a lot to fill her big house. If so, he'd have to move it Saturday so the place would be clear for Mrs. Ben. But he'd also have to seal the tiles of a kitchen and move Barb's furniture. Didn't she say she would arrange to be free that day so she could move in? She talked so much about the house during supper that he couldn't quite remember exactly what she had said. He'd have to call and find out what her plans were. Next thing to do? Talk to Mr. Jackson about the change of ownership and paying the bills, the property taxes, electricity and so on. What did he have to do about them and when? And he'd do what Mr. Tate suggested, open an account at his bank and use it as his business account. He could do both those things on Monday, after they'd finished for the day, if they were both available. He added their names to his to-do list. Matt's suits, they had to be dry cleaned and he added that. And buying vegetable seeds. He tried to stop thinking about the future, there was so much to organise. He forced himself to slow down and look at the flower beds he passed as he walked through the park. Crocuses were out and tulips had formed heads in the mini heat-traps beside shrubs where the sun had heated the ground. Tiny green leaves were forming on some of the bush and tree branches, a few birds were calling and he saw one with grass in its mouth. 'Spring, it's already here and I've been too busy to notice.'

## Chapter Twenty Eight

Alex was waiting in the garage with the list of remaining kitchens to be done when Len arrived at eight Monday morning. They carried the lower cabinet to the apartment and began. This time they finished at two o'clock, with the cabinets, counter and tiles in place. Reminding the tenants that they were not to use the kitchen and that they would be back at one the next day they left, Alex going down for his lunch and Len driving to his apartment for a shower and a quick bite before going to the Royal Bank where he hoped to see Mr. Tate. He was lucky because the manager was free when he arrived and Len joined him in his office. He explained that he wanted to open an account at the Royal.

"I'll use it for my business but I'm going to keep the one I have now."

"Which bank do you use Mr. Andrews?"

"Toronto Dominion."

"Oh, Fred Sukin's bank. Well, normally you'd have to go through some back-ground checks to open an account but there'll be no trouble with you." He flipped a switch on his intercom and said, "Georgina, could you ask the John to come here, please."

Two minutes later the door opened.

"Mr. Andrews I'd like you to meet Mr. John Waintree. He's the assistant manager. John, I'd like you to set up an account for Mr. Andrews. He already has an account at Toronto Dominion but he wants to open one here to use as a business account. You know that Mr. Mathew Smith recently died because you have been working with his lawyer. Well, Mr. Andrews inherited Mr. Smith's business and thinks it wise to continue banking with us. Would you look after it please."

"Of course, Mr. Tate."

Even though Mr. Waintree was handling everything it still took twenty five minutes to make all the arrangements, one of which was to have a credit card sent to Len. He was also given ten cheques with his new account number on them.

"You'll receive a package of two hundred in about ten days' time Mr. Andrews, about the time you'll get your credit card."

"They'll be sent to my new address, on River Road?"

"Yes. that's the only address we have for you."

"Good, and I can deposit cheques and take out money now?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, Mr. Waintree."

They stood up, shook hands and Len left.

Mr. Jackson was busy with a client when Len arrived at the lawyer's office. He read an old copy of the Reader's Digest until the door opened. Since he was squeezing in between appointments Len had been given just five minutes. Once in, Len asked Mr. Jackson if there were things he had to do, such as paying Matt's bills.

"You won't have to pay for anything that happened before Mr. Smith's death but you will have to pay for services, such as telephone and electricity from the time you inherited the property. I'll be looking after all that. Do you have any bills that I don't know about?"

"No. I checked his mail box this weekend and it was empty."

"If something turns up which you might think the estate should pay let me know. That's one of the reasons you won't get a final statement from me for several weeks."

"I see. Okay. And I should tell you that I opened an account at the Royal Bank just now. One I shall use for business."

"Do you have one of their cheques with you?"

"Yes, I do. Here," and Len gave him one. Mr. Jackson copied down the account number then handed the cheque back.

"I'm glad to have that. There's money in Mr. Smith's account that you will inherit."

"Oh? I thought that Dan and Barb would get all the money."

"No. They get the money Mr. Smith had invested in GICs. You get everything else."

"How much will it be?"

"About fifteen thousand, after fees and other expenses have been paid. You won't get it for two or three weeks but I'll mail you all the details with a cheque once I've finished."

"Thank you, Mr. Jackson. Would you be my lawyer for future activities?"

"Oh, yes. Glad to."

"Thanks."

"Thank you, Mr. Andrews."

Len drove the Toyota to the cottage, stopping just inside the entrance to unload the cabinet which he broke up and piled on top of the others. He didn't go into the cottage but checked the mail box then drove home. After supper he called his sister. "How did today go, Barb?"

"Fine. I talked to Mr. Jackson, the lawyer, you know, and he's going to be my lawyer and look after all the things to do with buying the house. He told me that my cheque would clear by Wednesday or Thursday so I told him I wanted to take possession on Friday."

"I saw him too. He's going to be my lawyer as well. Did we talk about moving furniture at Giovanni's?"

"Yes. You said you'd be glad to help. Is there a problem?"

"No. When do you want to do it?"

"How about Saturday?"

"All right. Do you want any of my furniture? The only thing I'm keeping is dad's easy chair. You can have all the rest if you want it."

"Why, sure, Len. Thanks."

"I thought it might help fill up some of your rooms."

"Yes, it will."

"Then I'd like to move that on Saturday too."

"You'll move both lots in the same day?"

"Sure. It won't take long but I can't start until about nine thirty because I have a kitchen to finish. Have your stuff ready and we'll load it in the pickup when I come."

"It'll probably mean two trips."

"No problem. We'll do yours first and move mine after lunch."

"Great. Thanks, Len"

"See you Saturday then. Bye Barb."

'Okay,' he thought, 'I'll move dad's chair and my clothes, food and things I want to keep to the cottage one evening this week and what's left could be moved to Barb's place in one load. I'll be glad when that day's over. I'll probably have a sore back.'

He moved the chair and some of his clothes to the cottage Tuesday morning, returning with Matt's suits and trousers which he took to the dry cleaner. Len grouted and Alex gave the walls a second coat of paint in the afternoon. He asked Alex if he could pay him at the end of the week instead of after each paint job was completed and he agreed. They arranged to start work on the next apartment at nine on Wednesday.

Len worked from eight to nine cleaning, sealing then adding the lights to the apartment they had worked on the last two days then met Alex and they began the next unit. He took the old cupboards to the cottage and broke them up after they had finished. This sequence continued until Saturday morning by which time there were only three more kitchens to do. He paid Alex Friday afternoon, asking him to sign a receipt for all the money he had been paid so far, starting a small receipt book that he was sure Mr. Alan would want when he did the income tax returns. He also asked Alex if Mr. Thompson had returned from his trip and was told he hadn't. That was annoying because Saturday was the end of the month and the day he should have been paid for the months' work. Well, there was only one week to go and he could cover the costs for that easily.

Barb was waiting for him when he had finished the kitchen Saturday morning and they loaded the Toyota, starting with the mattress and the large items. It did take two loads. Len was glad when it was finished for his back was beginning to ache. They ate the sandwiches that Barb had made in the kitchen afterwards. He moved his furniture to Barb's house next but this was only one trip. Carrying mattresses up the stairs was the hardest part of the day's work. Barb took him to the Chinese restaurant for a buffet supper afterwards.

Driving back to the cottage he wondered how it would feel to be sleeping in Matt's bed and in a house he now owned. It felt empty, mostly, when he had closed the door. It was only seven thirty, too early to go to bed so he made and lit the fire. He sat in his dad's chair with one of Matt's goblets drinking some of his cognac with a little water added, fist lifting the glass, toasting and thanking Matt. He sat there for half an hour, taking an occasional sip, wondering how his life would unfold now that he had inherited so much from Matt. Ah, well, he'd just have to wait and see.

Matt's bed was comfortable, with plenty of room to move about. He'd never slept in such a large bed before, he thought, as he fell asleep.

His apartment was empty but not clean so he took a bucket, floor mop and bottle of detergent there after breakfast Sunday morning and some cloths to dust with and to clean the kitchen counter. It was sparkling when he had finished two hours later and he rather wished that Mrs. Ben would walk in to congratulate him but she'd more likely tell him off again for leaving early. He locked the door and pushed his key under the door with a note saying "Thank you Mrs. Ben."

He shopped for groceries and collected Matt's clothes from the dry cleaners before returning to the cottage and spent the afternoon rearranging the clothes in the bedroom closet, pushing Matt's cleaned suits to one end to make room for his few things, then rearranging the furniture in the sitting room. After he'd finished he looked through Matt's desk to see if he could find the key to the cabinet in the spare room. He found it, eventually, in a box mixed with other keys at the back of a drawer in the kitchen. The cabinet was, as Len thought, full of old client files. Len had heard of two of them but just looked at their names without reading the contents. Most of these people must be dead by now, he guessed. He carried the files to the forty five gallon metal oil drum Matt used to burn paper, tipped it over so he could shovel out the ashes, putting them in a five gallon pail. Matt spread them over the driveway when it was covered with ice in the winter. He tipped the contents of one of the files into the drum, splashed in a little gasoline, stood back and threw in a lighted match.

It took over an hour to burn all the files. He stirred the ashes after the flames from the last file had gone out. A few scraps of paper were left but they caught fire as he stirred. He wasn't going to burn the legal books, he'd put them in the skip with the cabinets. That he'd do next weekend, for it looked as if all the snow and ice that had encased them had melted now.

Len phoned the telephone company Monday afternoon and asked them to cancel Matt's number and put his number on the same phone. It couldn't be done for three days he was told so he'd be making calls on Matt's number until Thursday. He went to the T D Bank and asked for a credit card and bank machine card. It was about time he had one.

They finished the last kitchens during the week. Len paid Alex, again using money from his personal account and getting a signed receipt. He would transfer money from his business account to reimburse himself when the money arrived.

Mr. Thompson returned Wednesday evening. Len saw him Thursday and explained how he and Alex had completed the work and Mr. Thompson said he'd settle the accounts on Saturday. That he did, paying forty eight hundred dollars for the twelve kitchens they had completed in April and May. Matt had already received the money for the cabinets, counters and other materials at the beginning of the month so what remained after paying the suppliers for them must have been part of the money that Mr. Jackson had talked about. Len deposited the cheque in his business account and wrote a cheque on it to repay himself the money he'd paid Alex and for the paint roller and brushes he had bought. Later that afternoon he ordered a large skip, saying he wanted it for one day, then to be emptied and returned for another load. When asked how many he wanted in total he said that he thought two would be enough. The first would be delivered early Tuesday morning. He gave them his business credit card number to cover the cost.

## Chapter Twenty Nine

Len stayed in bed until nine each day, recovering from the weeks of hard work. He checked the mail box each morning around ten o'clock by which time the mail van had usually delivered. It was empty until Monday morning when a letter addressed to Matt arrived. In it was a cheque and an explanatory letter. One of the houses that Matt had bought at the tax auction had been reclaimed by the owner. They didn't explain why that had occurred only stating that the owner had the right to pay the money due plus interest owing during the year following a tax sale. The cheque was for forty seven thousand five hundred dollars. That was a large amount, Len thought, and there must have been a lot of bidders. He took the cheque to the Royal Bank and deposited it then drove to see the house that Matt had bid on. It was a large property, maybe five or six bedroom, in a large lot and not in the area where Matt normally bought houses. It looked in fairly good condition from the outside, no broken windows and the paint looked okay. It needed new shingles though and grass and weeds covered the grounds. There were two cars in the driveway so he didn't try to look in the windows. 'Now why would Matt choose a bigger house to renovate? I thought he was going to reduce what he did. Did he bid for it thinking I would be needing work to do?'

Tuesday morning Len sat by the kitchen window watching the road. The truck carrying the skip arrived just after eight and he showed the driver where to put it. It took some careful driving but the skip was dropped off parallel to the pile of broken cabinets.

"I'll bring the next one same time tomorrow and collect this one. That's what you ordered, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

Len wore heavy leather gloves that Matt kept in his garden shed while he was throwing the broken pieces into the skip. When it was half full he got the step ladder, a pair of safety glasses, a large shovel and climbed into the skip. There he gradually shifted the broken pieces to one end of the skip being careful not to sand on any nails. He jumped up and down on the shovel to break them into smaller pieces, packing them down as much as he could. He did the same half way through the next lot he threw in, finally just throwing in small pieces until the skip was full. He was right; packing the scrap this way meant that only one more skip would be needed. It was after five when he stopped. He could have finished earlier but he took a short nap after lunch and a coffee break mid-morning and afternoon.

The second skip arrived Wednesday morning and was dropped off next to the full one. The first one was hauled up and the driver left, saying he'd be back the same time tomorrow to collect the one he'd just dumped.

There was further to walk this time before throwing the broken pieces into the skip but Len didn't have to do much breaking inside the skip because it was only three quarters full when he finished. He threw in the legal books then burned the cardboard boxes in the drum. He was tired but happy when all that was done and had a beer with supper and a scotch while watching television afterwards.

The ground still appeared too wet to rototill the garden but Len drove into town after the skip had been removed and bought the vegetable seeds. When he returned he revised the plot diagram, making room for the eggplant and peppers he would add in one of the quarters. Then he sat at Matt's desk and sketched the chicken house he was going to build.

He had earlier thought of keeping chicken and, maybe, a pig. There was plenty of land to do both but not enough to keep a cow and he didn't want to milk one either. Sheep didn't interest him, nor goats, but chickens would be easy to keep. And they would eat vegetable scraps. Three hens would be enough, since there was only himself to feed. Barb could have the surplus, she'd be glad of a few eggs each week. And he'd look for chicken that he could eat in the fall, when they had stopped laying.

He knew where to buy chicks and live hens, a couple of farmers in the Saturday market sold them this time of the year and he hoped that they'd still have some.

He designed a chicken house, just six feet wide, four feet deep and five feet high with a row of small windows across the front and four laying boxes across the back. Half-inch plywood made the walls, top and bottom with one of the sides hinged so he could get inside. The roof would be covered with shingles taken from one of several bundles that were stacked by the side of the tool shed. Sixteen foot two-by-fours, fastened to the bottom of the chicken house projected out to make the bottom edges of a pen, a six foot length joining them at the far end He would fasten five-foot long uprights to those corners, join the tops to the hen house with wire and hang chicken netting from the wire to make the pen. He'd make a door so he could get inside the pen and a small door to the front of the hen house so the chicken could go in and out.

It was raining when he went to the lumber yard to buy the materials but it eased off as he drove home. He decided not to start building that day, it would be much nicer if the wood was dry, and safer, since he would be using the electric saw.

It had stopped raining Friday morning and he got up at seven and had made the house and the enclosure by three o'clock. He made the hinges for the doors to the pen and chicken house from an old leather music case that had been hanging on the wall in the garden shed holding newspaper clippings and used some of the panes of glass that were leaning against the far wall in the tool shed to make the windows. After a coffee break he fastened the chicken mesh to the wire and stapled the bottom to the two-by-fours. 'There, that should do.' He held one corner of the house and pulled. The whole structure moved and he could easily drag it. He moved it twenty feet from the tool shed and left it on the track that ran around the property. Lastly, he used an old sickle and cut grass which he put in each of the nesting boxes and on the floor of the chicken house. 'Let's hope the farmers have chickens tomorrow' were his thoughts as he went inside to cook supper.

There was only one farmer with hens at the market Saturday morning. He told Len they were laying hens, proof of which was an egg that one of them had just laid in a corner of the cage that was sitting in the back of his truck. Len asked if he could have three, including the one that had just laid the egg but the farmer laughed and said he didn't know which one that was. Len chose his three and the farmer put them in a burlap seed bag tying the top with a piece of binder twine.

"Do you have the feed and shell?" he asked.

"No," Len replied. "I was going to give them kitchen and garden scraps."

"No, that's not good enough. You need broken oyster shell for the calcium to make the shells and laying-hen pellets as well. Plus water, clean water, all the time."

"Where do I buy the feed and oyster shells?"

"At the farmer's store outside Brockville. That's the closest. Put the chicken in the run with some water before you drive there. Tell the store what you've got and they'll give you the right stuff."

"Thanks," said Len.

"They'll like the scraps as well but don't give them too much bread."

"Okay."

Len paid the man and drove home where he released the hens in the chicken house, closing its door tightly after they were in. He raised the small door that let them move into the run and watched them as they slowly came out then explored the run for a while. Remembering that they needed water he filled a metal bowl with water. Two of the hens ran to dip their beaks in it as soon as he put it in the pen. He watched them a little longer as they pecked at objects in the grass then got in his truck and drove to Brockville.

At the store he bought a fifty pound bag of feed, ten pounds of crushed oyster shell and a water dispenser. Once home he nailed a piece of two-by-two to the roof and hung the dispenser on it then filled it with water. Then he emptied and dried the metal bowl and half filled it with the feed pellets. Finally he threw a handful of oyster shell on the ground and stepped out of the run to watch the chicken. One picked at the feed in the bowl but the other two kept scratching the ground and eating either small insects, pieces of oyster shell or stones, Len couldn't see which but he did see one grab a worm and pull the last half out of the ground and swallow it. "Now, let's hope you lay eggs," he said. "If you don't then I'll eat you. So, be warned," and he went inside for his supper. It was getting dark when he finished eating and he found that the chicken had returned to the chicken house so he peered through a window to see what they were doing. Two were perching on the rod and one was scratching the straw on the floor. He lowered the trap door and bid them goodnight, hoping for an egg in the morning.

After washing and using Matt's electric shaver next morning Len walked over to the chicken house, pulled up the shutter door so they could get out then walked to the back of the hen house and lifted the cover over the nest boxes. There was one hen sitting in a box and it pecked at Len's hand when he tried to shift it. Since it didn't move he felt underneath and found an egg and he eased it out. 'Great, at least one of you lay. But that peck hurt. I'd better be careful or wear gloves next time.'

He fried the egg for breakfast and thought it tasted much better than the eggs he bought at the store. 'Well, let's hope there are plenty of eggs because this one cost about ninety dollars, though the chicken house should be amortised over many years, I guess.'

Barb phoned Sunday afternoon inviting him to a supper party she was having the following Saturday. "Dan and Sarah are coming as well Len. To celebrate my new house. And I want all of you to meet a friend, Peter, Peter Jallope."

"Peter? Do I know him?"

"I don't expect so. He's a chef, a sous-chef actually, at Giovanni's."

"A sous-chef? He must have been working for many years. How old is he Barb?"

"Twenty eight."

"And you're only twenty one. Is he more than a friend?"

"I hope so."

"How long have you been seeing him, Barb?"

"Since Christmas. He sometimes comes to the supermarket and I noticed he always joined the queue at my check-out. We got talking and things developed from there. Don't worry, he'd nothing like Jeff."

"Can't help worrying, Barb. You're my sister. He lives in Townsville?"

"Yes, in the basement of his married sister's house. She's nice too. They have two kids, three and four years old. Both girls."

"Well, I'd be glad to meet him. You've told Dan about him?"

"Yes, but not as much as I've just told you. Then you'll come?"

"Of course. What time?"

"About six, for drinks before we eat."

"Who's doing the cooking?"

"Guess."

"Peter?"

"That's right."

"Then I'll really look forward to it."

"What do you mean? My cooking isn't good enough for you?"

"No, Barb. Your cooking is fine. It's just with Peter being a sous-chef."

"Yes, I know. Great, isn't it?"

"I expect so. Bye Barb. See you Saturday."

Monday lunchtime Mr. Jackson phoned Len asking him to visit. "I have finished most of the work and I have some papers for you, the deed to the cottage and most of the rest of the money. Can you come this afternoon, at three o'clock, if that's convenient."

"Yes, I'll be there."

Len arrived before three and waited until just past the hour when he was asked to enter the office. After he had sat down Mr. Jackson explained what he had been doing as trustee for Mr. Smith's affairs. "Probate wasn't necessary so that saved a lot of time and trouble. I've done a title search and the property is clear. So I transferred the cottage ownership to you and had it registered. All the bills I know of have been paid. You haven't had any that Mr. Smith would be liable for?"

"No, just one from the telephone company for transferring my number to his line and I'll be paying that."

"Right. Now here's a cheque for the money I can release to you now," and he gave Len a cheque for fourteen thousand dollars. "There's more to come, several hundred, but I'll keep that until I'm sure everything is cleared. Now if you'll sign here," and he passed three pages to Len, "where there is a pencil mark."

Len did that and handed the papers back.

"If you don't mind me telling you, Mr. Andrews, you shouldn't sign anything without reading it first."

"Ah, yes, I know that. But you're my lawyer and I can guess what the papers are for."

"Nevertheless, it's not something you should do. Now here's the key to Mr. Smith's safety deposit box. You have to go to the bank to sign a form before using it and I suggest you go there now and put the deed in the box."

"I'll read it first, though, if I may," Len said with a smile.

"Yes, of course. Do that in the reception room though, I've another client coming in a few minutes and I have to prepare. Oh, you know that trustees are paid for their services? My fee will be in the papers I'll give you when all the work is done."

"Okay. Thanks, Mr. Jackson."

Len shook his hand then took the envelope containing the cheque and the one holding the deed to the reception office. He sat in a chair and read through the deed. There it was; he was now the actual owner of the property, with its full legal description and registration number. Everything looked above board and he put the envelope back in its envelope.

At the bank he told a teller who he was and said he had a document to put in his safety deposit box. He showed her the key and she took him to the vault where she couldn't find his name on the sign-in card. Len told her how he'd inherited the box from Walter Smith and she found his card. They tried the key Len had in the box and when it turned she made a new card for Len and asked him to sign it. After doing that she used the bank key to finally open the door to the box and pulled the tray out.

"Do you want to take it to the room to look through the box?" she asked.

"No. I just want to put this in."

He opened the lid. The box was empty and he placed the deed inside, closed it and gave it back to the girl who slid it into its slot, closed the door and they removed their keys.

"Is there anything else I can do for you," she asked as they headed out of the vault.

"Yes, I have a cheque to deposit."

So Len returned to the customer side of the counter and she deposited the cheque in his checking account and gave him a receipt. He now had sixty five thousand, five hundred and seventy seven dollars and fifty one cents in the account. Perhaps he should put some of it in a GIC to earn interest. No, he couldn't do that, some of it would be needed to renovate the other house that Matt bought, if that wasn't also reclaimed. And there'd be other houses to look for. He'd better contact Jimmy and ask if he had found anything.

When Len was at the counter of the Toronto Dominion bank paying the telephone bill the teller told him that he could have all his bills paid automatically by the bank.

"All you have to do," he was told, "is give your bank number to the company and authorise their use of it then we'll pay the amount automatically on the due date. That way you don't have to do anything and that is one thing less to worry about."

"Oh, my electricity bill too?" Len asked.

"Yes, and phone bill. Everything."

"Right," said Len. "I'll arrange it."

## Chapter Thirty

When he got home Len phoned Jimmy Baker and asked him if there were any properties that were in poor condition and that he might buy and renovate.

"I'll have a look. You're interested in the kind of properties that Matt would work on. Right?"

"Yes. They don't have to be in the same area although I know why he was buying there."

"That's one of the best places to find them but I'll check everywhere in town. Do you want me to search outside Townsville?"

"Sure, why not. But not more than about ten, no, twenty kilometers away." That would be far enough, he didn't want to spend a lot of time commuting.

"I'll check and phone you tomorrow or Wednesday."

"Thanks Jimmy."

The garden soil looked dry enough to be rototilled when Len checked on his way to collect eggs on Tuesday morning. He was getting one or two eggs every morning and once there were three waiting for him. He kept them in order in an egg carton in his fridge, eating the oldest first but planned to take all he had in the fridge to the dinner on Saturday and give them to Barb and Sarah. After breakfast he took Matt's ashes, put on his boots and walked to the up-wind side of the garden and carefully let the wind spread them over the soil. He wondered if he should say some kind of prayer but neither he nor Matt were religious so he just thought of Matt while doing it.

Once that was done he removed the rototiller from the shed and checked the oil. It looked clean and he guessed that Matt had changed it before putting the machine away last fall. The gas can was empty so he drove to town to fill it and bought a few groceries.

The tiller started easily and he ran it to the garden and set the bar so it didn't dig deeper than three inches. Weeds often clogged the blades and he used Matt's hooked knife to cut them away, piling them on the side of the garden to put on the compost heap when he was finished. He stopped for a coffee break once he'd gone over the ground in both directions on all four plots. After the break he reset the bar so that machine would dig down to five or six inches and finished the whole garden just before one o'clock. He was tired and planned an easy afternoon. He'd sow the seeds tomorrow. That afternoon he was just going to sit in the sun on the deck and read. It was a shame to spend such a warm, sunny day inside the house or working.

It didn't turn out that way because Sylvie turned up at two. "Hi Len," she called, after parking a car next to his truck.

Len looked up, surprised that anyone was calling him, stood up, walked along the deck and turned the corner finally seeing who it was. "Sylvie! Hi. It's good to see you. You've got a car now?"

"Sure, at least part of a car. Thirty more months to pay for it then it'll be mine. I heard that you inherited Matt's cottage and wondered if you'd be in so I drove out here to check."

She got out of the car and climbed the steps to the deck and kissed Len. "Want a shag?"

"God, Sylvie. You don't waste any time!"

"Well, why shouldn't I? Yes or no?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then show me the cottage and we'll end up in the bedroom."

"Wouldn't you like to have a drink and talk first?"

"We'll do that afterwards. Come on."

The first thing Len asked after they'd had sex the first time was, "so you haven't found your older man yet?"

"One or two, Len, but neither was both older and rich. I need the two together to settle down."

"Anyone in mind?"

"I thought so but he wasn't interested in getting married so I'm still footloose and free."

"Well I like it that way," said Len.

"No. You're the marrying kind. Have you heard from Betty?"

"No, nothing. I don't even know how she's getting on at McGill."

"Have you been with anybody else since we met?" she asked.

"No, I never saw anybody I'd be interested in," but, as he said that, Len remembered Tina, Tom Robert's daughter. Now she was someone who he would like to know better but he didn't say anything to Sylvie about her.

Sylvie told him that she was still working for her uncle, who was giving her more responsibilities every few months. She now took the weekly inventories and ordered supplies as well as working on the cars.

"Do like doing the paperwork? I thought you were more interested in the physical side."

"Yes I am," and she put her hand between Len's legs.

Twenty minutes later they were both asleep. The telephone bell woke them up half an hour later. Len rolled over Sylvie to pick up the bedside phone. It was Jimmy.

"Hi, Len. I've been through all the likely properties and there's nothing. Sorry. I'll keep looking."

"Oh, thanks, Jimmy. Please do," and he hung up.

"Who was that?" Sylvie asked.

"Jimmy Baker. He's a real estate agent. He's looking for run-down houses that I might buy and renovate."

"Ah, you're doing the same thing that Matt did."

"Yes, that's right."

"Are you doing okay?"

"So far, but I've nothing right now. I'm hoping a house Matt bought comes through."

"What do you mean?"

Len told her about tax sales and how Matt had bought two last year but one was reclaimed. "I hope the other one isn't. I should know soon, it was bought last May."

"Are you going to do all the work by yourself?"

"As much as I can. Although it would be better if there was someone to help me. I get the work done quicker and so be free to do another house."

"I see. That's like what my uncle does. He sits in the office and just checks what everyone else does all day. I'm not sure I want a job like that. Well, I've got to go. I told uncle Bobby that I needed a break. He had me working yesterday evening but I have to get back now. Maybe we'll do it again in the future." She kissed him, got dressed and was out of the door before Len had pulled on his pants.

He heard her reversing then driving back along the track to the road as he was walking down the stairs. 'What a girl, woman,' he thought as he went to the fridge for a beer. 'If she settled down she'd make a very interesting wife.' He sat in the chair on the deck, looking at the river, not bothering to read but stayed there until the bottle was empty then moved to the kitchen to prepare supper.

Wednesday morning Len raked one foot wide rows along two of the garden plots then stretched a string between two pegs and used the handle end of his rake to make an indentation, something he had seen Matt do. He scattered seeds along each tiny trench then used the back of the rake to fill them in and had rows of spring onion, carrots, bush beans, lettuce and beets before stopping for coffee. Afterwards he made small, one-foot diameter, mounds along the edge of one plot and sowed a few seeds of cucumber, pumpkin and squash in each. After lunch he'd drive to the garden centre on the other side of Townsville and buy tomato, peppers, cauliflower and broccoli and egg plants. Perhaps he'd make a green house next year and start the plants himself.

There was a message on his phone when he arrived home that afternoon. It was Jimmy who asked him to call as soon as possible. Len did so immediately, hoping that Jimmy had found a house he might buy.

"Hello, Jimmy. It's Len Andrews. You called me?"

"Yes. I've something I want you to see. It has to be right now because I'm sure it'll be gone by tomorrow."

"What is it? A house? Or a bigger property?"

"No, it's some land. Look, drive to my office and I'll take you there. It's awkward to explain how to get to the place. I know it's not something you can renovate but it's worth your while to look at it."

"Okay, I'll come right away."

He put the plants in the shade of the garden shed before driving to Jimmy's office. They went in Jimmy's car and, as they drove through a number of back roads, he explained why there was a hurry. "It's ten acres of land with lakes on either end. And, what's so important about the place, is that a road runs diagonally across it. He wants twenty five thousand for the land."

"Just for a ten acre plot? That's very expensive!"

"Ah, but you see it's actually two lots; the road severs the land and you can sell each one separately. What's more, I'm pretty sure you could get approval to sever the land again to make four lots. There's usually not much trouble in getting a severance from the township."

"Then what, Jimmy?"

"Why, build cottages on each one and sell them. You should make a good profit. What do you think? Interested?"

"Let me see the place and I'll tell you."

The land was seventeen kilometers north of Townsville not easy to find because they had to follow three side roads, the last two gravelled. Jimmy stopped just past a farm house next to an opening on the left side of the road where a track into the wood started.

"One part's in here. We'll walk along this track to get to the lake. The farmer contacted me this morning and showed me the property. I haven't listed it yet but as soon as I saw what it was I thought of you."

"Why is he selling?"

"His daughter's getting married and he wants to buy her a house, or at least, put a big down payment on one. So he needs the money. Her wedding's next month, a bit of a rush job, if you know what I mean, and you might get it for a thousand or two less. But if it were me, I wouldn't try that. I'd give him what he's asking for so you can close the deal immediately."

Another three hundred yards along the track through the woods ended and Len could see the lake. It wasn't a big one, maybe two kilometers by three, but it was attractive. They walked to the edge of the water and Jimmy turned right and continued, stopping after about two hundred yards.

"If you did sever I suggest you start the division about here. It's about halfway. The other side of the property is where that wire fence runs into the water," and he pointed to it. "Years ago the man's father used to run cattle through here but the fence is all broken now. A surveyor would place metal bars to mark the separation if you got it approved. Right, let's look at the other half."

Len looked along the lake frontage, guessing where he might build two cottages. Then they walked back to the track. When they reached the road Jimmy drove a short distance to a second entrance on the right where he stopped and they climbed over a farm gate into a small field. Keeping close to the edge of the field they continued to a strip of trees that ran along the back of the field. A path led downhill to the other lake. This one was big, at least eight kilometers across and the far side curved away so Len couldn't see where the widest part was.

"He said there were lots of fish here and he thought there would be fish in the other lake too but he's never fished there. I guess you should make the severance about where that big tree is."

"So each piece would be about two and a half acres?"

"No. Because of the way the road runs there'd probably be two lots about three acres and the other two about two."

"What would a cottage on one of these lots sell for, Jimmy?"

"Depends on its size and condition. If it was a new cottage, which of course it would be, one with two bedrooms, about thirty five thousand. Are you interested?"

"I have to think about how much it would cost to build one first. I'd need an hour to do that. Take me home and I'll call you as soon as I know."

"Today?"

"Oh, sure. Let me see what time it is," and they both looked at their watches. "Just gone four" Len said.

He was thinking as Jimmy drove home, trying to calculate how much building a cottage would cost. He quickly realised that he would need a day or more to design, break down each wall so he knew how many two-by-fours to buy, drywall, plywood, trusses, singles, cement, wiring, electrical fixtures and was about to say he couldn't give Jimmy an answer that quickly when he thought of Tom Robert's cottages. He could buy one of them for just over twenty thousand and they'd install it. He'd have to get a well dug but they'd install the septic system. And hydro, he'd have to get that run in. It'd all come to about twenty six thousand. Plus the land. It'd be thirty thousand once it was ready to sell. Five thousand profit. Twenty thousand if all four lots sold. That wouldn't be a lot but it would be well worth the small amount of effort he'd have to put in. And it would be so much easier to use one of Tom's pre-fabs than build a cottage which might only gain him another five thousand.

"Stop, Jimmy. I've decided. I'll buy it."

"You will? That was quick calculation. Right, I've got the papers here. I'll pull over, you sign them and we'll drive back to the farm and see him. Have you got your cheque book?"

"Yes. It's for my personal account but it'll do."

The farmer seemed to be having an argument with his wife as they drew into his yard but it stopped as soon as they knocked at the kitchen door. The man opened the door, saw Jimmy and stepped outside.

"You sold the place already?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Tenning. This is Len Andrews. He wants to buy it."

"Oh? Got enough money young man?"

"Yes, sir, I have."

"Then let's get it done. On your car's bonnet. My wife doesn't think our daughter should get anything, getting pregnant like that. You don't want to listen to her. Where do I sign?"

Jimmy put the form on the roof of the car and showed him where to sign. Len took out his cheque book and gave him a cheque for five thousand dollars.

"Do you have the deed to the parcel?"

"My lawyer's got it. Mr. Balcock, in Brockville."

"Oh, yes. I've dealt with him," said Jimmy.

"And I want the rest of the money within two weeks, like I told you when I signed the contract."

"Yes, I know Mr. Tenning."

"Goodbye then," and he turned and went to the kitchen door, standing there until the car drove away.

"I wonder what his wife will do when she hears that the land has sold," said Jimmy.

"I don't want to be there when he tells her," answered Len.

He phoned Mr. Jackson office when he got home and talked to his secretary asking for five minutes with him then drove to his office and waited until five thirty when his appointments had finished for the day. He was surprised that Len had bought a plot of land but quickly understood what he would do and that it seemed a reasonable investment.

"But any profit depends upon you getting a severance, though," Mr. Jackson said.

"Yes, that's right. If I can't I'll have to plan something else. How do I get a severance?"

"I can request one for you. The township committee will decide. It'd probably take a month before you get an answer. Then you'd need a survey done. Once I see the deed I can tell you if you'd need the whole parcel surveyed. Sometimes you do, depends on when it was done last and how accurately. Who's the man's lawyer?"

"Mr. Balcock. His office is in Brockville. And Mr. Tenning wants to settle as soon as possible."

"You've given him a deposit of five thousand, I see. So give me a cheque for twenty thousand and the sales contract and I'll start tomorrow."

"I don't have that much in my personal account. I'll drive home and get my other cheque book right now."

"No," Mr. Jackson said, looking at the clock on the wall, "tomorrow will do. I'll come in a bit early. Can you make eight forty five?"

"Yes, no problem. Thanks, Mr. Jackson."

## Chapter Thirty One

The plants, with limp leaves and dry soil in the pots, were waiting for Len when he arrived back at the cottage. He stood them up and watered them, hoping they would survive. He needed to think right now about what he would do with the land, build cottages himself or use Robert's Homes. Which would give the greatest profit and be the less work? Well, there was no doubt that using prefabricated cottages would be the easiest but how much was he actually losing by having them built? As for the plants, well, he'd get up early tomorrow morning and plant them before taking his cheque to the lawyer's office. He went into the study and started calculating, stopping for a quick TV dinner at seven.

His phone rang about eight o'clock. The man on the phone was very brisk.

"Mr. Andrews?"

"Yes?"

"You bought ten acres from Tenning this afternoon?

"Yes, I did."

"Damn it. If I knew he wanted to sell the land I'd have bought it. How much do you want for it?

"It's not for sale."

"Hey, not so fast. It's only the north side I want, from the road up to the big lake. How much do you want for that?"

"I don't want to sell just the land. I want to put cottages on it before I do that."

"I'll give you twenty five thousand for it. The same price you paid for the ten acres. How about that?"

"You will? For just the top half?"

"Yes, so you'd get the rest for nothing."

"Why do you want it so much?"

"Not me, it's my wife. She wants it. She wants to build a cottage on it. She loves fishing on that lake. What do you say?"

Len thought quickly. "Yes. I'll sell it to you for twenty five thousand. Just the north side. And can I talk to you about the cottage. I can build it for you."

"You'll have to talk to her about that. Then, I'll come to your place and bring a cheque and we'll settle it tonight. Okay?"

"No. Not now. Meet me at my lawyer's office tomorrow morning at eight forty five. Please don't be late. We'll arrange things through him."

"All right. Who is he?"

"Mr. Jackson of Newsome and Jackson in Townsville. Do you know where it is."

"Yes, I pass there each week. Right, I'll see you tomorrow morning. Good night, Mr. Andrews."

"Goodnight. Oh, what's your name?"

"Harry Gantry."

"Goodnight, Mr. Gantry."

'Wow!' thought Len. 'What a day! Now I have a parcel of land, maybe two, lakeside pieces, for nothing! Who'd believe it? Perhaps I should just buy and sell land in future.' He laughed. 'No, that wouldn't work a second time,'

Len got up at six the next day, just drinking a glass of milk before digging holes to plant the vegetables. He had finished the planting by seven thirty then he ran a hose out and watered each one of them. He had time to shower, eat some cereal and get to Mr. Jackson's office before eight forty five. When he parked a man got out of a Buick that was parked in front of him.

"Are you Mr. Andrews?" he asked.

"Yes, I am."

"My, you're young. Shouldn't I be seeing your father?"

"No. It's me who bought the land. Hello Mr. Gantry," and he held out his hand. "Let's see if the door is open."

It was and they both walked through the reception area, passed his secretary, and into Mr. Jackson's office for he had left the door open. He was sitting behind his desk but stood up when they entered.

"Mr. Jackson, this is Mr. Gantry. There's been a change in plans, Mr. Gantry is going to buy the north side of the property I've just bought."

"Oh? Sit down both of you and explain what's going on."

Len shut the door, sat down and told Mr. Jackson what they had arranged last night on the phone.

"I see. Then I'll have to complete the sale with the farmer first. Have you got the cheque for twenty thousand?"

"Yes. Here it is."

"Right. I'll get the land transferred to you first. Then I'll make the sale for the north side to you Mr. Gantry. Do you have your cheque?"

"Yes. But I want a signed contract before I hand it over."

"Yes, of course. Right now you, Mr. Andrews, have to sign a declaration that you will sell the north side of the property to Mr. Gantry for twenty five thousand dollars. I'll have my secretary type it." He called her in and told her what to do. She was back four minutes later with the paper and several copies.

"Thank you, Kitty. Now you sign here, Mr. Andrews," and he marked the forms where Len should sign and passed them over. Once signed, he marked where Mr. Gantry should sign, then he stamped and signed them himself.

"Here's your copy, Mr. Gantry."

"And here's the cheque for twenty five thousand, Mr. Jackson," he replied.

"Your address is on the cheque, I see. Can you add your phone number. I'll need it later."

"Don't I get the cheque?" asked Len.

"Once the sale is registered you do. Well. This is remarkable. You're a lucky man, Mr. Andrews."

"Yes, I know I am. Thank you, Mr. Gantry and you Mr. Jackson."

"It's my wife you should thank, Mr. Andrews, not me. Hey, what's your first name?"

"Len."

"Can I call you that? We might be talking again. Call me Harry."

"Okay, Harry. Goodbye Mr. Jackson."

"I'll call you when we can proceed to the next step. Both of you. Oh, you still want me to request a severance of the south side Mr. Andrews?"

"Yes please."

"All right. I'll be in touch. Goodbye."

The walked out and Len said, "Want to have a coffee? I need one, haven't had any this morning."

"Sure, why not."

They talked as they drank their coffee, Len asking why Harry paid so much for the land.

"We live in Brockville and Claire wants to move to the country when I retire, when both of us retire, actually. She works half-time as a teacher's assistant now. I'm retiring in three years. Well, we've often camped at weekends on the top side of that lake. There's a camp ground there, Summer Shades, a nice one. Plenty of trees, that' why it got its name, I guess. I've a fourteen foot runabout that we carry on top of the tent trailer and she uses that when fishing. She's often gone south to the bottom end of the lake so she knows the end that I've just bought from you. Well, she heard from a friend of Tenning's wife when chatting after supper last night that he'd just sold the land and insisted that I buy it from whoever bought it. Well, I tracked you down and that's how it happened. Now we have to have a cottage, or rather, a house built there. More expenses but worth it, I guess. She took me there one afternoon and I agree, it's a nice spot."

"You know, I might be able to help you get a house built. Have you heard of Robert's Homes?"

"I sometimes see their trucks with half-houses on the back."

"Well, I worked there last fall and they now make cottages as well as houses. Can I take you there? I'd like to see the place again."

"Sure. Can we go right now? I've taken the morning off."

"Yes, as soon as you've finished your coffee."

Harry drained the last mouthful then stood up. "Okay, let's go."

Cathy was surprised to see Len walk in the door, followed by another man.

"Hello, Len." She got up and gave him a hug. "Are you coming back to work here?"

"No, Cathy. How are you doing? Oh, this is Mr. Gantry. We want to see Tom."

"He's on the phone right now I see," as she glanced at the phone on her desk. "I'm sure he won't be long."

"How's Visi Calk and WordStar, Cathy? Any problems?"

"No, they're easy. Using them gives me much more time to file and do other things. Oh, he's hung up now. I'll knock on the door."

She did that, poked her head inside and said Len and another man had come to see him. Almost immediately Tom appeared at the door.

"Why, hello Len. It's good to see you. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Tom. This is Mr. Gentry. He would like to see the cottages and homes you are building. Harry, this is Tom Roberts."

They shook hands and entered Tom's office.

"Would you like a coffee first?" Tom asked.

"No, we've just had one," said Harry.

"Okay. Well, you can see what they look like over here, and he pointed to a table on the side of his office. On it stood eight models, two with their roofs lying beside them so that the rooms could be seen. "The ones with the large picture windows are usually bought by people wanting cottages. The two-floor ones are usually used as homes in towns or cities. Which type do you want Mr. Gentry?"

"It's my wife that should choose. I'd have to bring her but I like the look of this three bedroom bungalow. It's to be a retirement home, by a lake."

"Please bring her to look at what we offer but you should know that we can also build to your design although it takes longer for them. Any of these models could be built and set up on your land in, at the moment, five weeks."

"That's quick! But what do they cost?"

"The prices of each are in these folders" and he gave the two brochures to Harry. Taking a quick look inside Harry was shocked.

"You can provide and set up these for those prices?"

"Yes, but you have to provide the hydro and, if it's in the country, the well. We'll install the septic system which will cost about another thousand dollars, putting it where the law decrees. How big is your property?"

"It's about five acres, Tom," said Len. "I just sold it to Harry."

"Oh, then you'll have no difficulty with well and septic system."

"Are you open in the evening?" asked Harry.

"I can be. Would you like to look over the factory?"

Harry glanced at his watch and said he'd like to do that.

"This way, then," and Tom led them through the door. He gave each of them a hard hat, asking Len if he'd still got his.

"Yes, I use it when renovating."

"I'll have to look at what you do some day," Tom answered and led the way to the central aisle. They walked slowly along, Tom explaining to Harry what was happening while Len looked for people he knew, nodding or saying hello to most of them. Jim wasn't around but he emerged from his office as they walked back.

"Len," he said, as soon as he caught sight of them, "are you coming back to work for us?"

"Hello, Jim. No, sorry, I'm not. I'm with Mr. Gentry. He might be interested in buying a house or a cottage. Harry, this is Mr. Denny. He's the operations manager."

"Hello Mr. Gentry. What do you think of our factory?"

"I had no idea how big it was or how you made houses. Fascinating."

"Do you think you'll be buying one of our units?"

"Ah, my wife will decide that. Can I bring her tonight, Mr. Roberts?"

"Yes. Would seven o'clock be all right?"

"Yes, it will be. Thanks for the tour."

They returned their hard hats and said goodbye. Outside Harry thanked Len for telling him about the place.

"What I like is how quick we can get a bungalow or house built. I know that Claire will be too. I'll phone her as soon as I get back to the office. Bye Len, and thanks very much."

"Bye Harry. Let me know what you do."

"I will," and Harry got in his car and drove off as Len walked over to his truck.

"Len, just a moment." It was Tom, who was standing at the office door. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," and Len joined him.

"Come into the office will you."

Once seated Tom asked Len if he had more land for sale.

"Yes, two more parcels. Two and three acre lots. Why? Are you looking for land? They each border a lake, not a big one, but it's pretty."

"No, I don't want to buy any, Len, but I've a proposition for you. I'll give you the same incentive I give real estate agents, one thousand dollars for every bungalow, house or cottage every time a client of yours buys from us. Thus, if Mr. Gantry buys one of our units I'll give you a thousand dollars. The same for anyone you send to us if they buy it within the next three months following the date you bring him here. If he buys after that you don't get the commission."

"Oh. Thank you. I like that. Let's hope he buys."

"You'll get a cheque if he does. I'd need a receipt, though. It has to pass through our books as it should do through yours. You understand that?"

"Yes. I'm sure my accountant will check where my money comes from too."

"You have an accountant?"

"And a lawyer," said Len, smiling. "Actually, they're my uncle's people. I'm carrying on his business."

"Renovating houses, yes, I know. Good for you. I'm sure you'll be a success. Say, if I hear of anyone wanting some renovation done I'll give them your name. I'm sure you'll do good work."

"Do I have to give you a commission if you do that?" asked Len, with a smile.

"No, I've no need of that. But, thanks, anyway. Well, it is nice to see you again," Tom said , as he stood up.

Len rose, saying he was glad to be here and hoped that Harry would buy one of their homes and left the office. He gave Cathy a kiss on the cheek as he went out.

## Chapter Thirty Two

It was lunch time when he arrived home but he hadn't added to the chicken's water dispenser nor filled their bowl with pellets. He did that and collected three eggs. He now had seven in the fridge. Seven plus the two he'd eaten earlier. The chickens were producing well and he'd probably have ten to take to Barb's dinner. In the afternoon he called the telephone and hydro companies and asked them to send him the documents he should complete so his bank could pay his bills automatically then he used Visi Calk and entered all the transactions that had occurred, even including the transfers of money away from and back to his personal bank. That way there would be no misunderstandings about where the money had come from or gone to. He made a separate spreadsheet showing his personal income and expenses. His income, so far, was just the money Matt had paid him for helping with the kitchen renovations. He hadn't taken any from the work he'd done since Matt had died. He divided his personal expenses into categories; food, restaurant meals, beer and wine, telephone, clothes, electricity and miscellaneous items. The garden seeds, plants, the chicken and their food he added to the food column. Gasoline costs he separated, gas bought for the snow blower, rototiller and lawn mower was clearly a personal expense, gasoline for the truck he calculated using the logs he kept in the glove compartment cross-checking with the payment slips he kept.

The postman delivered a registered package Friday morning. It contained the deed and the keys to the second house that Matt had bought. Len immediately went to see the place. It was in Matt's favourite area, the run-down section of the town. The first thing he noticed was that the house needed new shingles for many were badly curled and there were several places where one or more had been torn off by the wind. The garden was overgrown with weeds and the paintwork around the windows and doors had flaked off in many places. The was a locked garage at the end of the driveway. He used one of the keys he'd been given to open it, forcing the doors because the hinges had rusted in place. It was empty.

Len walked around the house to see if anyone had broken in but the windows were still in place and the front and back doors were locked. He found the right key to open the front door and went in. The floors were wooden boards, dirty from years of neglect, the carpet on the stairs was ragged and ripped in a couple of places. There was no furniture, for which Len was glad. It would only have to be removed if there had been some. There were no appliances in the kitchen. It was the same upstairs; all the rooms empty, dirty floors, torn lino in the bathroom, just as it had been in the kitchen, stains on the walls where pictures had been, wallpaper in the bedrooms peeled in places, two cracked windows and a badly chipped sink in the bathroom and the stand it stood on had a broken leg which had been wired together. He wished that he had a step ladder; he'd like to find out if water had entered the attic although there were no stains on the ceilings. He'd bring one next time.

The house was similar to others in the neighbourhood, one largish front room and a kitchen downstairs, two bedrooms, medium-sized at the front and small at the back, and a tiny bathroom upstairs. There was an old oil furnace, an oil tank and a disconnected hot water heater in the basement near the hydro outlets for a washer and dryer and a sink. Dirt and dust covered everything and large mud footprints came from the back door, down the stairs and across the basement. The water and electricity were disconnected so he couldn't switch on any lights nor try the taps.

'Well, it's not as bad as I first thought. No drywall work that I can see, just windows and sinks to replace. It needs a new furnace, water heater and stair carpet. Lots of painting to do and new shingles. I wonder if I can put them on? And the garden; rototill and grass seed should fix that. The garage doors are easy to fix if the hinges don't break. If I get down to it with someone to help it might all be done before it gets too hot in July.'

He went to the truck to collect his notepad and walked around the place a second time making notes of the things that had to be done and what items he had to buy. He'd hire Alex to do the painting and he wondered if he could find someone to do the odd jobs, cleaning walls, windows and floors, lifting cabinets, for he'd change them and the counter and sink, hauling heavy items in and out the house, maybe helping with the roof although he'd be the one to go on top if he did it himself. As he locked the door and was about to get in the Toyota a man cutting the grass in a house across the street stopped his machine and walked over.

"Hello. Are you buying the house? I see you're taking notes."

"Well, it is mine. I'm going to renovate then sell it."

"That's good. Doesn't look good just going to ruin. Pity about Jim, he was a good neighbour."

"What happened to him?"

"Got dementia. It was slow at first but speeded up after his wife died. He couldn't look after himself and went to the Haven."

"The Haven? You mean heaven?"

"No. The rest home near the 401. Still there, my wife tells me."

"I see. Well, if you find anyone who's interested in buying this place after it's done up please let me know."

"How long will it take you to fix it?"

"Less than a month, I think. My name's Len Andrews."

"I'm Bob Tinkers. Pleased to meet you."

They shook hands then Len said he'd have to go. He drove to the cottage, thinking as he went. Who would help him fix the house? Maybe Alex, but he might not want to do the rough and hard work. He'd be the one to do the painting but not much more. What he needed was a young man, one who would do anything. A sudden thought struck him, 'I'll go and see Mrs. Chambers. She'd be able to find someone for me.' Mrs. Chambers was the guidance counsellor at his high school. One of her jobs was to help students find work when they finished school.

After parking the truck he phoned the school and asked for Mrs. Chambers. When she picked up the phone he told her what he was looking for and she asked him to come at twelve when her lunch break began so he showered, put on a clean shirt and a pair of Matt's smart trousers, made himself a sandwich then drove to his old high school. He thought someone would recognise him when he went into the office but no one did. He explained why he was there and said he knew how to get to the guidance office. Mrs. Chambers was putting files in a cabinet when he knocked and she bid him enter. Len told her his name and she asked him to sit down.

"You want to hire someone to help you renovate a house, you said."

"Yes, that's right. I need someone that's not afraid to work, who can lift heavy things and is punctual."

"I can't guarantee any of those things but if you want someone who is strong you'd better look at members of the football team. I know of three who are looking for a job this summer."

She went to her filing cabinet, got out three files and took photographs from each one.

"Do you know any of these boys?" she asked, putting the photos on the desk and pushing them towards him.

"I know about Sam Dingo. He once had trouble with the police, I think."

"He did, but nothing very much. He wants to join the police force now and his grades have improved. You might do well with him."

"What about the other two?"

"Ken is quitting school this year and joining the army when he's eighteen in the fall. And Tom," she said, pointing to his photograph, "wants to be a plumber, like his dad."

"Okay. Can I have the phone number of each one?"

"Yes, of course. But, for what you want, I think you should start by seeing Sam. He's motivated now and eager to do well."

"Okay, if you say so. I'll call him first."

Mrs. Chambers wrote down their names, addresses and telephone numbers and gave the list to Len who then stood up, about to leave.

"You know that school's not finished yet but they can start work if they have a job."

"What about exams? Don't they have to take them?"

"Of course, if they want to graduate, but they don't start until the thirteenth of June. You'll have to let him take those."

"Yes, I would, although the work might be finished by then."

"Let me know how things turn out, please. And I'm always glad to help you find jobs for students. Call me anytime."

"Thanks, Mrs. Chambers, I will."

He phoned Sam's home at five, when he thought there would be someone at home. A woman answered and Len told her why he was calling. She said that Sam would be in at six for supper but was playing a game at seven.

"Can you come here? Or see him at the game? It's in the school's field. He'd be glad to see you because he badly needs a job this summer."

"How about if I see him at the school field before the game starts, around six fifty? Could he make that?"

"I'm sure he would. Where will you be?"

"I'll stand by the goal post nearest to the school."

"Okay, I'll tell him. Thanks."

Sam certainly looked like a strong young man when Len saw him. Six foot tall, wavy brown hair, beefy muscles bulged his arms and he was very happy to see Len.

"Mr. Andrews? Len? Weren't you at this school a year ago? You used to go out with Betty Jones, didn't you?"

"Yes, that's right. Did your mother tell you what I was looking for?"

"Yes, she did. I'd love to help. Fixing houses, eh? How did you get into that?"

"It's a long story, Sam. I'll tell you another time. You have a game soon?"

"Practice, actually. Please let me work for you. I need the money and I'm strong," and he bunched the mussels in his arms.

"I'll give you a try. One week and more if you're any good. I'll pay you six dollars an hour. Is that all right?"

"Yes. Thank you. Where do I go, when and what time should I be there?"

"Here's the address and my phone number. Phone if you can't make it on Monday. We start at eight, have half an hour for lunch, bring some sandwiches and a drink, and work until five."

"All right." He looked at the address. "I'll be there. Thanks Len."

Saturday Len took the step ladder, a flash light and measuring tape to the house and checked the attic. There were no stains or signs that rain had entered. He had also bought the long extension ladder and used it next to check the roof. It had been re-shingled three or four times over the years but there was only one layer now. He knew from reading that one could add a second layer without overloading the roof even if it had to hold a lot of snow so he decided to shingle it himself, wondering how he could stay safely there without putting up scaffolding. It wasn't too steeply pitched so it should be safe enough. He used the tape to find the distance to the ridge and again when on the ground to find out how wide it was so he could calculate how many shingles to buy.

Once he'd made up a list of what to buy he'd go to the lumber yard and see if he could get the contractors' rate. They knew him from the times he'd been there before so he should. He'd also order the paint for the walls, perhaps a pale brown, no, a light green. That'd look more cheerful.

He measured the dimensions of all the rooms for calculating how much paint he'd need and worked out the length a new stair carpet should be. He'd need new kitchen cupboards and counter, sink and taps and a new bathroom stand and sink so he measured the sizes of each. And a new furnace. He'd rent the hot water tank. The oil tank just needed cleaning and painting. Presumably the oil inside would be okay. And a new oil filter, again something the furnace people would see to. The basement walls would look better with a coat of paint as well as the floor. In fact he was simply repeating many of the things that Matt had done on his last house.

He had brought the gas mower to the house but decided to let Sam cut the grass and pull out the bigger weeds instead of doing it himself. It would not be easy even though he had sharpened the blades. He moved everything into the house then locked the doors.

Back home he calculated how many bundles of shingles to buy, adding ten percent for safety, and the number of gallons of paint, colours and brushes then drove to the lumber yard where he first looked at their bathroom sinks and stands then their cupboards, counter tops and stainless steel sinks. At the counter he waited until Gerry was free and showed them the list of the items he wanted to buy.

"You'll need shingle nails, as well, Len," Gerry said.

"Ah, yes, I forgot them."

"Fifteen, twenty or twenty five year life? And colour?"

"Oh, twenty year, I guess, and black."

"Okay. We can deliver Wednesday. What address?"

Len wrote the address on one of the pads that were on the counter. "Can it be in the morning?"

"Yes. With your discount it'll come to," and he pointed to the total, "two thousand, two hundred and sixty one. Are you going to pay now or do you want thirty days?"

"I'll pay for it now," and he gave Gerry the business credit card, thinking that it wasn't as much as he feared.

The rest of the day Len spent in the cottage garden, first pulling the chicken run and house twenty feet forward to give them a fresh patch of grass to work over. He had eleven eggs in the fridge now but put just ten in the egg carton to take to Barb that evening. There was a little hoeing to do and he started the engine to pump water from the river and watered the rows.

## Chapter Thirty Three

Len was the first to arrive at Barb's house that evening. He gave her the eggs, explaining that he had three hens working for him now. The living room, hall and kitchen had vases of flowers and those, the curtains and brightly-coloured cushions made the place cheerful and warm. They sat on stools in the kitchen and sipped wine waiting for Dan, Sarah and Rob to arrive. Barb told him that the meal was already prepared and the ham and roast vegetables just needed taking out of the oven.

"It's a warm meal because I thought it would be cold this weekend."

"I thought that Peter would be cooking it."

"He would have if he'd been able to. He's still at work, unfortunately. One of the chefs is sick and he has to fill in. Saturday night's always busy. If he can he'll come later, hopefully by nine. So what are you up to now, Len? You must have finished the kitchens."

"Just about to renovate a house, one that Matt bought last year. I've hired a boy from school to help me. How about you?"

The doorbell rang at that moment and Barb had no time to say more than "later." She opened the door to Dan, Sarah and Rob, who was hiding his face in Sarah's hair. Barb held out her hands to hold him but he clung to his mother and didn't want to leave. Dan put the bassinet he was holding on the hall floor and Barb gave him a hug. Len said "Hello, Dan. Booked your cruise yet?"

Dan shook his head. "No, not yet." He looked at Sarah, about to say something clearly relating to the cruise but then stopped and said, "Should we put Rob in the bassinet?"

"No, he's still wide awake and Barb wants to hold him. He'll be more willing in a minute or two Barb. He just needs to adjust. Can I look round your house?"

"Sure. Len, give Dan a drink and have another. This way Sarah," and they went up the stairs.

"There's beer in the fridge, Dan," Len said, "but we're having wine."

"Is there any scotch?"

"I don't know. Yes, there, on the sideboard. Help yourself." 'Oh, what's going on?' he wondered. 'He doesn't usually drink scotch.'

"Changed your mind, Dan? I thought the first thing you'd do was book a cruise."

"Two things. Rob is too young and we wouldn't have as much fun taking him. I told Sarah that Barb would probably look after him and she said she'd be working. But the real reason is she wants me to use the money to buy Joe's place."

"Where you work? The Chevrolet dealership? Is it for sale?"

"Yes, for the past six months. Joe wants to retire but I'm worried about buying it. It's scary but Sarah wants to take the risk." Dan walked to the kitchen to add water to his drink just as the women were coming down the stairs. Barb was now carrying Rob who was looking around as they descended.

"Dan was just telling me that Joe's dealership is up for sale Sarah."

"Yes it is," she replied. "I think we should use the money from Matt to buy it. I know it's a risk but it's a much better use of the money than taking cruises."

"Why not chance it, Dan," Len said. "The dealership's been there for a long time so it must be successful."

"I'm just afraid of losing all the money."

"Have you looked at the books?" asked Barb, sitting down on the sofa. Sarah sat beside her for it was clear that the conversation was about to become serious.

"No."

"Well I think you should."

"He doesn't know I'm considering buying the place yet."

"Well, tell him."

"I'll have to tell him I've inherited some money if I do that."

"Of course. But don't tell him how much. What's he asking for it?"

"Three hundred and fifty thousand."

"So you'd have to get a loan," said Len.

"Yes. I don't know if I could get that much."

"I could lend you fifty thousand," said Barb. "No, I could invest fifty thousand but I'd want a share."

"I think I could do the same," said Len, "but I'd have to think about it first."

"I bet I could borrow fifty thousand from my parents," said Sarah. "If we all did that we'd have over two hundred and fifty thousand. It wouldn't be any problem getting a loan if we put that much into it ourselves."

"Let's say you had to pay the full asking price Dan, three hundred and fifty thousand," said Barb. "The shares could be fifty thousand each and there would be seven of them. I'd have one, Len would have one, and your parents would have one, Sarah. That'd leave four shares for you, Dan."

"The bank would have two of those."

"Only until you've paid them off," Barb said. "What do you think now?"

"It's a great idea," said Sarah. "Let's do it, Dan. You know the business so we'd make it go."

"I don't know much about anything except selling cars," he answered.

"But you'd have the office staff who know about the rest."

"Yes, and I'd have them, the mechanics and the sales team to pay. That's the scary part."

"Go on, Dan," said Len. "We're behind you."

"Why not tell Joe tomorrow," asked Barb, perhaps thinking Dan would change his mind if he didn't do it soon. "Don't you open on Sunday?"

"In the afternoon, yes."

"Then see him then and tell him what we've got in mind. I'll come with you as one of the investors," Barb added. "What's a good time?"

"Oh, two o'clock. We'd have talked to the people looking at cars in the lot by that time."

"Okay. I'll be there at two. Now, how about eating? Rob's gone to sleep."

Dan took Rob from Barb and laid him in the bassinet, covering him with a blanket, then put it on the floor of the lounge.

They ate in the dining room. Candles on the table, brand new plates and cutlery, warm food and a wine that Barb said was chosen by the restaurant's sommelier resulted in an excellent meal. It was unfortunate that Peter wasn't there. Discussions about buying and running the dealership made the dinner pass quickly. The ham was glazed with a sharp but sweet marmalade, something Peter had prepared and which turned the dish into something Giovanni's would serve. They had just finished the cherry pie when Peter knocked on the front door and entered the house.

"Peter, you're early. Great. Come and meet Dan, Sarah and Len," Barb said, pointing to each one of them. "You look tired. Want a drink?"

"Hello, everyone. Yes, I'm tired. It's been a long day. Can I have a beer, Barb? I'm thirsty."

"Sure. Let's all go into the lounge and I'll bring you one. Everyone want coffee?" she asked.

They all agreed and Barb went to the kitchen to put the kettle on and grind some coffee beans. Sarah pointed to Rob, who was still fast asleep.

"I think I'll put him in the dining room now, it'll be quieter," and she picked up the bassinet and took it there.

The men sat down and Dan asked Peter what being a chef was like.

"A sous-chef, actually. Well, a sous-chef does just about everything, from designing new dishes, to finding and training new workers, to organizing the schedule, to maintaining discipline and the quality of work in the kitchen, to getting the food, to hygiene. He or she is always on the go."

"Wow! I never knew that. How long have you been a sous-chef?"

"Twelve years. I started when I was sixteen. Taken many courses along the way and worked in several restaurants, most in Toronto. Thanks, Barb," and Peter took a large gulp from the beer mug she handed him.

"Well, I certainly liked the sauce that we had on the ham," said Dan.

"So did I. Barb said you prepared it," said Len.

"It's nothing special."

"How did you too meet?" asked Sarah.

"At the cashiers," Barb replied. "I liked the way he spoke and looked," she added.

"And I liked everything about you, Barb, so I started going there for food for myself," added Peter, and they smiled at each other.

"So the next step is to become the head chef?" asked Dan.

"Yes. But it will probably mean working in Toronto. Or in a large city."

"Abroad?"

"Maybe. Perhaps not to begin with."

"Sounds like being the chef will be easy and fun."

"Easier than being a sous-chef, yes, but you've got the ultimate responsibility. You can bankrupt a restaurant if you're not keeping a sharp eye on everything. It's only because I've a bit of a passion for cooking that I continue. It's very hard work. You sell cars, don't you Dan?"

"Yes, that's right. But that might change," and they told Peter what they had been discussing earlier.

"That's kind of like my dream. I want to open a restaurant of my own one day. I hope you succeed."

"So do we," Dan said.

They all left shortly afterwards, Dan saying that he'd wait until Barb came before saying anything to Joe. Len took the empty egg carton so he could fill it again. Sarah had earlier said she'd save her egg cartons for him and it would be her turn if he was giving any more away.

Len knew he could buy a share in the car dealership but he knew it would only leave him about fifteen thousand dollars in the business account and he still had to pay for the furnace for the house and for the work that Sam did, plus everything else that he'd not thought of so far. 'And if Jimmy finds another house I can always borrow. The bank would use the cottage as collateral for sure.'

## Chapter Thirty Four

After adding water and feed for the chickens and eating breakfast the next morning Len went to the garden. He used the heavy metal striking pipe, which had one end filled with metal, to ram a stake into the ground next to each tomato plant although the plants weren't tall enough to be fastened to them yet. He should have done that before planting the tomatoes he thought, fearing that the stake would cut through some of the roots. He checked the rest of the garden. The peas would need support also so he set up three stakes, one at each end and one in the middle of the row then ran a wire across the top. He'd hang the plastic netting from the wire after the peas had grown high enough to catch on to it. The grass needed cutting and he wished he hadn't taken the mower to the house. He'd have to do it after Sam had used it.

After lunch Len took two of the longest ropes from the shed and drove to the house. He had figured out a way to keep himself safe when working on the roof. He took the ropes into the large bedroom. It had a window at each end facing the road; the small bedroom and the bathroom had windows that faced the back garden. He opened the two front windows then pushed the ends of one of the ropes through both windows. He did the same with the other rope, dropping one end through the small bedroom window and the other end through the bathroom window. In the back garden he made a bowline on one end of the rope and passed the other end through it and pulled it tight. The bowline rose up until it could go no farther. He repeated this in the front garden. When he started working on the roof he'd throw the rope over the ridge of the roof and tie it around his waist. He wouldn't be able to fall off if he did that. But this was just a precaution, he was sure he could easily walk up and down the roof without falling off. He pulled the ropes up and left them in the bedrooms.

He had another look at the floors wondering how to clean them. The boards were dirty, very dirty in some places, but were intact. Sanding would work but would take a long time and create a lot of dust. The corners wouldn't be easy to do either. It might be best to carpet each room. Most people wanted carpet these days, anyway. More expensive but might sell the place quicker and bring in a better price. Then he'd only have to sand the edges of the stair boards. He'd use lino on the kitchen and bathroom floors. And the wall paper? That would have to be stripped. Vinegar and water would do it. That would have to be done before cleaning the floor. He'd need tarpaulins or plastic sheets to collect what dropped and a garbage bin to collect the wet paper. He made notes of things to bring in his notebook. On his way home he bought six large bottles of white vinegar and some groceries from the supermarket adding a chef-prepared dinner, hoping it would taste better than one of the TV dinners he used to buy.

Sarah phoned him at five telling him what had happened that afternoon at the dealership.

"We've bought it, Len. Had to pay the full price although Dan, being the salesman he is, tried to get it for less but Joe wouldn't budge. He asked how we were going to pay for it so we told him, saying we'd get the last hundred thousand from the bank. He thought for a while then said he'd lend us the money and charge the same interest as the bank. Dan had a good idea when he said that and asked him if he would help us run the place. Joe, of course, said no. He wanted to retire, but since he'd have money in the place he wanted us to succeed so he said he'd be a consultant for the first year. How about that? We can't fail if he's behind us!"

"We could if no one buys cars," said Len. "But I'm glad he's on hand. So what's the next step?"

"Mr. Alan, the accountant you use, goes over the books to ensure there's nothing wrong with the figures Joe showed us then we take it to the lawyers. Oh, Joe said he clears around sixty thousand each year on average. It was just over sixty five last fiscal year. For seven shares that's about nine thousand each."

"If it's only fifty thousand then it's about seven thousand but that's still a great investment. It's over fourteen percent!"

"Yes. We're all happy. Oh, Sarah's parents said they'd invest in it too. I should have told you that at the beginning. We'll have to celebrate!"

"Let's wait until it's all settled, Barb. Things could still go wrong."

"I hope not. Well, cheers, Len. I'm going to open a bottle of wine."

He said goodbye and thought about celebrating but decided not to. He had to cut the grass and think about tomorrow. But he did drink a beer with his supper. His meal was not as good as the supper he'd had at Barbara's but warming and filling.

He got up early enough to feed and water the chickens then put the tarps and two forty five gallon drums in the pickup. He filled the drums with water and clamped the tops on afterwards. The vinegar bottles, two buckets, a paint roller and tray, putty knives and hard hats he put in the cab. The garbage bin was tied in the back and filled with all the old cloths he could find. Finally he had breakfast then made a thermos of coffee and put it with two mugs in the bucket.

He arrived at the house at seven thirty, parked just in front of the garage, put on his hard hat then walked carefully over the back lawn looking for debris. He found some sticks, half a brick and some stones and put them on the drive in front of the truck. He was combing over the front lawn when Sam arrived.

"Morning Len," Sam called. "Where should I put my bike?"

"In front of the Toyota or in the garage if you like. There's a hard hat in the cab. Put it on please."

Sam did that then asked what Len was doing.

"Clearing the grass of stones and branches because the first thing I want you to do is cut the grass."

"Do I have to wear a hard hat for that, Len?"

"I want you to wear one all the time you're here just as I will. You never know when something might happen and I don't want you to bash your head. So wear it always, please."

"Yes, sir," grinned Sam as he put his hat on.

"Right, now let's get the mower," and Len walked to the back door, unlocked it and they carried the mower and the can of gasoline can outside.

"What do I do with the cut grass, Len?"

"Leave it on the ground. I'll bring a rake tomorrow and we'll collect it then. You know about pointing the mower discharge away from the windows?"

"Yes, and away from people."

"Right. Okay, I'll be inside for a while. Look out for sticks or rocks as you go."

As Sam cut the back lawn Len re-measured the floor of each room so he could buy the correct size carpets. The linoleum he have to buy in a roll and cut off what he needed, which reminded him that he'd have to remove the quarter rounds from each of the upstairs bedrooms. He did that using a screwdriver and a hammer and tied the removed pieces from each room with string, noted on the underside which room they came from and put the bundles in the bathroom. Then he two-thirds filled both buckets with water and carried them to the small bedroom and took two of the tarps, the paint roller, the garbage bin and two bottles of vinegar to the bedroom. He added about a quarter of a bottle of vinegar to the water in each bucket and stirred it around, wishing that he had a way of heating it. He spread a tarp on the floor along one of the wall, moving the rope out of the way, dipped the paint roller into the bucket then rolled it over the wallpaper. After letting it soak in he used the putty knife to lift one edge and started tearing off the paper. It was a slow process and he needed several buckets of vinegar-water solution. Sam finished mowing the grass when he started on the large bedroom and Len asked him to empty the garbage bin that he'd left in the small bedroom into the back of the truck and bring up another two bottles of vinegar.

When he came back, Len asked, "Do you need a rest or can you help me with this room?"

"No, I don't need a rest. Have you got another knife?"

"Yes, it's on the window sill. You have to let the water-vinegar mix soak in for a while before it'll strip. Don't worry about the bits that fall on the tarp, we'll collect them when the wall's finished."

They worked for about an hour then Len went to the truck to get his thermos, two mugs and a package of cookies.

"Thanks, Len. Oh, do you have any sugar?"

"No, sorry. I don't take sugar. I'll bring some tomorrow. Help yourself to cookies, they might help the coffee to go down. Let's sit on the edge of the bath. I'm tired of standing."

Once seated Len told Sam what his mother had said. "So you want to join the police force? Why?"

"Well, I might as well tell you. Two years ago I and another guy pinched a package of cigarettes from a store and we were caught. The owner called the police and one of them showed up fifteen minutes later. We were very scared and the cop and owner realised that so the owner said he'd not want to press charges. The policeman looked at us both and said that we were two lucky boys. 'Going to court could ruin both your lives. Now, I'd like you to make some kind of restitution to the manager. What do you say, Mr. Hoison? How about if they came in Saturday mornings and cleaned the floor or tidied up. Something like that for a month.' The owner agreed and we did it. The policeman turned up each Saturday to make sure we were there and we talked. Gord Nelson is his name. I still see him from time to time. I like him and think he's a great guy. That's why I want to join the force."

"I see. Do you smoke, then?"

"No, not now. I did for a while. Not much, just when I was out with the boys."

"Is it easy to join the police?"

"I don't know. I have to be eighteen, know how to drive, have grade twelve and be physically fit. I'll be eighteen in August and that's when I'll apply. Gord will help me, I'm sure."

"I hope it works out. Okay, let's do the other bedroom."

They had the walls stripped by twelve thirty when they stopped for lunch, sitting on the back door step to eat. They chatted then returned to work. After removing all the bits that had somehow got on to the bedroom floors they wiped the walls with a damp cloth. After another short rest they worked on the floors, cleaning them with the vinegar and water solution, rubbing it on then wiping it off using old cloths, both kneeling on more cloths.

They started in the small bedroom, Len one side and Sam on the other, with the bucket between them, and almost immediately Len found a loose board. Wondering how bad it was and if he'd have to nail it he put his finger nail under one corned and lifted. The board moved and with a little more pressure it came free. In the hole underneath lay an embossed tin box.

"Looks as if we've found a treasure trove," he said to Sam, who moved over to see what it was. Len opened the box and inside were three metal toy cars, some marbles, one a very big one, and a penknife.

"Some boy's treasure, I guess," said Sam.

"Looks like it. I wonder who he was." Len put the box on the windowsill then went downstairs to get his hammer from the tool box and some of the nails he kept in one of the compartments on the top tray. He chose a few finishing nails and nailed the board back into place.

The dirty water they threw down the toilet and fetched more from the drums on the Toyota. Len made a note to bring two hand brushes tomorrow and a stiff broom. They stopped for more cookies and coffee when they had done the small bedroom and stopped work for the day just after four when the large bedroom was finished. Len felt very tired. He marked eight hours in his notebook and said he'd pay Sam at the end of the week.

"You're going to keep me on?" Sam asked.

"Yes. You worked harder than me today. Same time tomorrow then."

"Yes. Thanks."

Len put the stones and sticks in the truck and drove home, stopping at the entrance to dump them and scrape out the old wallpaper, leaving everything behind the hedge where the cabinets had been. He filled the drums with water, adding a rake, the hand brush, for there was only one, the stiff broom and a shovel. He was tired and sat with a beer for a while on the deck wondering if he really wanted to do this kind of work all his life. It was interesting but he never knew if he'd find another house to work on although Matt had managed to find them. He'd have to learn about the tax auctions and go to some of them. Well, he'd do that when this house was finished.

After a while he opened the box he'd found. There were no clues that might have told him who had put them there. 'It's probably a boy, as Sam had said. Wonder why he hid them. Perhaps he was hiding them from a bigger brother.' Later, he put the box on a shelf in his study, thinking he might investigate, find out who had been the previous owners of the house, when he had nothing else to do.

Tuesday he again arrived at the house at seven thirty. He put on his hard hat and checked the bedrooms. The walls looked fine in the morning sun, good enough to paint. The floors also. A carpet with an underlay would easily even out the few boards that were slightly warped. They would remove the bathroom sink and stand and rip up the lino then clean the walls and floor then do the stairs and start on the downstairs rooms. Tomorrow, if it didn't rain they'd work on the roof. However, the first thing to do was remove the grass so it could be rototilled and seeded. This was a good time of the year to get that done, when it was likely to rain and help the seed to germinate and grow. He began to rake the grass, using the rake and the shovel to dump the clippings into the back of the truck, but gave Sam the rake and his hard hat when he arrived. He fetched the small tarp and laid it on the ground, telling Sam to rake the grass onto that. When it was loaded they held the corners of the tarp and carried the grass to the pickup and dumped it inside. Twenty minutes later they had finished.

The next job was clearing the bathroom. They moved the quarter rounds into the bedrooms then Len uncoupled the pipes from the bathroom sink, removed the screws holding the stand to the wall and they took the stand and sink downstairs, leaving them on the ground behind the truck. Len used a flat crowbar to free the lino and Sam pulled it up. It was hard to remove and pieces were stuck to the floor and they were glad when it had all been lifted. Len got a bucket of water from one of the drums and they washed their hands before sitting on the back step for the morning's coffee break.

"I bought a box of sugar and a spoon, Sam. They're in a box on the truck seat with the thermos and some more cookies. Can you get them?"

They wiped the bathroom walls after the break then Sam removed the stair carpet as Len checked the bathroom floor, wondering if he should sand it before gluing down the new lino. It seemed too rough to leave as it was so he made a note to bring the large sanding-block all the coarse sandpaper Matt had in the tool shed. He'd have to buy more if there weren't enough.

Once the carpet had been removed from the stairs Len asked Sam to clean the small landing at the top then continue down each of the steps. He emptied the garbage bin containing the Lino pieces on top of the grass in the pickup and then spread the old stair carpet over the top to stop the grass from blowing away when he drove home.

In the afternoon they cleaned the walls and floors of the two downstairs rooms, leaving the kitchen for another day. Sam helped Len put the bathroom sink and stand on top of the carpet in the pickup before biking home. Len dumped it all behind the hedge then drove the truck to the cottage where he removed one of the forty five gallon drums, thinking one load of water would be enough from now on.

Len, as usual, checked and closed-up the chicken house after supper then went to the mail box. Usually there was nothing in it since he'd left a note inside saying he didn't want any flyers but this night there was a letter. The envelope had Robert's Homes and its logo on the top left corner and Len guessed what was in it. He opened the envelope immediately and found a note and a cheque for a thousand dollars inside.

"Thanks, Len," the note said, and it was signed, "Tom."

'I guess Harry bought one of the cottages, then. I should visit sometime and find which one he bought and where he placed it.'

## Chapter Thirty Five

Since the lumber yard was delivering Wednesday morning Len parked his pickup in the road. Opening the back door of the house he put the extension ladder on the back lawn and the step ladder and his tool box in the living room, afterwards going to the bedrooms and throwing the rope outside.

Sam arrived just as the truck from the lumber yard pulled up. Len asked the driver to back up the driveway to the end of the house. Their items were loaded at the end of the truck; stacks of wood, presumably to be delivered to someone else, took up the first three quarters. The driver removed the ties holding Len's items in place then helped them put everything on the back lawn except the shingles. They were stacked on a wooden platform and he used the truck's crane to remove them. Len signed for the delivery and the driver told him that they didn't want the platform back.

Everything except the shingles and the box of shingle nails they moved into the living room. The radio said there wouldn't be any rain today and so Len could do the roof. They raised the ladder until its top was about four feet above the edge of the roof and Len picked up the end of the rope and climbed a few steps then asked Sam to stand on the bottom step to hold the ladder firmly in place. At the top of the ladder he climbed carefully onto the roof and crawled to the ridge, sat down and pulled the rope until it was taunt then threw the slack down the other side. Next they took the ladder to the front lawn where they did the same with the other rope. Now he had his safety lines.

They carried about half of the shingles to the front lawn where Len used his lino knife to open one of the bundles. He showed Sam how to cut each shingle in half and they did that to each of the shingles in the opened bundle. Len then carried a new bundle of shingles and some half-shingles to the roof, placing them carefully a couple of feet above the roof's edge. He then climbed down and filled both of the big pockets of his tool belt with shingle nails, put his hammer in the belt's loop and put a lino knife on top of the nails.

"Right, Sam. While I'm on the roof I want you to bring up the shingles. Don't open the bundles, I'll do that. You can take the wrappings and the paper strips down when you bring up the next bundle. Don't cut any more shingles until I tell you because I only need two for each row. And keep your hat on because I'll be cutting off the curled ends of the old shingles and throwing them over the edge. Okay?"

"Sure. Be careful, Len."

"I will."

Len climbed to the top of the ladder and tied the safety rope around his waist then leaned to the right and cut off all the turned-up shingle corners he could reach. He laid one of the shingles, a full one because this edge of the roof ended with a half shingle, reversed, on top of the layer already there and nailed it into place. He continued, using full shingles as far as he could reach then began the second layer, right way up this time. He could lay four rows before moving the ladder. Slowly he worked his way across the roof, Sam brining up bundles when called for. Once Len had reached the far end he and Sam carried the ladder to the center where they would leave it. Len could nail on all the other shingles by kneeling on the roof. He carried up another bundle and started again, adjusting his safety rope as he went. He really didn't need it for the slant wasn't great and it was easy to walk on the roof.

They stopped after two hours and had a coffee break. It was a cloudy but warm day, perfect for doing this kind of work. The front side of the roof up to the ridge was finished by twelve and they had lunch. Afterwards they moved to the back and repeated the process. By four o'clock Len began removing the old ridge cap and replacing it with new shingle sections. It was all done by four thirty but they spent another fifteen minutes raking and clearing up the scraps of shingles and dropped nails from the grass. Len marked in his notebook that Sam had worked nine hours that day. After Sam had left Len walked out to the street and stood by his truck looking at the roof. It looked okay and would keep water off the house for many years but it somehow didn't look like it had been done by a professional. The lines were straight as they followed the earlier shingles but something looked wrong although he couldn't say what it was. Perhaps he'd get better with practice though he really didn't want to do any more roofing. His fingers were sore, almost bleeding, from the fine scratches the shingles had caused. In the evening he put cream on his fingers but it took a few days for the tips to recover.

He bought the lino on his way home that night, a large can of adhesive and a notched trowel then drove to the garden centre where he bought two big bags of grass seed. After dumping the debris he unrolled enough of the lino onto the grass and cut two pieces, one a little larger than the bathroom floor and another for the kitchen.

Thursday morning, after feeding the chicken and having two fried eggs for breakfast, Len collected all the coarse sanding paper he could find in the tool shed and put it and the large sanding block in the Toyota cab. He filled the drum with water then used two planks to make a ramp up which he pushed the rototiller, tying it to the side of the truck. At the house he parked in the driveway, took the lino rolls into the house then used the planks to remove the rototiller. Next he put the wooden platform and the four and a quarter bundles of unused shingles in the pickup. The morning's plan was for Sam to clean the kitchen walls and floor then sand the bathroom floor while he rototilled the front, side and back gardens. But the first thing to do was remove the kitchen cupboards, counter top and sink. Len disconnected the pipes while Sam got the water and vinegar and tools ready. After putting the cupboards, counter and sink in the truck Len began rototilling, first to three inches deep then to five. He was tired when he had finished.

Sam had finished cleaning the kitchen and was sanding the bathroom floor when he came in, sensibly working his way backwards towards the door. Len sat on the back step until Sam was finished then they had their coffee break. It was now eleven o'clock.

"I think it's going to rain tonight, Sam, so I want to put the grass seed in next. After the break can you rake? Start with the front garden and I'll spread the seed after you are done."

"Sure. I'd be glad of a change, sanding the floor isn't much fun."

"I'm afraid there's a bigger one to do next, the kitchen."

"Can't the new lino be put on top of the old?"

"I don't know. Maybe it could. I'll have a look when we're finished."

In one corner of the kitchen floor a patch of the lino had torn away and there were a couple of rips near the door. Len, after closely looking at the floor, thought he could fill the torn out patch with a piece of the new and fill in the spaces where it had ripped with patching compound so he decided to do that. It wouldn't be an expensive house when finished and probably the new owners wouldn't be too fussy, not worrying if any slight unevenness showed.

"Okay Sam, I'll put the lino on top of the old."

"Good. If I had to sand this floor I'd need a lot more sandpaper, I've used most of what we had. You know, at this rate, we'll finish the house this week, all but the painting, that is."

"Yes, it looks like it. Is that a problem?"

"I thought I'd be working for you all the summer, that's all."

"No, this is the only place I've got. Ah, have you done any painting before?"

"Only in art class and I guess you don't mean that."

"Well it's not difficult. I'm sure you and I can do it." 'And it would be cheaper than hiring Alex, that's for sure.'

"How long will that take?"

"Just a few days, I guess."

"Then I'd better start looking for another job."

"Yes, sorry. If something new comes up you'll certainly be the one I'll call."

"Thanks."

Sam raked the gardens and Len scattered the seed, wishing he had some kind of seed spreader for it was difficult to make sure all the ground was covered. He used the back of the rake to cover the seed, adding more when he came across a patch that wasn't well covered.

After lunch he asked Sam to give the quarter rounds a coat of paint.

"Do it in the big bedroom, Sam. And leave the nails in if you can. You can hold the wood by one of the nails when you get to the ends. You don't have to paint the flat sides, just the rounded part."

"Which paint do I use?"

"The white semi-gloss. I'll find it and the brush."

Once the paint was stirred and Sam had started painting Len placed the lino on the bathroom floor and trimmed carefully around its edge, making cuts and holes and fitting it around the water and drainage pipes for the sink and toilet. After it had been cut he curled back about three feet of the lino the side furthest from the door then covered the floor with adhesive using the notched trowel. Once pasted he rolled the lino on top and pressed it down as hard as he could. Then he rolled back the rest of the lino and added adhesive to the next three feet, again pushing the lino firmly into place, making sure it was completely flat especially where he had just bent it back. He did the same for the rest of the floor then walked carefully over every part of the lino pressing it firmly into place. 'That wasn't difficult,' he thought, 'just the parts where it had to go around the toilet and the pipes. And it looks good. Much better than before.'

He joined Sam and watched him finish the painting. It was three thirty now and they rolled the rototiller into the pickup, tied it in place, added the two planks and Sam left for home. Len drove to the lumber yard and bought a can of filler for the cracks in the kitchen lino and some of the cleaner they recommended to clean the sides of the bath and the toilet and an extra brush, roller and paint tray. He'd paint the kitchen and the bathroom walls and leave the easier rooms for Sam.

Before having supper he cut a corner of the lino off, large enough to fill the missing piece of the kitchen floor and put it in the truck with some shingle nails. Having a wide flat head they'd be perfect for nailing the patch. Knowing the top of the walls in the house were too high to reach he nailed two empty paint cans to the ends of each plank. By standing on them they could now easily paint to the top of the wall. He filled the forty five gallon drums with water and clamped the lid on. Lastly he fed and watered the chicken then walked around the garden making notes about what had to be done there. That, he thankfully decided, was all he needed to do today.

## Chapter Thirty Six

Luckily it did rain Thursday night. Not much, but enough, Len hoped, to germinate the seeds. The clouds had cleared and the bright morning sun woke him at five forty so he decided to get up. The main task today was to fill the cracks and patch the kitchen floor then lay the lino, clean the bath tub and toilet and begin painting. Sam could paint and he'd do the rest.

He fed and watered the chicken, collected two eggs, had breakfast, made two ham sandwiches for lunch and the usual mug of hot coffee and was on his way to the house by six thirty. Once there he carried the step ladder to the bathroom then removed the covers on the light switches and the electrical outlets in each of the rooms, putting them and the screws in plastic bags, tying a knot in the bag and leaving it in a corner of the room.

It was not yet seven when he'd finished so he decided to paint the bathroom walls. He opened a can of semi-gloss. The hardest part was reaching up to paint over the bath but he'd finished by eight fifteen. He tipped the paint that was left in the tray back into the can, used the stir stick to scrape what he could from the roller then wrapped it and the brush with a wet cloth. That done, he took them downstairs and put them in the living room with the rest of the stuff. Sam arrived as he was doing that.

After the usual greetings Len explained the best way to paint the walls. "The hardest part is not getting paint on the ceiling and getting it into all the corners. So we use the brush to do that, the roller does all the rest. I'll show you how it's done. Help me carry up some of the paint cans. No, not that one, it's semi-gloss, good for where there's moisture. You'll use the other tray and brushes."

In the small bedroom Len opened one of the cans and used the stir stick to mix the paint. He took the can and brush in his right hand, moved to one of the corners. He dipped about an inch of the brush into the paint then wiped one side on the edge of the can, explaining that it was better to put a little on the brush so the paint didn't run down the handle, which was likely to happen when painting the top of the walls. "But I'll start by doing the bottoms and corners of the wall since the can is full."

He quickly painted the lower edges of the walls, saying it didn't matter if the floor got a bit of paint because the carpet would cover it. Then he began painting one of the corners, putting a four inch wide strip up each wall to about chest height. He handed the brush to Sam and asked him to do the other corners and the edge of the door. He did that without difficulty and Len felt sure that he would soon paint as well as he could. After Sam had finished they moved the raised plank from the bathroom and put it a foot from one of the walls and close to one corner. Len stood on it and, taking the paint and brush from Sam, continued painting up the corner to the ceiling then continued along the top of the wall, slowly moving along the plank until he reached its end. Sam helped him move the plank along the wall then Len gave him the brush.

"Okay, you continue. Just go slowly and use just a small amount of paint when you go across the top of the wall so you don't get it on the ceiling."

Len watched Sam for a minute then congratulated him. "You'll be fine. I'm going to the kitchen now. Call me if you finish all the edges so I can show you how to use the roller."

Once the lino patch was cut and nailed into place Len opened the can of filler and used his drywall knife to smooth it into place, making sure all the cracks were full. He thought the new lino could be placed on top immediately but decided to wait until the filler had completely dried and went upstairs and watched Sam as he continued painting.

"Len," Sam said, "I think it'd be better if we fastened a wire across the top of the can so I could wipe the brush on that. It wouldn't wet the side of the can if we did that."

"A good idea, but I don't have any wire here. We'll do it next week."

"Okay."

"Hey, we could use the wire handle on an empty can of paint. How much is left in that can?"

"It's about half full."

"Okay, we'll use the handle from that once it's empty."

Once Sam had finished the top of the walls they poured some paint into the roller tray and Len showed him how to roll the roller brush backwards and forwards until it was evenly coated then he covered a few square feet of the wall with paint.

"It doesn't match the paint we've already put on Len," Sam said.

"That's because it's mostly dry. It'll match once this coat is dry."

"And there's dark spots showing through the new paint."

"Yes, it'll need two coats. Right, do you think you could use the roller now?"

"Sure. No problem," and Sam demonstrated that could.

"Okay. I'll be in the kitchen. Call me if you have any problems."

Half way through painting the kitchen walls, Sam entered.

"I've finished the small bedroom, Len. Want me to start on the other one?"

"Hmm, no. I'd like a break. I've been here since six thirty. I'll wrap my roller then we'll do yours. What did you do with it?"

"Left it on top of one of the cans."

"Oh, I hope it's not dried out. Let's have a look."

It wasn't bad enough to discard so Len washed it in the bucket, getting as much out as possible, then wrapped it in a wet cloth.

"We'll leave them in a can of water over the weekend and they should be okay on Monday."

They had coffee and finished the cookies, Len reminding himself to buy more over the weekend. He'd also have to buy the carpets, the furnace and the hot water tank. It'd be good when they had water on. And electricity, the installers would need that to set up the furnace and check that the water was getting hot. But all that would have to wait until the basement floor had been painted. He'd better call hydro and also get the water turned on when he got home. And he should check the master tap was turned off and the hydro panel also turned off and do it before leaving. He made notes of all these thoughts before starting work.

The rest of the day Len and Sam painted the walls and the trim around the doors and windows, leaving the two broken windows untouched. The trim took a long time and they stopped work at three even though they'd only done the upstairs rooms. Len paid Sam, giving him two hundred and forty dollars. When Sam said that they didn't work eight hours each day Len said, "You're a good worker, Sam. You deserve a full week's pay. See you Monday, but I'm not sure it'll be for the full week. Have you found another job yet?"

"No, afraid not."

"Try the post office. They gave me a job last year, delivering mail, filling in for those who were on holiday. I started July first and you might be able to do that too."

"Oh, great, I'll see them, thanks."

"What do you do about preparing for the exams, Sam. You're missing all the review lessons."

"I do it in the evenings. I stopped football practice once I had this job and swot each night. I'll be all right, I think. School's not hard for me, at least not since I met Gord."

"Good. Right then, see you Monday morning."

Once home Len phoned the hydro company and the water services and arranged for them to be turned on. Both would be done on Wednesday, he was told. Installing the new hot water heater couldn't be done until Friday. After that he phoned Lyemans, the company who sold furnaces and oil, and told them he wanted to buy a new oil furnace. When asked what kind and size he didn't know how to answer so they told him they'd have to see the house before they could help him so he arranged to meet them there at nine o'clock the next day.

Len was too tired to do any more so he sat on the deck with a beer, falling asleep before half the bottle was empty. He woke around five. Not feeling like cooking he showered, changed then ordered a pizza and drove to Townsville to pick it up. He had ordered a large special, planning to eat half that day and the other half on Saturday. He warmed the Friday's half in the microwave and ate it on the deck with another beer.

## Chapter Thirty Seven

Saturday morning Len fed and watered the chicken then unlocked the tool shed. There were thirty or forty panes of glass Matt had removed from windows leaning against the back wall and he hoped two would be the right size to fit but none was. He found the small box containing the glass cutters and chose the one that looked new and set a new cutting wheel in position. Then, using a metal ruler held firmly against a large pane he cut along the rulers edge. The books said he should be able to just snap the cut strip off but it surely couldn't be that easy so he placed the glass over the metal ruler with the cut line just over its edge and then used one of the long spirit levels to press down. The edge did crack off but it took one of the corners with it. Luckily the broken off section lay outside the next cut. This time he cut along the line three times then placed the section to be broken off over the edge of the table saw extension, held it firmly with his left hand and gave it a sharp downward pull with his right hand. The piece broke away perfectly. The second pane also broke correctly. He found a plastic bag of putty which was still pliable and put it, the window panes and the putty knife on the pickup seat.

Easing out the broken panes and replacing them with the new ones was easy and the putty would be dry enough to paint on Monday. While waiting for the furnace man to arrive Len remeasured the floors of the bedrooms and living room. A mid-brown carpet might be best to go with the green walls but the stair carpet should probably be a different colour. There was a carpet store in Townsville but there were two or more in Brockville. It might be worth getting them from there. He'd ask for estimates from each store although he'd never be sure the carpets were the same quality.

The furnace man arrived and looked around the house, asking what insulation there was in the attic and in the walls as he measured the size of the house. Len told him that the attic had five inches of fibreglass but didn't know what was in the walls so the man guessed it'd be fibreglass as well. He did some calculations then opened a book showing Len several furnaces.

"This is the cheapest but you can get a more efficient one for another six hundred dollars. It'd recover the cost difference in three or four years. Which one do you want?"

'Was it worth buying the efficient one?' he asked himself. 'I could use that fact in the sales pitch.' Matt would buy the best, he was sure.

"I'll take the efficient one. What will it cost to install it?"

"Let me see what you've got now," the man replied so Len took him downstairs.

"Well, there's plenty of room. That's good."

"Do you take away the old furnace?"

"Yes we do. Well, it'll be above two thousand but my boss will have to set the figure, probably around twenty five hundred."

"When could it be installed?"

"He'll have to tell you. Why not come to the office this afternoon and speak to him?"

"Okay, I will. What time is best?"

"Any when up to five."

"And the oil in the tank. I think it's about half full. Will it be all right to use?"

"How old is it?"

"Don't know. Maybe three or four years."

"It'd be okay. We'll put in a new filter and the installers will let you know if the old oil has to be pumped out. But I don't remember ever having to do that."

The man left and Len wondered if he should do some more painting but it was the weekend and he deserved a rest. 'I'll find out the what the furnace will cost and when it can be done this afternoon and drive to Brockville and get estimates for the carpets then see if Townsville can beat that price. No, I'll get the carpet estimates first and have lunch there by the water. That'd be nice.' So he locked the doors, drove to the gas station and filled the tank, noting it's price and the date in his log and went to Brockville, stopping at a telephone box to get the addresses of the carpet sellers.

At the first store he explained what he wanted and showed them the sizes of the rooms and he was taken to the back of the room to see the rolls they had in stock. None of the colours seemed right so the man showed him samples of the colours they could get. Asked about the price he was told it depended on what quality he chose and what under pad. Len asked to see the cheapest of both and chose one of the brown carpets. It felt all right and he asked how long it would wear.

"A few years, sir. Less, in frequently travelled places but it will be fine for, I'd say, ten years in most houses."

"How much would it cost to fit these rooms?" giving the man the paper with the measurements on.

The man took the paper and came back a few minutes later and said it'd cost seventeen hundred and thirty seven dollars, plus an installation cost of two hundred and twenty.

"You live in Bellville, sir?"

"No, in Townsville."

"Oh, we'll have to charge fifty dollars more for that."

"So the total will be?"

"Two thousand and seven dollars."

"Can you write that as an estimate, please. I need two more before I can choose which one to buy. Please state the carpet supplier and its quality on the estimate."

"All right. But if you find something cheaper come back and I might be able to offer a better price."

"I see, thanks."

Len thought he'd have a coffee before going to the second store and found a deli in the shopping mall just across the road, near where he'd bought the condoms, and wondered how Sylvie was doing. Maybe he should give her a call, but, no, she wouldn't like that. However, it reminded him of how much enjoyment they had and hoped he'd find a girlfriend soon. And Betty, how was she? Probably finished her first year and looking for a summer job. It'd be nice to see her again.

The quote from the second store was a hundred and fifty dollars more for what seemed like the same carpet to Len although it was made by another company and he couldn't say if the quality statements meant the same thing. 'Probably Townsville would be around that price' he guessed, as he drove away from the store. 'Damn, I've forgotten to find out what a stair carpet would cost. At least I should be able to install that. Perhaps I could also install the carpets. I'll have to ask the people in Townsville.'

He found a restaurant on the side of the river west of Brockville and had a ham and cheese omelette with a side salad. It was nice and he made a note to make omelettes for himself, at least when he wasn't working so hard. But the sky had clouded over and it looked like rain was coming. If it did he wouldn't be able to work on his garden when he got home.

The Townsville shop's estimate was two thousand dollars for carpet that looked the same as the one he'd chosen in the first store. Len asked why it cost that much, since there wasn't any delivery charge, and what it would cost if he installed it himself.

"It's not easy to use the knee kicker, sir. But if that's what they're charging we'll knock off a hundred dollars. Would you buy from us if we did that?"

"And the carpets are identical?"

"Yes, they are."

"And when can you install them?"

The lady checked a large book that lay on a shelf under the counter.

"I'll have to order the carpet but it should be here on Tuesday. How about next Thursday, June second? We'd do it in the afternoon."

"All right. And I need a stair carpet. Can you show me what you've got?"

"Yes, this way, sir."

He chose one that had a blue green pattern with black edges and asked for that to be included.

"I'd need a deposit of five hundred."

Len handed her his business credit card and signed the order form, taking the copy she gave him.

The rain had started when he was in the store and he hurried to the Toyota and drove to Lyemans. The owner was in the office drinking coffee and eating a donut when he arrived. He told Len to sit down and offered him a donut from the box which Len refused. He explained why he was here and the man pulled one of the papers from his In-box and handed it to him.

"Is this yours?" he asked.

Len looked at the address and nodded his head. "Yes, it is."

The man finished his coffee and put the box on the cabinet behind his desk.

"That's my lunch," he said. "A bit late today. Well, we can get that furnace for you. It'll cost twenty four hundred and fifteen dollars, installed and working, and the old one taken away. Jack told me it'd be no trouble to put it in. Some locations are difficult to fit new ones in but yours's is easy."

"Okay. And when would it be done?"

"Next week, let me see, Thursday afternoon, will that be okay?"

"Oh, yes."

"I'll need a thousand dollars deposit." Len gave him his card and was given a receipt.

It was still raining and since working in the garden wasn't possible he decided to visit Dan's dealership. Time to find out what he'd invested in. Never having bought a car he didn't know much about the place, only that Dan worked there.

The lot was full of cars, maybe forty or fifty, but empty of people since it was pouring. Three garages were attached to a showroom containing five new cars. Several offices lay along the back of the showroom and a second entrance, between the showroom and the garages, led to a service and sales counter. Len entered the salesroom, looked around and made his way to a receptionist who was answering the phone. A man approached him and asked if he'd like some help.

"I'm looking for Dan Andrews. Is he here?"

"Not at the moment sir. He'll be back anytime. If you want to buy a car I can help you."

"No, I just want to talk to him. I'm his brother, Len Andrews."

"Oh, hello. Dan made me the chief salesman when he bought the place. Fred Lane, that's my name. Dan's out with his, your, sister, teaching her how to drive at the moment."

"Oh? So Barb's learning to drive."

"Yes, she is. Doing quite well. I took her out last week and am looking for a good second-hand car for her."

"Well, I didn't know that. Good for Barb."

"Aren't you both part-shareholders, sir?"

"Yes, we are. Don't call me sir, Fred. I'm Len. You don't call Dan sir, do you?"

"Not likely. We have been selling cars together for over five years. Want to see around the place?"

"Yes, please."

Fred took him over to see Sally Bent, who was now typing, and introduced her, saying that Len was Dan's brother. Then they went to the service counter where a man was paying for an oil change. Once that was finished he introduced Len to the service manager, Bob Dickes, who already knew that Len was a part-owner. Someone entered the sales room at that moment so Fred left and Bob took him to the service garage where two mechanics were working on cars. At that moment Dan and Barb came in from the sales room.

"Hi, Len," said Dan. "Glad you made it here. What do you think of the place?"

"Hi, Dan. Hi Barb. It looks fine. Is business good?"

"About the same as normal. Nothing to worry about. Why haven't you been here before? What's keeping you busy?"

"I'm renovating a house, one that Matt bid on last year. It was just released. And you're taking driving lessons, Barb?"

"Yep, and I'm going to buy a car when I've passed."

"Come into my office and we'll have a chat there," said Dan.

"Thanks, Bob. I'll have to bring my Toyota here for an oil change soon. I'm sure it needs one."

"No problem, Len. Glad to do it," he replied. "You'll have to pay for it though. If you don't the books won't balance."

"No problem. I will."

They sat in the office and Len asked how being the owner was going.

"Pretty good. Joe comes in two or three afternoons a week for about an hour. He came more often after the sale closed. I still have questions to ask but he comes in because he misses the place, I think."

"How many people do you employ?" Len asked.

"Seven. Bob Dickes and two mechanics, Matt and Steven. Sally Bent, who looks after the books, the phone, types and is the receptionist. I don't know what I'd do without her. And Fred Lane, sales manager, with two salespeople, Phil and Ed. All good guys, most have been working here for many years. Plus I hire an accountant, when I need one."

"So, it's a safe investment, Dan?" asked Barb.

"Sure is. We're lucky to get it."

"I guess we are," said Barb. "How's Sarah and Rob?"

"Oh, they're fine. You must come over sometime. We'll have a barbeque when it gets warmer. I'll ask Sarah to set it up."

"That'd be nice. I'd like that."

"Are you staying on at the supermarket, Barb?" asked Len.

"For now. But I feel like I should have another job. The house and the money makes me feel I'm worth more than I'm getting working there. I think I'll wait until I buy a car before looking. Then it doesn't matter where the work is and I could use the car if the job demands it."

"A good idea," said Len. "Yes, I do think you should get a better job. Keep an eye on the Recorder and Times. That lists jobs in Brockville. Oh, and go to the Employment and Immigration office there when you're ready to change jobs."

"Okay. Must be going now. Don't leave having a barbeque too long, Dan." She got up and so did Len. "I'll drive you Barb. Cheers, Dan. I'm glad everything's looking good."

## Chapter Thirty Eight

Sunday was a day of house cleaning, shopping and moving the chicken run to a new spot. He wished there was a way of letting the chickens roam over his garden so their droppings would fertilize it but couldn't think how that could be managed without enclosing it with chicken wire. The garden was too wet to hoe but there weren't many weeds so it didn't matter too much. He went through the drawers in Matt's cabinets once more in the afternoon and found files at the back of one of them that held the installation and maintenance booklets for the kitchen and house appliances, plus one with details about the well. It was fifty four feet deep and a submerged pump delivered the water. Details about the septic system were also in the file. An attached sheet showed that the tank had last been pumped out in 1979 and that Matt had been having it cleaned every five years. He'd have to remember to get it done next year.

It had turned out to be a glorious day and he was tempted to get the boat out but there really was no time for fishing. And it's battery? He should check that. The trickle charger should have kept it charged but it might need water. Did Matt use distilled water? He didn't know but someone had told him that it should be used. Dan or Bob would give him some if needed. He checked the battery later and found it didn't need topping up.

Monday morning Len asked Sam to brush down the basement wall, clean the outside of the oil tank then paint the wall and the tank a light blue. Whilst Sam was doing that Len gave the kitchen its second coat of paint then carried the bathroom stand and sink upstairs. Fitting the stand was simply a matter of placing it in the right position and screwing the back onto the wall. Matt's stud finder helped him find where the studs were. The flexible water pipes connected easily but the waste pipe was more difficult and he had to cut half an inch off the drop because the new stand was slightly lower than the previous one. Once that was done he painted the inside trim where the window panes had been replaced. Next he laid the kitchen lino and, with Sam's help, installed the lower set of cupboards, the counter and the sink. After hanging the upper cupboard they stopped for lunch.

After lunch they put the old hot water tank in the garage then Sam cleaned and painted the basement floor while Len gave the trim around the windows and doors a second coat of paint.

Tuesday Sam repainted the basement walls, the tank and the floor while Len scraped the outside lower window frames and door trim. The doors could do with another coat of paint, he thought, so he put a chip of it in his notebook, hoping the store could match its colour. Sam painted the lower window frames in the afternoon while Len scraped the upper ones. Since the electricity would be turned on the next day Len replaced the receptacle and switch covers after Sam had left for the day then bought a small tin of green paint that closely matched the front and back doors.

They were painting the outside Wednesday when a man from the municipal water authorities came around. He turned on the sunken water tap in the front garden. Len asked him to wait while he checked to see if it was flowing then went to the basement and turned on the master valve for the house. He quickly turned it off for he'd forgotten that the pipes to the hot water tank had been cut and water was shooting out of the cold pipe. He ran upstairs and told the man that it was okay and collected some rags and the bucket and went downstairs to mop the floor. Luckily, the paint had dried and none of it came off.

More painting Thursday, the outside trim and the doors once they had been scrapped. Len knew they should have been sanded because the paint showed ridges where pieces had fallen off but it was passable. The dark green was attractive against the brick walls and the white trim of the window frames and made up for any slight imperfections.

Two men arrived at twelve thirty with rolls of carpets and under pad. They parked in the driveway and left the carpets in the back of the truck while they swept the floors and laid tackless strips. Lyemans' men showed up at one which caused a bit of confusion because they wanted to park as close to the back door as possible. Once the trucks were rearranged they started dismantling the old furnace. Sam and Len couldn't do anything inside the house so they worked on the garage door oiling the hinges and carefully easing the doors to-and-fro, dusting the shelves along the back wall and sweeping the floor. They watched as parts from the old furnace were laid on the drive and components for the new furnace taken into the basement because the men didn't want them to help. Len took the discarded water tank out of the garage and put it next to the old furnace hoping they would take it away. The carpet men emerged, carrying unneeded lengths of under pad and took the first carpet inside. Len walked in and asked everybody if they wanted coffee or a drink and took orders. He left Sam in charge and drove to Tim Hortons and bought the coffees and a dozen donuts. They were all gone ten minutes after he arrived back. Lyemans were the first to finish both the donuts and the installation. One of the men said, "Come and check it. The new thermostat is different from the old but straight forward. Now, increase the temperature by pushing this button." Len did that and he heard a faint grunt as the furnace started.

"Now hold your hand over the floor grill."

He did that, soon feeling the warm air blow against his fingers.

"Okay?" and Len nodded so the man gave him the manual, asked for his credit card and copied the number onto a slip, asking Len to sign it.

"Here's your copy. Call us if you have any problems. Can you get the others to shift their truck so we can get out?"

Len did so and, after loading the old furnace, they drove away, leaving the hot water tank behind.

Len checked the basement after they had gone. The floor needed cleaning and more painting, for the new furnace was smaller than the old one. He asked Sam to do that then went to the bedrooms to see what the carpets looked like. He was impressed; the colour went well with the green walls and white trim. The bundles of quarter rounds had been placed on top of the carpet, something he'd install tomorrow. The bathroom also looked fine and, overall, the house looked good enough to ask Jimmy to list it.

Seventy five minutes later the downstairs carpets and the stair carpet had been installed. They asked Len for his credit card, took down the details, had him sign the form, gave him a copy and left. It was four fifty by this time and Len told Sam they were finished for the day.

"Tomorrow's the last day, Sam. Any luck on getting a job?"

"No, not yet. I went to the post office and they said I'd have to come back in two weeks' time to see if there was a vacancy. Apparently there's a waiting list of people looking for a summer job."

"I guess I was lucky last year. I got one right away but I'd worked there the last two Christmases and they knew me. Have you been to the Employment and Immigration office?"

"No, been too busy here. I'll do that first thing next week."

Len installed several of the quarter rounds Friday morning while Sam gave the basement floor a second coat of paint. Since he knew the hot water tank was to be installed he set a row of paint cans around the wet part. A man arrived as they were drinking coffee and Sam helped him carry the new tank into the basement. It was installed forty minutes later when the man asked Len to turn on the water and open the hot water tap in the bathroom. This he did and waited until water came out of the tap which he then shut off. Just to check that water ran out of the cold tap he turned it on. One or two seconds later water ran out so he closed the tap then went to the basement. The man was tidying up then felt one of the pipes coming from the top of the tank. "Feel here," he told Len.

He did so and the pipe was getting warm. "It's warming up."

"Yes. You can change the temperature if you like," and he showed Len where the control was, "but this is where we normally set it. Right, can you sign this sheet, please."

Len did that and the man gave him a copy. "Do you take the old tank away?"

"No, sorry. You have to get rid of that yourself."

After he'd left Len and Sam nailed in the remaining quarter rounds and were finished by twelve. Len paid Sam for the whole week, saying that if he found another house to fix he'd call him and that if he wanted a reference he'd gladly give him one.

"I hope you find another job. You know, perhaps Gerry could help. There might be something you could do in the police force, some part-time work, maybe. Have you talked to him?"

"No, but that's a good idea. I'll look him up this weekend. Thanks for giving me a job. It's been very interesting."

"Bye, Sam, and good luck."

"Bye, Len. Same to you."

Once Sam had left Len walked around the house, trying the taps in the basement, the kitchen and in the bathroom. After a few gurgles water came out of each one and the hot taps gave warm water. There were no leaks that he could see and the drains worked as they should. He flushed the toilet, watching the water as it flowed out. They wouldn't have to go behind the garage to wiz in the future. But there would be no need to do that because he'd call Jimmy when he got home and ask him to list it.

He backed his Toyota into the drive, let down the tailgate and heaved the old water tank into the back, roping it to the side then collected all the paint cans and brushes. Most were empty but there were three unused cans and four partially-used. The step ladder came next, followed by the long ladder, projecting over and resting on the roof which he protected by a folded tarp, the whole thing being carefully tied in place.

He left the old hot water tank in the truck when he got home but unloaded all the rest except the empty paint cans. Tomorrow he'd break up the discarded cupboards and put them and the other scrap in the truck and take them to the dump. He could probably manage all of it in one load.

There was a phone message waiting for him. It was Mr. Jackson, stating that the township had approved his severance request and that he should call the surveyor and arrange the survey, spelling out the man's name and giving his phone number. Len called the surveyor right away but had to leave a message. The man, a Mr. Growling, returned the call just as Len was eating supper. They arranged to meet the next morning at Len's cottage.

Len sat in Mr. Growling van and directed him to the property. They stopped where Jimmy did when showing Len the land. "The property starts along that wire fence," Len said, pointing to it. "We'll walk along that track to the lake and I'll show you where I'd like that end of the severance to be. When we come back I'll show you the other end of the parcel. As I said when driving here, I want to divide the five acres divided into two parts. It doesn't have to be exactly half, two lots, anywhere between two and three acres will be fine, but each has to have lake frontage. That's why we're starting at the lake."

"Yes, I see. Lead on."

Once through the wood they could see the lake where the brush and grass ended. Len led the way to where the old fence entered the water then along the shore to the tree where Jimmy suggested the centre of that edge of the five acres would be.

"This is probably the middle point of the piece I own. The other side should be where that other wire fence is. You'll find the markers I guess. So it's about here I want the severance to start and go back to the road."

"Let me see the deed again."

Len took it out of his pocket and gave it to the man.

"Yes, I see. Well, I'll have to find the boundary pegs first. Let's go to the other end and walk back to the road."

They did that then returned to his van.

"I can't start until next week, later if it rains. It'll only take a day to do it through."

"That's fine. Thanks."

"Let me have the deed then," and he copied it reference number onto a pad of paper then filled in a form and gave the form and deed to Len. "Sign here, please," and Mr. Growling pointed to a space at the bottom of the contract.

"How much will it cost?" asked Len as he added his name to the form.

"Probably less than three hundred, depends on how difficult it is to find the old markers but that shouldn't be too hard. I've worked this road a few years ago and my records will show where some are. Look, once I've finished I'll get the lots registered and Mr. Jackson will prepare the deeds."

"Right, thanks."

Len called Jimmy as he was waiting for the kettle to warm up to make coffee but had to leave a message. He got a return call a he was draining his mug. Len asked him if he could look at a house he had for sale and they agreed to meet at the property at one o'clock. That gave Len time to empty the pickup so he drove to the waste centre, paid the fee and emptied the truck in the places allocated to each kind of garbage.

Jimmy was waiting for him when he arrived at the house. They walked through it together with Len telling Jimmy that the furnace was a new, efficient kind and the hot water tank was a rental. The house and its area were well known to Jimmy so he didn't have to do any research before telling Len that the house should be listed for thirty four thousand, nine hundred and fifty dollars.

"That's what they sell for here, as Matt knew very well before bidding on any property. You might have to knock off a couple of thousand to get a sale but I'll see what I can do. If you like to sign a sales agreement now I'll put up a sign."

"It'll be listed in MLS?"

"Oh, yes, of course."

"Okay."

"I have the forms in my car."

Len signed the completed sales contract then Jimmy used a mallet to drive in a 'For Sale' sign at the side of the path leading to the front door.

"I'll need a key for the lock box," Jimmy said. "Have you got one?"

"I don't have any spare keys but I'll get one copied and bring it to your office this afternoon."

"And the land you bought, I need to know how much you're asking for each lot. Do you have the deeds?"

"Not yet, not for a couple of weeks. There's likely to be a two acre lot and a three acre one, each with lake frontage."

"My guess is that you'd get between nine and ten thousand."

"I see. Are they easy to sell?"

"June's a bit late in the year. People start looking as soon as the roads clear after the winter, in March, April and May. I still get people asking right now but not as many as I did a month ago. You'll probably have to wait until next spring."

"I'd like you to sell them, Jimmy. What's your commission?"

"Six percent, but it looks as if you're going to be like Matt and I only charged him five so I'll do the same for you. I'll let people know they're coming up for sale if any ask about lakefront. Do you want me to look for more parcels you could subdivide?"

"Yes, please. How did Matt find his houses?"

"Two ways, through me and by using the Ontario Gazette."

"What's that?"

"It's a monthly listing of tax sale properties. The Brockville library subscribes to it so you don't have to buy your own copy."

"Okay, I'll look at it. Thanks."

"Bye, Len. Let's hope this place sells quickly."

"Yes, let's hope so."

Len had the key copied and gave it to Jimmy's secretary before doing his weekly shopping. On his drive home he thought about what Jimmy had been telling him. It looked as if he'd make more money by simply buying land, subdividing it and selling lots than by renovating houses. And it would be a so much easier. Renovating houses was hard work.

Once home he went to the study and did some rough calculations. Matt had paid twenty thousand, five hundred for the house and it cost him about eight thousand to fix it up. 'So, if it sells for thirty four thousand I've made six thousand dollars, more or less. Not bad for three weeks work. Two thousand a week is over a hundred thousand a year! Trouble is, it's hard work and there aren't that many houses that need fixing around here. I guess the same goes for subdividing and selling land. Not enough of it around, although Ontario with all its lakes must have many good lots for sale. Let's work out what I'll get from selling the lots. Cost twenty five thousand and, if the top half didn't sell like it did, there'd be four lots. Four times nine thousand is thirty six thousand. That's eleven thousand dollars, minus Jimmy's commission, say ten thousand dollars profit. For doing no work at all! That's the way to go.'

Len thought about this in between cleaning the house and washing his clothes during the rest of the afternoon. What a difference having some capital made. Without it he'd have to get a job, earn enough to live on and save all he could if he were to do anything like he was able to do now.

After the work had been done he sat on the deck and drank a toast to Matt. His death and willing his property to Len, Barb and Dan had made his life, and theirs, so much better. 'Thank you Matt,' he whispered.

Sunday he spent a couple of hours entering figures into Visi Calk and finding out that his rough calculations done Saturday afternoon were pretty accurate. There were other cost to add in, the surveyor's fees, Mr. Johnson's fees, the municipal taxes on the house until it sold, water and sewage too, but his estimate wasn't far off. He clipped all the receipts for items he had bought together, including the ones for gasoline, and placed them in chronological order in a folder next to the one Matt had for the house. It was raining again after he finished so the hoeing would again have to wait and Len spent the rest of the day reading and watching television.

## Chapter Thirty Nine

At the Brockville library Len was sent to the reference room to look at the Ontario Gazette for it couldn't be borrowed. Following the librarian's instructions he took the latest copy and searched for the Sale of Land for Tax Arrears section. That issue didn't have one nor did the previous issue but the March edition had it. Three townships advertised such sales: Tiny, in Perknsfield; Innisfil, in Stroud and Whitchurch-Stouffville. He'd never heard of those places and searched a map to find that the nearest one was close to Toronto. They were all too far away, although Tiny would probably be a nice place to live for it was close to the Georgian Bay. If he ever found something near Townsville he'd have to go to the registry office to find where the property was. Lot and Plan or Concession numbers weren't shown on any maps he'd seen. Probably Jimmy would be able to help.

He ate lunch at the same waterside restaurant before heading home. The rain had stopped during the night and he thought he might be able to do some hoeing however the earth stuck together when he tried digging so he left it for another day. Not knowing what to do with the rest of the afternoon he went to the study thinking he might learn a bit more about WordStar but when he sat down the first thing he saw was the box he'd found under the floorboards. He opened it and looked the marbles, toy cars and penknife. 'I wonder if they belonged to the previous owner, the man with dementia. What was his name? Jim, I think. And he went to the Haven. I should take it to him and see if it was his. It might make him happy to have it if it was.' So, instead of switching on the computer he took the box and drove to the rest home. Once there he told the lady who was sitting at a desk by the front door that he was looking for a man called Jim who had dementia.

"Jim? Jim who, please. There are several Jim's here."

"I don't know his last name but I do know where he used to live."

"Why do you want to see him?" she asked.

Len showed her the box. "I found it hidden under the floorboards of the house he lived in and I thought it might be his."

"Oh, I see. What was his address?"

Len told her and she opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out a register. She searched several pages and eventually found the address and the man's last name. "It's Jim Laramont you're looking for. He's eighty four and is probably asleep. I'll have a nurse take you to him," and she picked up a phone. A minute later a nurse appeared and walked to the desk.

"This is nurse Forester. Helen, this man has a box that he thinks belongs to Jim Laramont. Can you take him to his room and see if he's awake? If he is try to find out if the box belongs to him."

The nurse led him down a short corridor to an elevator and took him to the third floor. The entrance to the corridor on the left was barred by a locked gate which she opened after entering numbers on a key pad.

"They're locked in?" asked Len.

"Yes, for their own protection. Some of them wander and get lost. Not Jim. He's too weak to do that. Are you a relative?"

"No. I just want to see if this box is his."

"Well, this is where he is."

They entered a room where four men were lying in beds. There was a girl sitting by one of the men, holding his hand. The nurse took Len over to that bed.

"Hello Chris. Is he awake?"

"No. He was five minutes ago. I'm just about to leave. I think he'll sleep until supper."

"This man has a box that he thinks your grandfather might have owned. Sir, this is Christine Stowel. She is Jim's granddaughter."

"Hello, I'm Len Andrews. I recently bought the house that Mr. Laramont used to own and I found this box under one of the floor boards. Do you think it could have been his?"

Len opened the box and showed the contents to the girl. Her eyes lit up. "Why, I think it is. Sometimes he talks about the times when he was young and several times he's told me how good he was at playing marbles. I bet that big marble is his all-time winner. I don't know about the toy cars or the knife. He's never mentioned them. Sit down, Len. Tell me where you found it."

"I'll let you talk," said the nurse and she left the room. Len pulled the chair that was by the adjoining bed where a man was snoring quietly and sat down. It was nice to sit and look at Christine. She had the same brown hair as Betty although it was cut short. Her eyes were different though, brown, not blue. He watched her as he told her that the box was under the floor boards in the corner of the small bedroom. She smiled as he said that.

"That was his room when he was little. I've been there several times when we used to visit years ago. He had more toys on a shelf that I could play with. He never told me that he had a hiding place. Perhaps he'd forgotten about it. What's the place like now?"

"Well, I've done it up so I can sell it. I'll show it to you if you like. What shall we do with the box?"

"I could try to wake him but I'm not sure if that would help. He doesn't know who I am now. That's why mum doesn't come any more. It upsets her too much. Can you come again earlier, about two o'clock. He's at his best at that time. That's when I come."

"What days do you come?"

"Usually Sunday afternoon but we went to Toronto this weekend. That's why I came today. If you can come again you should keep the box but if you can't come let me have it and I'll see what he says next Sunday. If he doesn't recognise it then I'll give it back to you. Where do you live?"

Len told her and gave her his phone number but also said that if she would be here next Sunday he'd keep the box and come then. She smiled and stood up as did Len. They walked to the gate where she pressed numbers on the key pad and opened the gate. As they were leaving the building Len said he could take her to see the house if she wanted to see it.

"Oh, thanks, but I can't right now. I have to work in the store. How about we go next Sunday?"

"Okay. I'll look forward to it."

She smiled again then walked over to a bright red convertible.

"Wow! Is that yours?"

"Yes. A present from my dad when I graduated last year."

"It's an MG isn't it?"

"Yes, a MG Midget. Not new, of course, although it looks like it. It's eight years old."

"You lucky thing! See what I drive? It's over there, the Toyota pickup."

"Too bad. Well, see you next Sunday."

She got in the car, backed up and drove down the drive to the road and turned towards Townsville.

'Wow. I'd like to know her better. I wonder where she works. She must be well in with the boss if he lets her take some of the afternoon off. I wonder if she'd let me drive the car. I bet it'd go pretty fast. Maybe one day I'll be able to buy one like that.' He drove home thinking about Christine and very glad that he'd gone to the Haven.

The was a letter in his mail box when he looked on returning. Mr. Jackson had finished settling Matt's will and enclosed a summary of what he'd done, a list of his expenses and a cheque for seven hundred and thirty six dollars. Len would put the money in his personal account. Once he'd sold the house and the two lots he'd have about thirty two thousand in his business account. He would then have enough to look for another house or some land. In the meantime he'd better look for a job. He checked the weekend copy of the Townsville Courier but the only job that he might do was being an evening waiter. What he'd earn from that would be pitiful and the café needing help was in the poor end of the town so the tips wouldn't come to much so he ignored the ad.

Tuesday Len hoed the garden, fastened the tomato stalks to their posts and hung the plastic net from the wire between the pea-row posts. The vines were just long enough to start climbing the mesh. Some of the lettuce leaves were showing but not long enough to pick. The radishes might be the first vegetable to try. He spent the rest of the morning going over Matt's tools, sharpening the chisels on the grindstone and the drill bits after finding out how to use the electric bit-sharpening machine. He read for the rest of the afternoon.

Brockville's Immigration and Employment office had no jobs that Len wanted to do. He could, of course, be a labourer doing joe-jobs at a construction site and even though the pay was eight seventy five an hour he thought he was worth more than that. About five o'clock on Wednesday afternoon Mr. Jackson phoned saying Mr. Growling had done the survey. It had been registered and he'd have the deeds ready for him tomorrow afternoon. "And my bill will be ready for you. Please bring your cheque book."

Len paid the bill, four hundred and eighty nine dollars and was given the deeds. He took them to Jimmy's office and his secretary copied down the lot and concession numbers, saying she would add them to the description. He asked if anyone had been to see the house yet and she said she didn't think so, telling him that Jimmy was going to hold an Open House there in a couple of weeks which might bring some results.

The time passed slowly that week. Reading and learning some of the more advanced features of Visi Calk and WordStar filled the days. He found he was looking forward to seeing Christine and wished that Sunday would come. It did, finally, and he drove his cleaned Toyota to the Haven arriving at one fifty and sitting in the cab until he saw the MG arrive. He jumped out and walked to the door to open it for her.

"Hello Christine. I'm glad you came. How are you?"

"Good, and you, how are you?" she repeated with a smile.

"Great. You look good."

"Thank you. Have you got the box? I don't see it."

"Ah, I've left it in the truck. Just a moment, I'll go and get it."

They walked into the building and Christine said hello to the receptionist as they walked by. Mr. Laramont was asleep when they arrived at his bed. Christine bent down and kissed him on his forehead and he awoke, looking at her and said "Helen?"

"No, Grandpa. It's me, Chris. I've come with a friend. He has something for you."

Len held out the box but the man didn't do anything except look in his eyes. "Bert? Are you Bert?"

"No, Grandpa. His name is Len. Do you see the box? Do you remember it?"

She took the box out of Len's hands and held it in front of the man's face. He just stared at it. Seeing no signs of recognition, Christine opened the box and took out the big marble.

"Do you remember this, Grandpa?" and she put it in his hand. He looked at it then said, "That's Big Ben. My champion. Where did you get that?"

"I found it in the box you must have hidden under the floor in your bedroom," said Len.

"The box?"

"Yes, Grandpa. Here it is," and she took the marble out of his hands and gave him the box.

"Feel inside. There's more marbles and three cars and a pocket knife."

"Oh? I don't want them. Give me Big Ben."

Christine took the box, put it on the side table and gave him the marble. He took it and almost immediately fell asleep.

"He'll lose it if he stays asleep," said Len.

"Maybe. I'll tell the nurse he has it if she comes by or I'll tell the receptionist when we go out. He might wake up again, he sometimes does. I usually stay for fifteen minutes. Are we going to see his house this afternoon?"

"Yes. I have the keys." He didn't bother to tell her it wasn't Mr. Laramont's house any more. She already knew that.

"So you renovate and sell houses, Len?"

"Yes, when I can get them. This is only the first one I've done though."

"How did you get it?"

Len told her about Matt, what they had done together and his death.

"He left everything to Dan, my brother, Barb, my sister and me. They got money and I got his house and the two properties he'd bid on. Your grandfather's house being one. Why didn't he pay the taxes?"

"He didn't pay anything in the last three or four years. We never knew, mainly because everything was paid automatically by his bank but not the municipal taxes. He had a row with them over how much they were charging and stopped the bank from paying them. We only found out when he became so ill and was transferred here. Mum looked after his mail and almost immediately found that he owed over nineteen thousand dollars. He didn't have anything like that. Dad looked at the house and they thought about buying and renovating it but they didn't think it was worth doing. The neighbourhood isn't that great, not now the factory's gone. So they just let it go. Why did your uncle buy it?"

"Because he thought he could make some money on it. And I think it will but don't know how much until it's sold."

"Well, I'm glad. For you, that is. Let's see if I can take the marble out of his hands." She tried but it was too firmly grasped so she said, "we might as well go. I don't think he'll wake up until supper time."

The nurse didn't show up and Christine told the receptionist about the marble, saying that it was very important to him and please ask the nurses to find it if he lost it. Once in the parking lot Len was about to tell her to follow him but then remembered that she knew where the house was as well as he did. So he followed her. They parked on the road and Len opened the gate for her. The grass had taken and was about two inches high. There were a few thin areas and he resolved to scatter more seed on those parts the next day.

"It looks a lot better than the last time I saw it," Christine said. "You've painted the door and window frames."

"Yes we did."

"You had someone to help you?"

"Yes. You might know him, Sam Dingo. He's just left school."

"The one who plays football? Didn't he have some problem with the police?"

"Nothing of importance and he wants to join the police force now. Yes, that's the guy."

He opened the front door and let her go in first.

"It's a bit dark but you've done a lot. Painted the walls and carpeted the front room. Oh, and one on the stairs."

"Yes, and the bedrooms."

She walked through the hall to the kitchen and stopped at the door. "My, you've done a good job here! New cupboards and sink."

"Yes and the lino. Upstairs is the same although I didn't change the bath or toilet. I just cleaned them up."

"Did you mend the broken windows."

"Yes, of course. And put new shingles on."

"Oh, I didn't notice them. Well, I'd buy the place if it was in a different location. How much are you asking for it?"

"Thirty four thousand, nine hundred and fifty dollars."

"Hmm, think you'll get that?"

"I'd let it go for a bit less but the real estate agent thinks it will sell for about that. Want to see upstairs?"

"Sure."

They did that and Christine said she'd tell her mum and dad about what he'd done.

"Don't make them sorry they hadn't done it themselves," Len said.

"No. They'll be pleased and glad that you've done it."

"Want to have a coffee, Christine?"

"Don't call me Christine, Len. Everybody calls me Chris."

"Okay, Chris."

They drove to Dunkins where they each had a donut with their coffee.

"You work in a store, Chris?"

"Yes. My dad and mum's place. You must have heard of it, Stowel Appliances."

"Sure, I bought a microwave there."

"Did I sell it to you?"

"No, I'd remember if it were you. It might have been your father."

"Probably was. We're about to start selling computers now. Do you want to buy one of those."

"I've already got one."

"You have? What do you use it for? Playing games?"

"No. To track my income and expenses and to write the odd letter."

"Oh, there are ways of doing that on computers?"

"Yes. You'll have to sell the programs to do that as well but whoever supplies the computers will tell you all about them. I use the most popular one, Visi Calk, which makes what are called spreadsheets that do calculations for you, and WordStar, which is a writing program."

"I think you should tell my dad about those programs."

"I'd be glad to. What's the best time to see him?"

"In the afternoon, around two, I'd guess. If you can come tomorrow I'll let him know."

"Will you be there?"

She laughed, "you don't need to see me. It's my dad you should talk to."

"I know, but it's you I'd rather talk to."

"Okay, tell you what. You come tomorrow at two and when you're finished we can have coffee together."

"It's a deal. Shake hands."

Len held out his hand and Chris shook it. "You're a funny guy. Do you always do that when you make an agreement."

"No. It's just that I wanted to hold your hand."

Chris laughed and stood up. "I think I'd better go home before we make any more agreements. See you tomorrow, Len. Bye."

Len got up and took the mugs to the counter but Chris had driven off before he got out of the door. 'Damn, I hope I haven't put her off. I shouldn't have told her I wanted to hold her hand. Ah, well, at least she must guess how I feel about her.'

## Chapter Forty

Len wondered about his feelings as he drove home. Did he feel the same about Chris as he felt about Betty? No, of course not. He'd only just met Chris and he knew a lot more about Betty. He wondered if Betty ever thought about him these days or if she had another boyfriend. She never wrote to him and he didn't know her address. Funny, he'd never asked her parents where she lived. Maybe he didn't love her after all. He surely would have asked them for her address if he did. And he'd be taking bus trips to Montreal to see her too. It never crossed his mind to do that either.

"Mr. Stowel is in the office," Len was told when he walked in the next day by a lady he guessed might be Mrs. Stowel. "I'll take you to him. I think you must be Len Andrews. Chris has told us about you. You bought my dad's house, didn't you?"

"Yes, that's right, Mrs. Stowel."

"You'll have to tell me all about it when you've finished with Jack." She opened the office door and said, "Jack, this is Len Andrews."

"Come in son. Glad to see you. You know all about computers Chris said."

"No, I don't Mr. Stowel. Just a little about two computer programs."

"The ones used for writing and for calculating, WordStar and Visi Calk, Chris said. And you use them yourself?"

"Yes, I do. Chris said you're going to be selling computers and if you do that I think you should also sell the programs that are used on them."

"Yes, I've been told that. I'm getting Visi Calk and WordStar and other programs, including a number of games. That's what they told me to do when I was talking to the salesmen. The first shipment arrives next Monday. Say, can you set them up for me? Do you have time?"

"Sure, if they're similar to the one I have."

"And put the writing program on one and the calculating one on another to show what they can do?"

"Yes, if you like. But if people use them they might need some help because it's not obvious what to do when you are beginning. And I don't know the Lotus and Word Perfect programs."

"But you can learn how to use them I expect. Do you want a job?"

"Hey, Jack. Give him time to think," said Mrs. Stowel, who was standing at the door and listening to the conversation.

"Don't you have other houses to fix, Len?" she asked.

"No, not right now. In fact, I'd be glad of a job."

"I'd pay you ten dollars an hour, how about that?" said Mr. Stowel. "That's a good salary."

"I know. Look, I don't want a permanent job. If I get a chance to buy another property then that comes first. I'd make a lot more by doing that."

"Yes, I worked that out after Chris told us what you have done with her grandfather's place. Okay, how about you working here until something come up, starting next Monday."

"I'd love that."

"Right, come in at nine. We close at six and take staggered lunch hours. Same for Saturday, that's our busiest day. Any problems with working those hours?"

"No, I don't think so."

Mr. Stowel stood up and shook Len's hand, laughing as he did so. Len blushed, thinking that Chris had told them what he did in Dunkins. He turned and was walking out of the store when Chris called.

"Hey, wait a minute. Aren't we having coffee now?"

Len looked back and saw Chris standing at the end of a corridor that led back into the building.

"Oh, I didn't see you."

"Come here," she said, "the coffee's in the staff room," and she led Len to a room where a table, six chairs, a sofa, a fridge, a four-drawer filing cabinet and a kitchen counter stood. A kettle, coffee maker and microwave stood under some cupboards.

"Take a seat," She opened the cupboard and took out two mugs and filled them from the coffee pot.

"I bought some donuts," and she took out a box from the small fridge as well as a container of milk. "How did you get on with dad?"

"Great. He's hired me to set up the computers and help people wanting to use them."

"Oh?. I think that's a good idea. When do you start?"

"Next Monday. Say, how did you know I was leaving if you didn't hear all that?"

"Dad pressed a button on his desk when he'd finished. He uses that if more help is needed or if something goes wrong. There's a buzzer in here."

"I see."

Chris gave Len one of the mugs and offered him a donut and a couple of paper napkins.

"We use these instead of plates when we can. To save washing up."

"So this is where you work."

"Yes. I've done that in my spare time since I was in grade nine."

"When did you do your homework?"

"Here, in this room. I'd only go out if there was a rush, usually on Friday evening but that didn't matter. I could do the homework on Saturday evenings."

"Didn't you go out Saturday evenings?"

"Yes, of course. If I did I'd do it on Sundays. Tell me about yourself Len. How old are you?"

"Nineteen. You must be about the same age."

"Yes, February sixth, 1964."

"Oh, you're older than me. I'm February tenth, 1964. How come I never saw you in school?"

"I don't know. I took all the arts subjects."

"Ah, that's why. I took science and maths. So you can speak French?"

"Un peu. Et vous?"

"Eh, no. Okay, what's seven times nine?"

"That's easy, sixty three. We had to learn the multiplication tables in primary school."

"Ah, yes, so did I."

"Want another donut?"

"No thanks. Keep the rest for Monday."

"The men will eat them if I leave them in the fridge."

"Your dad?"

"No, Ben or Roger, whoever is on. Ben's here today. He's in the warehouse, shifting stuff, I expect. It's back there," and she nodded towards the side of the room opposite the store. "You'll see it on Monday, I expect. Oh, that's dad," Chris said, as a buzzer sounded. "I'll have to go. They need help in the store."

They both stood up and Len suddenly said. "Do you want to go to the movies sometime?"

"Sure. What's on?"

"I don't know."

"Never mind, it'll be a nice change whatever it is. How about Thursday?"

"Sure. Where shall we meet?"

"I'll pick you up. We don't have to drive two cars. Where do you live?"

"Half way along River Road. My name is on the mail box."

"Oh, I know that road. Dad took me there when I was learning to drive. Okay. About six thirty?"

"Yes. Great."

"Do you want to shake my hand?" she said with a smile.

"Yes, of course." They shook hands and laughed then walked along the corridor to the store where Len left her.

The days passed slowly for Len. He looked after the chicken and the garden, spread grass seed on the thin patches at the house, rang Jimmy and asked if anyone had looked at it.

"Not yet, Len, but I took a couple out to see the lots on Sunday. I don't know how interested they are. They told me they'd already seen other places."

"Did you say that a cottage could be added for between twenty and twenty five thousand in less than a week if they wanted that?"

"Yes, I did. I think that interested them. They asked who the builders were and I told them about Robert's Homes."

"Well, that also tells them that they could add a Robert's Home to any of the other places they'd seen."

"Yes, it does."

"Too bad."

"Can't have it both ways, Len."

"I guess not. Do you have any more lots or old houses I should look at?"

"No houses, for sure, but I'll go through the land parcels and see if any might be interesting and let you know."

"Thanks, Jimmy."

Thursday came. Len cut the grass at the cottage, put some of the cut grass in the chicken's nests, tied up the tomato plants then cleaned the house. He showered and put on his best pair of trousers and a short sleeved shirt before eating another TV dinner for supper. Len was standing in the kitchen, watching the road at six twenty. Chris arrived five minutes later and parked by the side of his Toyota. He ran to the car and opened the door, "Hi Chris. Do you want to look over the place?"

"No, we'd better go. The movie starts at seven. Get in."

"I'll just lock the door then." He did that and was opening the passenger door when Chris said, "Hey, you keep chicken?"

"Yes. I've got some eggs you could have, if you like."

"Not me, but mum would. Don't get them now though. I should have come earlier because I would like to look around. We'll have to go. It's Raiders of the Lost Ark and I bet there's a long queue."

Chris backed then drove along the drive to the road and speeded up on the way to Townsville. She parked behind the theater and they joined the queue, hoping there'd still be room when they arrived at the box. They were lucky, although the only seats they could find when they were inside were on the wall ends of the rows.

It was an absorbing film and they watched each scene avidly, Chris even grabbing Lens hand when the action became intense. That didn't last long and she murmured, "sorry," immediately afterwards and withdrew her hand. Len found that as exciting as the film but dared not reciprocate. They walked back to the car with other excited people, telling each other how good the film was and wondering why they hadn't seen it before.

"I guess I was too busy working," said Len.

"Dad and mom didn't want to see it," Chris replied, "and by the time I thought I'd go with my friends they had already seen it. I glad it came back a second time."

"Want to go for coffee Chris?"

"No, not now. I might not sleep if I drank it after that film," she said with a laugh. "I'll drive you home then go. Friday's a busy day. Will I see you Sunday?"

"At the Haven? No, he doesn't know me. Why don't you come to my place afterwards and I'll show you around."

"Okay, I'd like that."

At the cottage Len gave Chris six eggs and asked for the carton back when empty and for other cartons if she had them. She waved her hand as she drove away.

Sunday afternoon eventually came and Chris arrived about two forty five. Len was waiting, sitting on the top of the steps leading to the cottage door and the deck. He walked over and opened the car door for her. She gave him two empty egg cartons after getting out.

"Mom said she'd buy eggs from you anytime you have any spare. How many chickens do you have?"

"Three. I'll just put these on the kitchen counter and show you them."

They walked across to the hen house after he had put the cartons in the kitchen. "So you don't sell them. They'd lay just enough for you to eat."

"More than I can eat, actually. I usually get over a dozen each week. I didn't collect them this morning so you can see if there are any in the boxes."

He took her to the back of the hen house. All three hens were pecking in the run so he didn't have to warn her about being careful when she felt for eggs. He opened the cover and Chris collected two eggs. "I've never done that before and one is still warm."

"You can't get them fresher than that. Do you want to eat it? We could have one each right now if you like."

"No, thanks. You keep them. Don't you eat them for breakfast?"

"Usually, but I gave them to Barb last time. Susan, that's my brother's wife, gets the next lot. I'll put these two in the fridge. Stay here and I'll be right back."

He returned a minute later and they walked along the side of the garden.

"Dad would like this. He's too busy to have a vegetable garden now but he's said that is what he wants when he retires, to grow his own vegetables. What's in the shed?"

"It's two sheds, actually, back to back. One has garden things and the other is a tool shed. And there's a boathouse by the water."

"You're a lucky guy, Len. To have all this and you are younger than me. You might as well retire!"

"Don't think so. I have to pay for food, taxes, clothes, and a new truck before long."

"Yes, I know. Just kidding. Do you fish then?"

"When I get time. Haven't done so this year but I did last." Len stopped, not saying any more as the idea of fishing made him think of the camping trip he'd made with Sylvie although they didn't fish. He pulled his thoughts back and said, "do you like fishing?"

"Haven't fished for many years. I went to a two-week summer camp when I was nine or ten. Dad and mom were busy moving into a new store and I went to a camp to keep out of their way. Caught a few small fish but we put them back in the water."

"We could go here anytime you like. There are all kinds of fish in the St. Lawrence including bass, some big enough to feed a family and they're not too difficult to catch."

"All you need is a cow or pig and you'd not have to buy food," laughed Chris.

"And a big freezer, I guess. Yes, you're right, although I'd still have to buy coffee, bread, cheese, tea, things like that. But this place isn't big enough to keep a cow. I'd probably need five or ten acres. Want to look in the tool shed?"

"I'd rather look around the house. Can I do that?"

"Sure. Come on."

Chris liked the lounge and master bedroom but didn't like the long kitchen. "It must be difficult for two people to work here but I recognise the advantages of this layout, all the other rooms overlook the river."

"Yes, that's right. Matt designed it. Let's have a drink and I'll tell you how he got it. Tea, coffee, beer or wine?"

"Let's have a beer."

"It's Molson Ex. Is that okay?"

"Good enough. Got any chips?"

"No, sorry. I've got bread. And cheese. Cheddar, old cheddar, with a great taste."

"I'd like that."

"Want a glass?"

"Of course. Don't you use a glass?"

"Inside I do but when Matt and I drank on the deck we just drank from the bottle."

"Okay, let's do that."

Len cut the half pound of cheese he'd bought on Saturday into chunks and they sat on the deck in the Adirondack chairs, eating and drinking. It was a warm but cloudy, a perfect day to sit and talk. He told Chris why Matt bought the cottage and how he had torn it down and built this house. "That's how he learned about building. Renovating houses was how he earned money after retiring. He used to be a lawyer."

"Did you help him?"

"Renovating? Yes, that's what got me interested. But it's hard work. I thought I'd like to make a career of doing it but I'm not so sure about that now. It would probably be easier if I took things more slowly. And doing it that way I would made a better job of it."

"Grandad's house looks okay to me. What do you mean, 'make a better job of it'?"

"Oh, Matt would have replaced the shingles, not added another layer on top, and tiled the kitchen wall and around the bath, things like that. I didn't because it would cost more and I wouldn't get as much profit."

"I see. So what do you think you'll do if you're not renovating houses?"

"I don't know." He didn't tell her about buying and selling land for he guessed that it was too uncertain a way of making money to make it a career. There wouldn't be enough pieces of land he could subdivide.

"Want another beer?" he asked.

"No. One's enough when I'm driving. I'd better be off. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." She stood up and gave Len her empty bottle. "Thanks for the drink."

"How about going fishing next Sunday? Would you like to do that?"

"Sure. You'll have to show me how, I don't remember much about it."

"I'd be glad to." He walked with Chris to her car and watched he drive down the track to the road, thinking that he might be falling in love with her. It was different from when he saw Betty. He knew, or thought he knew, the instant they started going out that he loved her. And these were very different girls. Betty knew exactly what she wanted to do; Chris just went along with her parent's wishes, not wanting to do anything else, he guessed. He'd have to ask her about that. She was pretty, not beautiful, as he thought Betty was. And nice to talk too. A nice person, in fact. She went to see her grandfather each week, even though he usually didn't know who she was.

## Chapter Forty One

Len found a parking spot where he could leave the truck all day and was waiting outside the front door of the store at nine o'clock. Mr. Stowel opened it shortly afterwards and let him in. "Hi, Len. Where did you park? There's a yard at the back where you can do that. I'll show you. Can you park all day where you left it?"

"Yes. I checked that."

"Tomorrow park in the yard. This way," and he took Len through the store, along the corridor, past the room where he had coffee with Chris, and into a large store room that was packed with fridges, washers, driers and kitchen appliances back to the rear wall where there was a large door. Mr. Stowel opened a side door and showed Len the yard where a car and the store's delivery van stood. "Park just there, next to the van, then it'll not be in the way of delivery trucks backing up."

Chris drove in just as he was talking and parked beside her parents' car. She waved at Len then joined them. "Ready to work?" she asked, with a smile.

"Yes, but doing what?" he asked Mr. Stowel.

"The first thing is to take a look at where the computers will go."

"Okay."

As they walked past the staff room Mrs. Stowel lifted her head from a pile of papers. "Hello Len, and thanks for the eggs. They tasted much better than the ones from the stores."

"Yes, that's true," said Mr. Stowel. "I'll keep hens when we retire, Sue."

"You will?" she answered. "What about taking holidays? Who's going to look after your hens them?"

"I'll find someone. This way, Len."

He showed Len the tables that had been set up to hold the computers. "There used to be fridges here. What do you think? Is this enough room?" Two tables, each about six feet long, stood there.

"Yes, if you don't want more than two on each table. Have you ordered disk drives and printers?"

"Yes."

"Well it might be better if it was just one on each table. One could be showing the word program and the other a spreadsheet. The computers themselves would be on the floor. Do you have a computer power bar ?"

"What's that?"

"It's a box that protects against voltage surges and has several hydro outlets."

"I think so. You'd have to check the order form. Susan will show you them. Sue," he called, "can you show Len the computer purchase orders. She's going over last week's delivery lists right now but she'll also have the week's purchase orders. Go and see her."

"Okay. And I think we should have a couple of chairs, no, two chairs for each table so I can sit with customers and show them how the programs are used. You have ordered the programs?"

"Yes. Okay, I'll get the chairs. Chris," he said, "look after the store for a while. I'll be in the back."

Mrs. Stowel was sitting at the table with a filing cabinet behind her when Len walked in. She had four large books in front of her. One was open and she was entering the dates when items were delivered on an ordered items list. using the packing slips for reference. She finished the slip she was working on as Len entered and opened a drawer in the filing cabinet and took out a folder. The purchase order for the computers was near the top of the file. She handed it to Len who immediately saw that there were twenty of everything including outlet boxes. "Thanks, Mrs. Stowel. It looks as if you've ordered everything we need."

"The salesman suggested what to order. What do you think? Have we missed anything?"

"I don't think so. From what I see we'll be okay. You're getting the newest computers, better than mine when I look at the specs."

"But you'll be able to fit them up, won't you?"

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be much the same on the outside. It's just that they'll run faster than mine. You know," Len said, looking down at what Mrs. Stowel was doing, "you should be the first to buy one. You must total expenses and income somewhere. The computer can do that easily."

"You think so? Show me sometime and we'll see. The way I do it now isn't too hard once you get used to it and I've been doing it for what, nearly twenty years."

"Well, let me show you what a computer can do and if you're interested we'll try doing your calculations on one."

"Len," Mr. Stowel, called. "Come to the store room. The computers have just come."

A small truck was backed up to the loading platform and a man was waiting for the driver to come from the cab.

"Len, this is Roger. Roger, this is Len. He's going to look after the computers. Do you have a place to store them?"

"Well I didn't know how much room they'd take so I shifted a few washing machines. Hope that's enough."

The driver climbed up the steps and opened the back of the truck. It was full of boxes.

"All that?" Roger asked with a shocked voice.

"No," said the driver, looking at the sheet he had in his hand and pointed to about sixty boxes. "Just these."

Roger brought up a trolley and placed some of the larger boxes on it while Mr. Stowel checked the items off the order list. Roger led the way to the space he had cleared and Len followed him, carrying some of the smaller boxes. There was plenty of room for everything and Roger said he'd bring back two of the washing machines once they had taken what they wanted in the store.

"Just make sure we can get at everything Roger," said Mr. Stowel. "Now what do you need, Len?"

"Two computers," he said, pointing to the boxes, "two floppy disk drives, some floppy disks, two printers, two monitors, two power bars and the programs I need. I'll get those."

Roger took a computer to one of the tables then returned with a disk drive and a printer.

"Don't unpack any more now," said Chris, who was watching. "Coffee's made."

Since there were no customers in the store they all sat around the table. Mrs. Stowel had placed her books on the top of the cabinet and was opening a packet of cookies.

"No donuts?"

"Back to the usual, Roger," said Chris. "The ones we had last week were left when Len came last week."

"Well, he's here today."

"He's on staff now. No more treats."

"Have you advertised that you'll be selling computers Mr. Stowel?" asked Len.

"Not yet. I want to wait until you have them up and running. Once you've done that I'll put a poster in the window and place an ad in the weekend edition of the Townsville Courier. Chris, can you make a poster for the window?"

"Sure. What should I put on it?"

"Computers, printers and programs," said Len. "And can you sketch them? I've seen other sketches in your window and they have been witty and catching."

"You think so?" she said. "Good. I drew them."

"There's the delivery bell," said Mr. Stowel. "Roger, can you get that, please."

"Sure. Hope it's nothing big. We need more space."

"You always say that," said Mrs. Stowel. "It should be microwaves , toasters and blenders."

A buzzer sounded. "I'll go," said Chris.

"And I'd better get the computers set up," said Len and he left the room.

The computers were just as easy to connect as Len's. Once they were running he installed Visi Calk, Lotus 1-2-3, WordStar and Word Perfect on both computers and left Visi Calk running on one and Word Star on the other, the programs he knew. He then drafted a sample spreadsheet, similar to those he'd done for himself, with 'Income' and 'Expenses' sections and examples in each part; salary, sales of shares and dividends in the 'Income' section, and food, restaurants, gasoline under 'Expenses,' not that he expected everyone to have stocks to sell or a car to refill but he needed names to illustrate how the spreadsheet worked. He added month columns and a year's total then filled in the first four months with a few numbers. The lowest row under 'Income' and 'Expenses' columns gave their totals and a row at the very bottom subtracted the 'Expense' total from the 'Income' total to show whether they had saved or over-spent for that month. The first three columns showed that the owners income exceeded the expenses but the last column showed a month where the expenses were more than earned. The year-to-date total was also shown and the total amounts for each item. This owner had earned more than he or she had spent. Then he unplugged the keyboard so no one could alter the vies.

Mrs. Stowel had been watching Len as he compiled the sheet and was struck by the sudden changes in the totals when figures were added.

"Ah, yes. I can certainly use this," she said. "Jack," she called, "Jack, I want a computer. Len, can you set one up in the coffee room for me to use?"

"Of course, Mrs. Stowel. Just show me where you want it."

"I'll get Roger to bring in a small table. We'll have to take out one of the easy chairs though. And call me Susan, please. Let me know when you're ready."

"Okay. What shall I do with the empty boxes?"

"Roger will take them."

She left to find Roger and Len moved to the other table where he drafted a letter to an imaginary friend using WordStar. Chris and Mr. Stowel watched when they weren't busy and a young couple drifted over after looking at kitchen appliances. The man said he'd like a computer and the woman said you'll have to wait until we've furnished the whole house. Len wondered if most people would think like that and decided to put both of the computers on one table and put two others on the other table and add a couple of games programs and leave them running. Perhaps they'd like to try using a computer. Being able to play games might make the computers more attractive.

The coffee room had been rearranged when Len joined Chris. The filing cabinet stood next to a small table and both easy chairs had been taken away. Chris said that Roger would take both easy chairs if Ben didn't want one.

"We hardly ever sat in them so it doesn't matter. So mum's going to do the book keeping on the computer now. That was a quick sale, Len. Maybe you should also help sell appliances."

"I'd be no help there. I don't know enough to explain what the difference is between one refrigerator and another."

"Yes, that takes a little while to learn. No one wanted to buy a computer while you were out there?"

"One man said he'd like to but his wife said 'no.' She said that they had to wait until their house was furnished. How's the poster?"

"Haven't started yet. I'll probably do it this afternoon. I've been thinking about what to draw on it."

"You know, I've put games on two more computers now. Maybe you'd get an idea if you tried one of them."

"What games?"

"Pac-Man and Space Invaders. Everybody likes those."

"Okay, show me after we've eaten."

Chris liked Space Invaders more than Pac-Man but played each for ten or more minutes. "Yes, I bet people like these and they've given me an idea about what to draw."

Susan came over and asked Len to set up the computer for her. He did so, added both programs and showed her how to add rows, columns, titles, numbers and do additions and subtractions then left her to try it out. Chris sat at the table with a sketch pad making several drawings which she refused to show him, saying he have to wait until she had drawn the poster.

When he returned to the store two boys were playing Pac-Man while their parents were talking to Mr. Stowel about dishwashers. Len stood nearby and watched them. When their parents came over one of them said, "Dad, can I have one of these?"

"Me, too," said the other boy.

"You've got enough games and these cost too much."

"You can do more with them than play games, sir," said Len.

"Yes, I know. I've read about them. Calculations and writing, for instance."

"Yes, that's right."

"But I have a typewriter and a hand calculator. I don't need one of these."

"No, I guess not. They're useful for complicated calculations, when you need spreadsheets, for instance."

"What's a spreadsheet?"

"When you want to calculate columns of figures both vertically and horizontally."

"Well, I don't have to do that."

"I can show you what I use one for if you like."

"You use one? Why?"

"To see where my money comes from and where it goes."

"Show me."

"Okay, we'll go to the other table."

Len sat down and connected the keyboard on the Visi Calk computer and added a few numbers to the expenses column and showed how the total at the bottom increased with each added number. The man was impressed and said to his wife who was watching their boys playing Pac-Man.

"Dotty, come and see this. Look," and he pointed to the screen. "This shows where all this lad's money goes and what he gets as income. I think we should have a computer like this. It'll save us a lot of worrying. What do you think? We'll know exactly what we have to spend this way. What do they cost, err, what's your name?"

"Len, sir. With the printer, floppy disk drive, programs and monitor it costs fifteen hundred and thirty nine dollars."

"Yes, dad. Buy it," said one of the boys.

Len looked at the man's wife who was smiling.

"Why not, Pat? We've got the money with your rise. Gladys's kids love their computer. It keeps them out of mischief, she says."

"With the dishwasher we won't have much of it left but, yes, I'll buy one."

"Oh, great, dad" said one of the boys. "Hear that, Dan? Dad's going to buy the computer."

Mr. Stowel, who had been standing nearby, watching what had been happening, moved closer and said, "I'll make up a new bill, if you like to come with me."

"Is it easy to set up, Len?" said the man before following Mr. Stowel.

"Yes, but I can do that for you, if you like. Would that be okay, Mr. Stowel?"

"Yes, of course, Len. But let me complete the sale first."

Once that was done Roger and Len carried out the boxes and put them in the boot of Mr. Radley's car. Mr. Stowel gave Len the keys to his car, saying, quietly, that it looked better than his Toyota. Len drove to the front of the store then followed the man's car to the east side suburb where he parked on the street and helped the man carry the boxes into the house. A bridge table was set up in a corner of the family room and Len got to work, watched by the boys. When the programs were being loaded Mrs. Radley put a tray with a cup of tea and a plate of cookies by the side of the keyboard. Len picked up the plate and offered cookies to the boys before taking one. Then he showed Mr. Radley how to use Visi Calk and let him practice. Once the man was reasonably satisfied he asked if he could call Len if he ran into any difficulties. Len didn't know what to answer but then thought it was something he could do in his spare time, quite independent from working for Mr. Stowel, so he said he could do that but only in the evenings. That was the time the man preferred so that caused no problems.

"How much would you charge?" he asked. This was another thing that Len hadn't thought about so he guessed that fifteen dollars an hour would be all right.

"Fifteen dollars an hour, which includes the time to drive here."

"Okay, it's a bit expensive but I paid much more than that for a plumber last week. Give me your phone number, just in case I need it."

Len wrote it down and told himself to buy some business cards. He ate another cookie and finished his tea, said thank you to Mrs. Radley and drove back to the store.

It was four thirty by this time. Mr. Stowel was happy when he walked back into the store and pointed to the computers where a man was looking at Visi Calk.

"I think he's going to buy it," Mr. Stowel said. "How did it go with Mr. Radley?"

"Fine. He asked if he could call me if he had any difficulty and I said yes, but only in the evenings. You don't mind if I do that, do you?"

"No, not at all, Len. Hope you charge for driving there and back if you do that."

"Well, I said fifteen dollars an hour and it'll always be at least an hour. Do you think that's about right?"

"Yes, I guess so. There, look, he's coming here."

"I'd like to buy one of those computers, with the Visi Calk program."

"Yes, sir. Do you want the writing program as well?" asked Mr. Stowel.

"Err, no. Not right now."

Len left them and went to the coffee room. Susan was still working on her computer and Chris was putting the water colours and brushes back into the cupboard.

"Hi, Len. What do you think?" and she pointed to the poster that lay on the table. Pac-Men were chasing Space Invaders to make a border around the sheet, two kids were laughing as they played the game in the centre, a woman was writing a letter in the top left-hand corner and a man was working on a spreadsheet in the lower right-hand corner. The colours, even though they were water colours, were bright and the use of black drew the eyes right into the sketch.

"It's great! You're an artist! It's too good to go in the window, it should be framed."

"Let's see if it does the trick."

"Can we put it up now?" asked Len

"No, it's not dry yet. Tomorrow morning. How did installing go?"

"Fine, no trouble," and Len told her that he'd agreed to help solve any problems the man might have.

"That's what I told the man who just bought one. That if he had any problems he could call here and that we have a man who could fix them. That's you, Len," said Mr. Stowel, who had just appeared. "Sue, I think you'd better order another ten of everything and more paper. Ask what other kinds of computers they have. The man asked if we have anything more powerful but I said no. He seemed to think that there were ones that loaded faster. If they have them order a couple. It looks like selling computers will do better than selling appliances this month. And that poster will bring them in. It's one of your best, Chris."

"Thanks, dad. It's wet, so it can't go up now. And it's five thirty, I think I'll go home."

"It's a hot pot tonight, Chris. Lay the table, will you. Want to have supper with us, Len? There's plenty."

"I'd love to."

"Good. Then put out another plate, Chris."

## Chapter Forty Two

They closed the store at six and Len followed their cars. Their house was in the road behind the Tate's house and a little bit bigger, looking as if it had five bedrooms. There was room in the drive for four cars to park. The front lawn was freshly mowed and Len wondered if Mr. Stowel did all the gardening; he was the one who wanted to grow his own vegetables once he retired. They went in through the front door so he didn't have a chance to see the back. Mr. Stowel headed for the family room beckoning Len as he went. Once there he asked him if he wanted a drink as he took two glasses from a cabinet.

"I have a scotch as soon as I come in from work. It's something I look forward to as the afternoon passes."

"I'd like to have what you're having, sir."

"Oh, call me Jack. Mr. Stowel's a bit much and I don't want to be called 'sir' all the time."

They stood by the patio doors to drink the scotch and water. There were beds of flowers scattered across the lawn and more around the edge.

"Do you do all the gardening, Jack?"

"Yes, on Sundays. Gives me time to think and it's a nice change from the week. Do you garden?"

"Yes. Not flowers, though. I have a vegetable patch. But it's my first year doing that so I don't know how it'll turn out."

"Chris said you've got a lovely place, on the river. You'll have to show me, sometime."

"You know how it came to me?" Len asked.

"Yes, Chris told us. Your uncle died, right?"

"Yes. I miss him. He was much too young to die."

"A stroke can catch anyone, anytime. Stress doesn't help. Was he stressed?"

"Not that I know. His friend was coming to live with him and I think he was happy, not stressed."

"Supper's ready, boys," called Susan.

Jack and Len swallowed the rest of their scotch and moved to the dining room. A big casserole containing meat and vegetables stood in the centre of the table with two baskets of bread. Len was told to help himself which he did, not taking too much to avoid appearing greedy. Jack opened a bottle of wine, a Cabernet, and filled everyone's glasses. He raised his and said, "Here's to our computer line. May it be successful." They drank, then Susan said, "and to Len" and raised her glass again.

The meal was delicious and Len thought he must get a hot pot; that and vegetables from the freezer, another thing he should buy, would make suppers an easy job.

As they ate Len was asked a little more about his life and whether he would make a career of fixing houses.

"I'm not sure about that. It's much harder work than I expected. I just don't know. Perhaps I'll become a computer technician."

"You'll have to take lots of courses to do that, won't you?" asked Susan.

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Well, you are able to help in the store, answering questions and helping people with the computer. Maybe you should run classes for people wanting to learn about computers."

"Well, that's an idea. I wonder how that would work."

"You'd have to rent a classroom, advertise, buy some computers and prepare lessons," said Susan.

"Dad, what do you think? Couldn't we help him do that? Lend him some computers, I mean."

"Hey, I don't know about that. They're expensive. And we don't know if the idea appeals to Len."

"He could do it at their home, after they have bought a computer. How about that, Len? Worth trying?"

"Yes, it might be. I could help if they use just the programs I know a bit about."

"And you'd earn fifteen dollars an hour, right?" added Jack. "More than I pay you."

"Well, it's kind of what I had in mind when I told Mr. Radley. The trouble is, there are not many clients."

"You'll get more as we sell more, Len," said Chris.

"Well, that'd be nice."

Dessert was a rhubarb and strawberry pie with vanilla ice cream.

"No, I didn't make the pie, Len," Susan said after he'd asked her. "It's from the supermarket."

They had coffee in the lounge after putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and Len left about eight thirty. A very nice evening, one he'd like to have if he ever got married and had children.

The week followed Monday's pattern. With Chris's poster in the window they sold two or three computers every day. People simply seemed to be in the mood to buy them. Len worked at learning the new programs whenever he had time. Chris and Ben were interested in using the computers too. They played games and used the spreadsheet and learning programs when they got tired of seeing who could get the highest score on Space Invaders. Thursday Jack received a dozen Commodore 64s. He was lucky, for every dealer wanted them; they were cheap and had greatly improved capabilities. Len set up two more computer tables and helped two clients use them Wednesday and Thursday evenings, one for two hours, and earned forty five dollars. He had two hundred business cards made that stated he was a 'Computer consultant.' It gave the phone numbers for the store and his own. Jack paid him after lunch on Saturday, giving him a cheque for five hundred and forty dollars.

"Isn't that too much, Jack?" asked Len. "I thought it would be four hundred and eighty."

"No, I pay for nine hours a day, not eight, because we work through the lunch hour very often."

"Oh, I see. Thanks."

He was tired as Saturday drew to a close but cheered up when Chris asked if they were still going fishing on Sunday.

"Yes. After you've seen your grandfather?"

"I'm not going any more. He doesn't know me as anyone different from one of his nurses."

"Well, about three is a good time to come. I have to get the boat ready, work on the garden, wash clothes, shop for groceries, clean the house first. I'll be ready by then. And if we catch anything we can eat it for supper. Would you like to do that?"

"You're a busy man. Yes, I'd like that. Can I bring anything?"

"No, just yourself."

Sunday morning after moving the chicken hut and hoeing the garden Len was having coffee when the phone rang. It was Jimmy.

"I've a buyer for the biggest parcel, Len. Can I bring the sales contract to you now?"

"How much are they offering?"

"Eight thousand."

"Didn't we ask nine and a half for that one?"

"Yes. But I don't think they'll pay that. I suggest you reduce your price to nine thousand and see if they come up."

"Okay. Yes, come now, it's a good time."

Len lowered his asking price giving them twenty four hours to decide and signed the form. Jimmy said he'd take it to them and see what they'd say.

"I'll call you as soon as they decide what to do."

"Any other lots available?"

"There's a hundred acre lot that's just come on but no lake frontage so I don't think that would interest you though it's very cheap. Not much use for anything, I guess. Unless you're going to create a sub-division, that is."

"Never thought about that. Would I get approval to do that?"

"Probably. It's not good farming land."

"How many lots would that make?"

"We'd both have to see it. I haven't been there, another agency listed it. Interested?"

"Let me think about it. I wouldn't want to build houses but I have an idea. I'll let you know."

Jimmy called back an hour later and said they'd counter-offered. Eight and a half thousand. I'm with them now."

"Tell them I'll accept eighty seven and a half but nothing less."

Ten minutes later Jimmy rang back. "Okay, they've accepted. Are you using the same lawyer?"

"Yes, Mr. Jackson."

"Okay, I'll let them know. I'll bring the contract around for you to sign. You'll be there?"

"Yes."

When Jimmy arrived he suggested that they look at the hundred acres Tuesday afternoon. "The rain we're expecting should have cleared by then."

"All right. Meet me here at one?"

"Okay."

He'd tell Jack about it on Monday morning. It should be no trouble because he'd agreed that Len's business came before working in the store.

He finished the hoeing then lowered the boat, filled the tank and connected the battery. It needed choking but started eventually and he backed it out of the boathouse and tied it to the dock. He put the can of worms he'd collected in the bottom of the boat. He'd add the rods and net before they went out. Then he cleaned the house and had a shower before washing his laundry. It was one thirty now and he made a ham sandwich and ate it as he drove to the supermarket to buy groceries for the week. The fridge, its freezer and the cupboards were filled with enough food for the entire week by the time Chris arrived. He walked over to the parking spot as she drove up the drive and opened the door for her.

"My, you look smart," he said as she stood up. Chris was wearing what looked like designer jeans and a pale yellow shirt. "I hope you don't get them dirty."

"They'll wash, Len. Are we likely to catch any fish? It's quite cloudy."

"I don't know. The clouds might make them think it's evening and ready to bite. I hope it doesn't rain, though. If you're ready we should go. I'll just get the rods and net."

Once he had the rods he helped Chris as she practiced throwing a lead weight over the grass until she was happy with each throw then they got in the boat. Chris sat in the bow and fastened a spinner on her line and trailed it over the side as they moved slowly along the shore. After ten minutes she changed to a plug and trolled that, again with no results. When they got to the reed beds Len stopped the motor and they both used a red and white spinner, casting it along the edge of the reeds and winding it in. Again there were no bites. Finally Len suggested they use the worms and a bob. This worked and Len caught a bass that was big enough for one to eat. They moved the boat and he caught a second one of the same size.

"That's enough for supper but you haven't caught any yet so I'll put my rod away and just you fish from now on."

They moved again, then to another spot where Chris, at last, caught what turned out to be a three pound small mouth bass.

"Wow! Look at that. Beats both of yours."

"Yes, it does," said Len. "You'll have to take it home. Let's go back now, it's starting to rain."

It took them twenty minutes to get back to the boathouse and both got wet. Len tied up the boat then helped Chris out and carried the fish in the net to the house. Chris went to the upstairs bathroom to dry herself and Len went to his bedroom to get a dry shirt before cleaning the fish, wrapping their insides in a newspaper. He would throw them into the river later. He put the large fish in a big plastic bag and stored it in the fridge. Once Chris came down he asked her how she would like the fish cooked and she said 'fried,' and offered to do it.

"No, you're my guest, although you could open a bottle of wine while I'm frying them. There's white wine in the fridge and two reds at the end of the counter."

"I'd prefer white."

"Me too. The corkscrew's in that drawer," and he pointed to it, "and the glasses are in the cupboard above it. Want some chips with the fish?"

"Sure. That'd be nice," so Len turned the oven on and set the temperature. "It'll take about twenty five minutes to cook them." He pulled out the freezer drawer and covered one of the oven trays with frozen chips, leaving them on the stove top until the oven was warm.

"Fish and chips," said Chris. "Do you have peas too?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"It's very British, fish and chips and mushy peas. That's peas all squashed together to make a lumpy paste."

"Have you been to Britain?"

"To London, for a week, with mum, two years ago. We had fish and chips three times. In pubs and I could drink beer there. No one tried to stop me."

"I'd like to go one day. To all of Europe, if I had a chance."

"You could get a job there and do that if you wanted."

"I suppose so. Never thought about doing anything like that though. Always been worried about earning enough money to get by. Right, the oven's warm enough now. I'll put the chips in and we can eat in a few minutes."

"It's a pity we can't sit outside."

"Yes, that's where Matt and I often sat when we ate. When it was warm enough, of course, not in winter. And we barbequed the fish."

"We'll do that next time."

"So you want to fish again?"

"Of course. As long as I get the biggest fish," and she laughed.

"Have some more wine?"

They talked until it was time for Len to fry the fish and they ate at the small pull-out table in the kitchen once everything was ready.

"Do you want to watch television?" asked Len, after they'd washed the dishes.

"No, I don't think so. I think I'd better go home. I don't want my parents to get worried."

"Why? It's not seven yet."

"Well, I know, but I only told them I was going fishing."

"You could call them and say you are alright."

"No, not this time. I'll go. Can I have the fish I caught."

"Yes, and some eggs."

"Oh, thanks."

Len got the eggs and the fish out of the fridge and gave them to Chris before getting the large umbrella from the study. It was still raining and he held above their heads as they walked to Chris's car. She put the fish and the eggs on the passenger seat then turned and kissed Len, holding his head in her hands for a few moments before getting into the car.

"Thanks for a very nice afternoon, Len. We'll do it again."

"Next week?" asked Len,

"Yes, why not?" She smiled and said, "see you tomorrow," and closed the car door.

## Chapter Forty Three

Jack didn't mind when Len told him he would be taking Tuesday afternoon off. "Chris and Ben can help anyone who needs it on the computers. They've already done that a couple of times when you were out. Is it business?"

"Yes. I'm looking at a hundred acre parcel."

"A hundred acres? What would you do with that?"

"Jimmy Baker, the real estate agent I use, thought it might be turned into a sub-division or something."

"Is it near a town?"

"No. An abandoned farm, way out in the sticks."

"A sub-division wouldn't be any good there. No one would buy a house if they had to commute forty or fifty kilometers on back roads to work. And there'd be no shops or schools."

"Yes, you're probably right, but perhaps it might make a camping ground, a place where people would go for the weekend. I'd get Robert's Homes to put up a house where someone could live, look after the place, sell things in a small store."

"Has it got a lake?"

"No, and that's another catch. So I doubt if I'd buy it but I thought it's worth a look. Some other idea might come to mind."

"Well, I hope it does."

The land, when Len saw it, was bush, trees and rocks. A square of stones that a hundred or more years ago had formed the walls of a basement lay near the road, surrounded by scraggly raspberry bushes. As far as Len could see no one would want to camp there. There was nothing to attract them. Jimmy agreed and drove Len home. On the way Jimmy said that he was still looking for another house but Len told him that he'd have to wait until the one he still had was sold before he could buy another one.

"Have you had any open houses, Jimmy?"

"One, and another one next weekend. Only seven people came to the first, four of them, I think, were just neighbours, wanting to see what you've done."

"Is the price okay?"

"I think so. You could lower it, of course. It would definitely sell if the price was low enough. Someone who thought it would be worth more would buy it. But there's no need to do that now, unless you're desperate."

"No, I'm okay. Oh, did you tell the people who bought the lot that Robert's Homes could build a bungalow for them and they'd have it in a couple of weeks?"

"Yes, but they didn't have the money to think about that. They talked about getting a tent and camping there. You know, you could set up a camping ground on the other lot. That would work, with the lake there."

"It's not big enough. Wouldn't hold more than six or seven tents. Too much work to do that."

"Yes, I guess so."

More people were going to Stowel Appliances to buy computers than to buy appliances by now. The full-page advertisement Jack had placed in the weekend Townsville Courier and Chris's poster pulled them in. Len was busy, often going to the houses to set them up and install the programs, Chris also did that twice.

Wednesday evening Barb called Len. "Len, I've just called Dan to tell him that I married Peter last Saturday and you're invited to a celebratory dinner Saturday evening at Giovanni's, at eight thirty. Can you make it?"

"What? You married Peter and didn't invite me to the wedding?"

"That's exactly what Dan said. We didn't invite anyone. Not even Peter's sister and he was living with her. I just wanted a quiet wedding, a civil one, and our witnesses were a couple of people who worked in the office. We've just come back from our honeymoon because Peter has to work."

"Oh, Barb. I wish I'd been there."

"What? At our honeymoon?"

"No, damn, at your wedding."

"Well, I just didn't want any fuss and I know you'd have cooked up something if you knew about it. So, Saturday, can you come?"

"Yes, of course. Can I bring a friend?"

"A girl friend? You have a girl friend?"

"Well, sort of. Her name is Chris. I work at her dad's store now, helping to sell computers."

"My, you do get around. What about Betty?"

"I haven't seen her for more than a year. You know that."

"Yes, I guess I do. Well, see you on Saturday."

"Hey, wait a minute. What would you like for a wedding present?"

"Nothing. I've got everything I want, so don't waste your money. Bye, Len, I've got to tell my friends now."

Len called Dan to talk about Barb's wedding and asked about a gift. "Got any ideas?"

"Nothing comes to mind. She's got all the furniture and appliances she needs."

"Yes, I suppose so. Oh, I've an idea. Has she passed her driving test?"

"Yes, about two weeks ago."

"Has she bought a car yet?"

"No. Why, you want to buy her one?"

"No just me, both of us. How about that? I'd spend up to two thousand. Would you?"

"I guess so. Yes, I would."

"Do you have any good cars for that amount?"

"Several."

"Well, should we buy her one or let her choose which one she wanted?"

"It'd be better if she chose one. But I don't want her to choose one that costs a lot more."

"No. Tell you what. Put red balloons on the cars we can afford to buy on Sunday morning and we'll take her to the lot and she can choose from them. Don't have prices on any of them."

"Yes, that would work. Okay. You going to the dinner on Saturday?"

"Yes, with a friend, Chris."

"Chris? Do I know her?"

"Jack Stowel's daughter, the appliance store."

"Oh, I know him and Susan."

"They won't be there, of course. How's business going?"

"Pretty good. We should beat Joe's average this year I think."

"Oh? A bigger dividend, then."

"I hope so."

"Are you bringing Rob on Saturday?"

"No, he'd be asleep most of the time. We'll get a baby sitter."

"Okay. See you, big brother."

"See you, baby brother."

Chris pulled in just as Len was getting out of his truck on Thursday morning. He asked her if she would go with him to Barb's wedding reception on Saturday night and she hesitated, saying "the only person I'll know is you, Len. It'll be a bit awkward."

"I don't think so, Chris. I've asked Barb if you can come and she's looking forward to meeting you. And my brother, Dan, knows you're coming. Any other people, except Sarah, will be people who I don't know either."

"Okay, What do I wear?"

"Just what you'd ordinarily wear for a dinner. A skirt and top?"

"Yes, I knew that much. Well, I'll find something."

Saturday afternoon, as they were closing the store, Jack told Len that they'd made nearly twice as much from selling computers, computer parts and programs as they had done in selling appliances. "It's almost worth converting the whole store to computers."

"I've got a better idea," said Susan, who was checking the till to see if they had taken all the cash, "get the lease for the Motlaines clothes store. They're closing up. I didn't think their line would sell well in this town when they opened, it's more suited to high-end Toronto or Montreal. People don't have that kind of money in Townsville."

"Oh? How did you know they were closing?"

"Kitty told me two days ago."

"How big is the place?"

"You'd better go and have a look. Go now, we can finish here. Don't be too long though, we're going to the movies."

"Oh, yes. Wait here for me then," and he hurried out of the door.

"I'm going now," said Chris. "You remember I'm having dinner out tonight?"

"Yes, of course. Don't be late home."

"It's a wedding reception, mom, and I don't know anybody except Len so I'll probably be home early. Bye."

"I'm off, too," said Len. "Enjoy the movie. See you on Monday."

"Bye, Len."

"I'll pick you up," Chris told Len. "I don't want to arrive in your beat up truck."

"Okay, thanks. About eight fifteen?"

"Yes. See you."

Len showered and changed after seeing to the chickens and put on one of Matt's suits, a light blue with a white shirt and one of his dad's ties. When he looked in the mirror he thought he looked smart but realised he needed a haircut. Something he should have soon.

The restaurant was almost empty when they arrived, just two couples finishing their desserts and drinking brandy's or coffees. A notice on the door explained why. 'We're closing at eight thirty and can't seat anybody after seven tonight. Sorry.'

"They're making this a grand occasion," said Chris after reading it.

"Peter is sous-chef here. That's why."

"Oh, I didn't know that. I'll have to tell mom and dad. They eat here two or three times a year."

"Don't you go with them?" Len asked, as they entered.

"I've been once or twice. If they're celebrating something I go to the movies with a friend. Don't want to spoil their night out."

They were shown to a table set for ten. Barb and Peter were already there, sitting with another couple. Len introduced Chris then gave Barb a hug and congratulated Peter who then introduced his sister, Faith, and her husband, Jim. Dan and Sarah arrived soon after, closely followed by Greta and Louise, two friends of Barb. Once they were all seated the restaurant owner brought over two bottles of champagne. Peter stood up and introduced him, not a Mr. Giovanni but Luigi Rossi.

"Luigi is hosting the dinner tonight. I can't thank him enough."

Luigi laughed, "and I can't thank Peter enough for being such an excellent sous-chef."

He poured everyone a drink, took a glass himself and made a toast. "To Peter and Barbara, long may they be happily in love!"

An appetizer of pears and pecorino cheese began the meal, then a vegetable-filled spinach gnocchi, followed by a stiracchio with peas rigatino, potato tart and panacetta. The meal ended with baked apples. Peter explained how each dish was constructed as they drank bottles of Italian wine. Barb told them how they had honeymooned in Niagara, "travelling there and back by bus for we are saving our money so we can one day open a restaurant."

Dan then said, "I know you didn't want any presents but Len and I have a gift for you Barb, a car. Not a brand new one, I'm afraid, but a good one. Come to the lot tomorrow morning. There are five cars with red balloons attached. You can have any one of them."

"Wow! Thank you Dan, Len. What a nice wedding gift."

"I'll pick you up if you like. How about nine?"

Barb looked at Peter who nodded and said, "Yes, that would be lovely. Thanks."

Chris, who had been careful in the amount that she drank, drove Len home about ten thirty. It was warm, moon-lit evening and they both felt comfortably full. Len told her about Barb's first husband, not mentioning the part that he and Sylvie played in it, and that it seemed that Peter was a much better man than Jeff had been. Before getting out of the car Chris leaned over and gave him a long kiss.

"Thank you for inviting me. You have a nice family."

"I think so," said Len and wondered if he should kiss her back. Then he did, but not holding it as long as Chris had done for he didn't know if she wanted him to kiss her back.

"We're fishing tomorrow? About three o'clock? Oh, how did your mum and dad like the fish?"

"Didn't she tell you? Dad grilled it on the barbeque and forgot it was on when answering the telephone and it was burnt right through. We tasted a bit of it and it was nice but we ate a lasagna from the freezer that night."

"Oh, I guess that's why she didn't mention it. We'll have to catch another one for them tomorrow."

"Yes, and I'll make sure it doesn't burn. Bye, Len. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Chris," and Len watched her as she backed and drove away, wondering how much she liked him then wondering how much he liked her. Was he falling in love again? Or did he just want sex, like he did with Sylvie?

## Chapter Forty Four

Sunday morning Len went through his usual chores, moving the chicken, mowing the grass, cleaning the house and his clothes, hoeing and gathering some of the small leaves of lettuce that he added to his lunchtime sandwich, showering and shopping. He had the boat tied to the dock, the tank filled with gasoline, the rods, worms with a little damp dirt in a can and the net ready when Chris arrived. He helped her out of the car, said how nice she looked in her jeans and top and held her hand as they walked to the boat. The fish, for some reason, were biting and they had four good-sized ones, three caught by Chris, within forty minutes so they returned to the cottage and tied up the boat. Len gave the remaining worms to the chicken and they watched as they quickly disappeared.

"I guess the next lot of eggs will taste extra special," laughed Chris.

"They eat them all the time," said Len. "Look at where the run was last, see how the ground is all picked over? Not many insects or worms left there."

"That's why the eggs taste so good."

"I suppose so. I've another six for your mum. And she can have three of the fish so it won't matter if one of them overcooks. I'll barbeque one for us later. Okay?"

"Yes, good."

"Have you seen a chicken hypnotised?"

"Hypnotised?"

"Yes, or perhaps it should be called mesmerised. Let's see if I can do it."

He entered the pen and caught a chicken. Holding it gently he carried it to the deck, laid it on its breast with its head on the floor, held there by his right hand, then put the forefinger of his left hand on the deck in front of the chicken's head and drew it slowly backwards. He did this two more times then took his right hand away from the chicken. It lay there, not trying to get up.

"I didn't know you could do that. Is it okay?"

"Sure," and he picked the chicken up and it settled into his arms as if it had just been sleeping. Once it was returned to the pen it began scratching in the ground, joining the others in their search for insects.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"After Sam died I became friends with another boy, Larry Heaton, if you knew him. I spent a weekend at his uncles farm and Larry showed me how to do it. Okay, I'd better clean the fish now." He did that on the kitchen counter, collecting the waste on a big plate which he then took out and threw the entrails into the river as Chris watched. "I suppose something eats that," said Chris.

"Yes. If there are any gulls around they grab them otherwise I suppose it's a fish or crawfish. Ready for a beer?"

"You bet."

Len emptied a package of peanuts into a bowl and they ate those while drinking the beer on the deck.

"Did you enjoy school?" asked Len.

"Most of it. French and English literature were the best. I thought about taking a degree and teaching but I could see that teaching might be pretty hard, keeping discipline especially. The classes that the two beginning teachers took were pretty rowdy. They couldn't handle them and I was afraid I'd be like that. So I decided not to go for a degree and helped in the store. What about you?"

"I wanted to take a degree in maths but couldn't afford it. So I helped my uncle then continued doing the same thing after he died."

"You must miss him."

"Yes, I do, probably even more than I miss my mom and dad."

"Is it terrible, being an orphan?"

"No, not really. I've got my brother and sister."

"I wish I had a brother and sister. That must be nice."

"Well, it is, but I don't see a lot of them. Did you know that Dan owns the Chevrolet dealership?"

"Yes, Peter told me after Dan said that you and he would give Barb a car last night. Do you know which one she chose?"

"No. I've been busy. Sunday morning is when I do the maintenance around here."

"Of course. Working in the store, helping people some evenings doesn't leave you much time."

"No, but that's not difficult and I'm glad to do something more physical on Sunday."

"Did you play sports in school?"

"No. Did you?"

"Tennis and swimming, I love tennis. You would too, I guess."

"You'll have to teach me sometime. Want another beer?"

"Yes, please." After getting them Chris asked him if he ever swam here.

"When I was younger. I used to come here when Sam was alive. It's probably warm enough to swim now."

"Let's do that next Sunday. Have you got a swim suit?"

"Not now. I'd have to buy one."

"Do that and we'll have a swim."

"Okay. How about barbequing the fish now. What do you want with it? I've got frozen chips, of course, but I made a salad and it's in the fridge if you prefer that."

"Yes, I would. What kind of dressing do you have?"

"Ranch and blue cheese."

"I'll have Ranch. You too?"

"No, I prefer blue cheese. Bring them out while I clean the barbeque and we'll eat here."

When the barbeque had heated up Len placed the fish on the grill, cooking for five minutes on each side then putting it on a plate. He split it in half, giving the side without the backbone to Chris. They ate and drank another beer then Len cleared the side table that stood between them and made a cafeteria of coffee. He bought that out with a package of cookies.

"You'd make a good chef," said Chris. "The fish and salad were better than you'd buy in a restaurant."

"Don't tell Peter that. I'm sure he'd make it a lot better."

"Not for me, he wouldn't."

"What would you like to do now?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just sit here and drink coffee." They did that for a while then Len got up, moved his chair next to Chris's chair, sat down and held her hand. "This is what I want to do," he said.

"Yes, that improves it. They held hands for ten minutes then Len leaned over and kissed her. She kissed him back and put her hands around his head and held him closer. Len didn't know what to do next. Was Chris encouraging him to do more or did she just like kissing this way? So he did nothing and, a few seconds later she removed her hand and said, "I think I'd better get home."

"It's not seven yet," said Len, "but okay. I understand."

They stood up and walked, holding hands, to Chris's car where they kissed again, just a short one, and she drove away.

'Boy, what was that all about?' he wondered. 'Did she want to make love?' It couldn't be, he reasoned, they'd only know each other for, what, four weeks. But, what did he know? She certainly wasn't like Betty, who resisted most of his advances, and definitely not like Sylvie, who wasted no time at all. Women are so different, how could he know how to behave? 'I'll just take it slowly,' he decided, 'and let her guide me.'

Jack was not at the store on Monday morning. Len asked Susan if he was sick and she told him that he was talking to a lawyer about a store.

"It's the Motlaines clothes store. They're closing up and the owner wants to sell it and Jack's interested. How would you feel about running it, if we bought it?"

"To sell clothes?"

"No, of course not. To sell computers."

"With Chris?"

"Yes, and with Ben. Interested?"

"Yes, very much. You'd keep this store?"

"Oh, yes. If computers stopped selling we'd have this one to fall back on."

"What does Chris say about this?"

"She likes the idea. But for us it depends on how much they're asking for it, the terms and the closing date. That's what's being discussed now."

Jack appeared an hour later when they were drinking coffee. "We've bought it," he told Susan. "Chris, Ben, it's on. We'll move all the computer stuff to the store as soon as we have the keys."

"You got the mortgage from the bank then?" asked Susan.

"Yes. If we sell as many computers as we have in the last two weeks we'll pay the interest, principle, taxes in the first half of each year. And I can pay off as much of the principal we want to at the end of each year."

"Let's hope it goes well. Len said he'd like to work there."

"Good. It would be with Chris and Ben," he told him.

"Yes. Susan told me. You'll have to order more computers before we move in."

"Yes. We will. Find out what ones we should buy. Get a range, from cheap to expensive."

"And we'll have to do more advertising," said Chris.

"I'll put an ad in the Townsville Courier. Once we get set up I'll one in the Recorder and Times as well.

"There's already a store that sells computers in Brockville," said Len. "They sold one to Robert's Homes."

"So what? This is Townsville and we'll compete with them. We did it before, didn't we, Sue."

"Yes, and we nearly lost everything."

"Ah, we'll take it easy."

There was a cheque from his lawyer in the mail box Monday when he got home. Eight thousand, four hundred and seventy five dollars, from the sale of the larger lot, the amount that remained after Jimmy's commission and Mr. Jackson's fee had been paid. He put it in his pocket to deposit in his business account during lunch on Tuesday.

Barb and Peter drove up at seven that evening. She had chosen a Chevrolet Malibu. "Thank you Len. It's lovely."

"Well, it certainly looks nice. What year is it?"

"'76."

"It looks brand new."

"Dan said it used to be owned by a middle aged lady who moved to Vancouver after she got married. He got it for a good price, he said."

'And I'd better call him,' thought Len. 'I owe him some money.' He walked around the car, admiring it's pale blue colour. "You should go on another honeymoon now you have this."

"We will do, once we've bought a restaurant. Until then, we save all our money."

"Just like I did when there was the graduation dance," said Len. "I didn't go to that because I was saving money. Come inside. Peter hasn't seen the house yet." He showed them around then offered beer or wine but they refused,

"Another time, Len. We're going for a short drive now. I have to keep in practice."

Once they'd left Len called Dan and found out that his half of the present cost nineteen hundred and fifty pounds. "I'll write you a cheque and bring it around right now."

He did that, taking it to Dan's house where he played with Rob as he was being put to bed. Then they sat and talked about the dealership while drinking coffee. Dan reported that everything was going almost too well and he was a bit worried that this might foretell some disaster to come. Sarah told him to stop talking like that.

"He worries too much, Len. Sometimes I think it would have been better if we hadn't bought it."

"I think Sarah's right, Dan. Joe survived for many years, didn't he? And he's still there to help you if you need it."

"Yes, but I can't help wondering what we'd do if cars stopped selling."

"I'm sure they never will. People always need a car."

"Yes, but they might put off getting one for two or three years if the economy declined."

"Stop it, Dan," Sarah ordered. "That's enough."

Len changed the topic and told them about the computer store the Stowel's were buying. "And I'm going to be looking after it. With Chris and another man. We all think that people are going to buy computers."

"Yes, that might be right. Then they'll stop buying cars."

"Dan," warned Sarah.

"Okay. Okay, I'm sure we'll be okay." Len left shortly after that.

## Chapter Forty Five

The store was busy during the week as people came in to look at the computers, play with them and, sooner or later, returning to buy one. Jack placed another order and put up two more tables. On Friday he learned that the closing date for the new store was the following Friday. He asked if they could look around the whole building that weekend to plan how they would design the show room and ten o'clock Sunday morning was set.

Len arrived at the new store just after ten. The door was unlocked so he walked in. Jack had a measuring tape and was copying down the lower floor's dimensions, making a rough plan, noting where electrical outlets were and the size of the stock room. Susan, Chris and Ben had used the door next to the store and gone upstairs. Len joined them. The top of the stairs ended in a lounge with a large window on the opposite wall that filled the room with light from the morning sun. A kitchen and a small bathroom were on the right side and two bedrooms were on the left, with windows facing the street.

"I could live here," said Chris.

"Would you want to?" asked Susan. "You'd have to cook your own food, and it wouldn't be half as comfortable as living at home."

"Yes. You're right. You know, we could knock the wall down between the bedrooms and turn the space into a classroom. What do you think, Len? You, Ben and I could teach computer basics here."

"I don't want to teach," said Ben. "Too much like school and I didn't like it."

"You might if you tried," answered Chris. "What do you think, Len?"

"Not a bad idea." He thumped the wall dividing the two bedrooms in a couple of places. "It's just a stud wall, not load bearing. It'd be easy to remove."

"Let's see if Jack agrees," said Susan.

He did, when he came upstairs. "Yes, it's a great way to make more money and to sell more computers. We'll advertise that when you're ready to teach."

"We'll talk about it this afternoon," said Chris. "Oh, did you get a swim suit Len?"

"Yes I did. But I felt the water this morning. It's still pretty cold."

"Then we'll go fishing instead."

"Oh, thanks for the fish, Len," said Susan. "We ate them Monday evening and I forgot to thank you earlier. And for the eggs. We must repay you somehow."

"Let's all go for lunch," said Jack. "I had an early breakfast."

"So did I," said Len, "and I've done most of my chores."

"See, Chris, if you lived here your Sunday morning would be doing the chores, cleaning, dusting and washing clothes. You'd soon get tired of that."

"You want to live here?" asked Jack.

"No, not really. It makes much more sense to turn the bedrooms into a classroom."

They ate in the garden behind the Red Lion pub and had the Sunday-special buffet. Everybody ate too much and drank beer, except Susan who chose wine. They were there early enough to get a good table next to the river and threw scraps of bread to the ducks that swam near the wall until one of the waiters asked them not to do that, explaining that eating bread wasn't good for the birds. Len left the table first, around one o'clock, saying he had to hoe the garden before Chris came. He drove home carefully for he had drunk two pints.

The green bean plants were over a foot high and the beets, cucumber, squash and radishes were all showing leaves. He tied the tomato stems to the stakes, removing the side shoots, and poked the pea stems that had bent away from the net back through the holes. He collected more lettuce leaves, cutting them off with scissors as he'd seen Matt do, so the plant could continue growing.

Chris arrived at two thirty carrying her swimsuit wrapped in a big towel. She gave Len a hug and a quick kiss before going to the water and feeling how cold it was.

"It's not cold at all," she said.

"Not there, but it will be once you're further out."

"Nothing like it is for those people who swim in the sea at New Years. I'm going in to change."

"Okay, I'll do the same."

Chris used the downstairs powder room to change and Len used the study and they walked, hand-in-hand to the edge of the river and slowly waded in. It was muddy but the water was warm enough until it rose above their knees. At that point Chris turned, bent her knees and floated away from him. "Come on Len. It's not cold if you do it that way."

"I prefer to do it more slowly" and Len walked further out until the level reached mid chest then he started swimming towards Chris. They splashed each other then Chris asked Len if he could life save.

"What do you mean, 'life save,' what's that?" he asked.

"It's what you do to rescue someone. I got the Bronze Medallion when I was at school. Come here, I'll show you."

Len swam over and Chris said, "lie on your back. Right, now don't struggle," and she put her hands in his armpits then swam on her back pulling him along. "There. That's how you do it. Now you try it."

Len did and found it relatively easy to use his legs to pull her towards the shore. He stopped when his feet hit the bottom of the river.

"It's not so easy if the person you're rescuing is scared and tries to get away," Chris said.

"Is that all there is to get the medal?"

"Oh no, there's lots more. But I can't teach you, you need a trained instructor and I've forgotten most of what I learned."

"I see."

"That's enough. I'm getting cold. Can I have a shower to warm up?"

"Sure. You know where it is. I'll have one when you're finished. I'll be on the deck having a beer."

"I'll have one too when I'm done. What are we having for supper?"

"I've got hamburgers and a pizza in the freezer. Which do you want?"

"What's on the pizza?"

"Everything."

"Good, I'll have that," and she walked back to the house. Len followed, got a beer and sat on the deck wrapped in the big towel he had earlier taken from the bathroom. Twenty five minutes later she reappeared, dressed in shorts and a white top as Len was beginning to wonder what had happened to her.

"Are you warm now?"

"Yes. I hope there's enough hot water left."

"I hope so too. I'll get you a beer and find out."

The shower was warm enough to begin with but quickly cooled off and he got out before properly warming up so he put on a sweater before coming downstairs.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Chris said, when she saw him with the sweater. "I shouldn't have taken so much." She stood up and walked over to him. "Let me warm you up," and she put her arms around him, and rubbed her arms up and down his back. Len couldn't help himself from bending down and kissing her. She responded, lifting her head and pulling him tighter against him.

They kissed, stopped and looked at each other for a few seconds then kissed again. Len could feel his erection pressing against her and tried to draw away but she held him tight. Eventually she said "I think we should stop. I'm afraid of going too far."

"I'd like to continue," said Len, "but you're right. I want to make love to you."

"I'd like you to as well but we shouldn't. I've never done it before. Have you?"

Len was tempted to lie but said, "yes, I have."

Chris drew back. "Oh? Who with? How many others?"

"Only one, and it doesn't matter who she is. I wasn't in love with her."

"Are you in love with me?"

"I'm not sure but I think I might be."

"I think I'm falling in love with you. Oh, damn. I wasn't going to say that. Like you, I'm not sure yet."

"It doesn't matter, Chris. We'll just have to see what happens. Let's eat, shall we?"

"Yes. That might help."

"I'll put the pizza in the oven. It takes nearly half an hour. Want another beer?"

"Yes, please."

Len put the pizza in the oven, switched it on, took the salad he'd made out of the fridge and put it on the kitchen counter with the salad dressings then opened two bottles of beer and took them outside. He kissed Chris as he handed her one of the bottles.

"Don't, Len. I want to think about what just happened."

"Sorry. I won't do it again."

They sat in the lounge chairs, looking over the river and didn't talk. After a couple of minutes Chris and Len began to say something at the same time then stopped and laughed. "What were you going to say, Chris?"

"Nothing, well, it was about work actually. How about you? What were you going to say?"

"I was wondering if you might not want to come next Sunday."

"What? Of course I want to come. Don't be silly. I'd like to know you better. I just like being here with you."

"I like you being here, too, Chris."

"That's okay, then."

"What were you going to say about work?"

"That it'd be nice to run the store without mom and dad around all the time."

"Ben would be there."

"Yes, I know, but that's not the same."

"Why? What did you have in mind?"

"We'd be making all the decisions, what to order, how to arrange things, the advertising, everything. I wonder what dad will pay us."

"What do you get now?"

"Same as you, ten dollars an hour. But I don't have to pay for my food or to run a house like you do. So it's very good money for me."

"Do you think he might pay more when we're running the store?"

"Not to me but maybe he will for you. I'll tell him to, we'll probably have to keep the store open in the evenings. Ben won't work then, he's got a wife and a kid to see."

"Right."

They sat until Len thought they should check the pizza. It was almost ready and they took the salad, dressings, plates and a pizza wheel out to the deck. Len was warm enough now so he took off his sweater then fetched the tray that the pizza lay on out of the oven and put it on the deck to cut it into slices. They ate it by holding it in their hands, Chris three slices and Len four, leaving the last slice which Chris said Len could eat as part of his supper on Monday. He wondered how it would taste with a fried egg on top but said nothing. They ate the salad afterwards and were drinking coffee when the phone rang. It was Jimmy.

"I have an offer for the house, Len. A couple who came back twice to this afternoon's open house. They offered thirty two thousand."

"No, that's too big a drop."

"Want to lower the price a bit? I think you'll sell it if you do."

"I'll go as low as thirty four thousand but no lower. You said it'd be worth around thirty five."

"Okay. They're in the office right now. I'll go in and tell them what you said. If they accept it will save me driving backwards and forwards. I'll call you back shortly."

"Was that about the house?" asked Chris, after Len had hung up.

"Yes. They offered about three thousand less than I was asking for. I think that it's worth more than that. Jimmy's talking to them now."

"Shouldn't you have given them a chance to negotiate? Won't they just say 'No' and walk away?"

"They might, but Jimmy said they looked at the house twice so I think they'll pay. Houses in that area are going up in value and I have dropped it about three percent. "

"Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed." They had to wait fifteen minutes before the phone rang.

"Yes, they've signed. Thirty four thousand. I'll bring it around for your signature now, if that's okay." He arrived fifteen minutes later. Len introduced Chris and offered him a beer which he refused, then Len signed the amended contract.

"I haven't found any more houses Len. Are you still checking the Gazette?"

"No, buying at tax auctions ties up my money for a year and I might not get the house in the end. But I'll have to stop renovating for a while, I'm helping to run a store selling computers. I'll let you know when I can get back to it."

"Okay. Still using the same lawyer?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Bye, Len, Chris," and Jimmy drove off.

"Would you rather be doing that, Len?" asked Chris.

"No, I don't think so. It's hard work and quite a bit of worry. But the money's good. If I could get some good people to do most of the work I might buy another. Right now, I'll work for your dad."

Chris left shortly after that. She kissed him lightly on the top of his head after getting up, took her swim suit and towel from the deck rail where they were hanging and drove off, with Len watching and wondering how their relationship would continue.

## Chapter Forty Six

Computer selling during the day, drafting lesson plans for the classes he and Chris would teach and two customers to help in the evenings filled Len's week. Chris was happy to accept each of the lesson plans he prepared, saying she'd modify them if it seemed appropriate. She read the accounting and word processing instructional manuals during the day when she wasn't busy, making notes to attach to the lesson plans Len had given her. More computers and three television monitors arrived and were stacked in the Stowel's store room until the new store was theirs. They discussed what to call the store and settled on Comp & Pro, short for Computers and Programs, after rejecting several other suggestions. Jack ordered the sign stating Comp & Pro which would be screwed above the window and five hundred business cards for Len, Chris and Ben with Len's telephone number on his cards in addition to the store's number.

Tables, chairs, the service counter and a cash register were delivered Saturday morning and set up by Roger who also moved over the computers, accessories and programs. Len and Chris spent that afternoon setting up computers, one of each model. A desk holding the Commodore PET, its floppy disk and data cassette drives, a printer and the PET's television monitor stood at one end of a long table with the new Commodore 64 and its color monitor at the other end with a list of all the software this model carried. The was an Apple II with a color television to show its capabilities, a Macintosh and the expensive IBM PC all ready to try out. Two Atari computers sat with their screens facing the windows in the right hand window with chairs so children or adults could play games and be watched by pedestrians. Shelves behind the service counter held a range of computer programs. Jack, Susan and Ben came over after the appliance store closed at six o'clock and admired the setup. Jack had a copy of the Townsville Courier and showed them the advertisement with its 'Opening on Monday!' description of the new store.

"You've done a great job," said Sarah. "I think it looks wonderful."

"I thought about putting the prices next to each item," said Chris. "I think it's best if they know ahead of asking us how much each one costs. What do you think?"

"Well, it's what we do so I agree," said Jack. "But I'm a bit worried about the value of everything here. It's very tempting."

"We'll always have someone in the store," said Len, "so I don't think anything will be pinched. The programs are behind the counter, as you can see."

"I wasn't thinking about when the store was open, I'm thinking about overnight. It wouldn't take long for a couple of men to steal everything."

"Don't we have insurance for that, Jack?" asked Susan.

"Yes, we do. But there's all the inconvenience, replacing the window or door, waiting for the deliveries of new stock."

"It's never happened to us," she said.

"We've never had so many expensive items on display before."

"Should we have grills fixed across the windows and door? Like a jewelry store?" asked Len.

"I don't know. I'll think about it. What about upstairs? Any problems?"

"I've knocked holes in the wall and it's not load bearing," said Len. "I can pull the whole wall down tomorrow but the patching will take more time. I could do that in the evenings. It'd be ready for use in a week."

"You don't mind working on Sunday and in the evenings, Len?" asked Jack.

"No, of course not. I'll have the carpets removed and the wall down by noon, I expect."

"I'll help," said Chris.

"Then it'll get done that much earlier, thanks. Tomorrow at nine?"

"Let's all help," said Susan. "Not you, Ben, I know you should be with your family."

"Okay," said Jack.

"Just wear old clothes," said Len, "it'll be dirty and dusty."

"Come and have supper with us, Len," said Susan.

"Thanks," he replied. "I sometimes feel like I've got another family now."

"We're glad you feel that way," she replied.

They set the security alarm and double-locked the store before setting off. Len joined Jack in a scotch before a lasagna and salad supper thinking how nice it was to be part of a family, even if it was only occasionally.

He woke early the next morning although it was a dull day with rain just beginning. He fed and watered the chicken, leaving the run in the same position then cleaned the house, leaving his clothes to be washed after returned from the store. He put two crowbars and his toolbox in the truck's cab and drove to the store, parking outside with the back of the truck near the door leading to the upstairs apartment. He stayed in the cab waiting for the others to arrive, just looking at the store and admiring the window. All it needed now was a few customers using the computers. Chris arrived first and got out of her car waving a bunch of keys at him before dashing to the door and unlocking it. He picked up the toolbox and crowbars and ran over to join her. She shut the door and gave him a kiss.

"Mum and dad will be along soon. Have you been waiting long?"

"Ten minutes, I guess. Admiring the store. It looks exciting and interesting from outside."

"Let's hope the Townsville people think so too though this rain might keep them away tomorrow. The radio said it'll continue for two or more days."

"Yes, I heard that. Pity, the garden needs looking after. It'll have to wait. Are you coming over this afternoon?"

"I'd like to but what shall we do? Can't fish and I don't want to swim in the rain."

"We could go to the movies, E.T. is showing."

"I've seen it but I wouldn't mind seeing it again. Okay."

Len used a big screwdriver to free the quarter rounds and Chris tied them together and put them in the lounge. They were removing the carpet and underlay in the first bedroom when Jack and Susan arrived. Once the carpet and underlay had been cut into manageable pieces, rolled up and tied, he and Jack carried them down and placed them in the Toyota. Chris and Susan helped by cutting and tying the other carpet and underlay.

"We'll have to cover the floor with something," said Jack as he looked at the exposed subfloor.

"Lino is the cheapest way to do that," said Len. "Okay, lets remove the wall."

They began by ripping off the drywall from both sides of the wall, keeping some of the larger pieces which Len would use to cover the gaps which would be left when the wall was removed plus a foot-long length of baseboard to be used in the same place. There were hydro outlets in the middle of both sides of the wall and Len traced the feed wire back to the receptacle they were connected to.

"Where's the fuse box?" he asked Jack.

"In the kitchen, behind the door. There's another one for the store in the stock room."

"I'll turn this floor off while I remove the wire."

He turned off the master breaker then opened the receptacle box that the two un-needed outlets were connected to and removed the wire. After closing the box he turned on the hydro.

"Okay. Now how about Jack and I pull the wall down and Chris and Susan take the scrap drywall downstairs, but leave the pieces I've put leaning against the wall. I'll need them later. You could leave the scrap in the entrance hall if it's rating."

"Okay," said Susan.

Len disconnected the hydro wire from the two wall receptacles and pulled it out then removed the boxes. He'd keep all of it for some other job. Using his hammer he knocked out the upright studs and Jack pulled them away from the top stud. The wall was down in ten minutes and Len then removed the bottom two-by-four.

"I'll take the top stud down when I have the step ladder," he told Jack. They went downstairs and helped move the rest of the drywall to the back of the truck then did the same with the studs which had to lean against the top of the truck and be tied down. Everyone was covered in damp dust and dirt by this time.

"I hate to get into the car with all this on me," said Susan.

"Same for me, mum."

"I'll get the snowbrush and see how much that gets off," and Jack collected it from the trunk of his car. He did his best but they were still dirty and uncomfortable because the dust had also got under their clothes.

"That's one reason I don't like renovating," said Len. "It can be a dirty job."

"What will you do with all the scrap?" asked Jack.

"I'll take it to the dump next Saturday when it's open to the public. Trouble is, I'll have to drive to work with all of it on the back unless I unload it, and I don't want to do that."

"I'll come and pick you up Len," said Chris.

"Oh, thanks. But, no, I'll have the step ladder to bring. I'll park in the back and it'll be all right."

"What time does the movie start Len?"

"Two thirty."

"Then I'll pick you up at two."

"What are you going to see?" asked Susan.

"E.T. Len hasn't seen it and I don't mind going again."

"Want to have supper with us Len?" Susan asked.

"I can't keep having supper at your place. You must have one with me next. How about next Saturday?"

"We're free, aren't we, Jack?" Susan asked.

"As far as I know."

"Then, thanks, Len. We'll come. What time?"

"How about seven? Do you know where I live?"

"I do," said Jack. "I knew Matt Smith many years ago and went there a couple of times."

"Good. Then I'll be off. See you at two, Chris. Bye everyone."

Len drove through the rain which had increased so much that he could hardly see. He wondered what it would do to the drywall as he drove home; turn it into a soggy mess, he expected. Hard to get that out once it had dried. He showered and changed and put all his clothes in the washing machine wondering after it started if should have washed todays dust-covered clothes separate from the rest.

About fifty people, sheltering under umbrellas, were lined up next to the ticket box which had just opened as Chris drove into the parking lot. They joined the queue and Len put his arm around Chris's shoulders to draw her close under the umbrella she had bought. More people joined the queue and the theatre was nearly full when the movie began. They had a good seat, in the centre, half way back. Len again placed his arm around Chris's shoulder but she didn't lean against him because she found she couldn't look through the gap between the people in front. They and the audience loved the movie. Curiosity about what the alien could do conflicted with disbelief in Len's mind that ET couldn't actually construct a telephone out of the Speak and Spell toy that could connect to E.T.'s home formed much of their discussion as they ate an early supper at the Thai restaurant. They both agreed that sufficiently advanced aliens could use some kind of device, but not telekinesis, to allow people to fly about the place. Reviving dead plants was questionable; they might not have really been dead, Len decided. Chris just liked what ET could do even if it was not believable.

"The whole thing is unbelievable," added Len, "but it is a great movie."

"And wonderful music," added Chris. "I'm glad I went to see it again."

Len leaned over to kiss Chris as he was getting out of the car but she pulled him back and held the kiss for several seconds.

"Do you want to come inside?" he asked.

"No. Not today, maybe next weekend. I'll see. Bye Len."

"Bye Chris."

He dashed inside for it was still pelting down with rain and watched Chris drive down the drive to the road. He should buy a load of stone to fill in the hollows where pools of water lay. They'd only get worse if he neglected them. And what next weekend might bring he forced himself not to think about. Did Chris imply that she'd like to do more than kiss? He hoped so but was a bit worried about doing that for he was already accepted as a friend of the family. What would Susan or Jack think if they found out? He'd lose his job, that's for sure.

He put his clothes in the dryer before sitting down in Matt's dressing gown. The house was clean enough, it'd wait until next week. Now, what should he take to the store tomorrow and he started making a list. The step ladder, drywall screws, the electric drill and the bit to drive the screws in, joint compound—there was a pail of that but he didn't know if it had dried out or how much there was—and drywall tape. There was half a roll on the shelf but he'd have to buy another roll, the narrow and wide putty blades, a drywall hawk, the X-Acto knife and metal ruler and something to clean the ceiling and the walls. They'd have to be painted when the drywall compound was dry but the whole room needed cleaning first. Clean cloths fastened to a broom with rubber bands would remove most of the dust and soap and water would remove any grime.

## Chapter Forty Seven

The rain stopped during the night and Len moved his tools, patching compound and stop ladder to the truck, tying the ladder on top of the studs and soggy drywall and putting the rest in the cab. He parked in front of the new store and waited until Chris arrived. She opened the side door and they carried everything up to the second floor. Len then parked his truck in the yard behind the Stowel's store and joined Chris who would work in the store while he worked upstairs.

He removed the two-by-four running across the ceiling where the wall had been then started dusting. It didn't take more than half an hour but his arms were tired after moving the broom over all the ceiling and each wall. He had a rest and walked down to see what was happening in the store. Ben had arrived and was showing a young man how one of the PCs was set up. Chris was selling a game to a boy who couldn't have been much older than twelve. A woman was standing behind him, waiting to talk to Chris. Len thought about going over to help but decided against it. He was dressed in his oldest clothes and looked like a handyman rather than a salesman. He walked through the store to the corridor that led to the stock room, the small coffee room and toilet and made himself a mug of coffee. Chris joined him ten minutes later and asked how things were going.

"Just having a rest. I've swept the ceiling and walls. Have to wash them next, then I'll patch the walls."

"You're going to wash the ceiling?"

"Might as well. I'll have to where the dividing wall joined it so might as well do all of it. We might have to paint it as well, just to hide where the new gyprock fills the gap. Oh, the joint compound I already have is too dry and I'll have to buy another pail but that can wait until tonight. How's things with you?"

"Sold an Atari and two games. The woman you saw wanted to buy a Commodore for her husband but didn't know which one to buy. She's going to think about it and come back tomorrow."

"Let's hope she buys the 64."

"Yes. Or the Radio Shack color one, but she didn't look at that. Maybe we should move the expensive ones nearer the front."

"That might put them off. Oh, another customer." She gave Len a quick kiss and left the room. He finished his coffee and left his mug in the sink, he'd use it for lunch and wash it at the end of the day.

Washing the ceiling made a mess of the floor and Len soon ran out of drying clothes. He rinsed all he had in the sink then laid them along the edges of the shelves in the store room hoping they'd dry enough while he ate an early lunch.

There was just one couple in the store when he entered and he made his way to the lunch room without being noticed. Chris saw him through and left the counter to join him. He explained why he was eating at eleven and she said her mother might have some dry cloths he could use.

"I'll phone her and find out." She went to the service counter and returned a couple of minutes later. "Mom's got a lot and she'll go and get them now. They're not very busy."

Susan arrived twenty minutes later saying she'd left a garbage bag full of cloths at the bottom of the stairs. Chris told her what the store had already sold and Len told her what he'd been doing. She was impressed by both accounts. "I didn't know you'd wash the walls Len. But I agree, they should be painted."

She left shortly afterwards and Len went back to work. This time he started at the bottom of the walls, washing them upwards, something he'd read about in one of Matt's books. It minimised drips and streaks by doing it that way. He took a rest half way through, it was tiring and it was three o'clock before he finished. The rags he'd hung on the shelves were still damp and he left them there. He washed the ones Susan had given them then carried the bag to the Stowel's store and told Susan that they were wet and needed drying before she put them away. Jack was talking to a man about a microwave and Roger was somewhere in the stock room so he didn't stay long. Back at Comp & Pro he told Chris he was going to buy some joint compound and tape and would be back shortly. He gave her the receipt when he returned and she paid him out of the till. He spent the last hour cutting and screwing lengths of drywall to fill the gaps in the ceiling and walls where the removed wall had been. Chris came up after she had locked the store and stood in the doorway watching as he screwed in another piece.

"It looks a lot cleaner now. What colour do you think we should paint the walls?"

"I like pale green but I think a light blue would be better in a classroom."

"Oh? Why?"

"More invigorating. I read that somewhere."

"Oh?"

"Definitely not pink or orange like these rooms are now," Len said.

"No, of course not. I was thinking of green, that's all. Okay, I don't mind what colour we have. You're probably right. Let's paint them blue."

"The ceiling will need painting too," said Len. "It's dull-looking."

"How about the Lino? Any suggestions?"

"No. You choose. Go to one of the flooring stores when we're not busy. I can lay it, don't pay for them to do it."

"We've been busy nearly all the time today. Even in the rain and it's our first day. We'll have to hire some help if I leave the store and you're busy here."

"Maybe you mum would help while you choose the Lino."

"Ah, yes. She'd have time. Okay, I'll go tomorrow. What size do we need."

Len measured the width and length of the floor, writing the numbers on a piece of drywall. "Have them deliver it on Saturday. I should have all the painting done by then. And two edge strips."

"What are they?"

"They cover the edge of the Lino where it gets to the doors. They come in aluminium or gold, I think. Choose the colour you like."

They had a quick kiss before opening the door to the street, not holding each other because Len's clothes were very dirty.

Len dressed in his old clothes Tuesday morning but put his good jeans and a smart short-sleeved shirt in a plastic bag with some soap and a towel. He'd change and work in the store while the plaster was drying.

Susan arrived with Chris at nine and let Len in, saying, "We'll have extra keys made. You should have your own set, Len."

She stayed in the store with Ben while Chris drove to the flooring store to look at linoleum. She returned half an hour later say she had chosen a grey lino with blue patterns and bought two silver edge strips. "They'll deliver Friday afternoon because Saturday was fully booked. I hope that will be okay."

"I think it'll be all right," replied Len. "I just want to make sure the walls are dry but I'll have them leave it in the lounge and install it on Sunday if they're not. I might need your help to move it. It'll be heavy."

"If it's that heavy I'll ask dad to help."

"I'd rather you came."

She smiled and said, "I'd better get back to work" and went downstairs.

Never having pasted drywall before Len decided to start on the wall between the windows thinking that imperfections would show least there. He'd do the ceiling last when he knew how to use the putty knives properly. He opened the pail of joint compound and used the big putty trowel to place some on the hawk. It was like a thick white cream and he added more to make a comfortable load. He spread a layer thick enough to fill the depressions on either side of the join, starting from the bottom and going up a couple of feet. He then rolled the joint tape over the crack. It stuck, as it was supposed to do, and he then used the wide trowel to flatten it, removing the excess that squeezed out from each side. He repeated this up the wall until he reached the top where he cut the tape with the X'Acto knife. That done, he covered the top of the paper tape with another thin coat of compound and flattened it. Unfortunately he had not been quick enough and there were a number of tiny ridges across the compound. He then did the other side of the join then stood close to the wall and looked across it. He could see a number of ridges but sanding would remove them, and the tape and plaster only stuck out a little bit. Sanding and a second or third coat of compound should make the wall look like it had never been divided.

He cleaned the trowel after discarding what was left on the hawk and sat on the floor to rest for a while. Ten minutes later he worked on the opposite wall. When finished he thought he was now good enough to tackle the ceiling. That was a little harder, for he had to stand on the step ladder and balance the roll of edge tape and the putty trowels on top and carry the hawk loaded with paste. He solved one of the problems by cutting the tape to a length just long enough to span the width of the room. Without the roll of tape to balance he could work quickly, spreading some paste, sticking the tape to it, adding more paste then flattening it. It didn't take long to cross the ceiling then he reversed directions and taped the other side very quickly. The ceiling looked great with only a few ridges when he later checked.

He covered the pail, wondering if he should add a few drops of water to keep the top moist bud decided against it. After scraping the compound from the hawk and trowels onto a cloth he washed his hands and changed into his good jeans and shirt. A splash of compound on one of his shoes was removed with a damp cloth. He took a last look at the room then went down the stairs and into the store.

It was busy. Sally was still there, handling the cash register, Chris and Ben were showing customers computers, two men were waiting in line to buy something and another man and a woman were standing by a Commodore, looking for someone to help them. Len forgot his need for a coffee and went over to them. They wanted to know if the Commodore could run a word processing program. Len assured them that it could and asked if they wanted to buy it. "Yes," the woman said, and they joined the queue at the register. Chris moved to the register as soon as she was free and Susan phoned to tell Jack that he'd have to do without her for a while. She smiled as she hung up and later told them that Jack had guessed why and had said that they'd have to hire more assistants and open another store if it was doing that well.

They took turns to eat lunch for there was always several people in the store. Len helped until two o'clock then went upstairs to see if the compound had dried. Almost all of it had, but the two largest ridges were a little soft. He decided to wait until tomorrow before sanding them in case he spoiled what he'd already done. As he was going downstairs he remembered that a damp sponge could also be used to smooth out joint compound and that it didn't leave any dust. He'd bring the one that sat on the edge of the bath tomorrow, unused by him, for he always showered. He certainly didn't want to have to dust everything again.

They turned the sign hanging on the door and locked it at six o'clock but continued until six twenty selling to customers already in the store. Jack walked over at six fifteen, knocked and was let in and he stood in a corner watching what was happening. When everyone had left he joined them in the coffee room. All except Ben, who left as soon as he could after six.

"My god," Jack said. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," said Susan. "It seems that everybody wants a computer."

"It's a craze," Jack said. "How long will it continue?"

"That's the question," said Susan. "We've easily sold five thousand dollars' worth of computers, parts and programs today."

"Should we stay open until seven?" Jack asked.

"Ah, no, Jack. I'm exhausted," said Susan.

"Me to," said Chris. "I can't work another hour. Hire an assistant, dad. We need one. If the craze only lasts a month then we could let her or him go. Tell them that."

"Okay, I'll find someone, but I'm not sure I'll be able to get one that knows anything about computers. Do you know anyone, Len?"

"A few years ago I had a school friend, Tony Corduroy, who had a computer and I played with that. I don't know what he's doing but I could find his number and call him. I'll do that now, if you like."

Len found the Corduroy's number in the phone book and dialled.

"Hell?" said Len. "Is Tony there, please. It's Len Andrews."

"Oh, hello Len. Haven't heard from you for a long while. Are you okay?"

"Yes, Mrs. Corduroy. I'm working in a store selling computers and I wondered if Tony would like to work here."

"He's in Seattle, Len. He's working there. How about Mike? He's got a computer and uses it every day."

"Oh, yes, Mike. He's what, sixteen now?"

"No, seventeen, and in grade twelve. He skipped a year. He could do with a job but it'd only be until school started."

"Can he come to Comp & Pro tomorrow so we can talk?"

"Comp & Pro? The new store that's just opened?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Yes. He'll be there. What time?"

"Nine o'clock."

"Okay. Thanks, Len. I'm glad you called. He needs to do something rather than play games on his computer or moan about the house. Bye, and thanks again."

"Right," said Len, after hanging up. "I think we've got someone. Mike Corduroy. He has a computer and he'll be here tomorrow."

"What will you pay him, Jack," asked Susan.

"Six dollars an hour. Does that sound right?"

"Do you ever add commissions?" asked Len. "Dan does, at Chevrolet."

"No. With sales like we have here it'd cost us a lot. And Ben and Roger would want them too. It'd get too cumbersome."

"Okay. Then six should be all right," Len replied.

They talked a little longer. Susan collected all the sales slips, cash and cheques for the day then asked if she would be needed tomorrow. Chris said they'd call if she was but Mike might be able to replace her. She was glad for she had a lot to enter on the computer and more stock to order.

"And order ten tables and chairs," said Chris. "And, what, five Commodores, that should be enough to start with, don't you think, Len? They can pair up if there are more than that."

"Yes. That should do."

"Are Vic-20s okay or do you want the C-64s?"

"The 20s will be fine. No need to spend more than we have to."

"Oh, a boy asked if we accepted trade-ins today. I said I didn't know but will find out. Should we?" asked Chris.

"What would we do with them," asked Jack.

"Maybe sell them at an auction," suggested Len, thinking of how he'd sold his unneeded furniture.

"Or give them to the high school," suggested Susan.

"That's too much trouble," said Chris, after thinking about it. "Let those who have them sell them themselves."

"Okay," said Jack. "Tell him that. And now, it's time to go home. Coming Sue or are you going to ride with Chris?"

"I'll come with you. Bye, Len. See you tomorrow, maybe."

## Chapter Forty Eight

There was a cheque from Mr. Jackson and a statement in Len's mailbox. Money from the sale of the house, minus Jimmy's commission and the lawyer's fee. That, plus what Len already had, meant he had over forty three thousand in his business account. He wondered if he should close the business account for he was an employee now. But something might turn up and he'd need it again. And Mr. Alan would prefer him to keep the accounts separate when he did next year's income taxes.

He fed the chicken and collected the eggs after supper. He now had fifteen eggs sitting in the fridge and he'd give Susan a dozen tomorrow. Poor Barb and Sarah, he saw them so infrequently that they never had any of his eggs. That reminded him about the dinner he was giving on Saturday. What should he serve? Fish would be good but the only time he'd have for fishing would be early in the morning. Could he risk waiting until Saturday morning and hope he'd catch some? No, he'd have to do it on Friday so he could buy something else if he didn't catch any. But he could also buy something on Saturday, buy hamburgers if there were no fish so he'd risk it. That settled, he checked the propane tank to see if there was enough and there was.

Tuesday morning, after seeing to the hens, Len fetched the box of finishing nails and the drywall sandpaper and put them in the cab with the sponge from the bathroom. He'd talk to Mike first then sand and sponge. After that was finished he'd buy the paint for the ceiling and walls, plus new brushes and a long-handled roller brush. Two cans of ceiling white and four of pale blue should be enough for two coats he guessed. He'd skim on another coat of joint compound and perhaps a third coat before painting but that could be done today for the moisture from a damp sponge would dry quickly.

The back door was unlocked when he arrived and Jack and Chris were inside. Mike arrived on his bike just before nine and Jack told him to take it to the back and chain it to the rail along the side of the loading ramp and come in through the back door.

Mike was tall for his age, five foot ten, Len guessed, and was dressed in a suit. He shook everybody's hands and answered their questions politely. That was very different from when Len knew him as an unkempt boy of ten.

"So you know all about computers, Mike," Jack said.

"No, sir. Just how to use them. To play games. I know a lot about them and usually reach the highest score."

"Well, that's not what we want. We need someone to help customers choose what's best for them. Do you think you can do that?"

"I think so, although you've got some computers I never used. I know the Commodores and the Atari, not the Radio Shack. It's a TRS-80, isn't it? And I've never used the Apple or the other one that's there."

"It's an IBM," said Len.

"Well, we'll give you a try," said Jack. "Six dollars an hour and we work from nine to six. You get time for coffee or tea and for lunch, which we have when we're not busy. And I'll pay you for nine hours each day. Can you work on Saturdays too?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay. When you're not busy use the computers you don't know and look at the manuals. Any other suggestions, Chris, Len?"

"Help the kids playing games, if they need it. They often persuade their parents to buy an Atari," said Chris.

"Ever used an accounting or a word processing program Mike?" asked Len.

"I've used WordStar," he replied. "To write essays for my English teacher."

"Good," said Chris. "Show people how to use that. If they ask me or Ben we'll send them to you. You'll have to learn how to use the other programs."

"Okay. Who's Ben?" asked Mike.

"Another salesman. He'll be here soon. Do you have any lunch?"

"Mum gave me some sandwiches and a coke."

"Okay, come with me and we'll put them in the fridge," and Chris took Mike to the lunch room.

"He seems okay," said Jack. "Let me know how he works out. I'm going now. Oh, how's it going upstairs Len?"

"I should finish patching the wall and ceiling today and start painting tomorrow."

"That's great. Then I'll put an ad in the weekend paper about classes as we discussed?"

"Let me think about what to say. We'll be offering three kinds of courses. Maybe four. I'll talk to Chris about it and she'll tell you tonight."

"Okay. Bye."

Len took the bag with his good clothes and the one holding the sponge and sandpaper upstairs and examined the remaining ridges. 'The big ones will make too much dust when I sand them. How can I stop that from getting everywhere?' He solved that problem by holding the sandpaper block with a damp cloth and catching what fell by holding the bottom of the cloth against the wall. He rubbed through the paper tape several times when he sanded and wondered if the next coat of compound would cover that. The damp sponge quickly smoothed out the small ripples. The ceiling and wall dried almost instantly, certainly enough to spread a second coat of compound. He did this using the wide trowel to blend the edge of the paste smoothly into the wall, finding that he'd probably need another coat over the joint tape. Leaving the fresh coat to dry he washed his hands and changed into his good jeans and shirt then went downstairs and into the street. He looked through the window before going into the store. It wasn't as busy as yesterday, although Chris, Ben and Mike were talking to people and a young woman was playing games on an Atari.

He waved to Chris as he walked through when she glanced up and mouthed, "Shopping," as he headed to the corridor.

He chose the best quality latex paint, reasoning that he'd only have to put on two coats rather than three when he covered the walls. He had already checked the window and door surrounds and they didn't need painting but the baseboard had been scuffed in several places and he bought a quart of semi-gloss white to give it a coat.

He parked as close as he could at the front of the store to carry the cans and brushes upstairs then drove the truck to the back yard where he left it. Chris was at the cash register when he went in and he waited until she had finished to ask how Mike was doing.

"He's a natural, Len. Gets on easily with folks of all ages. The two kids were struck by his skill when he played one of the games, a man thanked him for answering a question about WordStar and look, you can see, he's probably sold that IBM to the gentleman who's smiling at him."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad. Oh, your dad asked about advertising the lessons. Think about it when you have time. I think we should just take names next week, to find out how many want to learn about computers and how many want to take a class. That way we can decide what to offer. And we can't start until the desks, chairs and computers come anyway."

"Yes, you're right. Okay, I'll think about it. You're about to paint?"

"Not today. I'll have to do some more patching. I'll come down while it's drying."

The ceiling and wall were smooth enough in Len's eyes after he'd given them a third coat. It was almost six when he finished and he didn't bother to change again for the store would shut soon. Chris came up about six fifteen. She looked tired and Len knew without her saying anything that they had been busy most of the day.

"I'll be glad when you can help full-time, Len. Three of us isn't enough."

"It'll only be two more days. How did we do today?"

"Seven to eight thousand. I haven't bothered to add them up. Mum will do it. Come downstairs and let's sit for a bit. We have to talk about the classes."

As they entered the coffee room Len remembered that he had forgotten to bring in the eggs. He'd have to do that tomorrow.

"I think we'll have to offer four courses," he said. "One for those who have never used a computer before, one on accounting programs, one on word processing, the ones I've given you the lesson plans for, and one on games."

"A course on playing games?" asked Chris. "Why?"

"Because kids love them and Mike said he was an expert and knows about them. He'd teach that."

"Do you think parents would pay for kids to learn how to play games?"

"I don't know, but it wouldn't cost much to find out. We'd just include that course in the ad and see how many sign up. We'll have to ask Mike if he'd do it first, of course. And we should pay him more. Say ten dollars an hour."

"How long should the courses be?"

"Three weeks with one lesson each week of an hour and a half was what I was thinking when I drafted the lessons. We're not giving advanced courses, just helping them to start. What do you think, Chris?"

"I'll be very tired when we're doing that but it's worth a try. Dad should pay us more if we do this."

"Why not suggest that we keep all the money we make when teaching and he doesn't have to pay us?"

"That's a good idea. I'd soon decide if it was worth doing that way."

"What should we charge?"

"Forty dollars a course?"

"Oh, I think that's too much. How about thirty."

"But Mike would earn forty five dollars for teaching," said Chris.

"But we wouldn't run a course with only one person. Let's say there must be five before we run one."

"A hundred and fifty dollars for three evenings work? I'm all for that."

"We'd earn more than that if there were more people."

"All right. I'll suggest this to dad and if he's okay and I'll ask Mike if he'd like to teach then we'll advertise them this weekend."

"Just say we'll be collecting names next week and will start the courses the week after if enough people sign up."

"Okay. I'll be less tired then because you'll be working in the store."

"We'll have to look for another person to teach when school starts."

"Yes, but that's over a month away. We'll find someone in that time."

Len didn't forget the eggs Wednesday. He put them in the store's fridge, telling Chris they were there when he came down after giving the ceiling its first coat. He had already changed and he helped in the store until mid-afternoon when he went upstairs and gave the ceilings a second coat. The gap where he'd removed the wall was hardly noticeable now and you had to know where to look to spot it.

Chris bought him up-to-date when he joined her after the store had closed. "Dad and mum like the idea of us keeping all we make when teaching. Oh, Mike said he'd like to try teaching too. So they'll advertise just as we planned last night. Mum's going to print off some application sheets. She thought we should ask for their names, addresses and telephone numbers on the sheet. Dad wants to know what evenings we'd run them. What about Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings?"

"Why not Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays?"

"Dad thinks we should stay open until nine on Fridays. 'While the craze lasts,' he said."

"Oh? What did we take in yesterday then?"

"Forty eight hundred and eighty four dollars. That's what mum said after I gave her the receipts and takings."

"How much of that do your parents keep, Chris? Do you know?"

"No, but I think it's a bit more than half when selling appliances."

"Wow! No wonder your dad thinks he can pay for the store and taxes in half a year. It's likely to be paid off in three months with that."

"But he probably doesn't get that much from selling computers and I don't know what he paid for the store. Do you?"

"No. It's just that I'm sure we're bringing in much more than he expected when he said how quickly the place would be paid off."

"Yes. Well, it's time to go home. Are we still on for supper on Saturday?"

"Yes, of course."

"What are we having?"

"Fish, if I can catch some. Hamburgers, if I can't."

"Either will be good for us. We like both. Give me a kiss now."

They stood up and held each other, first looking at each other, then kissing. Short ones, then longer ones and Len felt they must stop for he was getting so aroused that he was sure Chris must feel him.

"Do you love me Len?" Chris asked.

"I don't know for sure but I think I do."

"I know I love you," she said.

"How can you know so quickly? We've only known each other for a few weeks."

"I felt it when we first met, at grandpa's bed. You're kind and thoughtful. A nice person."

"Perhaps I fall in love more slowly than you. I just don't know for sure although I like you very much."

"Then that'll do for a while. One more quick kiss then I'm going." They did that then Len opened the fridge door and took out the eggs.

"Oh, here's a set of keys," Chris said, opening her bag. "Dad had them made yesterday. You can get in anytime now."

"Then I'll come early tomorrow and start on the walls. That way I'll be able to help you earlier."

"See? That's what I said, you're a kind and thoughtful person. I just can't help loving you. But, no more kisses, I'm going. You lock the door. You know how to set the alarm?"

"Yes, I've seen you do it. Bye Chris," and he watched her leave the coffee room wondering if he did love her. 'It's not the same as Betty. I knew immediately I saw her that I loved her. Perhaps I still do and that's what's stopping me from loving Chris. Or maybe it's just that Betty was my first love and first loves feel more intense. Perhaps I do love Chris but in a different way. I'll just have to wait to find out what develops.'

He set the alarm and locked the door and drove home to a supper of frozen lasagna.

## Chapter Forty Nine

Len arrived at the store at six thirty Wednesday morning, parking at the back, going in the rear door and out the front then in the side door leading to the apartment. It was quicker than walking around the block although he could have parked in front of the store and moved the pickup later. He should do that tomorrow, there'd be no need to unset and reset the alarm if he went that way.

The ceiling was dry and looked brighter in the morning's sunshine than yesterday afternoon. He opened a can of the pale blue paint, stirred it then moved the stepladder into a corner of the room and stood on the second step. He could paint the top of the wall and not touch the ceiling from this height. He worked slowly and it took three quarters of an hour to cover the edges and corners of the walls. Roller coating them afterwards was easy and he had finished, washed his brushes, changed into his good clothes and was waiting in the store when Chris arrived.

"Hi, Len. You're early. But weren't you going to paint this morning?"

"All done. Have to let it dry now."

"Wow! What time did you get here?"

"About six thirty. The sun's up around six these days. Time to do the chickens and have breakfast before leaving if you're up by then."

"Seven thirty is early enough for me. What time do you go to bed?"

"Between nine and ten, nearer to nine these days."

"You don't watch TV?"

"Just the news, usually. Hi Mike. All ready for another long day?"

"Hello Len. Yes, the days are long. They'll be longer when I'm teaching though."

"You're still okay with doing that?" asked Chris. "Tell me now if you're not because dad will have to change the ad."

"No, I'm looking forward to it. And the extra money, of course."

Ben arrived and they reversed the door sign to show 'Open' and switched on several computers and a few table lights. Fifteen minutes later two boys entered and moved to the Atari's and started playing games. Three more boys then came in and stood watching them. A man came next and said he wanted a Commodore C-64, one they were selling for four hundred and fifty dollars, and the day began. Mike kept an eye on the boys until he was asked to help a lady who was asking about word processing programs. The first two boys left after an hour and others took over, Ben occasionally having to stop them quarrelling about whose turn it was. He suggested to Chris that they buy a number-dispensing machine for those wanting to use the Atari's. Chris thought about it but decided it was too bureaucratic and told Ben she'd rather the kids worked it out for themselves or that the staff sorted it out. "I don't want us to look like a government office," she added. "Okay, Ben?"

"Okay. And I don't mind a bit of excitement, sorting out a problem is a change from selling."

"Sounds like you're ready for a coffee, Ben. There's a treat waiting. I've bought eight donuts."

"Oh, great. I'll take a break now. It's easier with Len here, isn't it."

"Yes, it is," and she looked over to where he was, helping a man use Visi Calk. "But I'm beginning to think we need a bigger store!"

The paint was dry enough when Len checked mid-afternoon but he decided to wait until the next day. There was no hurry now since the classes, if there were to be any, wouldn't start for over a week.

He and Chris stayed on after the store had closed, sitting next to each other in the lunch room while Chris roughly added the slip totals.

"Over five thousand again. Dad will be so pleased. I thought we needed a bigger store earlier today. What do you think, Len? Would it be a good thing?"

"I don't think Townsville has enough customers to do that. Brockville might, although there's already one there. Might even be two now."

"How could we run one here and at Brockville at the same time?"

"You or I could manage it and we'd hire more staff."

"Yes, I suppose that would work. I'll talk to dad and mum tonight. Give me a kiss, now."

Len leaned over and kissed her.

"Harder, Len, like you mean it." He pulled her towards him and kissed her more firmly.

"That's better," Chris said.

They stood up after the kiss. Chris set the alarm and locked the back door and they looked at each other then separated. Chris walked to her car and got in. Len stood by his pickup until she waved and drove away. He followed then turned to head to his home wondering if he was actually falling in love. But it still didn't feel the same as it did with Betty.

Thursday he gave the walls a second coat then washed the tray and brushes. Since it was only eight thirty he cut and nailed two pieces of the saved baseboard into the gaps where the removed wall had been. He used putty to fill in the small gaps, smoothing it down with the putty knife. Afterwards he washed and changed clothes then went to the store. Chris was in the coffee room putting a carton of milk in the fridge.

"All ready for another day?"

"Yes. It'd good that we're doing so well but the days are long."

"Yes, they are. Does your dad still think we should stay open on Fridays?"

"He does, but I told him I would be too tired to do that and he wondered about taking on more staff but mum told him not to, not until we're really sure people are going to keep buying computers."

"Well, good. I'm glad. It's going to be long hours when we're teaching though."

"Yes, I know. I might not be able to keep doing it."

"Well we can decide after we've finished the first lot of courses. There might not be enough people wanting to learn to continue."

"I guess so. It's time to open now. Give me a kiss before I do."

The kiss was short and felt good to Len.

The day was busy again. They each took short breaks when there were fewer customers. They found that the best time eat lunch was either before twelve or after one thirty. Chris closed the store after the last customer had left at six fifteen. Mike and Ben had already left and they had another brief kiss on the back doorstep before driving away.

Friday Len didn't arrive until eight. He looked at the walls and thought they looked good and didn't need a third coat, so he painted the baseboard, cleaned up and changed.

The linoleum arrived at noon and Len helped them carry it up to the classroom. They left it rolled up in the centre together with the can of adhesive and a notched trowel. Otherwise, the day was much like all the other days only there were more sales. Chris told him in the afternoon that often happened in the appliance store; many men were paid on Thursday and their wives would shop on Friday. "That's why staying open on Friday night is a good thing, dad says."

"But they can come in on Saturday," Len replied.

"If they have any money left, they could."

"Why doesn't he stay open on Friday night then?"

"He says they are getting too old to do that now. He's even started talking about retirement."

"What? How old is he?"

"Fifty eight. Mum's fifty. She agrees with him. He says they have enough to retire on, more than enough when they sell the store."

"Oh. What would they do?"

"Don't know. He's talked about gardening and playing golf. Mum talks about taking holidays."

"Ah, there's two people wanting some help Chris," Len said, as he looked over her shoulder. He walked over to the man standing by an IBM and Chris went to the register. An hour later they closed the store for the day and Ben and Mike left.

After a quick kiss Chris drove to her home and Len went to the supermarket to buy eight hamburgers and rolls, containers of ketchup and mustard and a bag of onions. He wished his own tomatoes were ripe but they weren't so he bought four big ones, then getting a jar of relish, something he didn't eat but they might. The last things he bought were a big bag of frozen chips and a rhubarb and strawberry pie. Now, if he didn't catch any fish they'd still be able to eat.

His next stop was at the beer store where he bought a dozen Molson Ex, then to the LCBO to buy a bottle of Grant's, the whisky that Jack drank. He had gin and some bottles of tonic but no limes so he went back to the supermarket and bought four of them. He'd check the freezer when he got home and make sure the ice trays were full.

Once home he put the groceries away, emptied and refilled the ice trays and walked around the garden. There was plenty of lettuce, radishes, small carrots and with the cucumber and celery in the fridge he could make a side salad. Dessert would have to be pie and ice cream.

## Chapter Fifty

Saturday morning he got up at six. He had a lot to do; fishing first, but stopping at eight, feeding and watering the chicken, take the Toyota to the dump and getting rid of the waste then driving to the store and laying the lino. With luck he could get it all done by nine, although it wouldn't matter if he was late.

He was lucky, the fish were biting and he caught three small mouth in the first half hour, each big enough for two people to eat. He cleaned them and put them in the fridge making room for them by putting the hamburger buns in the freezer and removing four bottles of beer, thinking eight would surely be enough. Two eggs from the chickens went in the carton that already had five. He ate a bowl of cereal, drank a glass of milk and he was ready to drive to the dump although it was only seven thirty. Since he knew that it didn't open until eight he walked around the garden, cutting down weeds with the hoe then collected the spade from the garden shed, thinking he' might have to use it to remove the old gypsum.

He paid the fee and dumped the wood, the drywall, carpet and underlay in their designated spots. It wasn't as difficult as he expected to scrape out the soggy drywall but doing so reminded him that he have to think about buying a replacement truck. Many of the panels were rusty and there were holes through the floor in several places. As he drove to the store he wondered if he should buy a car instead of a truck if he was going to be a salesman in future. But, interesting as it was at the moment, he didn't like the idea of doing that all his life. 'There must be something better than working in a store and easier than renovating houses.'

Laying out the lino was difficult. He had ordered it three inches wider and longer than the room so that there would be enough to go into the doorways and he wished he hadn't done that for it meant he had to unroll it a few feet at a time then carefully cut off the extra inches so that it could fit between the walls, then rolling the cut part up then doing the next section. He hoped that he wasn't cutting off too much. He used his tape measure to constantly check. It took him twenty minutes to remove the excess. He then turned the lino and began unrolling it. There were several places where it was still too wide and he cut off thin strips. He'd also cut off too much in a few places but the quarter round would hide the gap. There was an extra six inches at the end and he cut it off. He stood up and went to one of the doors. The floor looked great although there were places where it wasn't quite flat. He checked the edges where that occurred and trimmed off a millimeter or so. It looked so good now that he decided not to use the adhesive. It couldn't move anywhere so why bother.

There was still the baseboard to paint and he wished he had done that first. He'd leave it until Monday, he'd done enough for today. He washed, changed his clothes and went to the store. He'd collect the lino bits and adhesive next week.

Len left the store at five forty five as the number of customers had dwindled to four, saying he had to get the meal ready. He drove home and collected radishes, lettuce, spring onions and carrots from the garden. He washed and cut all of them, added chunks of cut-up tomatoes and mixed all of it into the chopped lettuce which was in one of Matt's cut-glass serving bowls. He covered it with plastic but had to leave it on the counter because the fridge was full. After a shower he put on shorts and T-shirt for it was a hot evening.

The Stowels arrived just after seven, Jack carrying a bottle of cold champagne.

"Hello, Len," he said. "This is a nice place. What do you have, two or three acres?"

"Hello, Jack, Susan, Chris. Welcome. It's just over two, Jack. I'll show you around if you like."

"Can we put the bottle in the fridge first?" Jack asked.

"If we can find room for it. Oh, I have fish or hamburgers. Which do you want?"

"When did you catch the fish?" asked Susan.

"This morning."

"Then let's have them. Okay Jack?"

"Sure, that'd be great."

"Then I'll take out the eggs and there'll be room for the bottle."

He did that then walked them through the house. Both Susan and Jack loved the way all the rooms except the kitchen overlooked the river. Jack was impressed with the study.

"Have you changed it since Matt Smith lived here?"

"No, it's just as he left it. I've discarded the legal books he had, no one would want them, I thought. Want to see the garden?"

"Sure," said Jack.

"I want to see the chicken that lay such nice eggs," said Susan.

He took them to see the chicken and Chris lifted the cover over the nest boxes and looked for eggs but there were none. Len opened the garden and tool shed to show them what was inside and the boathouse door although it was empty for the boat was tied to the dock.

"That's one of the things you could do Jack," said Susan, looking at the vegetable garden.

"I'm not so sure now Sue. It looks like a lot of work. Right, let's open the champagne."

Len was a bit disappointed that he couldn't offer Jack a glass of whisky or a gin and tonic to Susan but perhaps they'd have one after the meal. He found the champagne flutes at the back of the other glasses in the glass cabinet hoping they were clean and put them on the kitchen table. Jack filled them then picked up his glass and said, "to Comp & Pro and its success!"

They drank then Len suggested that they sit on the deck while he started the barbeque.

"We could eat inside on the dining room table or on the deck but if we did that you'd have to hold the plate on your laps. Which do you prefer?" asked Len.

"It'd better be on the table," said Susan. "I'm not sure I could handle fish on my lap. And there's salad, isn't there? I saw it on the counter."

"Yes, that's right. I'd better buy a full-sized table and chairs for the deck. It's a pity to eat inside on an evening like this."

Chris helped him lay the table then joined her parents finishing the champagne while Len barbequed the fish. Once done, he slid them on a serving plate and carried them to the dining table as the others followed.

"Help yourselves to salad. Is everybody okay with white wine, a Sauterne? I've red, if you prefer that but it's a Cabernet."

"White's perfect, Len," said Jack.

"There's ranch and blue cheese dressing on the sideboard behind you. Can everybody eat a whole filet? Look, they're not too big."

"I can," said Susan, "and I'm sure Jack and Chris can."

They talked about the incredible success of the store during the meal and Len grew more comfortable for it was the first time he'd entertained anybody other than Chris at his home. Jack returned to the idea that a second store might do well and suggested Brockville, "but we'd have to hire more staff if we did that."

Susan thought they should wait until they were sure that computers would keep selling but Jack said he'd read how sales were booming in America and in Europe. "We shouldn't wait, Sue, this is the time to enlarge, in its early days, when everybody wants one."

"Well, how could we do it? There'd have to be someone on hand, especially during the first month or two."

"How about you, Len?" asked Jack. "Would you set up a store in Brockville? We'd pay for your accommodation, of course. How about it?"

"You think I can handle all that? I not sure I could. I'd have to find a place, get it set up, order all the computers and programs, I haven't done any of that."

"You've renovated a house. Setting up a store shouldn't be any trouble."

"And the classroom looks great, Len," said Susan. "We looked at it tonight. The chairs and tables will come next Thursday, by the way."

"And I'd find the store," said Jack. "Sue will order the inventory. And we'll not open until you have two or three staff. Well? Interested?"

"What do you think, Chris? Would you be okay looking after the Townsville store?"

"Sure, with Ben's help. We'd need a replacement for Mike when he goes back to school, of course, but there's time to find and train one."

"All right," said Len, "I'll try it."

"Great," and Jack raised his glass again. "To the success of the Brockville Comp & Pro."

They drank and Len asked if they should call it the same as the Townsville one.

"Why not?" asked Jack.

"It sounds like a chain if we do that," said Susan.

"Maybe it'll become one," answered Jack.

"Hey Jack, I thought we were thinking of retiring?"

"Not just yet, Sue. It's exciting, thinking of expanding into a new line. I want to see how far we can go."

"No, Jack. I've almost had enough. I don't want to go through all the hassles again. Remember how bad things have been at times?"

"Yes, I know, but it'll be easier now. We've experience, money, an existing and successful computer store to emulate."

"And at least one competitor, one that people are already using," she replied. "How many other stores are there selling in Brockville? Do you know Len?"

"No, I only know of one, but I'm sure there must be others by now."

"So we have competition, so what?" said Jack. "We'll beat them."

"Hey, how can we give classes if Len is living in Brockville?" asked Chris.

"You could commute, couldn't you Len? And Mike said he'd like to teach even while going to school."

"I'm not happy about commuting, Jack. And I might have to offer classes at the new store to attract customers."

"Yes, hadn't thought about that."

"Look," said Susan. "I'll agree to trying it on condition that we sell it if it's not showing strong signs of success after six months and if we don't put in more than fifty thousand dollars."

"It'll cost more than that to buy the store, Sue."

"Rent it, then. With an option to buy, like we did when we first started."

"Might be hard to find a place like that but, okay, I agree."

Len and Chris removed the plates and then they brought in the pie and ice cream. Len went back to the kitchen and opened the Riesling, for the other wine had been drunk.

"Rhubarb and strawberry, my favourite," said Jack. "But no ice cream for me, I like the pie by itself."

"And a dry Riesling, if you like," said Len. "I don't have any more Sauterne."

"Yes, please."

After finishing their dinner they cleared the table, putting everything on the kitchen counter and offered to wash and dry them but Len refused, asking them if they'd like coffee but both Jack and Susan refused, saying it would be hard to sleep if they did that. They and Chris left shortly afterwards, with Chris saying she'd come over at three tomorrow. After they had gone Len sat in the easy chair to think through what he had agreed to. Move to Brockville for at least six months and only come home on Sundays. That would be hard. He'd got used to living by the river, with nobody around and he liked the feeling. It was peaceful, but he had to earn money and this looked like a good way to do it. He should have asked for more pay, though. He'd be a manager and, surely, that would be worth much more. Maybe fifteen dollars and hour. He fell asleep as he was working through all the problems he was likely to incur, the chicken for one, although he'd have to kill them before the winter set in, and the garden. He woke an hour later and went to bed. The dishes could be done tomorrow.

## Chapter Fifty One

Sunday morning Len pulled up the pea vines. He'd grow them again if he was living here next year. He rolled up the netting and stored it with the stakes in the garden shed. The tomatoes were ripening and he would soon have more than he could eat. And lots of green beans, although he could freeze them to eat in the winter. Perhaps he should buy a chest freezer? But, no, he'd not need one if he moved to Brockville. Damn, he really didn't want to go there. He'd have to say that he'd only go there to set up the place, just for a few months, Jack should surely agree to that, although he could commute, it was only twenty minutes to drive there. He'd have to buy a new truck, though, Matt's Toyota wouldn't last much longer. He really should buy a car if he wasn't going to work on houses in the future. Yes, he'd do that and keep the pickup in case he changed his mind. He'd drop its insurance and not use it, just clean it up and store it under a tarpaulin. He ask Dan to find a good used Chev for him.

He sorted through these ideas as he worked on the garden, cleaned the house and washed his clothes. Chris was coming at three and he wondered what they should do. Swim, perhaps, for it was another warm, almost hot, day. He didn't want to fish. She could, if she wanted to, and he'd just drive the boat.

Chris arrived without her swim suit and didn't want to go fishing Len found out after sharing a kiss.

"Let's go to the movies, Len. "The Empire Strikes Back" is playing."

"It's too late, isn't it? Don't the matinees start at two thirty?"

"No, I didn't mean go in Townsville. It starts at four in Brockville. We'll go there, okay?"

"Sure. Do you want to leave now?"

"In a minute. First I want to talk about us. You know I love you, right?"

"Yes, you've said that more than once."

"And I think you like me?"

"Of course I do. You know that."

"But you don't love me. Is that right?"

"I've told you, Chris, I don't know. Maybe I'm beginning to."

"Would it help you make up your mind if we made love?"

"No, I don't want doing that to make up my mind. I'd like to make love to you, of course, but that's the wrong way to make that kind of decision. You knew without us doing that, that's the way I want to find out."

"Oh, Len, what can I do? I want to marry you. Can't you see that?"

"Aren't we too young to marry?"

"Nineteen? That's not too young. Lots of people marry at that age, and earlier than that too."

"And lots of people have divorces when they find out that they've made the wrong choice."

"I'd never want to do that."

"But I might, don't you see? Just let's wait and see how I feel as we see get to know each other better. That's the best way, I think. You might change your mind or I might. I'm not ready to marry yet, Chris. I don't earn enough money for one thing."

"As a manager of a store you might."

"Ah, that's another thing. Look, if we're going to the movies we should leave. I'll tell you what I think about being a manager as we drive."

He locked the cottage door and sat by Chris as she reversed and drove out to the road. As they went Len told her that he didn't want to live in Brockville but he might commute. "Would your father mind?"

"Why should he? Lots of people commute."

"I was afraid that he might want me to live above the store."

"Why? To protect it? No, of course not."

"And giving lessons, I'd have to do that, I'm sure. That's two commutes a day. I don't really want to do that."

"I see. No, I wouldn't like that either. Say, we could tell anyone in Brockville who'd want to take lessons that they'd have to join the Townsville classes. They'd do that and it would enlarge our classes. Make more money from the same lesson. That would work, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, that's a very good idea. Yes, you're smart as well as lovely, Chris."

She blushed, put her hand on Len's leg then removed it to pull into the parking lot beside the cinema. She kissed him before climbing out and they joined the queue outside the theatre.

The movie was great, of course. Len sat with his arm around Chris's shoulder but she sat upright after a man behind them told her she was blocking his view when she leaned over. They drove home, discussing the movie rather than the store, and arrived there about six thirty.

"It's hamburgers for supper, Chris," Len told her as he got out of the car. "I'll turn the barbeque on. And we'll finish the salad too. Would you like fries as well?"

"Yes, please."

"Then turn the oven on and we'll have a beer while it's warming up. How many burgers do you want?"

"One's enough, with the fries."

"Yes, same for me," which meant that Len had two more to eat in the next few days. Which reminded him about buying a chest freezer. He asked Chris about that as they were waiting for the barbeque and oven to warm.

"You want a chest freezer, Len? Where would you put it? There's no room in the kitchen."

"In the tool shed, I guess. I'll have to move things around but there'll be room for a small one there."

"Would it be okay to run it during the winter when everything's frozen?"

"Yes, one of my friends had a big one in their garage. His dad kept the deer he'd shot in it."

"Well, you'll get a good price from my dad."

"And I'm thinking about buying a car, a used one. Dan will find one for me."

"What's wrong with your truck?" and Len told her that he didn't think it would be good enough to commute to Brockville every day.

"Then you'd need one that would be good in the winter, one with four wheel drive, for instance."

"Ah, yes, hadn't thought about that. Do they have Chevs that are four wheel drive?"

"Dan would know, I'm sure."

"I'll ask him. Okay, the oven must be warm enough by now, I'll put the fries in. You don't have to get up."

Len tipped the frozen fries onto a baking sheet and put it in the oven then walked back to the deck and lowered the heat on the barbeque. He needn't have put that on so soon for the fries would take twenty minutes and the burgers would only take five or six.

"Want another beer, Chris?"

"Not just yet. With the food would be good." They sat and Chris held Len's hand as they watched the water flow by. It was nice to sit here together, thought Len, but not enough to get married, surely.

They talked about science fiction movies and books as they ate. Chris had read a few of the ones Len liked, 1984, The War of the Worlds, and Brave New World as part of her English Literature course but didn't know anything about Robert Heinlein, Arthur Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, Asimov, Bradbury or Frank Herbert.

"Read Dune, Chris,. or Stranger in a Strange Land. I loved them. You have a library card?"

"Yes, but I don't use it much."

"Oh, I couldn't live without my card although I haven't had time to read any books recently."

They washed the dishes after eating, standing close together, and they kissed before Chris drove away. Len watched her, wondering what marriage to Chris would be like. Someone to cuddle in bed and make love to any time he wanted. That would be fun but that was only during the night. What would it be like during the day? Did he want to always be with Chris? What if Sylvie came around. Would he be tempted by her? Or Betty, what would happen if she came? He hoped Chris wouldn't keep pushing him. Maybe he should break it off. But what would it be like working with her if he did that? He'd probably have to give up his job too. Thoughts like these bothered him every time he woke up during the night and once they were coupled with a nightmare: he and Chris had argued and she was rushing at him with a kitchen knife. He fell and she knelt over him about to drive the knife into his back when he woke up. He went to the bathroom, had a wiz and washed his face. That might have helped him recover, for he fell asleep almost immediately when he returned to bed.

Monday night Susan's father died. She was called at seven thirty Tuesday morning and drove to the Haven. There she was told that he must have died painlessly, for he didn't use the bell push to call anyone. She made the arrangements for his cremation and the disposal of the few possessions he had. She gave almost all of it to the staff but Chris had told her to keep the tin box and its contents, including the big marble, saying she wanted it as a memento of when she met Len. His small television she asked the home to let other patients use. She arranged the funeral to be held on Saturday, at eleven, and sent a short obituary to the Townsville Courier.

They closed the appliance store on Saturday but not Comp & Pro. Chris and her mother and father attended the service and three or four others, mostly neighbours and one old friend from where Jim used to work Len was told. He didn't attend but he did go to the commemorative dinner that night at the Stowel's. Susan cried a little when Jack raised his glass to her father. Chris was mostly silent and said she wouldn't see Len the next day. She just wanted to remember the nice things about her grandfather but Len wondered if his reaction to her suggestion that they get married had anything to do with it. He didn't really mind, it'd give him a chance to do some reading.

## Chapter Fifty Two

Comp & Pro continued to flourish and four classes were formed; Learning to use a Computer on Monday evenings taught by Chris, Beginning Accounting on Tuesday evenings, Beginning Word Processing Thursday, both taught by Len, and Computer Games on Friday evenings, taught by Mike.. Each three-week course cost thirty dollars. Word Processing was the smallest with only five participants. Mike's class was the largest with ten; eight boys and two girls. The other two had eight but one man left after two weeks because he was sent to Ottawa to manage a project. They had a week's break at the end of August and started a new series of courses in September. Jack allowed Len and Chris to keep the money they made, not Mike, who didn't know about that arrangement and was satisfied with his forty five dollars. He said he was now thinking about training to be a teacher after leaving school because he enjoyed showing the kids what to do.

August was a profitable month for Len in another way; Jimmy sold the last plot of land and the buyers wanted Robert's Homes to put up a bungalow. They were going to retire there. Len was surprised by that, thinking that it was too far from everything but that's what they wanted. Jimmy told him later that they were going to keep the house they owned in Kingston and rent it out, and that they would move back there if staying in the bungalow during winter was too difficult. It added another thousand dollars to Len's bank account after Jimmy told Tom Roberts that Len had asked him to make sure they had one of his brochures.

The second week of August they put a notice in the window Monday morning saying, 'Salesperson wanted.' Three hours later a smartly-dressed woman asked Chris if the position was still available.

"Yes, it is. Is it for yourself?"

"Yes."

"Then come with me," and Chris led her to the lunch room. They sat down and talked when Chris found out that she did not know anything about computers but had been a saleslady several years ago.

"Well, we'll give you a month's trial. Is that okay?"

"Of course. Thank you. When should I start?"

"Tomorrow, please. We open at nine."

Chris phoned her father as soon as Jane left and told him what she'd done.

"Well, I hope she can learn quickly if she doesn't know anything about computers, but I'm glad you found someone."

Jimmy found an old home the last week in August that had been taken over by squatters and trashed. He called Len and took him to see it but even before looking at the place Len decided not buy it. Earning money on a regular basis was a comfortable feeling and he was earning a lot of it by teaching two courses.

Chris worked and taught one class but she seemed subdued and said she didn't want to visit Len on Sundays when he asked her at the end of the week following her grandfather's death. He asked again the following Saturday but she said she was trying to overcome her feelings for him.

"I see you every day at work, Len. It's almost too much. I want to hold you, to kiss you yet something stops me. It's no good if you don't love me. Liking me isn't enough anymore. Can you understand that?"

"I suppose so. I've never felt that way but I guess it could be so. Do you want me to quit my job?"

"No, Len, don't think of that. Dad needs you and I'm slowly adjusting. Just don't look at me so much when you're not busy. I don't know what you are thinking and it upsets me."

"Well, I still like you a lot and I like to look at you, that's all. That's why I do it. I'll try to stop."

Trying not to look at Chris was hard, Len found, and not seeing her on Sundays became harder as each weekend passed. He wondered if this was a way one discovered that one loved another. It was certainly not what he experienced with Betty. Although he saw Chris every other day of the week he found that he wanted to see again on Sundays.

At six o'clock on Saturday, September third, Len stopped Chris from locking the store and leaving by saying he had to speak to her. In the coffee room he told her how he had been feeling.

"I miss you, Chris. Each Sunday passes so slowly. And I can't help looking at you in the store. I hope you haven't noticed. I think that I must be in love with you, I don't know what else could explain it. Do you still love me?"

"Oh, Len, how could you ask? Of course I do. Do you really think that you love me?"

"I must do Chris. Nothing else will explain it. Will you see me tomorrow? Please."

"Yes. Yes, I will. Hold me, Len."

Len put his arms around her and pulled her towards him then gently kissed her. Chris held him closely, pressing her body against his.

"Oh, Len. Hold me tighter. More, that's right. Can I come in the morning tomorrow?"

"Yes," and Len kissed her again. "But how about phoning home and having supper with me tonight?"

"I can't, I'm going with mum to Brockville to visit an old school friend of hers."

"Can't you meet her another time?"

"I could, I suppose, but I don't want to upset their plans. I'll come early tomorrow. Okay?"

"I get up about seven you know."

"Yes, I know, but I won't be there until after I've had breakfast with mum and dad. That's around nine on Sundays. So, I'll probably be there between nine thirty and ten. Kiss me again then I must leave. I have to shower and change because we're having supper at her place."

Len rushed through the chores Sunday morning after getting up at six thirty. He managed everything except the garden and was putting his damp clothes in the dryer when Chris arrived. He heard the car drive up. He didn't bother to remove the lint from the filter and was turning the machine on as she entered the kitchen door. She had a bathing suit and towel under her arm.

"Hello, Len. Caught you at it?"

"Ah, I've finished in the house, only the garden to do now." He moved over, took the bundle from her arms and kissed her. "Want to swim right now?"

"No, after we've done the garden. I want to help you."

"Will you marry me, Chris?" Len asked. "I've found out that I need you so I must love you. I've been thinking about it all night. Will you?"

"Yes, of course I will. But not for a while. I want to be engaged first. And mum wants a big wedding which has to be planned for."

"When do you think we could be married?"

"Well, I'd like a June wedding but that's a long time away. I don't want to be married in the snow so maybe this November. Would that be all right?"

"Yes. Would your mum think it's too rushed if we do that?"

"I don't think so. She suspects, no, I think she knows that I'm in love with you. She's been looking at me these past few weeks and I bet she's wondering why I haven't been to see you on Sundays. I think she'll know that we've made up since I'm here now."

"Do you think she thought that we had a row?"

"Probably. She hasn't said anything to me about us, though. Let's do the garden. Have you had your breakfast?"

"No. Didn't bother."

"Well, have it now. Do you have coffee or tea for breakfast?"

"Tea. Tea and cereal, usually."

"That's not enough for a working man but it'll do for today. I'll make the tea while you eat."

Chris had a mug of tea also. They washed and dried the dishes intermixed with quick kisses then went to the garden. The last of the green beans needed picking, and the broccoli and cauliflower. Chris picked the beans while Len cut the largest heads of broccoli off, putting them in a bag, then the cauliflower. The carrots could be pulled and the onions as well but he'd leave them for another time. He looked at the eggplant and pepper plants. One or two had produced flowers but that's all. He decided not to grow them next year. He watered the garden, flooding the pathways between each row. By adding so much water each Sunday he didn't have to do it during the week. Chris, having picked all the beans she could find, carried her two bags into the kitchen then went to the powder room to change into her swimming suit. Once he'd finished watering Len carried the vegetables he'd picked inside and went to his bedroom to put on his swim wear. Chris was already in the water when he came down and he joined her.

The water was warm enough to enjoy floating and swimming for several minutes and the sun kept them warm after they had emerged and dried themselves. They sat on the bank close together watching the water flow by afterwards.

"Are you sure you want to marry me, Len?" asked Chris. "It's a big change from before. Are you really sure?"

"Yes, Chris, I am. It's not that sudden for me. I told you I had been thinking about it last night, but what I didn't tell you was that I'd been thinking about it for the past two weeks."

"Okay, I believe you. Then can you buy me an engagement ring?"

"Of course. But the stores are closed today."

"Can we go and look at the ones in the windows though?"

"Yes, if you like. Shall we do that next?"

"Yes. No, let's have coffee first."

"Okay. We'll go to the Brockville stores. They'll have more to choose from than in Townsville."

"Yes, they would. Okay."

They kissed, and Chris had a shower while Len made coffee in the cafeteria and carried it out to the deck with mugs, milk and a half-full bag of cookies. When Chris came down he had his shower then joined her on the deck.

"Do you want a ring, Len?"

"I don't know. Yes, I suppose so."

"Then I'll buy you one."

"Not an engagement ring, Chris, a wedding ring."

"Yes, of course."

"But we don't need to choose that now."

"No. I was just wondering. Kiss me again and we'll go when you've finished your coffee."

Chris drove and they looked in the windows of the three jewelers. There were several that Chris liked but she finally chose one with three diamonds, two small on either side of a larger stone. Unfortunately they couldn't see the price and Len was afraid that it would cost him several thousand dollars. But, he reasoned, he was only getting married once and he had the money in his bank.

"I'll buy it tomorrow, Chris. First thing, before the store gets too crowded."

"When does he open?"

"Oh, not until ten, it says. Well, I'll go as soon as I'm free after nine forty. Jane knows enough to answer most questions by now. It's a pity Mike has to go back to school but I'm sure Jane can take over."

"I think she can. She constantly asks Mike questions when they weren't looking after customers and he was teaching her to use WordStar yesterday."

"Yes, she seems eager to learn. She asked me to show her how to use Visi Calk. We're lucky to find her. Oh, did you ask her about teaching your course?"

"Yes, on Saturday, when I told her we'd keep her on. But she preferred not to. She's engaged and wants to keep her evenings free though I really think she doesn't like the idea of teaching after a full day's work."

"You're willing to keep doing it?"

"Oh, yes," Chris answered. "It's easier now, because I know what to cover and the questions they are likely to ask. And we're not quite so busy these days."

They had an early lunch in the water-side pub, fish and chips for both of them. Then Chris said she'd like to tell her parents that they were engaged.

"It's better to do that today, don't you think. I'd not want to do that after I've put on the ring."

"My dad asked my mother's father if he could marry her before they bought a ring, he told me."

"Did you ask him what he'd do if he'd said no?"

"No, I didn't. You don't think your dad or mum will say no do you Chris?"

"Mum certainly wouldn't and I don't think dad would either. Though he might say we're too young to get married."

"Yes, that's what I thought a month ago."

"But you don't think that now, do you?"

"No, Chris, I don't," and he leaned over the table and gave her a kiss. "Right, then let's go."

Jack was certainly surprised when Chris told them that she and Len had just got engaged.

"I knew it!" said Susan. "Didn't I tell you something was going on, Jack?" She opened her arms and gave Chris a big hug.

"Well, I was surprised when you started going to see Len each Sunday, Chris," said Jack. "Congratulations to both of you."

"We must celebrate," Susan said. "Let's have dinner out tonight Jack. At Giovanni's."

"Right. I'll call them and book a table."

"Can I use your phone afterwards, Jack?" asked Len. "If we go to Giovanni's Peter will know. I should tell Barb and Dan and let them know first."

"Let's invite them too," said Susan..

"Okay," said Jack. "Dan's married, isn't he Len?"

"Yes, that's right. Dan and Sarah. And Barb's married to Peter, the sous-chef at Giovanni's but he'll be in the kitchen."

"That makes seven then. I'll call them now."

Once the line was free Len called Barb but there was no reply. He left a message on her answering machine then called Dan's dealership. To his surprise, Barb answered the phone.

"Barb? Is that you?"

"Yes, I'm looking after the phone today, Sally doesn't work on Sundays and I'm the receptionist today. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I just phoned your house and left a message. Chris and I just got engaged."

"Chris? That's the girl that came to our wedding dinner, right?"

"Yes, that's right. We got engaged today and we're celebrating tonight with her parents, Jack and Susan Stowel. At Giovanni's. They would like you, Dan and Sarah to join us. Can you come?"

"Congratulations, Len. I liked Chris. A very nice girl. Yes, I can come. I'll page Dan and you can ask him. Hang on." A minute later Dan picked up the phone.

"Len? Barb said it was you. Hi. Everything okay?"

"Sure. I want to tell you that Chris and I have just got engaged and that her parents, Jack and Sarah Stowel, are hosting a dinner tonight to celebrate and they're inviting you and Sarah. Can you come?"

"Wow! Congratulations. Yes, we'd love to come. Where and what time?"

"Seven thirty. At Giovanni's."

"Right, we'll be there. Congrats again Len. I'm glad my baby brother is joining the married gang!"

"Thanks, Dan. See you tonight then. Bye," and Len hung up the phone.

"Yes, they can all come. Thank you for inviting them."

"Well, we must open a bottle of wine. I don't have any champagne but we've got a bottle of Sauterne in the fridge."

They all joined him in the kitchen while he opened the bottle than they drank there, standing around the kitchen table. Afterwards they moved to the lounge where they sat, holding what was left in their glasses and Susan asked them what their plans were. Chris told her that they wanted to get married before winter set in.

"November seems best, mum. I'd like a June wedding but it's a long time to wait."

"November, that's only two months away. It'll be a rush. At least wait until December."

"I don't like the idea of getting married when it's snowing. It can be latish in November if you like."

"Yes. And I'd forgotten that the store gets busy in December. What do you think, Jack?"

"Sounds good to me. Is it going to be a big wedding Chris?"

"Not for me, just a couple of friends."

"And bridesmaids, Chris. What about them?" asked Susan.

"Oh, I'm not sure I want any. I'll have to think about it."

"There'd only be my brother and sister and their spouses," said Len.

"We'll have thirty or more, Jack," said Susan. "Family and friends. And Roger and Ben. We'd have to invite them and their families too, they've been with us for a long time. I'll make a list."

"Where do you want it?" asked Jack. "In a church?"

"We've never been to a church, Dad. A registry office is okay for me. That's why I don't think I need bridesmaids. How about you, Len?"

"A registry office is fine with me. I'm not religious."

"You know, Len," said Susan, "it would be nice to hold the reception in a marquee at your place."

"Can't do that in November," said Jack. "It'd be too cold."

"No. Maybe we should wait then," said Chris. "What do you think, Len."

"Haven't you two discussed these kinds of things?" asked Susan.

"We only decided to get married this morning, mum. I have chosen an engagement ring, though. We went to Brockville to find it."

"Are the stores open on Sunday?" asked Jack.

"No, I just saw it in the window. Len's going to buy it tomorrow. All right, let's get married in June."

"How about April," suggested Len.

"Split the difference," Chris answered. "In May. How about that."

"Right," said Jack. "Settled. We'll plan for May."

"Okay, then that's what we'll do." Chris leaned over and kissed Len on his cheek.

"That's good," said Susan. "I feel much better. Now we have time to get organised."

The ring cost twenty two hundred dollars, more than Len had hoped but not as much as the adjacent one was when the assistant took that one out by mistake. He bought it with his personal credit card and put the box in his jacket pocket. When he arrived he parked at the back of the store. Chris and Jane were seeing to customers so he looked after the man who was waiting at the register. They were busy for the next twenty minutes then Len pulled Chris behind the counter and gave her the box with the ring in it. She opened it and looked at it for a moment. Then Len removed the ring and pushed it on her finger. It slid on easily and Chris kissed him, ignoring a woman's stare and Jane's surprised face as she did so.

Chris held up her hand and said, "we've just got engaged."

The woman and Jane stopped discussing computer games and came over to look at the ring.

"It's beautiful," the woman said. "Congratulations young man."

"Thank you," Len said.

Jane gave Chris a hug and said, "I thought there was something between you two. I wish you luck."

After the woman had left they went into the coffee room where Jane put on the kettle to make coffee.

"It's a bit too loose, Len," Chris said. "Can it be made smaller?"

"The man said that they had other sizes of the same ring in the store and it could be exchanged and if they didn't have the right size they could have this one made bigger or smaller."

"I'd like to get the right size before showing mum and dad. Give me the sales slip and I'll drive there now and see what they have."

"Okay." Len gave her the slip and his credit card counterfoil.

"Come here to show me how it looks before showing your mum and dad," he said.

"I will. See you," and she left.

Fifty five minutes later she was back. "They had the right size. I'm going to show mum and dad now. Do you want to come with me?"

"I can't there are more people coming in."

"Oh," and she looked towards the door. "Well, I'll go when they've gone,"

They were busy until past one o'clock when Chris was able to leave. She was back fifteen minutes later but stopped at the door chatting to a girl.

"That was one of my school mates. I couldn't avoid showing her my ring. I expect most of her friends will know about us before the end of the week!"

## Chapter Fifty Three

Jack found a store on King Street West in Brockville mid-September, a corner convenience that the owners had been running for thirty years and who were now retiring. The original plan was for Jack to rent a store with an option to buy but Comp & Pro was doing so well he decided to buy instead of renting. Closing date was set for the end of the month. When he told Susan that he was buying it rather than renting, she agreed to the change if Len would manage it. Chris agreed, on condition that Len would be paid as a manager. Len agreed, because he had earlier said he'd do it for six months. He was not part of the discussions about his salary but was asked, two days afterwards, if he'd accept thirty thousand dollars a year. He knew immediately that he would. That, plus the ten thousand, more or less, that he'd get from his share of Dan's Chevrolet dealership each year would make him a rich man and he'd be earning money from teaching as well. He accepted and visited Dan the following Sunday to see what four wheel drive cars he could buy. He hoped to buy a trade-in for less than two thousand dollars but was persuaded by Dan to spend forty three hundred and buy an American Motors 1979 Eagle station wagon. It was in brand-new condition, had only nine thousand seven hundred on the clock and hadn't been in any accidents. Dan told him that a man he'd sold an Eagle to the previous year had said it never had trouble in the snow and had never got stuck on hills that other cars had difficulty climbing. That was enough for Len, although there weren't any hills between Townsville and Brockville, and he bought it. Dan gave him four hundred for his Toyota because Len had decided that he wasn't going to renovate any more houses.

Len and Chris widened the end of the deck in September, increasing its size to fifteen by twelve feet. There was now plenty of room for a table and six chairs. He bought them and a large free-standing umbrella when they came on sale at the end of the month. Chris and he had their dinner on it the Sunday evening after it had arrived.

They had finished a small casserole that Susan had given them and were drinking coffee when Chris's mug tipped and coffee splashed over her sweater and down her jeans.

"Damn," she cried, and pushed her chair back and stood up. "It's a new sweater." She pulled it off and ran inside. "I'll soak it in the sink."

Len followed her. At the kitchen counter he helped her push it into the cold water when she said, "I'll have to rinse the jeans too. And my blouse, it's on it as well.

Len stood back and watched her remove her blouse, kick off her shoes and step out of her jeans. He didn't know what to do. He'd seen her in her swim suit two or three times but never in a bra and lacy pants. He felt himself getting excited and moved another step away from her. He had not tried to have sex yet because he wasn't sure that she would want to before they got married. Chris took the sweater out of the water, squeezed it, emptied and refilled the sink with cold water and pushed her sweater and blouse into it.

"Take my jeans and put them in the powder room sink, Len."

She kicked them towards him and he did that. He was just turning off the tap when he felt an arm go around his waist.

"Do you want to make love?" she said.

"Of course I do, especially when I see you like this."

"Only when you see me like this?" Chris asked.

"No, every time I see you."

"Then what have you been waiting for? I had begun to think you no longer wanted to get married."

"I didn't know if you wanted to have sex before we got married, Chris."

"Well, I do. Carry me upstairs and I'll show you."

Len kissed her and put one arm under her legs, lifted her and made his way through the lounge, up the stairs, along the corridor and into his bedroom, finally laying her on his bed. He kicked off his sandals, removed his shirt and jeans then lay down beside her. They held each other closely and kissed. A minute later he reached around and undid her bra.

Len went very slowly as he made love to Chris, remembering all the things that Sylvie had taught him and making sure that she climaxed before he entered. He tried to delay his climax but he came much too quickly. Chris held him tightly as he did, looking into his eyes.

"Oh, I felt that. And I sure felt mine. It was wonderful. We shouldn't have waited so long. Hold me tight, Len."

They lay there for five then ten minutes and Len felt himself hardening again. Chris must have also felt it for she lay back and helped him move his hands over her.

It was nine thirty when they finally got out of bed, Chris to put her clothes in the dryer and Len to use the bathroom. He dressed and came downstairs to join her.

"I shouldn't have done that, Chris. I might have made you pregnant."

"Do you have condoms? Anyway, I don't mind. We're getting married, aren't we? And it's not the time of the month I'm likely to conceive, so don't worry."

"We must use condoms next time, Chris. I don't want to have children so soon. We need time for ourselves before having kids to look after."

"Yes, you're right. You already have condoms?"

"Yes."

"How many girls have you slept with?"

"Just one. I told you that."

"Only one?"

"Yes, Chris. Only one. No, counting you, it's two now."

Fifteen minutes later Chris's clothes were dry enough to wear and she put them on.

"I should go now. I'm already later than normal. Sorry to leave all the clearing up. See you tomorrow."

"Yes."

They kissed and walked to Chris's car and Len watched her she drove away, feeling good about the evening. He looked forward to the next time they made love as he cleared the table and washed the dishes. A splash of water and a cloth was all that was needed to remove the coffee from the table and deck.

Len was selling a program to a lady and Jane was tidying the shelves when Chris arrived at nine thirty on Monday morning. After the customer had left Len took Chris into the coffee room and kissed her, asking if she was all right.

"Yes, I'm fine. Had a great night's sleep. How about you?"

"I'm fine, too. We should do it again. How about tonight?"

"No, Len. Let's not rush it. It'll be something to look forward to."

"What? You want to wait until we're married now?"

"No, silly, but I want to wait until next Sunday. That's what I meant."

"Oh, all right."

The week passed as usual, busy most of the mornings and afternoons and very busy over lunchtime. Friday, after both stores had closed Jack drove everyone to Brockville to look around the new premises. Many of the stores in in the town were still open but they found a spot on a side street near the corner where the store stood. Jack, who already had the keys, opened the door and they went inside.

"I was worried that they might have left all the racks, fridges and freezer but everything's been removed, that's good. It's bigger than the Townsville store but the storage is about the same size," he warned, having walked around the place before buying it. "And there's no rear door, I'm afraid. Everything will have to come and go through the front. I'm sorry about that."

"It looks fine, dad. What do you think, Len?"

"With windows on two sides I'm not sure how to arrange things in here. It might be best to put games on the side street and computers and accessories on King Street. I'll have to sketch a plan and decide how many tables and chairs to buy."

"I'll order what you need tomorrow if you can decide tonight, Len," said Susan.

"Let me check the coffee room," said Chris.

Len drew a sketch of how the showroom should look on his notepad then drew several others, placing the tables, chairs and counter in different positions. Chris returned and said there was nothing in the coffee room except the counter and cupboards.

"I hope there's a sink," said Len.

"Oh, yes, and electrical outlets. So you'll need a table, chairs, microwave, kettle, mugs and supplies."

"And a small fridge," added Susan. "Let's design the coffee room Chris. Do you have a tape measure Len?"

"No, sorry. I should have bought one. There's a Home Hardware just along the street, I'll go and buy one. I need it to size the tables we need in here. Have a look at these sketches Chris, while I'm gone. Make any changes you like."

He was back ten minutes later to find all of them in the coffee room, sketching the layout to make the most of its room. Susan used the tape to measure how big a table they'd need and the size of fridge that would fit in the corner beside the counter.

"The small GE fridge would fit here," she told Jack, and noted it on the list she had made.

"You should give the place a coat of paint," said Jack, "including here."

"Yes, I was going to say that," said Len. "Pale blue? Like the Townsville store and the classroom? We've some of that paint left but we'll need more. And there's a number of screw holes and a few dents in the drywall that'll have to be filled. Did you go over the sketches?"

"No, not yet. Let's do it now," said Chris. "Can I have the tape measure, mum?"

They settled on the third sketch Len had drawn, but lengthened the counter so a second cash register could be added if one was needed later. Len drew up a list of the tables, their sizes, four chairs and the shelves which he gave to Susan.

"What about the signs?" Jack asked. "The ones above the windows? The old ones are still there and I'll get the sizes we need when they're taken down."

"I'll do it Sunday morning," Len said. "And the stock? We should order it too."

"I'll do that as soon as you give me a list," said Susan.

"We'll figure that out Sunday afternoon. Is that okay, Chris?"

"Sure. I'll need lists of what we've sold in the last month, mum. Can you get those for me tomorrow?"

"Yes. Right, I'm hungry and I don't want to cook. Where are we going for supper Jack?"

"How about pizza's or hamburgers," he replied.

"I'd rather go to a pub and have a beer," she said, "I'm thirsty."

"Okay, we'll go to the Red Lion."

They talked about the new store as they drank and ate, planning what things should be done first. Jack would get extra keys for the door and Len would buy and fit a good deadbolt also before the computers arrived. He would work on the walls Sunday morning and on the evenings he wasn't teaching then he and Chris would paint the place the following Sunday or before, if that was possible. Susan would order the tables and shelves and hope to get them within a week and the computers soon after that. It was nine thirty before they returned to Townsville where they got into their cars and drove home.

## Chapter Fifty Four

Len was at the lumber yard at eight on Saturday morning, buying more paint, brushes, a pail of drywall paste and a deadbolt getting to the Townsville store by eight forty five. He parked at the front and climbed the stairs to collect the paint left over from the classroom walls and the paint tray from the bottom of the cupboard in the coffee room. The sponge and sandpaper were also there and he took them, putting everything in the wagon with the new purchases then drove to the back door and entered the store. He put the kettle on for he was feeling thirsty, perhaps from drinking two pints last night, then turned on the computers. Chris and Jane arrived at nine.

Len told them he was making coffee and asked if either of them wanted some but they refused so he just made just enough for himself. Chris gave him a kiss when she came in as he was rinsing his mug.

"You were early today?"

"Well, I bought the paint and deadbolt for the new place first. How do you feel?"

"Fine, and looking forward to tomorrow."

"So am I. Not the morning but the afternoon."

"Yes, that's what I meant."

Jack walked in later that morning to pay everybody and gave copies of the Brockville store keys to Chris and Len and Len gave him the receipts for the things he'd bought that morning. It was another busy day and they eventually ushered the last customer out at six fifteen. Jane left and Chris and Len sat in the coffee room discussing the week's takings.

"Probably around eight thousand," said Chris, "kids going back to school mostly."

"Yes, that's what I guessed. You know, if this keeps up we'll make more than my brother does with his Chevrolet dealership."

"You know how much he makes?"

"Well, I have a share in it. One seventh."

"So you make money from it?"

"Yes, about ten thousand a year. It's his first year so that's just an estimate."

"Unbelievable. You'd think he'd be making more."

"Well he has to pay salesmen, mechanics and the receptionist. We don't have to do that. And the mechanics will earn a lot more than we pay Jane."

"I guess so."

"Think what we'll make if the other store does as well."

"It's not us, Len. It's dad and mum who get the money."

"Yes, I know. Maybe we should find people to run these stores for your dad and buy another one for us after we're married."

"Where?"

"In Kingston, perhaps. That's not far away. We could still live in my home."

"I suppose we could but it'd be a lot of extra work if mum wasn't looking after the books."

"She could show you how to do it."

"I guess so. And you, for when we have a baby. Ah, I'm too tired to think about all that. Let's go home."

"Okay. See you at three tomorrow?"

"Yes. I'll cook supper, you'll be more tired than me. What do you want?"

"There's two hamburgers left. That's all I've got."

"I'll see what mum has. You'll need them for next week's suppers."

Sunday morning Len rose at sunrise, had his breakfast then drove to the Brockville store taking Matt's inspection lamp and an extension cord because it was a cloudy day and he didn't know if there would be enough light from the overhead fluorescent lamps to see clearly. He parked in front of the store for the streets were nearly empty and carried everything inside. He took off his sweater for it was too warm to work with it on and turned the thermostat down. There were over a hundred holes where screws holding the shelves had been and two or three dents to be filled. He worked methodically, finishing one wall and checking it carefully before starting the next. It took him four hours to patch the showroom, the coffee room and the toilet, not bothering to do the stock room, and he wished he had a kettle and cafeteria to make coffee when he was half way through. He thought about walking down to the coffee store but decided he was too dirty to do that.

He was home by eleven forty and had a ten minute coffee break before collecting what was left in the garden, several small broccoli heads, a cauliflower and four squash. The stems he pulled up and threw on the compost heap, reminding himself to add the dead leaves from the hedgerow and turn it when he had time. He then rototilled the whole area, including the paths between the beds. He thought about the chicken; he was getting less than one egg a day now. Presumably only one hen was laying although he didn't know which one. It was time to kill them. Killing and plucking them wasn't something he'd do today but he'd have to do it soon.

He put the rototiller away after running it dry then ate his lunch, two dry rolls that would have tasted better three days ago, butter and cheese then had a shower. He washed his clothes afterwards and vacuumed the house, dusting only the spots where dust showed then collapsed in his easy chair. Chris found him, fast asleep, just before three. She didn't wake him and sat for a while watching him sleep before finding the duster and going over the many places that still needed attention. She woke him at four by tickling his face with her handkerchief.

"Time to wake up, Len."

"What?" he said, lifting his head, "was I asleep?"

"For the past hour. Was there a lot to do this morning?"

"Not too bad," shifting his body to sit upright. "It took longer than I thought to patch all the holes. And I did the garden afterwards."

"Yes, I saw that when I drove in. Are you going to have a garden next year?"

"Yes, I guess so. Why do you ask?"

"Because that would be a good place for the marquee."

"The marquee? Oh, for the wedding. Yes, I guess it would be. I'd have to grass it now if we wanted to do that."

"Could you? Would it grow enough by then?"

"Don't know. Perhaps. Might as well try. If it's not long enough we could rent a tarp or buy a big piece of plastic to cover the ground."

"Then I hope the grass grows."

"Okay. I'll buy some seed and do it tomorrow after work. Want a drink? I have beer and wine."

"Wine, please. And could you light the fire, it's a bit cold."

"You get the drinks and I'll light the fire."

They sat on the sofa, Len's arm around Chris as they drank. Half way through the bottle they began to kiss and then moved upstairs to make love. Len used a condom both times.

"It's not so nice with them Len."

"No, it isn't, but we have to use something, now and when we get married. We've got two stores to run and we're too young to have children to look after as well."

"You do want children, don't you, Len?"

"Yes, of course. But not yet. When we're twenty five would be a good time. What do you think?"

"Yes, I guess you're right. Work would be easier by then and I'd stay at home, looking after them. We'd be living here?"

"Of course. Where else?"

"I'm a bit worried about the water and the children. We might have to put a fence up while they're young."

"That wouldn't be easy, better to teach them to swim."

"We'd do that but I'd still be worried."

"For how long?"

"Don't know. Maybe until they were in their teens."

Len, remembering Sam and how he would have been nine when he was killed, couldn't help agreeing with her. The cottage wasn't a good place to raise young children. A great place for holidays, when you would have time to keep an eye on them all the time, but not a safe place if they lived there all the time. There would certainly be times when they were both too busy to watch them.

At six thirty they got up and went downstairs where Chris warmed a meat loaf and the cooked vegetables her mother had given to her. It was the same food that she would be eating with Jack that evening. She left after helping to wash the dishes.

## Chapter Fifty Five

Len bought two large bags of grass seed Monday morning. It was more than he needed but he'd use all of it so that the garden would be well covered. He also arranged for a load of crushed stone to be delivered. He should have had the driveway covered a long time ago but it was only after it had been raining for some time that it needed it. They could deliver it at eight on Friday he was told and Len asked if the driver could spread it and was told that was exactly what almost everybody wanted so he was an expert at doing just that.

It was too late to drive to Brockville now so he went to the Townsville store and swept the floor. It was time that was done. He'd have to dust the place too, but maybe Jane could do that when she wasn't busy.

When Chris walked in he told her what he'd been doing. "So I didn't have time to put on a second coat of paste. I'll do it tomorrow. There's plenty of time to get that done and to paint it. Are you going to make a poster for the windows, like you did for here?"

"I thought I might use the same one."

"You've still got it?"

"Yes."

"Great. That'll be fine. It certainly worked here."

As soon as Len arrived home that night he changed into old jeans, a thick shirt and sweater and the heavy shoes he wore in late fall or early spring and raked the garden. There were a number of weeds the rototiller had loosened and he put them on the compost heap. Once the garden was level he scattered the grass seed, first walking parallel to the river then walking perpendicular to it and finally going diagonally over the land. This way he was sure it would be well covered and it certainly looked as if it was. One of the big bags would have been enough normally. He crossed the garden once again, dragging the back of the rake across it, helping the seed slip under a thin layer of earth. Finally he connected the lawn sprinkler to the end of the hose and turned on the pump, adjusting the sprinkler until the water covered about a third of the garden. He let it run while he cooked two lamb chops and ate them for supper. After washing the dishes he took the flashlight and moved the sprinkler to the centre of the garden and left it running. He turned it off an hour later and went to bed. He'd water the final patch first thing tomorrow morning.

He wore the same clothes Tuesday morning, watering the last patch of the garden for an hour after which he drove to Brockville. The drywall patches, even the large and thickly-coated patches, were dry. He scraped off the ridges then sanded them, finishing with a damp sponge then applied a second coat of compound. It took him until nine thirty to finish. He washed the tools and his hands, changed into clean clothes and shoes and drove to Townsville.

There was a police car parked by the back door and a policeman stopped him from entering the store. Once Len told him who he was the man started to tell him what had happened. Just as he started to talk Len noticed that the edge of the back door was broken.

"Oh, god, did they take everything?"

"No, there's quite a bit left. The woman who lives across the street, Mrs. Beawick, called the station saying something strange was going on for the were moving lights in your store. They sent a car around and the thieves must have seen it when it stopped at the front door and they got away."

Jack, Chris and Jane were in the store. Chris and Jane were making a list of what had been stolen and Jack was talking to another policeman. Chris stopped what she was doing and moved to Len as he entered. She was still very upset but also angry.

"We should have reinforced the back door," she said, "and hidden the wires to the alarm. They cut them as soon as they entered so it didn't work."

"How much was taken?"

"We're just figuring that out. All the top end computers and the big monitors are gone. I don't think they've taken any of the programs or the floppy drives. Three printers have gone too."

"What about the stock room? Anything taken from there?"

"No. I guess they would have done that next if the police didn't arrive."

"Did we have insurance?"

"Dad said we did but he doesn't know the details. There'll be a deductible, for sure. And if they think we were somehow responsible we might not get anything."

"What do you think it comes to, what we lost, I mean?"

"So far about seventeen thousand dollars."

"Damn. That'll take weeks to recover."

"Not if we're covered. Let's talk to my dad."

The policeman had left and Jack was talking to Jane.

"Hello, Len. Don't worry, things like this happen and we have insurance. Sue will come over when I get back and take the details. She'll send them and the police report when it's ready to our insurers and we'll find out how much we'll get back. Did you have any money in the cash register?"

"No, dad. I always empty it," said Chris. "I drop it in your bank deposit box each night. You must know that."

"Yes, of course. Good."

"I'll fit a steal door to the back," said Len.

"Can you put on steal shutters on the front? The windows and the door?" Jack asked.

"I don't think so. They'll have to be made to size. You'd have to have them installed by specialists."

"Well, in that case, I'll have them do the back door as well. The insurance company would probably want that done professionally too."

"And Len has too much to do, anyway, dad," said Chris.

"I'll help you tidy up then send your mum over. Do you have enough to replace what's been taken?"

"Yes, not exactly the same computers but we're okay that way."

They moved the tables back into position, brought in replacements form the stockroom and Jane installed the programs in the display computers while Len swept the floor. The 'Closed' sign was reversed on the front door and the note clipped onto the bottom removed. On it Chris had written, 'Sorry, we've had a break-in. We will open as soon as we can. Thank you.'

"Were there many who couldn't come in, Chris?" asked Len, after he'd read the note.

"Maybe four or five."

"Well, I guess they'll come back when they can. How about a coffee now?"

"Yes, I can certainly do with one."

Susan arrived while the kettle was re-heating for a second pot and sat at the table looking over the list that Chris and Jane had made with a coffee and eating one of the donuts she had brought.

"What do you think, mum? Will they pay us for what we lost?"

"I think so, less the five thousand deductible. That's what happened to us a long time ago and we're using the same company. Jack said he'd have steal shutters installed, here and at the new store."

"Good. And thanks for the donuts, mum. They're just what I needed."

Chris left her mother as the store buzzer sounded and joined Len and Jane in the front. As soon as she could she returned to the coffee room and asked about restocking.

"Don't worry, I'll reorder what you've lost. How's the new store?"

"Len gave the holes another patch this morning. It'll be ready for painting in a couple of days."

"Aren't you both still teaching? When do you get the time?"

"He goes there early in the mornings to get it ready. We'll give it the first coat Friday evening and the second on Sunday morning, that's what Len suggested. It'll be ready to install the shelves and tables by next Monday."

"They're coming Wednesday or Thursday they told me and the stock arrives on Thursday or Friday, they're not sure which day yet."

"Do you think we'll have the shutters installed by then?"

"Don't know. Your dad's calling them now. Let's hope so, although it's unlikely there'll be another break-in so soon after this one."

"I suppose so. But it's a worry I never had before."

"It's part of doing business, love. And it's only money. Don't let it bother you. How's things between you and Len?"

"They're fine, mum. Nothing to worry about there."

"Good. Well, I'll go and start phoning. I hope the police report will be ready soon. I have to have that before calling the insurers. Bye, Chris."

"Bye mum."

## Chapter Fifty Six

Chris told Len that her dad had arranged for the safety shutter people to come to the Townsville store on Tuesday morning and that, after they had measured the windows and doors he'd take them to measure the Brockville store. "He's going to ask them to install there first and hopes it would be done before the computers arrive."

The final drywall patching was done Wednesday morning. Thursday Len cleaned all the walls and swept the floor and the new store was ready for painting.

Just before eight o'clock on Friday a loud horn sounded and Len looked out of the kitchen window to see a large truck parked just beyond his driveway. He'd forgotten that the stones were to be delivered that day and rushed out. The driver wanted to know if this was the right place and when Len assured him that it was he backed the track towards the house until Len told him to stop. Then he unlocked the tailgate and set it so it would remain open with what looked like a three inch gap, rolled up the mesh that covered the stones then slightly tilted the truck body and began driving slowly forward, edging the body gradually higher so that the stones fell out the slot and covered the track as moved along. It petered out just before the road and the driver stopped, asked Len to sign the delivery note then drove away. Len was amazed at how well the track had been covered. There were a few depressions where there had been low spots. He fetched the rake and filled those before returning to the kitchen and finishing his breakfast.

He and Chris painted the walls that evening after a quick supper of sandwiches she had made. Len brought three flood lamps from Matt's shed which made the corners easier to see but they didn't finish until nearly ten. They looked the rooms over after washing the brushes and themselves.

"It makes the place look a lot better, but Len, I'm so tired. You must be too, with getting up early each morning and teaching twice during the week. I'll be glad when the place is ready."

"So will I, Chris. What about the floor, do you think it will do?"

There were a number of marks where shelf racks, fridges and freezers had been standing. They looked unsightly and he had ignored them until now. Perhaps most of them could be hidden by careful placement of the tables but not all.

"Ah, no, it won't," he continued. "We'll have to buy new lino. The new furniture won't hide all those marks."

"You're right. Buy a lighter colour and we'll put it down on Sunday. Do you have a tape measure?"

"No. I'll measure it tomorrow and buy it then. They'll have to deliver when I'm in the store. That might be a problem."

They got in Len's car and he drove her to Townsville so she could collect her car. They kissed before driving home, a quick kiss, both wanting more but too tired to do anything about it.

It had rained Thursday night and the days were cold so Len removed the sprinkler and hose and just hoped that the grass would germinate and grow enough to survive the winter. If it didn't there was another patch where a marquee could be set up, further away from the house and on rougher ground. There were a few bushes and small trees he'd have to cut if it was put there but it would work, though using a tarp or plastic over the garden would be much easier.

Saturday morning Len arrived at the Brockville store at eight thirty and measured the showroom floor. The coffee, stock room and toilet would have to wait. The first store he drove to didn't open until ten, the second one was just opening for it was nine o'clock, but they couldn't deliver until the afternoon. The third and last store was also closed so Len returned to the second, chose the lino he wanted and asked if they could deliver it that day at six o'clock. The manager grumbled a bit, saying that his men liked to be finished as early as possible on Saturdays.

"What's the latest you can deliver?"

"They should have finished what we've already got ordered by five. How about then."

"Okay," Len replied, knowing, unfortunately, that that time was often when the Townsville store was the most busy. "Look, if I leave you the key can your men deliver it anytime today and then push the key through the mail slot afterwards?"

"Sure, that'd be no problem."

Len unfastened the key and gave it to the man and used his credit card to pay for the lino. He hoped that the men wouldn't forget to leave the key in the store as he walked out. If they did he'd have to ask Jack for another until it was returned. No, Chris had one too, so he'd be okay.

Later that day Chris told Len that she was too tired to paint that evening.

"Can we do it Sunday morning? Do say 'yes' for I didn't make any sandwiches."

"Yes, okay. How about ten?"

"Yes, that'll be fine. I'll pick you up."

"Bring your key, Chris. I gave mine to the lino people."

"It's on my key ring with all the others so I won't forget."

Sunday was a cloudy day with rain forecast for the afternoon. Chris collected Len at ten and they drove to Brockville. The lino was placed diagonally across the store's floor but there was plenty of room to work around it. Len's key was in an envelope lying on the floor and he returned it to his key ring. They worked steadily, finishing just before twelve. Chris then painted the coffee room and Len the toilet and both were done just after one. They washed the brushes and themselves and Chris collected a bag from her car that contained clean clothes. Len had not thought to do that and watched her as she changed in the coffee room.

"I had thought we should have lunch in town but didn't think about bringing good clothes. Do I look good enough to do that?" he asked.

"Sure," Chris said, as she tied her shoes, "if we go to a pub."

"How about the Red Lion and have their Sunday brunch?"

"I'd like that. Here, let me wipe your face, there's some paint on it."

She stood up, took out a handkerchief and moistened it with her tongue then held his face and rubbed over his right temple.

"There, that looks better. It's not all off, you'll have to do it yourself when we get to the pub."

They locked the door and Chris drove to the pub. It was crowded but they found a seat towards the back. Chris stayed there while Len fixed his face, collecting a beer and a white wine on his way back. They left them on the table while they joined the buffet queue. Len loaded up with roast beef and lots of vegetables, choosing ones he seldom ate at home. Chris took the salmon, a salad and a bowl of soup and asked a waiter for a glass of water after sitting down. The skies darkened and it began to pour down as they were eating dessert, ice cream and pie for both of them. Len paid and they ran to the back of the lot where Chris's car was parked, getting soaked as they did so. Len didn't mind, for he was going to wash his clothes when he got home anyway but Chris was annoyed. They got wetter still when they arrived at Len's house but laughed as Len helped Chris get undressed to put her clothes in the dryer. He didn't carry her upstairs this time but lit the fire and they made love on the sofa.

A little while afterwards they walked upstairs to Len's bedroom for that was more comfortable than the sofa and lay on the bed, talking about the future.

"Have you thought about finding people to help in the store, Len?"

"Yes. I'll call Mrs. Chambers first, the school's guidance councillor. You remember her?"

"No. Was she there when we were?"

"Yes. If she doesn't know of anybody I'll go to the Employment and Immigration office in Brockville. They won't need to know anything about computers, just be pleasant and be able to sell."

"You'll need two in Brockville. It'd be hard if neither of them knew about computers. You'll have to be there all the time."

"Yes. That's the worst part. There's bound to be times when I have to go out."

They made love again, slept, then got up about six to eat more ice cream and drink tea. Chris drove home afterwards. Luckily the rain had stopped and her dried clothes stayed dry.

Len arrived at the Brockville store at seven thirty Monday morning. He had to paint the baseboard and quarter round before laying the lino, something he should have done earlier but had only thought about when brushing his teeth last night. It didn't matter though, there was plenty of time to get it done before the shelves and tables arrived.

He untied the quarter round and painted it, leaving it beside the roll of lino, then painted the baseboard. He was finished by nine and washed and changed into his clean clothes, arriving at the Townsville store at nine thirty. Chris was in the coffee room, heating water to make coffee and Jane was dusting the shelves because there were no customers.

"Hi Len. Did you see the shutter people?"

"No, I guess they arrived after I left. I forgot about them, I hope they don't mess up the baseboard. I've just painted it."

"Oh? We should have done that earlier."

"I forgot about it. Well, if it's marked a second coat will fix it. How long will it take to install them?"

"Half a day, dad thinks. It's just a matter of bolting them into position."

"And the alarm system?"

"That's not being done until next week."

"Let's hope they do a better job than the one we've got here."

"Well the one here is better now. When they saw what we had they said it should have been upgraded five years ago."

"When did they put it in?"

"On Thursday, in the evening. Dad looked after it. You can't see the wires now."

"Oh, good. How many students do you have tonight?"

"Six. You've got eight tomorrow and ten on Thursday. Mike has five. Of course there might be more or less but the number doesn't usually change once the course starts."

"How's Mike doing?"

"He still seems keen. He asked if there would be any teaching at the Brockville store when dad paid him on Saturday and was told they'd come here. I think we should pay him more if we get more later, if people from Brockville come."

"Well, that's up to your dad, though I'm not sure how many kids would come all that way. I can understand adults taking courses here but I don't think the kids parents would let them come."

"They might if they were in their teens. Some are, of course."

"Yes. Any donuts today?"

"No, but I can buy some if you like."

"Better not. But I feel hungry these days. All the work, I guess. Don't you feel the same?"

"Sometimes. Oh, that's the store. I'll go. Your turn next," and Chris gave him a quick kiss as she left the room, leaving her half-finished mug of coffee on the table.

After drinking his coffee Len phoned Mrs. Chambers and left a message on her machine, telling her who he was and asking if she knew of anyone who would like to be a salesperson in their store, explaining that they didn't have to know about computers. She called back two hours later saying that she didn't, and. as far as she knew, there was nobody leaving that Christmas either. She'd certainly have people interested next June but not now.

Len went into the store and told Chris what she had said. "I'll call E and I now.

He did that and was asked to come in and give one of the officers the details of what he wanted and the pay and benefits. He wasn't sure what the benefits would be and asked Chris. She asked Jane who explained that she had two weeks holiday each year, five days of sick leave and Mr. Stowel paid some of her employment insurance and Canada Pension Plan. Len phoned the Stowel store but Jack was out. Susan explained that they paid half the insurance and CPP premiums. "If they ask you something you don't know tell them to call me."

The Brockville Employment and Immigration office told Len to come at three o'clock that afternoon. He arrived ten minutes early and spent the time looking over the vacancies that were posted on boards. There were four stores needing assistants, two selling clothes, one hardware and the other selling books. At three o'clock he went to the receptionist and she took him to an office, knocked on the door and introduced him. "Mrs. Bothwell will look after you."

Len outlined what he wanted, two assistants in Brockville and one in Townsville to sell computers. She had him to fill out a form where he described the job and stated the pay and benefits and handed it back to her.

"You should know, Mr. Andrews, that store assistants are hard to find. We already have four requests, two of which have been up for five weeks. I don't think you'll find anybody."

"Oh, what can I do?"

"Well you could pay more. Some might be tempted to switch jobs, especially if they don't like the place they're working at. You're offering, what, seven dollars an hour. That's what they all are. And you could advertise. Have you tried the schools?"

"I called the Townsville high school but not the one here."

"Here, I'll give you their phone number. You should try there, just in case, although it's not likely you'll find anyone this time of the year." She checked her Rolodex and copied down a name and telephone number. "You can use the phone here when we're done if you want to call them now."

"How much more should I offer?"

"Ten percent might not be enough but twenty should make a difference."

"I'll have to phone my boss to check that. Can I do that now?"

"Yes, I'll take you to the phone."

Mrs. Bothwell took Len to a small office, empty except for a table, chair and phone and left him there. He called Stowel Appliances and Susan answered. He told her what had happened and asked if he could offer twenty percent more. She put him on hold then returned a few minutes later.

"Yes, you can. Jack's a bit worried, he'll have to increase Jane's pay and is worried that Ben and Roger will want more too. I told him that Ben's pay should but not Roger. The increase would only be for those working in the computer stores. He's not happy to be doing it but thinks that the money you're making warrants it."

"Thanks, Susan. I'll change the amount. Will Jack tell Jane and Ben about the increase or should Chris or I?"

"Ah, I hadn't thought about that. I had thought that we should wait until we get someone but if we advertise Jane and Ben will find out. I'll ask Jack to do it. How about the rest? Got all the information they need?"

"Yes, I think so. Thanks. Bye."

Before returning to Mrs. Bothwell's office Len called the Brockville high school asking to speak to the guidance counsellor. He was told that she was sick but was expected to be back the following week. He put the paper with the phone number in his pocket then went back to Mrs. Bothwell. "I can increase the pay. Can you make it eight dollars and forty cents per hour, please."

"Here, you change it. And initial beside the change. Right. I'll get it typed up and posted. I wish you luck, Mr. Andrews. Especially for the Townsville store. People here doing these jobs prefer not to commute."

Len left the office then drove to the store, wanting to see if the installers had finished. They were bolting the grill over the front door when he arrived, the window shutters were already in. The one in the front was retracted and the one on the side street was covering the window. They looked pretty substantial. He told the man near the door who he was and asked to see how the shutters locked however the man wanted proof that he was the manager so Len pulled out his keys and locked then opened the front door.

"Okay, sir. We have to be careful. Here, this is how it's done," and they showed him the shutter lock mechanism and the keys that operated it.

"We'll give them to Mr. Stowel tomorrow."

"So you're nearly done?"

"Yes. Another ten minutes, that's all."

Len had a quick look at the baseboard. It seemed untouched and probably didn't need painting. So he could install the lino tomorrow.

## Chapter Fifty Seven

The Brockville showroom was rectangular and the lino this time had been cut to the exact width so he was able to roll it out with just a few places where it was slightly too wide. He trimmed the excess then found and cut around the floor receptacle that powered the cash register. As before, he decided not to use adhesive relying on the quarter round to hold the edges down. He unscrewed the door trims and reused them to hold the lino in place then nailed on the quarter rounds. The whole job was finished in fifty minutes. Now the place looked smart and ready for the tables and computers and he thought that Jack and Susan would be pleased. Chris as well, but she had already seen and helped to make it so.

He was at the Townsville store by nine, dressed in his clean clothes, ready to spend the day behind the counter or helping customers. He stopped as he walked into the showroom, looking around and asked himself if this would be the life he'd be living for the next forty years? He shook his head, 'No. I can't do that. It's okay for now but forever? Surely I can find something better?'

Chris came in the back door just then and saw him standing there, shaking his head.

"What's up, Len? Something wrong?"

"Ah, no. I just can't imagine myself serving customers in a store all my life, that's all."

"Maybe you won't. Perhaps something else will turn up. But it's not that bad, is it? Mum and dad and lots of other people do it. They don't seem to mind. And, at the moment, we're making lots of money."

"Yes, I know. Somehow I'd thought my life would be more exciting."

"Oh, Len. Don't be like that. Think of us. This time next year we'll be married. That'll make a big difference. I'm really looking forward to it. Aren't you?"

"Yes, of course, Chris. But I thought there'd be something more."

"We'll have kids. That'll be more. Just wait and see. Here, come and hold me. Let me make you better."

They went into the coffee room door and held each other then Chris kissed him, gave him a hug then pushed him away and took off her coat.

"Did you lay the lino this morning?" she asked.

"Yes. The place looks fine. All ready for the furniture now."

Jane entered the back door then and the day in the store began.

Jack and the men with the shutters arrived at ten. They helped move the computer tables back a bit from the windows and set to work. Jack gave Len and Chris the keys to the Brockville shutters, saying that he'd told the men to give the keys to him because he was not sure they'd see either of them.

"I suggest you mark these so you know they are from the Brockville store."

Fitting the shutter to the window and the one on the front door went very quickly but the back door took nearly two hours because the wooden frame had to be removed and the wall studs cut back so that the heavy steel door would fit. Once they had finished Len and Chris tried opening, closing and locking the door. Then one of the installers gave Len the keys to the window shutter and the front door.

"You should fit a better lock on the front door, sir," he said. "Or we can put in a steal one if you like."

"Yes, I had thought changing the lock. Thanks."

As the men left Len made a mental note to buy two dead bolt locks and install them. 'Surely,' he thought, 'this must be the last thing that needs fixing. Well, I did want to do something different.'

He taught the second class of people wanting to learn about accounting that evening. Somehow, talking, moving between customers and answering questions didn't seem like hard work. The hour and a half passed quickly and a woman thanked him for being so helpful when he handed out four pages of notes to her. She said she would be using the program to handle the money her church took in.

"And I think I'll teach Nick, my husband, to use it. I think he'd like to manage our money the way you showed us you do yours."

"Perhaps he should come on the next course, then."

"He will, I expect, if he's interested. Bye. See you next week."

Most of the learners seemed to feel satisfied with how he was teaching although one or two didn't say much, just listened and never asked questions. It was the same with the courses he ran the first time, there always seemed to be one or two who didn't do more than listen and use the computer. 'I think I should ask them questions if they don't ask me. But, perhaps, they learn best by just thinking. I wonder what teachers in schools do with the quiet ones?'

Len bought two dead bolts on Wednesday and installed one on the Brockville store Thursday morning. The tables and chairs had arrived Wednesday afternoon and Chris had driven over to open the store for them. The first batch of computers and programs would come Thursday afternoon and Len would check what was delivered. This turned out to be three thirty and their truck was waiting on a side street with one man standing at the front door when Len got there after finding a place to park a block away. They put all the boxes in the stock room and Len signed the delivery slip. There were two more deliveries and he had to get the shelves up before they came because he didn't know if the stock room would hold all they had ordered. He couldn't do it that night for he was teaching again but he bought the shelves and the brackets from the lumber yard as soon as the delivery men had left. The longer shelves had to stick out the wagon's front window and he had to make two trips to collect them all.

He was at the Brockville store at seven Friday morning with a stud finder, a four foot level and his tool box. He screwed the holding strips into the studs, using the spirit level to keep the slots horizontal. It needed three brackets to hold the long shelves and two to hold the short ones. He followed the plan he and Chris had drawn up two weeks ago, placing five long shelves behind the service counter. He had hoped to be at the Townsville store by nine but didn't get there until after ten. The store was busy and he immediately helped although what he really wanted was a mug of coffee, no, two mugs and two donuts.

The Townsville Courier and the Recorder and Times Saturday editions carried their quarter-page advertisement about the new Comp & Pro store that would open Monday October 24th, and their search for three salespeople was placed in the vacancies section. It listed the pay and benefits and that a knowledge of computers was not necessary because training would be provided. The phone number and address of the Townsville store was given. Jack came in at ten Saturday morning and showed Chris and Len the advertisement and the vacancies column. "I'll let you handle any inquiries, that's why I gave this phone number. How's it going at the new store Len? It'll be ready to open on the twenty forth?"

"Yes. The shelves are up now. Just waiting for the counter, register and the rest of the stock."

"They should all be delivered early next week," Jack replied. "Looking forward to the opening?"

"Well, it depends on us finding salespeople."

"We should ask Ben and Jane if one of them would go there, at least until we find others," said Chris.

"Yes. We'd better do that today."

Jane said she would go but preferred not to. Ben said he'd do it until they found others. "Do you pay for gas?"

"Yes," said Len, hoping that Jack wouldn't mind. "How about an extra twenty dollars a week? Would that cover it?"

"Oh, yes. Thanks. When should I start?"

Chris showed him and Jane the Courier that Jack had left, saying that it opened a week on Monday.

'Where do I park? Is there a lot at the back?"

"No," said Len. "I park one or two blocks north of King Street. You can park all day there without any trouble. And you'd both be getting an increase. We think that everyone working in the computer stores deserve it."

"So Roger won't get it?" asked Ben.

"No. It's because computer salespeople have to learn a lot to answer all the questions customers have," which was not the real reason the pay was increased, as Len well knew, but true enough.

They closed just after six that day. No one phoned to ask about a job. Chris wasn't too worried about that but Len was. He feared that Mrs. Bothwell's comment might come true and they'd not be able to cope with the number of customers they might get. 'Well,' he reassured himself, 'that's better than not having any.' But he also knew that there was another store selling computers in Brockville and many customers might prefer to go to the one that had been there for a number of years. He thought that they might have to discount their prices to gain customers. If they did he would have to ask Jack or Susan about what kind of problems that brought because they said they had done that in their early days.

Sunday morning after breakfast Len drove to Townsville and fitted the dead bolt on the front door then returned home. There were tiny shoots of grass growing just about all over the garden. With luck, he thought, it'd grow enough to survive the winter and be ready for the wedding. It was time to start killing the chicken. He'd do one today and the last two next Sunday.

He knew how chicken were killed because he'd watched it when he went to the farm with Larry six years ago. He took one of the wide and heavy planks from the side of the tool shed and knocked two four-inch nails into the plank about three inches from one end placing them about an inch apart. He put the plank on the two trestles, found an old sack then sharpened the axe on the grindstone. He placed the axe and sack on the plank then went into the kitchen and put on the apron that hung in the corner. He'd never bothered to use it before but thought it might be wise to do so now. He took his biggest kitchen knife, sharpened it and placed it on the plank, then went to the chicken coup and picked up one of the hens, hoping it wasn't the one that occasionally laid eggs. He carried it over to the plank and carefully wrapped it's body with the sack, gently placed its neck between the two nails, holding it's body with his left hand and picked up the axe. Once the axe was firmly held he pulled back on the body to lengthen the neck and slammed the axe down, cutting the chicken's head off. Blood streamed out of its neck and its wings and legs jerked several times. Len held it until these stopped then unwrapped the sack. Now he had to clean the bird. He used the knife to cut off the legs and cut out the crop, copying what he'd seen Larry's farther do, then opened the body and removed the entrails, placing them on the plank next to the head. Since it was windy he took the chicken to the boathouse, laid it on the floor while he collected a chair and a plastic garbage bag then sat down and started pulling out the feathers and putting handfuls in the bag. The large wing feathers were the hardest to remove. Finally he rolled up a couple of pages of newspaper, lit one end and held the chicken in the flames to burn off all the tiny feathers. The whole job took about an hour. The crop and entrails he threw into the river after which he washed the plank, axe and knife. Len's apron and part of his jeans and shoes were splashed with blood as were his hands and arms. He told himself that this would be the last time he kept chickens and hated knowing that there were two more to kill.

He cut the chicken into pieces, put the legs and wings in the fridge to eat during the week and froze the rest. He then washed and cleaned his shoes and himself, took off the apron, his trousers and shirt and put them in the washer and turned it on. He'd wash his other clothes after these were done. He had a shower and changed into clean clothes then sat in the easy chair. There was so much to do; looking after the house, the chicken, serving customers six days a week, opening another store, plus teaching two evenings a week. Ah, well, it'd become easier once he'd found assistants and the new store was running.

He dosed for a few minutes then had lunch, vacuuming the floor afterwards and was in his bedroom, dusting, when Chris arrived.

## Chapter Fifty Eight

"Hello, Len," she said, as she came into the room.

"Hi, Chris," and he put down the duster and moved towards her and held her in his arms. "Since we're here, want to make love?"

"Can't this weekend, Len. My period."

"Oh, right."

"Next weekend will be okay. Here, you look tired. Want me to finish?"

"No, it's good enough. Let's light the fire and see what's on television."

They did that, Len sitting on the sofa and Chris lying with her head on his lap. The only thing of interest was a golf tournament. They muted the commentary and watched the play before falling asleep. Chris woke with a start when there was a thunder clap and heavy rain began falling.

"Oh, damn! I've left the window open," she said.

She dashed out of the room and came back a minute later soaked. She removed her top and skirt and hung them on the back of a chair in front of the fire, saying it was good enough when Len suggested she put them in the dryer. He fetched Matt's dressing gown which was hanging on the back of the bedroom door and gave it to her.

"Want a brandy?" he asked. "Or a liqueur? There's a bottle of Bailey's in the cabinet."

"Bailey's on ice would be nice."

Len poured her one and he had a small brandy to keep her company. He didn't really like brandy, it was too harsh, but after adding some water it tasted better. He should keep it for cooking and drink the scotch he'd bought for Jack.

They talked about school days as they prepared supper, using one of the chicken breasts, cut into strips and fried with a chopped onion and some slices of cooked potatoes and peas from Len's garden with a Thai sauce stirred in towards. It was an unusual way to make a Thai dinner but it tasted fine. They had ice cream for dessert. Neither wanted wine so they drank water. Chris put her dried clothes on afterwards then drove home. It wasn't an exciting time together and Len wondered if that's what marriage would be like, just doing routine things and finding things to talk about.

At twelve thirty on Monday there was a phone call. Chris answered then handed the phone to Len. "It's a woman who wants to know more about the vacancies. Her name is Lilly Knowles."

"Hello Lilly. I'm Len Andrews. I'm the manager of the new Comp & Pro store. Are you interested in working there?"

"I might be, me and my friend, Pauline. Pauline Barker."

"Do you have any experience? Have you ever been a saleslady?"

"Yes, we both have. We're doing that right now but we have a problem. Can we meet you sometime?"

"Yes, in twenty minutes, if you like."

"No, not until after six. How about six fifteen in front of the library?"

"The Brockville library? Yes, I can meet you there. If it's raining I'll meet you just inside."

"Thanks, Mr. Andrews. We'll be there."

"Something funny there," Len told Chris. "They're already salesladies but are interested in changing jobs. I wonder why?"

"Maybe there's a new manager and he's harassing them," Chris said. "I've heard it happens."

The phone rang again and this time Len answered it.

"At two? All right, I'll be there."

He hung up the phone and told Chris that the service counter and cash register would be delivered at two.

The truck was waiting close to the store when Len arrived. He held the door open, let them carry the counter in and told them where to put it. After it was fastened to the floor the register was screwed onto it. They plugged the cord into the floor socket then showed Len how to add a new roll of paper. It was so similar to the one they had in the Townsville store that the man stopped when Len told him he already knew how it was done. He signed the delivery slip and took the copy which he'd give to Susan. After the men had left Len checked the coffee room and made a list of the things they needed; fridge, kettle, microwave and toaster, mugs, tea and coffee, sugar and milk, spoons, knives, cafeteria and plates. He knew they had already made a list but they should have them now. He'd ask Jack about the appliances and buy the rest as soon as he had time. Pity he didn't keep more of the cutlery and china his mum and dad had.. He drove back to Townsville and parked in Stowel's back yard. Roger let him in when he rang the back door bell.

Susan was in the coffee room, working on a spreadsheet. Len gave her the delivery slip and asked if Jack was there.

"Yes, he's in the store. Want a mug of coffee?"

"Yes, please."

Susan stood up and filled the kettle with water then Jack walked in. "I heard you talking. Hi, Len. How are things?"

"Fine," and Len told him that the counter and register had just been delivered. "And a woman phoned to ask about the job. She and another woman might be interested. I'm seeing them tonight."

"That was quick work. Must have been the ad. Are they in Brockville?"

"Must be, that's where they want to meet me."

"Do you want me to be there?"

"No, I can handle it. I wanted to ask if you could fit up the coffee room. A fridge, microwave, kettle and so on. Like you have here and we have in the Townsville store."

"Sure. I'll go over early tomorrow and check how much room you have for the fridge and have it and the rest brought over sometime that week."

"I've already got those measurements, Jack," and Susan opened her purse and gave him a piece of paper.

"I'll get the mugs and things to set you up Len," she said. "Oh, the other computers, printers and drives are coming tomorrow. In the afternoon."

"Oh, can they phone and tell me when I should be there?"

"I'll ask them to do that. Okay the coffee's ready now. Do you want a mug Jack?"

"No, thanks. I'll have to get back, there are people in the store."

A tall, thin, woman wearing a dark raincoat was standing next to a slightly overweight woman in a light coat stood next to the door of the library when Len arrived. He guessed that they were Lilly and Pauline and said, "Hello. I'm Len Andrews. Are you waiting for me?"

"Yes," said the tall lady. "I'm Lilly and this is Pauline. Are you really the manager of Comp & Pro? You look so young."

"Lilly! Be more polite. But are you?" asked Pauline.

"Yes I am. Look, we should find a better place to talk. Let's go to Tim Hortons and find a table."

Lilly turned and led the way across the street as though she was showing Len where to go. She looked to be about forty, Pauline must have been slightly younger. At the coffee shop Lilly chose the table in the corner to be as far away from the others as she could. She and Pauline sat side by side while Len stood by wondering if she thought she was the manager and he was waiting to find out what she wanted.

"Can I get you a coffee?" he asked.

"Black, please," said Lilly.

"Double double for me," said Pauline.

"Right." Len joined the queue and bought the coffees, all medium size, his made with milk without sugar.

He gave them their coffees and sat down, facing both of them. "Now, tell me why you are looking for a job when you have one already."

"They're closing the store," said Pauline.

"Well, moving it to Kingston," added Lilly. "We don't want to go there."

"What are you selling?" asked Len.

"Shoes," said Pauline.

"Shoes? Well, I've seen an ad in Employment and Immigration looking for a shoe salesperson."

"Yes, I know. But you're paying more. That's why I called. And we've sold other things in the past."

"Clothes, actually," added Pauline.

"But we can sell anything, if we know something about them."

"Ever used a computer?" asked Len.

"No," they both replied.

"Hmm. I'm opening Comp & Pro next Monday. How much notice do you have to give?"

"Next Monday? None. This Friday's our last day," said Lilly. "And we told him we're not commuting to Kingston."

"All right. I'll give you a month's trial. But I want you to take the courses we run in Townsville. The next one starts in two weeks, on Monday, October thirty first. They are in the evening, from seven to eight thirty. There are three courses you have to take if you want the job. They are on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. What do you say?"

"Do you pay us while we're taking them?" asked Lilly.

"No. But I'll give each of you ten dollars a week to cover the bus fares. And you don't have to pay for the courses, of course."

"What do you think. Pauline?" asked Lilly.

"I kind of like the idea. Taking courses at our age. Is it hard to learn about computers, Mr. Andrews?"

"No, I don't think so. Most people bring a pen and pad and make notes and there are handouts. There's actually another course, about playing games, but you don't have to take that one."

"Then we'll give it a try. What time do you open?"

"At nine and so it's a nine hour day, with an hour for coffee breaks and lunch. Not fixed times, just when the number of customers allows it."

"Yes, we're used to that."

"Then I'll see you at nine, next Monday. Right?" and Len stood up and offered his hand.

They both shook it, swallowed the rest of their coffee and stood up. Len collected their mugs and returned them to the counter as they left. They walked off, talking and laughing as Len watched, wondering if they'd be okay. 'Well, what choice do I have? I expect they'll be fine, once they settle down.'

The last order for computers and parts was delivered at two thirty the next afternoon. Len was there and helped them bring them in, placing the boxes in the centre of the room on the floor and on the tables. He and Chris would set them up Wednesday evening unless they left it to Sunday. He'd rather not leave it until then because they might run into difficulties. Chris agreed when he told her this and said she'd ask her dad to help. She actually didn't have to do that for he came in at six to let them know what was happening with the coffee room.

"I thought that Roger and you, Len, could carry in the fridge tomorrow morning but with the boxes in the showroom I think it would be better if we put it in after you've cleared the place. When do you plan to do that?"

"Wednesday evening, dad," said Chris. "Can you help us?"

"Tomorrow night, why, sure. When?"

"After eating. Would seven o'clock be all right Len?"

"Yes, that'd be fine."

"I'll take you to supper. Pizza should be quick. I'll ask your mum to help too."

"Thanks dad."

"If we get it all done the fridge can go in on Thursday."

Tuesday evening, after Len had handed out notes on the evening's accounting lesson and everyone was leaving a young man who Len thought was called Toby stayed behind then asked about the sales position in their new store.

"Have you filled all the positions?"

"No, not yet. Are you interested?"

"Yes, I am. I want to get a job working with computers. I'd like to take a college or university course but I don't have enough money to move to Toronto or the States."

"How old are you, Toby?"

"Nineteen."

"Do you have a computer?"

"Yes, a Commodore-30. Bought second hand a year ago."

"Well, that's terrific. But you know the job's in Brockville. Where do you live?"

"Here, in Townsville, with my parents. But I can catch the bus."

"Yes, I know. That's what I did not so long ago. Right. I'll hire you. You know the store opens next Monday?"

"Yes, but I can't come then. I'll have to give two weeks' notice. I'm working in the Courier's office."

"Okay, that'll be all right. Oh, you're not taking my word processing course. Do you already know that?"

"Yes, I've used WordStar since I started working at the Courier, not at work but at home. I'm trying to write in my spare time. Articles not books."

"That's even better. Well, welcome to the team."

"Thanks, Mr. Andrews. I'll give my notice on Friday and can join you on Monday, November seventh, I think that'd be the date."

"You'd better start calling me Len. We'll be working together."

Len felt happy as he drove home. It seemed that most of his worries had suddenly faded away. It'd be awkward the first week or two since he'd be the only one who knew about computers but that would get better as time went by. He rang Chris after he arrived home to tell her the good news. They also talked about the layout of the store, which computers to put in the windows, which to keep plugged in for customers to try, what programs to run. Finally, Chris said she was going to bed, that he should too and that she loved him. Len said he loved her also and they hung up.

Wednesday, after both stores had closed, Jack took all of them to supper in Brockville. They drove in two cars. Everyone brought working clothes, the Stowel's in a suitcase and Len's in a plastic bag. Susan had several boxes in the trunk and they carried them into the coffee room where she and Chris filled the cupboard with china and the drawer with cutlery. The box of sugar, sugar bowl, can of ground coffee they left on the counter. The men came out of the store room where they had changed into their working clothes leaving it for the women. Once they were changed they helped the men arrange then re-arrange the tables until Len was satisfied. He placed slips of torn-off cardboard on each table once that was done. Each named the computer, monitor, printer and drive to put on that table and they began unpacking. Jack and Chris set the computers and components in place, Susan helped Len by fetching extension cords or plug-in boxes while he connected each computer to its peripherals. Chris then placed the programs on the shelves, Jack opened the boxes for her then flattening the ones Len didn't want to keep. The final arrangement was similar to the Townsville store, with the games monitors placed next to the window on the side street. They didn't finish until nearly eleven o'clock. All the place needed now were the store name and the window posters. Jack said the store name panels would be ready to pick up on Saturday and Chris said she'd have the window posters stating that they offered computer courses finished on Sunday morning. After that they climbed into their cars and drove home.

## Chapter Fifty Nine

Len added items to his To-Do list as he worked in the Townsville store during the rest of the week; buy milk and cookies for the coffee room, take some tape to fasten the posters to the windows, make sign-up forms for customers to complete if they wanted to take a course, make price lists for the service counter as well price tags to tape onto each unit, buy and install a buzzer unit for the coffee room activated when the store door is opened or when a counter button was pressed, make a summary for the employees stating the hours of work, pay, breaks and benefits. The list grew longer each day. He bought the door buzzer and installed it on Thursday.

Sunday, his only free day, finally arrived. It was a dull morning but the clouds were supposed to disappear in the afternoon. He wore his old clothes and immediately after breakfast killed and plucked the two chicken. Now he was left with the empty chicken run and, as he didn't plan to use it again, he dragged it to the far side of his lot and left it standing on stones to reduce the probability of the wood rotting. Perhaps Jack would use it after he retired so he might as well look after it.

He cleaned the house and washed his clothes then had a nap after lunch, with his wake-up alarm set for two forty five but woke at two fifteen and got up, feeling refreshed.

Chris was early and bought a casserole that her mother had made. She put it in the fridge then took Len's hand and said she wanted to make love.

"And you don't have to use condoms now. Mum asked me if we were having sex and I said we were so we visited our doctor and talked about birth control methods. I'm using a diaphragm at the moment but I'll change to the pills if this is uncomfortable. We had quite a talk about being careful not to have a baby before we really wanted one. I said I wanted babies as soon as possible but she said we should wait for a year or two."

"You're lucky your mum is so open. My parents never talked to me about sex. All I know is what I've picked up from friends."

"Or the girl you went to bed with."

"Yes, that's right."

"Well, what are we waiting for. I'll race you to bed," and she ran along the kitchen, through the lounge and had started climbing the stairs before Len, who was locking the kitchen door, had started.

This time sex was much more fun and Len wondered if Chris's mum had given her advice about what men liked but he doubted that she'd do that. But, what did he know about women? He was sure they talked to each other but did mothers talk to their daughters about that? He asked her if she enjoyed herself and she said "you bet."

"More than before?"

"Yes. It was okay before but I felt uncomfortable. It was the condoms, I think."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"No. It wasn't your fault. It's much better now," so they talked for a while then made love again, nice and slowly. Len was suddenly happier and more certain about being in love with Chris.

She had brought the posters stating that computer courses would be given and they looked at them when they came downstairs. Each one pictured computer screens in the centre, one showing a partly filled-in spreadsheet and the other showing a letter applying for a job, thus illustrating what the courses taught. Four smaller screens, placed in each corner of each poster, displayed games. The fact that Comp & Pro offered lessons in these programs was written in between the paintings. A smaller, quarter-size poster with just the information about the courses, where they were given, the evenings when each course was held and their price was fastened to a piece of cardboard.

"That," Chris explained, "is for the service counter. I've made another one for my store."

They had supper, a little earlier than usual, washed and tidied the kitchen then Chris left because Len had a big day tomorrow. Luckily it was the week in which no courses were taught.

Len arrived at the Brockville store, 'My store,' he told himself as he walked through the door at eight thirty. He had bought a carton of milk and a bag of cookies when shopping and put the milk in the fridge and left the cookies on the counter. He unlocked and drew back the steal shutters, switched on the lights and the display computers, then placed the two hundred dollars of small bills and change in the register drawers. He'd tell Susan what he'd done next time he saw her. He loaded the two accounting programs and put his display spreadsheet on one of them then added the word processing programs on two other computers with a letter displayed on one of them. After that he disconnected the keyboard from the computers showing his demonstrations so that they wouldn't be disturbed.

Lilly arrived at ten to nine and Pauline two minutes later. Len showed them the hooks in the corridor where they could hang their coats, then the coffee room where they put the paper bags containing their lunch in the fridge and, lastly, the powder room. Lilly then wanted to learn about the computers, especially the ones where programs were running.

"We'll have to explain these if customers have questions. Right? Hey Pauline, pay attention. Didn't you sleep last night?"

"No, not very much. Sorry Mr. Andrews, I sometimes get sleepless nights."

"I'll make some coffee in a minute. And call me Len both of you, please."

He took them to the counter and asked if they knew how to operate the cash register. They both said they did so Len took them to the monitor displaying the Visi Calk screen, the one that didn't have his display spreadsheet showing.

"Look, you can enter numbers like this," and he keyed in twenty four, then hit the enter key. Next he added eight in the box underneath and entered it. "Look," and he pointed to the bottom of the spreadsheet, "there's the total, thirty two."

He let both of them add numbers, showing them where the totals were, including the ones on the right hand side as they filled in columns and rows then showed them how to delete numbers.

"There's more to it that that but you'll pick it up if you play with it when there are no customers."

He moved to the computer where his spreadsheet showed his Income and Expenses example. "This is just an example of how the Visi Calk program can be used. You can't add or subtract numbers on this computer because the keyboard's been disconnected. Use the other computer to demonstrate that, but seeing this screen helps people understand how Visi Calk can be used to track their finances."

He answered questions as he explained things. Lilly seemed more interested than Pauline but he felt they both understood enough about that program to handle any simple questions. He was about to describe the WordStar program when a woman walked in.

"Ok, would you look after her?" Len said. "I'll just stand by in case there's something you can't answer."

Lilly walked over to the woman, saying, "Welcome, Madam. You're the first customer to this store. Welcome again. How can I help you?"

The lady smiled and said, 'Well, I read about the lessons you give and I want to know more about them. Can my son attend? He's only thirteen."

Lilly glanced a t Len who nodded and said, "Why, yes, he can. They are given by Mr. Andrews, who is right here."

Len joined the two and Pauline hovered in the background, listening.

"The next course starts Monday October thirty first. They run from seven to eight thirty and are held in our Townsville store," Len told her.

"That's what I wanted to ask about. Will you run any in Brockville?"

"We don't plan to but we might, if numbers warrant. But not this year."

"Oh, dear. My dad bought Dan a computer two weeks ago for his birthday and Dan keeps getting it plugged up, or something. It works for a bit when he switches it on but it stops after he's used it for a while. He thinks a course would help him understand what he's doing wrong."

"The one on Monday night might do that, yes," said Len.

"The problem is my husband drives the car to work and he is on the evening shift so I can't take him to Townsville."

"He could catch the bus," said Len.

"He's too young. I don't want him to be out these dark nights, waiting for his bus."

"He could come with us," said Lilly. "Pauline and I are going to that course."

"You are? Oh, great. I could easily take him to the bus stop and collect him later. Are you taking the one on games? He wants to take that one too."

"Err, no. But, well, I could do. What about you, Pauline? Interested in taking that one as well?"

"I guess so. It's only for three weeks. Yes, I'll go."

"Well, thank you both. I'll meet you at the bus stop on the thirty first. What time is the bus?"

"I don't know, "said Lilly. "I'll look it up and phone you."

"It was half-past last year," said Len, "but it might have changed."

"Can you register your son on the application form?" said Lilly. "Then I'll have your phone number. And I'll give you one of our cards so you have our number. My name is Lilly, Lilly Knowles, and this is Pauline, Pauline Baker."

"Hello, I'm Joyce, Mrs. Joyce Kenny. Thanks for being so nice. I must tell my friends about this store. Some of them are thinking of buying a computer for their kids Christmas present. Everyone seems to want one these days. I don't know why. Their kids will probably want to take lessons as well."

"I'll show you why some adults buy them, Mrs. Kenny, if you have time," said Lilly. "Look, this computer has a program that helps people track finances. See, it shows one's Income and Expenses. You could put in the numbers each week and it'll tell you where your money goes.

'Wow!' thought Len. 'She's a great salesperson!'

"And this one," said Lilly, "lets you write letters, or anything else. Like essays for school or reports for the office."

"I see. But we don't do either of those things so we don't need one. We write our letters by hand, that's what I mean."

"Yes, I understand."

"But do you need two computers to do that or will one computer do both?"

"Oh," Lilly looked at Len who held up one finger. "One will do both."

"You just need two programs copied onto your computer Mrs. Kenny," said Len. "And you have a computer now, the one your son has. That could run the programs."

"You could buy one of the programs as a Christmas present for you husband," suggested Lilly.

"Oh, no. I already know what he wants. But, thanks. Can I fill in the form for Dan now."

"Yes, of course," and Lilly took her to the service counter where Len handed her sign-up sheet for 'Learning to use the Computer' and the one for 'Games' and a pen. He opened the drawer under the counter and pulled out a box of the store's cards and placed it on the counter. Mrs. Kenny paid for the two courses and Lilly said she'd phone her as soon as she had found out the time the bus left Brockville and when the return one arrive back.

As soon as the woman left Len congratulated Lilly. "That was excellent! I'm surprised that you've picked up so much about the computers already."

"Well, I don't know much but my boyfriend has one and I've seen him use it."

"Well, it was a great start to our day. I'll make coffee now. Come with me to see how we do it."

Len took them to the coffee room, filled the kettle with water and put three heaping dessert spoons of coffee into the cafeteria.

"I usually put one in for each person. There's milk in the fridge and some cookies on the counter."

"Do you always provide them?" asked Pauline.

"I'll buy one carton of milk and one bag of cookies each week," said Len, deciding that this was one of the rewards he could offer without much trouble or cost. "If you need more cookies or prefer cream in your coffee, you should buy them."

"I prefer cream," said Pauline "but I can take milk."

"Oh," said Len. "Someone's just entered the store. That's what the buzzer meant. You stay here and have your coffee, I'll go."

The day went quickly and Len was very happy about hiring Lilly. Pauline tended to stay in the background but came forward when Lilly was busy and gradually picked up enough knowledge to answer most questions. Len was less tired than before when they closed the store at six and estimated that they had sold close to two thousand dollars' worth of stock.

Jack phoned Len in the evening to ask how things had gone and Len told him that one of the two women he'd hired was excellent, with the other one being satisfactory.

"Did you sell much?" Jack asked.

"Nearly two thousand dollars. Not as much as I'd hoped but I think it will increase."

"What did you do with the takings?"

"I've got them and will keep them in my safe at home until I give them to you. Would Saturdays be good for that?"

"Yes, that'd be fine. About your sales, we might help that," said Jack. "I'll ask Chris to make up a discount sign."

"A discount? Why?"

"We did that when we opened, calling it a 'Store Opening Discount.' And I'll put an ad in the paper as well. I'll just lower the price by ten percent, that's all. Just to see if that brings in more customers. It did for us, years ago. And we'll do the same thing nearer Christmas, but both stores will be running sales then. And a Boxing Day special, probably, if your assistants will work that day. We'll have to offer them double salaries, of course, but we'll talk about that later."

"Okay. Is Chris there? I'd like to talk to her."

"Sure, hang on," and Jack shouted, telling Chris to pick up the phone. A minute later she did and Jack hung up.

"Hi Chris. How did your day go?"

"Much as usual. We sold about thirty five hundred. What about you?"

"Nearly two thousand. And three to take courses."

"Oh, we didn't get anyone. Are the two women satisfactory?"

"One is excellent and the other not bad. I'll keep both of them. I love you, Chris."

"I love you too, Len. Did you want me to come over tonight?"

"No, but I miss not seeing you. How about going to the movies one night?"

"What's on?"

"I don't know. But it doesn't matter. What night?"

"How about Thursday?"

"Okay. I'll pick you up at six forty five. That should give us time to get the seven o'clock showing."

"All right. Bye, Len. Love you."

"Love you too, Chris. Bye."

Chris had two banner posters when Len collected her on Thursday. They were to be hung diagonally across the two windows and stated, in bright red with a black border on a yellow background, 'Store Opening Discount! The week of Oct. 31st to Nov 5th.' Chris had also made a copy of the price display that stood on the sales counter but this one had an extra column, showing the price of each item with a ten percent discount.

"That's good, Chris. It'll make pricing easier."

"You could display the posters first thing tomorrow to give them warning."

"If I do that they won't buy anything this week," said Len.

"Ah, yes, didn't think about that. Right, you'd better leave it until Saturday evening."

The movie was a spy story, not very interesting and there weren't many in the theatre. No one sat behind them and they spent most of the time kissing.

Saturday morning Susan came, bringing the pay cheques for the two salesladies. She sat with them and explained the deductions she had made but they already knew about them. Len, at the same time, gave each of them twelve dollars. "Twelve," he explained, "because you are also going to the Friday lessons to take Dan." He told Susan what they had agreed to and she was quite impressed. He gave her the envelope with the takings and receipts for the week up to Friday and told her about the two hundred he'd added on Monday. "I've kept that and will add it at the beginning of each week."

"Thanks. I'll tell Chris about that. It's easier than using the money in her purse." As she got in her car she told him that she thought he had hired two excellent helpers.

"There'll be another young man joining us soon, Toby Passent. I think he'll be good too. He uses a computer at home."

## Chapter Sixty

After completing the usual chores Sunday morning Len showered and changed into his good pair of jeans, a shirt and sweater. He drove to Brockville and taped the two banners across the windows. He shopped for the week, buying milk and cookies for the store and leaving the milk in the store's fridge and the cookies on the coffee room counter.

Chris arrived at three and they went straight to bed where they stayed until it was time to have supper. After showering Len lit the fire and Chris helped him barbeque the two trout he'd bought that morning. They ate them with peas and corn, peas from his garden and corn from a can, with an apple pie for dessert. Most of their conversation was about the two stores, Chris saying that she'd like to hire another person and make Ben the store manager so she didn't have to be there all the time.

"I'll have to do that after we married because I'd have a house to look after."

"This house, you mean."

"Well, yes, to begin with, but after we have children we'd have to buy a bigger one, one in town, near the schools. We'd keep this one as a cottage."

"I'd not thought we'd move. This place can be enlarged."

"Well, yes, but it's pretty isolated. I don't want to be here, looking after the kids when they're infants with nobody around. You can understand that, surely."

"Yes, I suppose so."

"And they'd need other children to play with."

"Yes, right. Well, I've already got enough money for a good deposit. But you don't want to have kids immediately, That's what we agreed, I thought."

"That's right, but after a year or two."

"How many do you want?"

"Three or four would be nice. It must be nice to have brothers and sisters."

"Well, it was for me. We don't see much of each other now though."

"You see," said Chris, "I never had that. I've no cousins on mum's side, she was an only child, and dad's sister moved to Australia so I've never even seen her children. She has two boys. They're a bit older than me. I've seen photos. Dad wants to visit her when they retire."

They sat in front of the fire for an hour after cleaning the kitchen then Chris left and Len thought it'd be nice if she stayed all the time, even before they got married but he knew that wouldn't be possible. As store managers they had to behave impeccably.

The third set of evening classes began Monday night with Chris having fifteen in her Learning to use Computers course, Len having a full load of twenty in each of his and Mike having twelve. Chris and Len pooled the money they received from the courses and banked it in Len's personal account, in a section they named 'Mortgage.' That seemed to be the fairest and most suitable way to accumulate this income. Len saved much of his salary and his personal savings account slowly grew.

The Brockville store tripled its income during the sale's week, selling over nine thousand dollars' worth of computers, printers, drives and programs. Three customers asked Len to set up their computers. He did two Wednesday evening and one on Friday. He was so glad when Saturday came, Susan collected the week's takings and paid the staff then, at last, the store closed twenty minutes past six. He drove home, warmed a TV dinner and went to bed, not waking until nine the next day.

Sunday was a dull day and Len lit the fire after breakfast. Matt had bought a load of wood every year and he needed another cord. He found the supplier's name and called him, leaving a message on the machine. A man called back at lunch time and Len ordered a full cord. Once Len told him that he was living at Matt's home the man knew where to take it and would deliver it Tuesday morning. Len told him he would write a cheque and leave it between the screen and house door. He wrote the cheque immediately and left it on the kitchen counter, near the door, so he wouldn't forget. Chris came at three and they made love until five. Afterwards they talked about where they would go for a honeymoon. Chris wanted to go to one of the Caribbean islands and so that was soon settled. She said she'd make the arrangements nearer the time.

Toby Passent was waiting at the Brockville store when Len arrived at eight forty five Monday morning. Len showed him around as he switched on the computers. Once the games had been loaded Toby said, "Pac Man and Space Invaders are fun but there are better ones now you know."

"What kind of games, Toby?"

"Well, simple ones like Draughts and Chequers, and Kindercomp, which might be a good Christmas present for young children. And Amazing Maze, it's obvious what that game is. Lots for older children like Stargate, Lode Runner and Star Raiders. My dad plays that one and Zork."

"Do you buy all the games that come out?"

"Oh, no. There are far too many. I buy one or two and get others from friends. But I also read the Computer and Games Magazine. I'm learning to code and might try to join one of the companies that develops games. Trouble is, the ones I'm interested in are all in the States. My parents don't want me to move there."

"You know, it sounds like it's a good idea to have several of these games running. People would see them, kids would want to play them and we'd sell a lot of computers that way."

"Well, I can bring in several tomorrow."

"Okay, thanks. We'll take orders if anyone wants to buy them. It'll take a week or so to get them but there's plenty of time before Christmas. Chris could make a poster about buying games for Christmas. Maybe Jack would run another ad in the paper. Oh, do you know Mike Corduroy? He teaches the course on Games on Friday nights in our Townsville store."

"No, I don't think so. I know about the course but I don't know Mike."

"Well, you probably have a lot in common. He'll be there this Friday, between seven and eight thirty if you want to meet him. And next Friday too, if you're busy this week."

"I'll drop by. Maybe he'd like to swap games with me."

The wood had been dumped beside the cottage wall next to the logs that remained from Matt's last order when Len returned on Tuesday. He changed into his working clothes adding a heavy sweater because it was near freezing and stacked half of them before stopping and having supper. He'd do the rest tomorrow unless it was raining. Normally the house was heated by baseboard heaters but electricity was expensive so Len set the thermostat at eighteen and wore thick shirts and sweaters during the winter.

Income dropped to between three and four thousand dollars the following weeks of November but a fair number of games were sold and that brought in several hundred extra dollars. Jack didn't run an advertisement just about games but they were mentioned in the 'Christmas Sale' that started on December fifth. Len noticed that women bought more games than men but didn't know if the games were for themselves, their children or for a husband.

Toby knew more about computers than Len did and he eagerly accepted the task of being the store's technical expert. Len asked him to let him know what the new computers were capable of and to suggest which ones to order and to do the same with programs and games and he'd pass the information on to Susan. Toby's knowledge kept Comp & Pro very much up-to-date and he enjoyed helping customers in their homes and charged the same as Len and Mike did, earning this extra money two or three times a week. He was often asked to solve problems that customers had, sometimes going out during the day if it was urgent. But in those cases, Len told him to give the store the money he earned. Toby, naturally, tried to make the calls in the evenings after Len told him to do that. Lilly quickly learned all that was given in the evening courses and skimmed the operating manuals when new computers arrived. She was the one who Len asked to be in charge when he occasionally left the store. Pauline was reliable but slow and didn't read the manuals, tending to ask Lilly to take over if a customer asked questions she couldn't answer.

Jack was so happy about the increase in sales during December that he talked about buying a store in Kingston when he and Susan came over after six mid-December to congratulate Len but Susan reminded him that they were going to retire the next year.

"I don't want you to be worried about sales after we've retired, Jack. You know the computer fad is going to go down sooner or later and you'll get very upset when it does. Remember how it used to be when we started?"

"Yes, but we don't have to worry now, we've got enough to get by easily even if these stores die."

"But you'll still worry as they start sliding down and I don't want that."

"All right, all right. I won't buy another. Still, Len, you've done an excellent job. And Chris as well. I knew she didn't really want to take over the appliances store after we retired but I think she likes running the computer one. It's much easier work for one thing."

"Yes," said Susan, "and I must teach her, and you, Len, about placing orders, getting discounts, handling the accounts and so on. And you must meet our accountant. We'll do all that after Christmas."

"Good. We'll have more time then because we talked about not running courses in January. We'd have our evenings free."

"All right, we'll do it then. Come over for dinner some night, Len. We don't see enough of our future son-in-law. How about this Saturday? Come after the store closes."

"Okay, thanks."

Which reminded Len he'd better think about what Christmas presents to buy. A bottle of scotch for Jack, that was easy but what should he buy for Susan and Chris? And his family, although they didn't spend much on presents for each other. A cook book for Peter? No, any book he could buy would be too elementary. A novel for Barb, that's what he often bought. He'd have to ask her if she knew what Peter might like. A toy for Rob and another model car for Dan? But he couldn't remember what models he already had. Maybe a bottle of scotch for him, too. And broaches for Sarah, Barb and Susan? That might do it. He wrote them down so he didn't forget and took two hours off Thursday afternoon to shop, getting the broaches from the store where he bought Chris's engagement ring. He didn't phone Barb about Peter's present but bought him a rather-expensive bottle of wine when he was buying the scotch.

Saturday it snowed during the morning but that didn't stop people from shopping because Christmas was just a week away. Len couldn't close the store until six forty for there were so many customers inside waiting to be served when he locked the door and turned the sign to 'Sorry, we're closed.' It was the same for Chris although she got away by six thirty. Len thought about calling Susan to say he'd be late but guessed she'd know what was happening. When he arrived, Chris opened the door, gave him a big kiss and took him to the lounge where Jack and Susan were sitting before the fire.

"Sorry I'm late. The store was packed at six and it took until six forty to serve everybody."

"We guessed that, Len. Here, let me get you a scotch," said Jack.

Susan served roast beef for supper together with roast potatoes, parsnip and cauliflower.

"We never see you and Chris on Sunday's any more that's why we're having it tonight. There's an old English dessert, treacle tart. Have you ever had that before, Len?"

"What's treacle?" he asked.

"Corn syrup, that's what I had to use because I couldn't find any treacle in the stores. But it tastes about the same. Tart and custard. I guess you've had custard."

"No, I don't think so."

"It's an egg and cream sauce but I used custard powder. We like it, don't we," and Susan looked at Jack and Chris.

"Yes, we do," Chris said. Jack merely nodded as he opened a bottle of Sauvignon. He filled their glasses and raised his, "To success," he said and they all drank. "It looks like we've all had an excellent year."

"Yes," added Susan. "And it's our last full year. It's been a long struggle but worth it."

"Yes, it has," said Jack. "May your future be as good as ours," he added, raising his glass again and looking at Chris and Len.

After supper they sat in the lounge and discussed their Christmas plans.

"We'll close the stores Saturday at six," said Jack. "That's only one day off for everybody, if we have our Boxing Day sale on Monday, 26th. It's never a big thing at the appliance store, just returns from people who don't want another toaster. But it might be different at the computer stores."

"Don't the staff want longer holidays?" asked Len.

"We give them a couple of days off later in the week. It seems to be okay."

"And pay them double on Boxing Day," added Susan.

"What discount do you give?" asked Len.

"Fifteen or twenty percent. What do you suggest?"

"We'd better give twenty percent if we want anybody to buy just after Christmas," said Len.

"I'd not be surprised if kids use the money they get to buy games that day," said Chris. "I've got enough I think, do you Len?"

"Yes, I think so."

"And Christmas presents for the staff. I'll do the usual and give a week's salary as a bonus to each of them."

"That's a bit unfair," said Chris. "Toby's only been working for a couple of months. Should he receive the same as the others? Ben and Roger have been working for years."

"It's the easiest," said Susan. "It'd be too difficult to work out a sliding scale. It's what we did years ago when Ben joined us in the fall and Roger had been there over a year."

"And it might lead to quibbles about the amounts if we tried to scale it," added Jack.

"To change the subject," said Susan. "What are you doing over Christmas, Len? We'd like you to join us for a Christmas dinner. What day are you free?"

"Well, Christmas day, actually. Barb and Peter are eating with Peter's sister and Dan's family are eating with Sarah's parents. We'll have a family dinner on Wednesday. Mostly to exchange presents."

"Then how about eating with us that day. Okay?"

"Yes, I'd love to."

Jack came to the store on Christmas eve and gave the staff their bonuses, thanking them for all their help. He said he was sorry that the holiday was only one day but that everybody would receive double pay for working on Boxing Dan and be given two days paid holiday during January or February as long as Len said those days would be okay. He told Len afterwards that there'd be few customers during those months so it shouldn't cause any difficulties as long as he just let one assistant go at a time.

It had stopped snowing when Len drove to the Stowel's home at five o'clock on Christmas day with his wrapped presents in a plastic bag beside him. Chris let him in and they stopped in the hall, hugging and kissing. Finally she let him go, after whispering she wished they could have their get-together that afternoon. She took him to the lounge where Jack and Susan were drinking eggnog and Jack gave him a glass.

"We wondered if we should keep the presents until you came," Susan said, "but we decided to open them after breakfast. Not yours, of course."

"Yes, Happy Christmas, Len," said Jack, and gave him a small, wrapped box. "It's from Susan and me."

"And here's my present," said Chris, and fetched a large package from under the tree.

"Oh, I left mine in the hall with my coat," said Len. "I'll go and get them."

Once he had handed them out he sat down then everybody opened their presents. Susan and Jack had given him a self-winding watch and Chris had given him two colourful short sleeved shirts.

"They're for our honeymoon," she said, after he'd opened the package. He smiled at her then told Susan and Chris he didn't know if they'd like the broches he'd chosen but the assistant said they could exchange them for something else if they wanted, But neither wanted to do that so he kept the sales slip in his pocket. Dinner was roast turkey with lots of vegetables. The men had two helpings and were so stuffed after eating just one slice of the fruit cake that they refused another. They ended the meal with a glass of cognac taken with coffee in the lounge. Then Jack made an announcement.

"We're putting the appliance store up for sale in January. Once it's sold we're retiring."

"We don't expect it to go quickly," said Susan. "But, if it hasn't sold by the time you two get married, then we're going to sell off all the appliances and either let or sell the empty store."

"Then we're taking three months holiday and going around the world, stopping for a while in Australia to see my sister and her family."

"I'm very happy for you," said Len. "I hope you have a great retirement."

"We'll keep the two computer stores so both of you will have a job," said Jack. "Don't worry about that."

## Chapter Sixty One

Len looked out of the window at seven Monday morning, checking to see if there was more snow but he could still see the wagon's tracks from driving in last night so he knew he didn't have to use the snow blower. He'd better check that it started when he got home although he was pretty sure it would be okay. He arrived early at the store and, after opening the shutters, replaced the counter price list with the one that showed the twenty percent Boxing Day discount. When Lilly arrived she immediately asked if she could have her two days off following the New Year holiday.

"Err, yes, you can," said Len, guessing that there wouldn't be many customers that day.

"Thanks," Lilly said. "You might as well know why. My boyfriend lives in Ottawa and I want to go there."

"Oh. Is it serious?"

"It should be, we've been seeing each other for eight years. But we don't want to get married. We both had nasty divorces in our twenties. Seeing each other most weekends is good enough, that, plus holidays together is all I want."

"I see. Well, if there's anything I can do to help your get what you want, please ask."

Toby arrived, with half-closed eyes, looking as if he should have stayed in bed. Len told him to make a pot of coffee but he could stay in the coffee room until needed if he liked.

"Thanks, boss. It's been a long night."

"He told me that he was going to a party," said Lilly after Toby had left. "I guess it's only just finished."

Pauline arrived at nine fifteen, saying she was sorry. But it didn't matter for no one came into the store until nine thirty and they only wanted to buy a game. Len wondered why there weren't many more people until several arrived at once just after ten o'clock. After helping to serve one couple buy an IBM he asked why they hadn't come until now and they told him that the ad said 'Boxing Day Sale, Twenty Percent Discount! Starts at 10 am at both Comp & Pro stores.'

'Ah,' he muttered. 'I wish Jack had told me that.' But it didn't really matter. Toby was aroused from his nap and the store was full all day, selling, Len guessed after skimming through all the sales slips, over eleven and a half thousand dollars, mostly from people buying the more expensive computers.

Once all the customers and his assistants had left he called the Townsville store to see how they had done but there was no answer. An hour later, as he was sitting in the lounge with a cognac, almost falling asleep, Jack phoned him and asked how the day was.

"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you that I said the sale started at ten. I thought the customers would want more sleep. Chris was a bit annoyed with me because she didn't know either. How did the day go?"

"Excellently. I'm sure we sold nearly twelve thousand dollars worth of stock. How was it for Chris?"

"She sold over eight. You know, even with the discount, it might be worth our having sales every few months."

"It'd have to be on a random basis otherwise everybody would not buy until there was a sale."

"Yes, I know. Maybe twice a year, late spring and autumn? Think about how that could work."

"Okay."

"Chris wants to speak with you, Len. Hang on."

"Hi Len. Had a busy day?"

"Yes. You too?"

"Yes. I'm going to bed soon. You should too. I just wanted to tell you that I love you."

"I love you too, Chris. Are we okay for next weekend?"

"Yes. And I'm thinking about that, I've something in mind. I'll call you later in the week about it. Go to bed now. Love you."

"Love you too, Chris. Good night."

"Bye, Len."

Tuesday morning Len remembered to check the snow blower for the radio said that more snow was coming. He put on his old clothes and went to the tool shed. His hands got very cold as he maneuvered the machines around to get the snow blower next to the door. He opened the door and filled the tank with fuel, checked the oil level then plugged it in, glad that it had an electric starter. Pressing the button he adjusted the choke until the engine caught and he let it run for a minute before switching off. He'd have no trouble now when the snow came.

The store was fairly empty the rest of the week. Children came in to buy games and some bought disk drives to play the games they had been given. Only one computer was sold, their most expensive Commodore, to a businessman, who also bought a wide-page printer and rhymes of paper.

Chris phoned Thursday evening around eight o'clock, when she knew Len would have had his supper but not yet gone to bed.

"Len, I've told dad and mum that I'm staying with you over the New Year holiday."

"What! What did they say?"

"I think they were happy for me. They didn't say no. But they knew we are sleeping together. I rather suspect they did the same before they got married. So, after the stores close on Saturday I'll drive straight to your place. Okay?"

"Sure. That'd be wonderful. I'll have to buy extra food for the weekend. What would you like?"

"Don't mind. Whatever you like."

"I love you, Chris. Can't wait for the weekend now."

"Me too. Bye, Len. Love you," and she hung up.

Friday evening Len bought his usual groceries but also some frozen crab legs and two tenderloin steaks, something he'd only eaten two or three times in restaurants. He asked the assistant at the store how to cook them and about cooking the crab legs so he thought he could manage but later checked with the cookbooks in Matt's study.

He got up early on Saturday and vacuumed the floors then dusted and changed the sheets and pillow cases on his bed. He put them in the washing machine before leaving for work. Once there he made a sign, saying that the store would close at five that day and hoped that he wouldn't miss any sales by doing so. He knew that his assistants wouldn't mind although Jack was, when he came in to pay everybody. After doing that he called Len aside and said, "Did you put that up today?"

"Yes. Do you mind?"

"Well, no, but you should give longer notice, two or three days, at least, if you close earlier. Is it because Chris is coming over?"

"Err, yes, it is. I want to be ready."

"Okay, then. That's a good reason," and he laughed. "Sue and I used tricks like that to get together before we got married, too. Well, be nice to each other," and he shook Len's hand, leaving the store with a grin on his face, probably thinking about what he used to do when he was young.

Once home, Len changed into casual slacks, shirt and sweater and lit the fire in the lounge. He laid the table in the lounge and placed two candles in the centre. Tonight they'd have a salad, one he'd bought ready-made from the supermarket and the crab legs. He lit the candles as he saw the lights from Chris's car shine on the kitchen windows then waited until she came to the door because he was in his slippers. Once she was in he held and kissed her only stopping when she said she had to take off her coat. He helped her do that then she told him that she had a stollen cake in the bag and she put it on the kitchen counter.

"A stolen cake? You stole it?"

"No," she laughed, "it's a Christmas cake that mum made. It's spelt 's t o l l e n,' with two lls. Lots of fruit and marzipan. You'll love it."

"I'm sure it's better than the mince pies I bought."

"It will be, but I like those too."

"Here, put these on," and handed her a pair of slippers. "Matt had three pairs and these should fit you. We'll have a drink in the lounge before eating, if you like."

"Yes, that would be nice. Do you have egg nog?"

"No, sorry. There's some sherry or gin or vodka. And scotch, if you like that."

"What kind of sherry?"

"Tio Pepe, I think. Let's look," and he opened the door of the sideboard where the liquor was kept. "No, it's Dry Sack."

"I'll have that then."

He poured Chris a glass then took some himself, wondering what it tasted like. They clicked glasses and took a sip. Len found he enjoyed the taste and they sat together on the sofa in front of the fire.

"The table looks nice, Len. What are we eating tonight? Or is it a surprise."

"No, it's salad and crab legs. I hope you like them."

"Yes, I do. Very much. Good. How are you going to heat them?"

"The man in the store told me to wrap each leg in wet newspaper and give each one two or three minutes in the microwave. Warm until the water's steaming, he said, and they should be fine."

"Do you have shell crackers?"

"I couldn't find any so I've got the nut cracker and some pliers."

Chris laughed, "I'm sure we'll manage with them."

After their sherry was finished they went to the kitchen. Chris tipped salad into two bowls and put them and the salad dressings on the table while Len half-filled the kitchen sink and wet a few pages of newspaper. He took the crab legs from the refrigerator where he'd placed them that morning and wrapped one in the wet paper before putting it in the microwave.

"Oh," he said, before switching it on, "do you want to eat the salad before or after the crab legs."

"Before, I guess. My fingers will be all sticky after the crab. What about butter? Are you going to melt some?"

"I forgotten about that, yes." He put some in a small bowl and Chris said, "just leave it until we've eaten the salad. I'll put the bowl in hot water then while you warm the legs."

"The crab legs or yours?" he asked with a grin.

Chris laughed and said, "both, but the crab legs first."

The salad was average, the crab legs were excellent, once Len had broken the pincers with his pliers, and the stollen was wonderful. They both had two slices. Hunger satisfied they washed their hands then rushed to the bedroom, leaving the dishes on the table.

Two hours later Len got up, put on Matt's dressing gown and went downstairs, leaving Chris asleep in the bed. He took the dishes to the kitchen, leaving them in some water in the sink to be washed in the morning, cleaned the table and went back to bed. This woke Chris and they made love again. Sometime afterwards Len asked her what contraception method she was using.

"I started with the diaphragm as you know but didn't like it so I'm now using the pill. Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered, that's all."

"Don't worry. I don't want to get pregnant any more than you do. Want to make love again?"

"We can play but I don't know if I'm able to go the full way. When we wake up would be better."

"Okay," and they drifted off to sleep, forgetting that it had just gone midnight and the new year had started, only remembering when Len woke at seven thirty.

They got up at nine, Len having the first shower. He cleaned the fireplace and started a new fire then washed the dishes. He should have asked Chris what she wanted for breakfast so he didn't know what to prepare. He put the kettle on and waited. It had snowed and it looked as if he would have to clean the drive. And the cars were covered. He wished he had built a garage but there had never been time to do so. Next spring he'd make time and build a double garage for Chris would need one.

They had fried tomatoes on toast for breakfast, using two of the frozen packages from Len's garden. Chris added some Lee and Perrins and Len tried it but preferred the taste of tomatoes without the extra spiciness. It had started to snow so they sat by the fire, watched the news and how the New Year was celebrated around the world, then searched through the books to find something to read. For lunch they made ham sandwiches and finished the salad. It stopped snowing soon afterwards and they put on their coats and gloves and Len used the snowblower to clear the driveway while Chris brushed the snow off the cars. They watched television for a while then Len grilled the steaks in the oven after cooking the frozen French fries. It wasn't the best way to prepare the meal but the meat was so tender it didn't really matter. They ate it in the lounge, sitting on the sofa and placing their plates on the low table in front of the fire. They drank wine, ate more stollen then went back to bed, again leaving the dishes to be done later.

Chris got up first on Monday morning. After her shower she put on the dressing gown and went to the kitchen where she washed the dishes then made a large cheese omelette and a cafeteria of coffee. Dividing the omelette in two she put it on a tray with toast and marmalade and carried it up to the bedroom. Les was still asleep. She put the tray on the side table and kissed his face. He opened his eyes and saw her in Matt's dressing gown leaning over him.

"What time it?" he asked.

"Nine thirty. I've made breakfast. Move over and we'll have it in bed."

She helped Len to sit up, arranged her pillow then sat on the bed besides him. They ate, drank then Len removed the tray and Chris's gown. The dishes had to wait until eleven to get washed.

Chris left at three for it was starting to snow again. The house seemed empty afterwards. 'That was a lovely weekend' thought Len. 'I wonder why. It wasn't just the sex or even talking. We didn't do much of that. It was just her presence that seemed to warm the house, made it feel like home. Perhaps that is what marriage is about, the feeling that things are okay, that there is someone to be with all the time. Someone who cared about you and that you cared about. Nothing more than that, maybe. I guess I shouldn't be expecting anything more.'

Lilly's absence Tuesday and Wednesday was mostly noticed by Pauline for the store wasn't busy and she had no one to chat with for Toby played games or worked on the latest computers when they arrived. Len did the same, only breaking off when customers entered. He wondered if they should close the stores for the first two weeks of January but decided it wouldn't be a good thing for it was important to be open when people wanted something. But he was happy that Lilly took her two days holiday then. Maybe Pauline and Toby could be encouraged to take their two days off in January next year.

The fifth round of classes started Monday, January ninth. Enough people had signed up for each one with fifteen, twelve of them teenagers, signing for Mike's classes on Games.

Len had supper with the Stowels each Wednesday evening and afterwards he and Chris spent two hours with Susan who went through the things she did for their stores; ordering from the two distributors she now used for computers, what mark-up she added to each item, how she kept records of purchases and sales, the importance of dating every transaction, employee pay and deductions, their tax year and she introduced Len to the accountant she used, both for the appliance store and for Comp & Pro. Chris already knew him. By the end of January both Chris and Len felt that they could manage everything related to their stores.

The last Sunday afternoon of January, as Chris and Len were sitting by the fire, Len asked why her dad wanted to retire this year. "How old is he? He can't be much more than, what, fifty?"

"He's fifty five. Mum's fifty three."

"But, surely, fifty five is a bit too early to retire? He's okay, not ill?"

"Not as far as I know. A good friend, one who helped him and mum when they were starting their store told dad that he was going to work until he was sixty five then retire and have a good life. Well, he fell on an icy path one winter, just six months after he'd retired, hit his head and died in hospital."

"But that was an accident. How does that affect what your dad thinks?"

"I'm not sure but I know it's related. Dad says he just wants enough money to live comfortable and travel a bit. He doesn't want to work until he's got pots of money then retire if he's going to die soon afterwards. Mum thinks the same."

"She must have been, what, thirty five when you were born."

"Yes. They went out together for four years and married when she was thirty three. They'd both had earlier love affairs she told me, but neither resulted in marriage."

"I see. I think that's what I'd want to do; work until I have enough then retire."

"Of course, me too."

"But I don't like the idea of serving in a store all my working life. It's not interesting enough."

"Well you don't have to. You told me you've got some money, you could tell dad you're leaving and he'd hire another manager. That way you could buy old houses and renovate them."

"Ah, no, I don't want to do that either. It's much harder than I thought, both physically and mentally."

"Well, I expect you'll find something else to do. Teaching, perhaps. You said you liked that."

"I did, in the beginning but less now. It makes such a long day when I teach."

"Not if you're teaching during the day. Would you like to teach mathematics?"

"I'd have to get a degree to do that, but it's worth thinking about."

"Well, don't worry about it, something will turn up."

## Chapter Sixty Two

Monday, January thirtieth, after Lilly and Pauline had left and Len was turning the sign around to show that the store was closed Toby asked if he could talk to him. They sat in the coffee room and Toby told him what had happened over the weekend.

"I went to Gananoque to see my cousin. I do that every few months to swap games. He works for his dad in the pub but doesn't like the job. It means he gets very few evenings free. I was telling him about my job and saying how well we were doing, especially before Christmas. Then he said that his dad had told him that he could get another job if he liked and what he'd really like to do was work in a store that sold computers. I told him that Comp & Pro wouldn't be able to hire him, especially now, for the store hadn't been very busy that month. But Chris had different idea, he wondered if his dad would let him open and run a store. Once the pub had closed that afternoon he talked to his dad about running a store and his dad said that if selling computers made lots of money like I said it did then he'd lease one for a year and Dick could try it. That really surprised Dick so we spent the rest of the afternoon talking about it. Dick had bought his latest computer from this store just after Christmas, during the Boxing Day sale. I told him it was coming, so he waited until that happened, sorry. Anyway, we wondered if a Comp & Pro branch could be opened in Gananoque. What do you think, Len? Could it?"

"Well, I suppose so. But I'd be sorry if you left."

"No, I wasn't planning to leave here. I don't want to commute to Gananoque every day. Brockville's far enough. And his store might not be successful. He'd have to find people to help him, though. I thought I could help him start, that's all."

"I see. Well, I'll have to talk to Jack. I guess he's the owner, if that's the right word, of the Comp & Pro name. If he said yes there'd have to be a number of reservations, I'm sure."

"Reservations? What do you mean?"

"You'd not be able to do anything that might spoil the Comp & Pro name would be one, I'm sure. and others, but I don't know what."

"Oh, I see. Yes, of course. He'd have to agree to that."

"And there might be a fee to use it."

"Oh, we hadn't talked about that. It'd be like a franchise then."

"I guess so. Look, I'll phone Jack and see what he says."

Len called him, hoping that he was still in the store. He was and said he'd have to think about it.

"Give me a day or so, Len."

"Sure, Jack. Thanks."

He told Toby what Jack had said then locked the shutters, set the alarm and they left for home.

Later that evening Jack phoned Len and said he'd discussed the idea with Susan and Chris and he wanted to do the same with Len present. "So, can you come over for supper tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Yes, of course."

"Good."

Len told Toby next morning that he would be discussing the idea with Jack that evening and might have more to say on Wednesday. "Hopefully, it'll be good, or he wouldn't have wanted to talk more about it but better not say anything to your cousin yet."

"Can I just say it's being discussed? I know the idea's important to him."

"Sure, but I don't know what will be decided."

Jack was, Len learnt, very interested in the idea but Susan wasn't. Chris was neutral. Len sided with Jack but didn't say much at first because he didn't want to upset Susan.

"I've talked to my lawyer and our accountant," Jack said, "and I know more about franchises now. If we went ahead the first thing we should do is register the name, Comp & Pro. So we own it. Then we should draw up how that name should be protected, things the franchisee cannot do, like sell below our stated price. Then spell out things that they have to do, such as they have to buy through us, have to give us a percentage of their profits and so on. Look, I've made a lot of notes."

"And who's going to look after all that?" asked Susan. "I'm getting a divorce if you say you or I will do it."

"Well, I thought Chris and Len could do it."

"Ah, no," said Chris. "I don't mind running a store but it'd be a lot more work to run a franchise."

"Then, how about you, Len? Would you do it?"

"And run the Brockville store? Well, maybe for one or two stores but not if there were more. I think it would take up too much time."

"Then, how about my finding another manager for the Brockville store and you take on the franchise?"

"For the same pay?" Len asked.

"I don't know. Probably."

"I'd have to think about it. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"

"Yes," said Jack and gave Len the notes he had made.

"Look, if you're going to go ahead with it I don't want to be involved in the discussions," said Susan. "It's too upsetting."

"Then Len and I will meet during the day and you don't have to be involved," said Jack. "Don't worry, Sue. I'm not going to do it myself. If Len won't take it on then we'll drop the idea. Okay, love?"

"As long as you don't keep worrying about it if Len says yes, then okay. And you don't want any part of it, Chris?" Susan asked.

"No. And, Len, think seriously about it. You were saying over the weekend that you wanted something different from working in a store all your life. This might be the something."

"Yes, I will. I'll phone you when I've made up my mind Jack."

Once Len got home he poured himself a cognac, added water to thin it, sat in the lounge in his dad's easy chair then began reading Jack's notes. He became more and more worried as he read. All the things he'd have to do—interviewing to choose only candidates who might become successful franchisers, finding suitable sites for the stores, dividing towns into areas, preparing quality requirements and periodically checking that they were being carried out, controlling inventories, auditing. So much work! It was worse than renovating, mentally worse, that is. He didn't want to run a franchise if all this was required. Looking after a store was so much easier. Boring, but easier. No, he'd phone Jack in the morning and tell him he didn't want to do it.

He didn't sleep well that night, thinking that Jack would be so disappointed as would Toby for his friend. Maybe there was an easier way to do things. He tossed and turned but couldn't think of a way, dreaming then wakening up all night.

He woke at six with an obvious answer, if answer it was. Jack could sell just the right to use the name and collect royalties. No, that would mean audits and some kind of controls. Why not just sell the name? No, why not lease the name? Just that. Then all that needed to be done was wait for the cheque to arrive. Once the cheque stopped coming they couldn't use the name any more. He'd do that in a shot. There'd be nothing to it. But would Jack agree? And was the name Comp & Pro worth paying a monthly fee to use? Well, using the name was what Toby, or, rather, Dick, wanted to do. Because people in Gananoque knew about them. 'Right,' he decided, 'I'll tell Jack that and see what he says. And if he agrees I'll tell Toby.'

Len opened the store then phoned Jack and asked when it was good to see him.

"Right now, if you like. No. How about meeting me in our Tim Hortons at ten?"

"Okay, I'll be there."

At nine forty five Len asked Lilly to be in charge and drove to Townsville meeting Jack in the coffee shop. After buying two mugs they found a table somewhat apart from the other customers and Len told Jack what he suggested they do. Jack, at first, was not in favour of doing what Len proposed.

"There won't be much money coming in if we do that Len. No cut on all the items they sell, no control on what their store looks like. They might even ruin what credibility we've established."

"Well, I've thought about that, Jack. We could help them at the beginning. Just then, then leave them to do their own thing."

"What do you mean, 'help them at the beginning'?"

"Give them, no, sell them a week's training. You know, who to buy from, how to keep records, hiring employees, stuff like that. But that's all. No, we could offer assistance if they needed it, as paid consultants. But nothing more. I'd do all that and run the Brockville store too."

"Hmm. Well, maybe. How much do you thing we should lease the use of the name for?"

"A hundred a month?"

"No. They'd make that in five minutes if the store took off."

"Yes, but they wouldn't have any income at the beginning. It'd have to be low for the first few months."

"How about two hundred a month for six months then four hundred a month?"

"Okay, that sounds better and would be affordable."

"And charge for the training course. How much?"

"I don't know how long it would be. We could decide that when I've drawn it up."

"Okay. Look you tell Toby and see what his friend says. Okay?"

"Yes, I'll tell him when I get back."

Len drove back to the store and spoke to Toby as soon as they were both free.

"We're interested in doing what you and Dick have proposed but we don't want to run a franchise," Len said, not telling him that it would be way too much work. "What we will do is lease the use of the name to Dick and give him some training. All the rest would be up to him."

"How much would the lease cost?"

"Two hundred a month for six months, then four hundred a month after that."

"And the training. What would that cover?"

"Just about everything he needs to know to start and run a Comp & Pro store. I'll know how long the course would be when I've organised it."

"I see. Can I use the phone and call him?"

"Sure."

Toby phoned and Dick answered, having just finished cleaning the tables in the pub. Toby told him what Len had said. They talked for a little then Toby hung up.

"He'll have to talk to his dad but likes the plan, especially the training. He has lots of questions to ask if his dad agrees to it."

Len didn't hear from Dick until Thursday afternoon when he phoned the Brockville store.

"Mr. Andrews?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Dick Drover. Toby's cousin. I've been talking with my dad and he wants to meet you to talk about opening a Comp & Pro franchise. Can he visit you?"

"Hmm, I'd rather visit him. There's not a good place to discuss these things in the store."

"Well, can you come in the afternoon? After three, when the pub's closed?"

"Yes. But not today. I'm running a class in the evening so I wouldn't have much time. How about tomorrow?"

"Yes, that'd be fine. Do you know the pub? Ganny's Home?"

"No, I don't."

"It's on James Street. On the corner where it hits Front."

"Oh, I can find that easily enough. I'll be there at three tomorrow then."

"Thanks, Mr. Andrews."

Len told Toby that Dick had phoned and that he would see him and his dad tomorrow afternoon.

"Ah, good. He told me last night that his dad was going to talk to you about it. Let me know if I can help in any way. He's a good guy. You'll like him."

Len then phoned Jack and told him what had happened.

"Good. I've got a guy registering the Comp & Pro name so we can go ahead. It should be trademarked in a couple of weeks."

"Do you want to come with me tomorrow?"

"No. It's all yours. Sue would be mad at me if I did anything connected to this."

"Okay. I'll let you know what happens."

Len found the pub easily, arriving just before three. He walked in just as a man was calling, "Last Orders" and introduced himself once he had poured the last pints.

"Oh, Hello Mr. Andrews. I'm George Drover, Dick's dad. Want a beer or something?"

"No, thanks. I'd better not since we have to talk business. Is Dick here?"

"He's in the cellar. He'll be up soon. Just take a seat until this lot goes then we'll move to the lounge. Prue can make you a coffee or tea if you like."

"No, thanks. I'm fine."

Dick came up five minutes later and shook hands with Len. Ten minutes after that the last customers left and Mrs. Drover came out to be introduced by George.

"I'll tidy up," she said, "while you talk. The lounge is fine. Can I get you anything to drink, Mr. Andrews."

"No, thanks, Mrs. Drover."

"How about you, George? Dick?"

"Not now, mum," and George shook his head. "Come and join us when you're done, Prue."

"I will."

Mr. Drover led the way to the room that opened off the side of the room. It was more of a snug than a lounge, used most often Len guessed, by courting couples. The fire was unlit but the room was warm. They sat in the corner booth opposite the entrance and Mr. Drover put a couple of pages of what looked like questions on the table.

"Well," he said. "It's a bit of an undertaking. Dick's a capable young man, a good son, and I'd like to help him. But he's never run a business nor worked in a store. If I can find a suitable place that not too far away I or Prue can help him, especially with the paper work side but we don't know anything about computers. So what I want to know is how would you help him get started? And, of course, what would everything cost."

Len, who had been thinking about exactly the same problems for the past two days, ran through the costs he could foresee.

"There's the rent of the store, of course, and hiring one or more employees. I'm sure one would be enough to start with. There's the cost of renovating the store, adding shelves, a sales counter if there isn't one and a cash register, tables and chairs. And painting the place. We haven't drawn up the agreement yet but we do want the stores to look alike, being painted the same inside colour and using the exterior name to look like the two stores we already have. We'll arrange that once we know what size display area you have and we'll pay for it. There's also the cost of the stock you want. Chris will suggest what you might buy, the computers, drives, monitors, programs and other items and keep you up-to-date. She'll probably do that every two weeks. You should order through us, not that we'd take a discount but so that by combining your orders with ours we might get a bigger discount. Your initial stock might cost five thousand dollars or more, depending what you decide to order."

"And the franchise cost?"

"Since this is the first time we've leased the name we don't know how things will go so we've decided to charge two hundred a month for the first six months then four hundred a month for the next six. After that we will make it five hundred a month but no more."

"That's what Dick told me. It's much less than I thought it would be," said Mr. Drover.

"Well, perhaps it is but that will be enough for what we're providing. You buy from us so we can all get a discount, as I said, and we deliver it to you. We're not insisting you abide by a lot of requirements other than joining us when we have a sale. And we won't inspect your premises nor audit your sales. All we're doing is letting you use the name and helping when we can."

"And teaching Dick how to run the place."

"Yes. What I plan is for you, Dick, is to come and work in the Brockville store for one or two weeks, I won't pay you to do that because it's your classroom. And I suggest you come to the classes we run in Townsville, free of charge. They run for three weeks, from seven thirty to nine o'clock in the evenings. There are four different classes each week and I suggest you take all of them. Plus you and I will spend time on what records to keep, I'll have a set of notes for you about all those things. Oh, I forgot. We have sales a few times each year. You have to do the same, give the same discount and run them when the other stores do. Ah, no, I've just thought of something. All the stock you sell must be sold at the same price as we sell it at. You'd have to do that or no one would understand that Comp & Pro is one organization. Would that be a problem?"

"No, I don't think so. We can't compete with each other if we're all Comp & Pro, can we. Then you'll be telling me what the selling prices should be?"

"Yes."

"Well, we would have to tell you how much stock we want. You wouldn't compel us to buy more than we order?"

"No, of course not. Although you might want us to suggest items before we have a sale. We'll put ads in the paper ahead of time and you'll have to give the same discounts during the sale."

"What do you think, dad? Can I do it? It'd mean that I'd not be able to help in the evenings when I'm taking the classes, for instance. But I could in the evenings afterwards."

"It'd be a long day for you, son, if you did that. I'll hire another man. Well, Mr. Andrews, it seems quite reasonable. Prue and I were worried that it'd cost too much. As I see it it'd not cost more than fifteen thousand to set everything up and we can afford that. It's about what we saved for you to go away to university, Dick, but you didn't do that. This, in fact, might be a better use of the money. That's if computers continue to sell and, from what I hear from many of my customers, I'm sure they will. You'll always be around to help us if we run into any difficulties?"

"Yes, of course. We want you to succeed. And please call me Len."

"Right," said Mr. Drover standing up and holding out his hand. "We'll give it a go. And call me George. Prue," he called, "can you come here?"

George and Len shook hands, then Dick did the same as Mrs. Drover entered the room.

"Oh," she said, "it looks as if you have agreed to go ahead."

"Yes, we have. I'll tell you all about it later. Now, how about a drink to celebrate? What would you like, Len?"

"Oh, a beer would be nice, thanks."

"How about a scotch? That's what I'm having."

"Okay, with a little water in it, please."

"Right. Prue, how about you?"

"Gin and tonic George."

"Dick?"

"A beer, dad."

George left the room and Mrs. Drover sat down where he had been sitting and asked, "Do you think it will be a success, Mr. Andrews?"

"Len, please. Call me Len. Well, yes, I do. Our sales have been increasing and from what I hear sales everywhere are much greater than anyone expected. Everyone wants a computer these days. And, better still, everyone seems to want the new ones, ones that run faster, have bigger memories that hold more complex programs, and that means that they buy new ones as soon as they can afford it."

"Then there must be a lot of second hand computers around," said Dick. "What happens to them?"

"I don't know. Probably the owners sell them cheaply to those who can't afford to buy a new one."

George, carrying a tray, came in and put it on the table. Mrs. Drover moved over and he sat down then handed out the drinks.

"Just let me look through my notes to see if there's anything else I should ask." He picked them up while everyone else took a drink. "Oh," he said, "I should tell you I haven't found a store yet. But I've been driving around the streets looking. I'll call an agent once you're gone and see if there's anything available."

"How do you feel about all this Dick?" asked his mother.

"Excited, mum. And scared. There's much to learn but Mr. Andrews will help, he said."

"Yes, I will Dick. And please call me Len. Everyone does."

"There's evening classes I've got to go to," Dick told her. "Oh, err, Len. When do they start?"

"The next series starts Monday, February twentieth. There's a sign up list in the Brockville store. I'll add your name to it."

"And when should I come to the store to learn?"

"Why not wait until I've found a store, Dick," said his father. "Once we've found a place we'll know what it looks like and you will have a better idea of how to arrange it."

"Oh, it's a good thing to get one with a store room. It doesn't have to be too big, and a coffee room and toilet, though I guess nearly all stores have these things. But you can come in anytime you like, Dick. Come to the Brockville store where I work. Give me a call when you want to come. Here's a couple of my business cards. You'll have to get your own for yourself and for your store when you start."

Len finished his scotch, which tasted rather nice. He asked George what it was and he was told it was Grants. "Why do you ask?" George said.

"I rather like it. It's better than the ones I've had before."

"It's my favourite too," George said.

Len stood up and so did the others. "I hope your adventure goes well, Dick. I'll do all I can to help you. Let me know when you find a store, George. You know about location?"

"Yes, the better to location the better the sales. Sure. But it means that we might have a long wait to find a suitable place. And it'll cost more."

"But it's worth it," added Len. "Well, I'm off. Let's hope we can start soon."

"Bye, Len," said Mrs. Drover.

"Bye," said George and Dick. Len waved his hand and walked to the door when Dick joined him.

"I'll unlock it," he said. "Thanks again, Len."

Len drove back to Brockville. It was after five when he got there and there were several people in the store so he began helping them. After the store closed he told Toby that Dick's dad was going to find a store and help him start. "He'll be coming here later to find out how we do things."

"Oh, that's great news. I bet he's pleased. I'll call him tonight."

Len phoned Jack before leaving to tell him what had happened. "I'll make some notes about what I said so we don't forget anything."

"Okay. Give me a copy tomorrow," said Jack. "How about having coffee in Townsville at ten?"

"Okay."

## Chapter Sixty Three

Len gave Jack his summary page after they had sat down with their coffees with two donuts on a plate in front of them. Jack skimmed what Len had written and said that it looked all right to him; the lease payments of two, then four, then five hundred a month for the use of the name matched what they had earlier discussed. He thought it was a very good idea to have Dick work in the store for a couple of weeks. "Certainly that's a good way to train anyone," he said, "and I like the idea of painting the inside of the store to match our two stores and saying they had to sell at the same price as we do. They can compete on service but not on price. Good."

"I told him we'd buy the outside store name so it's an extra cost for us."

"Yes, but it's okay. Right, it all seems fine, Len. I guessed that they wouldn't have rented a place yet, they couldn't do that without finding out what the whole thing would cost."

"That's right. George's going to see an estate agent today."

"Well, it won't mean much to us, financially. Another couple hundred dollars a month. Do you think anything could go wrong with the arrangement? That they might do something that would ruin the name?"

"I don't think so. It's in their interest to maintain it. Oh, I told them that they had to join the store sales we run and that we'd advertise in the Gananoque paper. They have one, I suppose."

"Yes, it's the Gananoque Reporter. I'll include it when we run the next sale. That is, if they've opened by then. How about we have one at Easter?"

"Fine, they should be all set by then."

"Whether they're opened or not we should have a sale then. It's a good time for one."

"Okay."

They finished their coffees and left the shop, Jack back to his appliances and Len to see Chris and tell her what had happened. She knew most of it, of course, from discussions with her dad, done when Susan was in the kitchen and out of earshot, but was happy to see Len.

They talked in the store room after sharing a few kisses. Len also asked her what she would like for her birthday but she simply said, "a surprise, anything," which didn't help him much. He'd have to think of something that wasn't jewelry. Maybe a cheque for two hundred dollars to be spent on clothes. Would she like that? Perhaps it would do, but it was a bit impersonal, just handing over a cheque. He'd have to think about what might be appropriate.

Chris and Len spent a couple of hours in bed Sunday afternoon, getting up and showering in time for them to drive to her house where her parents had arranged a birthday dinner. Susan had cooked one of Chris's favourite meals; roast beef, roast potatoes, roast parsnip and steamed Brussel sprouts, covered with a rich gravy. It was something she couldn't cook on Monday, Chris's actual birthday. A cherry pie and ice cream followed. There were no presents, they'd wait until tomorrow, the sixth of February, when she would be twenty. Len was relieved, for he still hadn't thought of a present to give her. But, it was more and more likely that he'd be giving her a cheque. He'd write one when he got home and put it in the envelope with a birthday card and give it to her tomorrow unless he could think of something else.

They sat in the lounge afterwards and Len accepted a scotch and water to accompany Jack. They talked a little about the wedding, Susan asking how many people Len would be inviting.

"Four, I guess, Barb and Peter, Dan and Sarah, plus their baby, Rob, who's two. Come to think of it, his birthday is on Tuesday. I'll have to find a present for him tomorrow. Any ideas what a two year old would like?"

"Is he walking?" asked Susan.

"I think so, but I've not seen him since Christmas. He was almost doing it then. I should go more often but I've been so busy."

"Can I come with you?" asked Chris.

"Yes, of course. I'll phone and ask if we can visit on Tuesday."

"Phone now, if you like," said Jack.

"Okay, thanks."

Len picked up the phone that was on the side table next to Jack. "Hello Dan," he said after hearing his voice. "It's Len. How are things?"

"Oh great. Cars are still selling even in the snow. How are things with you."

"They're fine too. I'm with Chris and her parents right now and I wondered if Chris and I could come over on Tuesday with a present for Rob."

"Sure, it'd be good to see you both again. Rob's having a birthday party with a couple of friends at four so you'd have to come in the evening."

"All right, we'd have to do that anyway."

"Well he goes to bed about eight most days. Can you come before then?"

"Yes."

"Good. Barb won't be here, she's coming in the afternoon to help Sarah."

"Okay. Well, see you Tuesday evening."

Len told them what Dan had said and told Chris they'd have to get there before eight. "How about I pick you up at seven?"

"All right."

"About a present, Len," said Susan. "Even if he's not walking I think he'd like a push cart. You did, Chris, and you used it to help you walk around. Remember?"

"I've seen the photo of me using it in one of the albums."

"Show it to Len so he knows what it is."

Chris got up and found the album among several others on the bookshelf at the back of the room. She sat next to Len and found the page.

"There. That's me. I used the cart to give my dolls a ride. That's before I got the pram."

"Show Len all the photos, Chris."

"He won't want to see me when I was that young."

"Yes, I would," said Len. "Let me see."

He took the album from her hands and opened it on the first page. There was a full-sized photo of Susan holding a baby in her hands sitting more-or-less upright in a hospital bed.

"Jack took that when he came in to see me," said Susan, as she leaned over. Len thought she looked much younger than the thirty three she must have been when the photo was taken. He turned the pages as Chris and Susan told him when and where, if they remembered, the photographs were taken. Jack added a few words now and again.

It was nine thirty when the evening ended and Len drove home having learned a little more about the Stowel's and Chris's history. But he still didn't know what to give Chris for her birthday.

Monday morning he phoned her just after nine, knowing she would be in the store and that it likely wasn't busy. After saying "Happy Birthday, Chris," he asked if he could come over and give her the birthday present.

"Yes, of course. What is it?"

"You'll have to wait until I get there," not wanting to say it was just simply a cheque on the phone. He wanted to see how disappointed she would be when he said it so he might soften the blow somehow.

"Okay. Mum and dad gave me a beautiful set of suitcases. 'They're for your honeymoon,' mum said. I can't wait to use them!"

Suddenly Len had a great idea, he'd take Chris to Toronto for the weekend! That way she could use her new cases. It wouldn't be a long weekend, just Saturday night, they'd take the day off Saturday and come back on Sunday. That way they could also find out how the staff managed the stores when they weren't there. When they went on their honeymoon Jack could check each store from time to time but this would be a warm-up for everyone. Lilly could be in charge in Brockville and Chris would probably ask Ben to supervise at Townsville. He told Lilly he was going to see Chris but wouldn't be long and asked her to be in charge. Pauline, as usual, wasn't in; she usually came in just after nine fifteen. Toby was always waiting at the front when Len arrived.

Len took the cheque out of the envelope and tore it up as he drove to Townsville, and sealed the envelope with just the card inside. He found a parking spot then walked to the store. There were no customers inside and he gave Chris a big hug and a kiss when they met in the middle of the room. "It's Chris's birthday," he explained to Jane when she saw him do that. "She's twenty today."

Jane came over and gave Chris a hug. "Congratulations, Chris. Hey Ben," Jane called, "it's Chris's birthday today."

Ben came out of the coffee room and added his congratulations. "We didn't know, so we don't have a present or card for you," he said.

"Let's buy a cake to celebrate," said Jane. "I'll go and get one now. What kind do you like?"

"An ice cream cake," said Ben. "That what she had two years ago and I remember how much she ate."

"In winter?" asked Jane.

"Anytime," said Chris. "Mum gets them from the supermarket."

"What kind do you like?"

"Vanilla cream," Chris said. "But just get a small one if you're going to do that."

Jane left and Ben returned to the coffee room, where he was making coffee.

Len gave Chris her birthday card then told her that his present was a trip to Toronto. "Next weekend, from Saturday to Sunday. We'll take Saturday off and go by train and stay in the Royal York. Would you like to do that?"

"Oh, yes, I'd like that very much. Thanks! I could use one of the suitcases, too. But do you think that they would let us stay there since we're not married?"

"We'll just say we are. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews. I'll phone them and reserve a room. How about that?"

"Yes, please," and Chris gave Len another hug. "That's a great present. Thank you, Len."

They celebrated ten minutes later eating ice cream cake and drinking coffee and stayed in the coffee room until nine fifty, when the first customer entered the store. Len left to drive back to Brockville, stopping at the toy store and buying a cart that was similar to the one that Chris had used. He asked the assistant to wrap it and after that was done he put it in the back of the station wagon and drove to work.

Rob had been bathed and was in his pyjamas when Len and Chris arrived Tuesday evening. They sat down and watched him open his present which he did with his strong arms pulling the wrapping paper off in chunks.

"He's just had a lot of practice doing that," said Dan.

"Oh," said Sarah, as it quickly became apparent what it was "that's excellent. I know he'll love that."

Dan helped Rob remove the last pieces of paper then cleared the floor so the cart could be used. Dan gave it a little push then Rob, who had been sitting on the floor, crawled after it. Susan lifted him to his feet and put his hands on the crossbar while Dan held the cart still. Then Susan let him go but held the bar between Rob's hands then pushed it a few inches forward. Rob stepped forward and then again and, after a few falls when the cart moved quicker than he did, he managed to cross the floor without falling. He laughed when he reached the chair but became annoyed when he couldn't turn it around. Dan helped him do that and Rob moved, a little more quickly this time, across the floor.

"I think he'll be walking without it in a few days now," said Susan. They watched Rob as he crossed the floor a few more times, struggling at the ends to turn it around but refusing help and succeeding in the end. Fifteen minutes later Dan picked him up and held him out to Len for a hug, then to Chris.

"Say night-night, Rob. It's bed time now."

Rob struggled and said, "No. Play. Me play."

"You can use the cart tomorrow. Say night-night now."

"No," said Rob.

"Okay, then give Len a kiss,"

"No," repeated Rob. "Me play."

"Tomorrow, Rob," and he held Rob to Sarah who kissed his head then Dan took him upstairs as he struggled in his arms.

"He's sometimes like that," excused Sarah. "Mostly after a busy day. But it doesn't last long. Would you like some birthday cake?"

"Yes please," said Len.

"Chris?"

"Yes please." and Sarah left the room to fetch some. She returned with slices of cake on two plates then returned to get the forks, a container of lemonade and two glasses.

"Hope you don't mind drinking this, I made too much and it should be finished."

"No problem," said Len who had already filled two glasses and was rapidly emptying his.

"What's it like looking after Rob?" asked Chris.

"Oh, a bit tiring, especially if he's in a bad mood. It doesn't happen often, just when he wants to do something and we stop him. It's the same for all children about this time, mum says. We just have to be firm."

"You're at home all the time?" Chris asked.

"Yes. I have a nap in the afternoon when Rob does and Dan helps when he's here. He always puts him to bed at night and reads stories until Rob falls asleep. That usually doesn't take more than ten minutes."

"How was the party?" asked Len.

"Oh, easy. There were only three others, two girls and a boy, neighbours, all about the same age. And Barb helped." Dan walked back into the room as Sarah said this.

"He's asleep. Well, how are you two? Looking forward to your wedding?"

"I've not thought about it much," said Chris. "It's only when mum tells me about something she's done in preparation or what we should buy or arrange before the day that it comes to mind."

"That's pretty unusual," said Sarah. "It was top of my list after Dan asked me to marry him."

"Well, it's the store, looking after it during the day and ordering supplies, book keeping and teaching keeps me pretty busy."

"Chris looks after the Brockville store's paperwork as well," said Len. "So it's easier for me. And I have three helpers, Chris only has two."

"But it's a smaller store and you do more business Len," said Chris. "And you teach two classes."

"We might have a kind of franchise in a few weeks," Len added. "A guy in Gananoque wants to open one."

"Oh?" Dan said. "Are you thinking of franchising?"

"Well, it's not really a franchise. Running a franchise is a lot of work it seems, work that I'm not keen on doing. All we're doing, that's Jack really, Chris's dad, is leasing the name. The lessee will have to buy through us so we can all get a discount. I'll also help him get started."

"I see. I guess lots of people are buying computers. I'm thinking of getting one for the office, you'd give me a good discount?"

"Sure. For wholesale price, eh? Chris? Dan would come to your store."

"Yes, of course. Any time you want one."

"Okay. Soon. We should have a good year with the cars. We'll have to have a board meeting after the fiscal year's over."

"When's that?"

"We bought the dealership May twenty second," said Sarah. "It'd be after the books are closed for the year."

"Yes, that's right. Probably the end of May."

"Our wedding is in June," said Chris.

"Have you set a date?"

"No, not yet."

"Well, we'll avoid that."

"And our honeymoon," added Len. "We'll give you the dates when we've set them."

They left shortly after that, dashing to the car as the snow had started falling again.

## Chapter Sixty Four

Len telephoned the Royal York Wednesday morning and booked a room for Mr. and Mrs. Andrews for the Saturday night. He got a standard room, not a suite, for a regular room was costly enough. He then called the railway station and found out when the trains to Toronto ran. The was one at ten thirty that arrived about one forty five. That would be best, he thought. They wouldn't have to rush in the morning and might be able to check into their room when they arrived at the hotel. In the afternoon, just after lunch when there were usually few customers, he walked to the station and bought the tickets, getting reserved seats but not buying first class ones, hoping that Chris wouldn't mind. It was still snowing, but it was forecast to end that evening.

Chris phoned Thursday morning, asking if he could come to dinner on Friday.

"It's your birthday and we'd like you to celebrate it with us. Is that okay? You're not doing anything with Barb or Dan?"

"No. We don't do that. Just see each other at Christmas, mostly. Yes, thanks, I'd like to come. What time?"

"How about seven?"

"Okay. That'd be fine. Oh, I've booked the tickets to Toronto and made reservations at the Royal York."

"Oh, good. What time's the train?"

"Ten thirty. I'll pick you up at ten, no, better make it nine forty five. I'm not sure about the snow. They say more is coming."

"Well, dress warmly and it won't matter. We'll make final arrangements tomorrow night. Have to go now, a family's just come in. Bye Len. Love you."

"I love you, too. Bye Chris."

Sarah served cold poached salmon with mashed potatoes, peas and a cucumber relish for supper, salmon she had cooked the previous night and kept in the fridge. There was apple pie and ice cream afterwards, all accompanied by a bottle of Pinot Blanc. Afterwards they sat in the lounge with the fire crackling. Len and Jack sipped a cognac, Sarah and Chris drank cherry brandy. Then Chris gave Len the present she had bought, a pair of binoculars in a brown leather case.

"I thought that you should have a good set. The ones you have at the moment are not so good. They were a little hazy when I looked through them."

"Oh, thanks, Chris. That's very nice. I'll probably use these a lot more than I used Matt's pair. Thank you."

Jack leaned forward and gave Len an envelope.

"This is from Sarah and me. I'm not sure how nice a present it will be. Time will tell."

Len opened the envelope and found a signed document inside. It stated that he, Leonard Andrews, was the owner of the trade mark, Comp & Pro, with Jack and Sarah's signatures and duly authorised by their lawyer.

"I haven't got the trade mark registered yet. I was told that no one else has registered it so it will be mine but I won't get it for a few days," said Jack. "It was too late to put your name on it so that's why we have done it this way. I'll give you the registration document when it arrives. Oh, it doesn't mean we're giving you the two stores. All it means is that you own the trade mark."

"And that means that you'll get the monthly payments on the Gananoque lease," said Sarah. "We hope it is a successful store."

"Thank you very much," said Len, and he stood up and moved to give Sarah a hug, then shook Jack's hand. "I'll do my best to make it so."

"I'm sure you will," said Jack. "Also," he added, "giving you this makes Sarah happy. She's sure I won't get involved with it from now on."

Len left shortly afterwards, reminding Chris that he'd pick her up at nine forty five and telling her to wear boots and dress warmly because the radio forecast predicted that there would be several inches of snow that weekend. It had already begun as Len pulled out of the driveway. He'd give himself an hour to clear the driveway tomorrow morning even though it should only take half that time. And he'd use any time left over to drive to Chris's home, just in case there were any problems. Perhaps he should phone her and tell her they should leave at nine thirty but, if the roads had been cleared they'd have forty minutes to sit in the Brockville waiting room and that wouldn't be a good beginning to a holiday weekend.

There was a foot of snow when Len got up and it was still coming down. He wore jeans, a shirt, his thickest sweater, a toque and an old but warm overcoat that he kept for working outside and went to the tool shed for the snow blower. It started the first time he pressed the starter button for the temperature was only minus four. He cleared the drive out to the road in twenty five minutes, seven or eight of those when removing the hump of snow that the township truck had formed as it passed by, probably an hour earlier. He returned the snow blower to the tool shed then used the brush to clean the snow from his wagon. He really must make a garage when he had time.

He had a breakfast of toast, four slices, with jam and a mug of tea then changed into a casual suit, one of Matt's, and one of Matt's overcoats. He wore his boots and put his shoes in a paper bag. In another bag he put a shirt, pyjamas and toilet kit then put both bags into a larger one. He'd carry that unless Chris had room for it in her suitcase. He didn't want to take his own suitcase for what married couple traveled with two small suitcases when one would do.

He locked the cottage door, started the station wagon and walked around it, brushing off the snow that had fallen while he was indoors. He had no trouble driving to the road although the wheels slipped a couple of times.

Chris was ready when he arrived. She had room in her suitcase for the bag with his clothes in but not for the shoes. She kissed her parents goodbye then climbed in the car. Len headed towards highway 401, not wanting to take the number 2 to drive to Brockville for the highway would certainly be cleared. There was room in the car park at the station and they were early enough to get seats right next to the heater in the waiting room.

The journey to Toronto was long, broken up by stops at a few stations and hot drinks and snacks from the cart an employee pushed through the train two or three times. Chris read a magazine and Len one of the novels from Matt's bookcase when they weren't talking. Chris had done a little research about Toronto during the week and wanted to walk along some of the Path and to see Pief at the Royal Alexandra.

"But we can't see much of the Path for it's very long," she said. I just wanted to see what it was like. There are many kilometers of underground passages lined with stores of all kinds, restaurants and open areas. Did you know about it?"

"Yes, a bit. It must be great to get around that way in the winter."

"And in the summer when it's hot outside."

"Paif, isn't she the French singer?"

"Yes. She had a terrible life but turned many of her experiences into songs."

"Won't they all be in French?"

"I don't know. I suppose so. But they must give a translation in the program booklet."

Eventually they arrived at Union Station. It was still snowing when they climbed the steps and made their way across the road to the hotel. The receptionist simply checked her records for Mr. and Mrs. Andrews and Len, and Chris, as he found out later, lost their fears of being questioned when she asked Len for his credit card, took an imprint and then handed him the key to their room.

It was a small room, just large enough for them to squeeze between the wardrobe and the bed. A dressing table and chair, plus a small easy chair filled the rest of the room. Len put Chris's suitcase on the bed then took off his overcoat and put it in the wardrobe.

"How about a drink before we go out, Chris?"

"I'd rather go to the theatre and buy the tickets, then find the Path. We could have a drink after that and supper too, I guess, if there's somewhere nice underground."

"Okay, let's do that."

He put his overcoat back on while Chris used the bathroom. He then did the same and they left the room. Downstairs they asked the concierge the way to the Alexander.

"It's on King Street, sir, number 260. It's about ten minutes' walk in good weather but I'd suggest you take a taxi now."

"All right," said Len.

"The door man will call one for you."

There were three taxis waiting outside and they arrived at the theatre about five minutes later. There were only a few of the expensive seats left and Len bought two that were on the side at the back of the orchestra, costing him several days' pay. But it was a present and he didn't begrudge it although he would never have done this two years ago. It was now just after two thirty and the show started at seven thirty.

"Okay, lets walk. I've an idea where there's an entrance to the Path," Chris said.

The snow had stopped and after walking east, moving towards Young Street and asking three people Chris eventually found an entrance. The Path corridor was at the bottom of the stairs and it was just as described; stores selling magazines and newspapers, others selling food, delis, coffee shops, book stores and restaurants. Soon they came to the end and it wasn't very long. Chris stopped a man who was about to climb the stairs to go outside and he said that there were many other sections of the Path but they hadn't all been joined up. So they retraced their steps, this time looking for a restaurant to have supper, finding none that they thought nice enough.

"We passed a bar and grill in the taxi, Chris. Do you think we can find our way back to that?"

"We'd better, or we'll have to take a taxi to the hotel or to the theatre and start again. Let's see if we can find it."

It wasn't as difficult as Len imagined, for Chris found the entrance they used, the way to the theatre then back along the road the taxi took. There it was, a friendly-looking pub. They passed the windows first and saw a log fire burning in the centre of one wall with the rest of the bar resembling a British pub that had been in business for a hundred years or more. Len opened the door open and ushered Chris in. It was relatively early, just after five, and perhaps that was why there were only a dozen or so people in the room, most of them sitting at the bar. A table near the fire was empty and they made their way to it then hung their overcoats on a nearby hat stand. Once they were seated a waiter appeared. Chris asked for a gin and orange and Len a draft beer. The waiter asked if they wanted to eat there, saying that their steaks had the reputation of being the best in town.

"Yes," said Chris. "Can we see the menu?"

He bought them over with the drinks and they chose steaks, both having the rib eye, Chris with fries and Len with a baked potato. As they waited they intermittently watched a couple on the other side of the room who seemed to be arguing and those seated at the bar who were mostly laughing. More people came in and by the time they had finished their meal the place was getting full. It was nearly seven when they left so they walked back to the theatre and found their seats.

It was a captivating musical. All the audience thought so and Chris in particular. They had read the booklet that outlined Piaf's life before the show began and Chris knew several of her songs.

"What did you like best," she asked Len, as they walked back to the hotel for there was a long queue waiting for taxis.

"I liked the song, 'Milord,' the best, but also 'Ne me quite pas.' The tunes and the words. It's a pity I don't understand French but the translation tells the story."

"Yes, they're great. How about 'L'hymne a l'amour' or 'La vie en rose'? Didn't you like those?"

"Oh, yes. What a life she had!"

"Yes, I wonder if she was a collaborator."

"Possibly, but she helped people evade capture too."

"I'm glad we didn't live in Europe during the war."

"We'd be old, married and have a load of children if we did," said Len. Chris hugged his arm and shortly after they entered the hotel.

"Do you want a drink after we've got rid of our overcoats, Chris?"

"No, I've a better idea," she said as they got out of the elevator. "Race you to the door," and she took off.

They got up around nine, showered and had breakfast in the hotel before walking over to the railway station. It had stopped snowing and the road and sidewalks had been mostly cleared. As before, the journey took far too long but reading filled the time. There was about five inches of snow in the parking lot although the roads had been cleared. Chris opened her suitcase after Len had brushed the snow off the station wagon and took out his bag in which lay his toiletries and a pair of unused pyjamas.

"And you didn't use your shoes either," she said, as she gave the bag to him.

"No. But other people were wearing boots too so it didn't matter. Back to work tomorrow."

"Yes, it wasn't long enough but very nice. Thanks, Len," and she kissed him.

He didn't go in when they arrived at her home, just waved to her mum and dad who stood at the doorway. Once home he turned up the heating and sat down, thinking through the weekend. It was a nice change, one he'd enjoyed as much as Chris. They should do it again sometime.

## Chapter Sixty Five

Lilly had no trouble looking after the store she told Len, when she came in on Monday. "And Jack came to pay us and stayed for a while watching how we were doing. When you have your honeymoon can I be manager again?"

"Yes you can, Lilly. And I'll give you a bonus for that week."

"Thanks, Len."

"Was fastening the shutters difficult?"

"A little, to begin with, but they were easy once I pulled at the right angle."

Wednesday two important things happened. Jack came in at nine o'clock and handed Len the actual trade mark ownership document and Dick called to say that his father had found a store.

"And it's on King Street East, right in the middle of the town. It couldn't be better. He's rented it for a year with an option to renew and we get possession April first. So can I come in and spend my week learning sometime in February or March?"

"That's good news, Dick. Yes, any time then would be okay. I'll check and let you know when would be best next week. What's the store like?"

"I don't know much yet. I've been inside because it's a cafe right now. It'll have to be modified, of course. There's a big room at the front and an opening into the back room where they make sandwiches, coffee, soups and other stuff. There's a washroom, of course. That's all I know right now."

"Well, I hope it has a store room. Tell your dad not to spend too much money on fixing it up. You don't know how successful you'll be yet. But it will need painting and he should get shutters, like we have, for security. And ask him to measure the space where the Comp & Pro sign will go and we'll order it."

"Okay, I will. Isn't it exciting?"

"I'm sure it is, Dick. I'll call you next week and let you know when to come here."

Len then phoned Jack and told him that Dick's father had found a store in Gananoque and that they would get possession April first. "I've asked him to find how big the sign should be and I'll pay for it.

"That's good news, Len. Your birthday present will be good, after all."

"Yes, it looks like it. Thanks again, Jack."

"I'm glad. I get the signs from Signs and Displays, in Kingston. They take about a week to make. Cost varies with size. Yours cost a hundred and seventy five. So that's the first month's income from the lease rental gone, I'm afraid. But the rest will be yours."

"It's a great gift, Jack. Thanks," said Len, wondering if Jack was beginning to regret what he'd given him.

The winter continued. Len had no trouble driving to work, it was easier for him than for Chris who didn't have all-wheel-drive on her car, but they had every Sunday afternoon and evening together. Business gradually picked up, and more people upgraded their computers as new, faster and more capable ones were made. The Brockville store usually made about two thousand dollars more than the Townsville store each week but Jack was always pleased with the amount they brought in.

Len arranged for Dick to work in the Brockville store starting Monday, February twentieth, so that he could also attend the evening courses; the sixth series started that night. He asked Dick if he would be commuting but Dick said he'd be staying with his cousin Toby.

"You know the courses run for three weeks though?"

"Yes, I'll borrow dad's car to get there the following weeks."

Dick was an affable man and got on well with Lilly and Pauline. Toby had told them all about him before he came, of course, and everyone was glad to help him learn all he could. He stayed in the store all day Monday and Tuesday but on Wednesday and Thursday he spent the mornings with Chris who went through the operating procedures; such as when to place his orders, keeping track of sold items and doing inventories, how to interview and what to pay employees, employee benefits and costs, how to run the discount sales when the company had one, advertising—if they wanted to run more ads than Comp & Pro ran—using the computer to do much of this work and other items,. Dick made copious notes, both when learning from Chris and when talking to Len. Friday he thought he knew enough and told Len he'd like to miss Saturday and the games course.

"I'd like to get home and help my dad. Saturdays' are busy times and he hasn't found a replacement for me yet."

"Of course, Dick. Oh, measure the store sign so we can order the Comp & Pro sign when you have time."

"Yes, I will."

"I'll have Chris send you the suggestions for computers, programs and stock. Decide what you want and she'll order them. You have to pay us when we deliver. Okay? And start looking for an assistant. You'll need one sooner or later."

"Two of my friends are looking for a job so that won't be any problem. They know about computers and games, too."

"Good."

Jimmy Baker phoned Len Tuesday evening, March sixth, asking if he could meet with him soon.

"It's about buying some land and I want you to meet somebody who's got a great idea."

"He has some land for sale? Is it going for a good price? If so, I might be interested," not that he'd build a house on it but he'd get Roberts Homes to do it if there was a profit to be made.

"No, it's not that. Look, can we meet tomorrow?"

"Sure. Where?"

"At my office? Ten o'clock. I want you to meet Richard Downey. He'll tell you all about it. It might take an hour or so. Would that be okay?"

"I guess so. All right."

'Who was Richard Downey?' Len wondered. 'Not anybody I know. And why would he want to see me? Well, I'll find out tomorrow but it's probably not something I'd be interested in.'

Wednesday Len left Lilly in charge and drove to Jimmy's office in Townsville, thinking he'd have lunch with Chris after the meeting. Jimmy was in his office with a man about thirty five years old. Jimmy introduced him and asked his secretary to bring in coffees then hold all calls until he was free.

"Let me tell you a little about Richard," started Jimmy. "He's a builder and has been one for a dozen or more years. He was in partnership with a colleague until eight months ago but that broke up."

"He ruined me," said Richard. "He gradually syphoned off all our capital and lost it in the Gananoque casino. The firm's broke. All I have left is the equipment."

"Richard wants to start again and he has an idea that I think you might like. There's a farmer I know who has six waterfront acres for sale just west of Townsville along River Road, between your home and the town."

"Yes and I could build a dozen homes on it if it were mine. Probably get about forty five or fifty thousand for each one since they'd be on half acre lots and next to the river. Not sure yet because I've only seen the land from the road. I want to partner with someone and we'd share the profits. Are you interested?"

"I don't know, maybe. What do you want me to do?"

"Buy the land, then let me develop it."

"How much is he asking for it?"

"Sixty thousand."

"Sixty thousand? I don't have that much money."

"How much do you have, Len?" asked Jimmy. "I know you must have some because you told me you were interested in buying land last year."

"Well, I've got over forty thousand to do that, not sixty."

"But you can get a mortgage on your home," Jimmy said. "You could quickly pay it off with the profits."

"Why can't you mortgage your house Richard?"

"I did, just to survive and I can't get any more. Take a look at this," and he gave Len a sheet of paper. "I'll explain it. First, the houses will cost about twenty five thousand to build. I'll arrange that."

"How can you do that if you have no money?" asked Len.

"If we formed a partnership I could borrow against the land."

"Oh, I see. So we'd have to be partners?"

"Yes, that's right. And that's why you share the profit, because we would be partners."

"I see."

"Right. Well, the house costs twenty five and the land costs five. That makes thirty, give-or-take. And we sell between forty and fifty, depending on what is built and if it's on the river, so we'd gain between ten and twenty thousand on each one."

"What if they don't sell?" asked Len.

"No trouble about that," said Jimmy. "Townsville's expanding and people are already looking for places to live. Houses along the river will sell before any to the north of the town will."

"All right, it sounds possible. How long does it take you to build a house Richard?"

"Depends on how many I'm doing at the same time. I had enough crews to build three at once but I don't know who's available now. If they all were I could put up three in less than two months. But I'd better say I can only get two crews because they will probably have other jobs by now and that'd mean I'd probably need five weeks."

"So you could make, what, seven or eight this year?" asked Len.

"Yes, probably."

"And what about severances?" Len asked.

"No problem. The township needs houses and I've been dealing with them for a long time. There'll be no trouble getting them."

Len thought about what had been said. He wished Matt was still around so he could ask him about it. Jack might help but he didn't want him involved because it would upset him and Susan if things went wrong. It was up to him to decide. "I'll need a night to think about it and I'll let you know tomorrow."

"Look," said Richard. "If you agree can we meet first thing tomorrow? I have to get started soon and I'll look for someone else if you don't want to do it."

Len couldn't foresee any problems, so why not decide now to do it? But, subconsciously, he knew that wouldn't be wise, so he said, "Yes, we'll meet here at nine thirty if I'm on. Is that okay with you, Jimmy?"

"Yes, of course."

"Here's my card," said Richard. "Call me first thing, please."

"Yes, I will. Is about eight thirty all right?"

"Yes, perfect. Thanks."

"And call me too," said Jimmy. "The same time."

"All right."

They shook hands and Len left the office, taking the sheet of paper that Richard had given him. It was ten fifty and Len didn't want to see Chris now, he wanted to see the land that could be for sale so he didn't get in his car but went back into the office just as Richard was leaving.

"I'd like to see the land that's for sale. I'm going to ask Jimmy to show me," he told Richard.

"He's getting ready to show someone a house. How about I show you?"

"All right."

They left Richard's Jeep at the office and drove towards River Road in Len's station wagon, talking as they went.

"How many houses have you built over the years, Richard?"

"Oh, it must be over a hundred. I don't really know."

"Where are they? I've not see your name around here."

"Mostly in Kingston and its suburbs. It was just by chance that I heard about the land Jimmy's got for sale. I've not worked much to the east of Kingston before. Look, we're almost there. Okay, stop here."

Len pulled over and parked the car by running two wheels over the bank of snow that stood in front of a gate into a field.

"That's it," said Richard. "That's the field. It's just over six acres. I'd build six houses along the river and six along the road."

"How would the river six families get to the road?"

"I'd run an access road through it, starting here and running between the two rows and back out at the other end."

"Well then each lot wouldn't be half an acre."

"Not quite, but they would be nearly that."

"So the six along the road wouldn't have access to the river then?"

"No, they wouldn't. but there's probably enough people who wouldn't mind that."

"I would, if I was living there. Just looking at the river and not having access to it. Hmm. How about building only five houses along the river and leaving the sixth plot as a small park, one with a boat ramp. That's make the road six much more attractive."

"And, hopefully, they'd sell for nearly as much as the river lots. Not a bad idea."

"Yes, and the ones on the road could get out more easily in the winter. The river houses would have to wait for a snow blower to clear the access road. That would be important for those who have to work. We'd probably sell all the houses at the same price."

"You're probably right."

"You know, if you had only one entrance road in the middle going straight down to the park and two side roads that start in the middle and go between the house lots you'd gain a bit more land along the road."

"You're right. Good thinking! And the houses on the road will get snow clearing and be able to access the park and river. Great! You know, it looks as if we could become great partners. I hope you decide to come along."

"Just let me just think about it Richard. I'll tell you tomorrow."

Len backed the car out from the edge then drove half a kilometer to his gateway, pointing to his house when he got there. He then reversed and drove back to Jimmy's office. They said 'Goodbye' and Len drove to the Brockville store, thinking about the partnership idea as he went.

## Chapter Sixty Six

It was not difficult to decide what to do but Len wanted to sleep on it. He would definitely buy the land, for if things went wrong he could always subdivide it and have Tom Roberts put up the cottages or houses. In fact, he'd make more money doing that than forming a partnership with Richard but he couldn't do that. He'd loose everyone's trust and Jimmy wouldn't deal with him again. Then forming a partnership came first, that'd mean Richard and he would have to visit a lawyer. He'd prefer Mr. Jackson and would tell Richard that. Then he'd have to get a mortgage. He'd not take forty thousand from his business account for that would leave him less than ten thousand in it and not enough for any other venture that might come along. He'd take thirty thousand and mortgage his house for thirty. The Royal bank would give him one. It looked as if things couldn't go wrong so he'd partner with Richard.

He called Richard at eight thirty the next morning and Jimmy immediately afterwards and said he'd do it and that he'd be at Jimmy's office at nine thirty, which gave him time to go to the store and ask Lilly to look after things until he got back. After talking to her he phoned Mr. Jackson and asked Betty, his secretary, if he could see him that morning. She said he would be available at eleven and Len asked for half an hour. When he arrived at Jimmy's office Richard was already there.

"Then we're on?" Jimmy said.

"Yes, and to partner Richard. I've arranged for us to see my lawyer to do that this morning. At eleven. Is that okay with you Richard?"

"Yes, my day is yours. And it's best to use your lawyer for this, I think."

"Then I need a deposit to buy the land Len," said Jimmy. "Five thousand would be enough. Do you have your cheque book?"

"For sure."

"Okay. Here's the sale contract. Sign here and I'll fill in the rest. You'll own the land as soon as the transfer's registered."

"Good," said Richard. "Once you have the deed, Len, we need to subdivide it and I'll get the severances registered. I'll get an enlarged map and plot the field this afternoon. How about the other fifty five thousand? Have you got that arranged?"

"Not yet. I'm going to my bank and getting a mortgage next. Want to come with me or meet me at the lawyer?"

"Might as well come with you," said Richard. "Who's the farmer's lawyer?"

"I'll find out and call your lawyer, Len," said Jimmy. "You're using Mr. Jackson?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Okay. He'll need a certified cheque before closing."

"Yes, I know. Okay, let's go to the bank."

At the bank Len asked to see a loan's manager then went to his deposit box and got out the deed to his property. Mr. Tate saw him as he came out of the vault and Len told him he wanted a mortgage on his house.

"Would that be a problem, Mr. Tate?"

"Well, it depends on how much you wanted."

"Thirty thousand."

"On Mr. Smith's house, the one you inherited?"

"Yes," said Len.

"No, I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting that. Are you seeing Mrs. Aintree, our loans officer?"

"I've asked to see someone."

"It's probably her. Yes, there she is," and Mr. Tate took Len and Richard over, introduced Len and Richard introduced himself. Mrs. Aintree took them into her office and, once they were all seated, Len told her what he wanted. She asked him for the deed and photostatted it. Then she took a form from one of her drawers and asked Len to sign it.

"Our evaluator will have to see the place before we can approve the mortgage. Let me find out when he's free." She phoned him and after a short conversation told Len that he'd do it in the morning the following Friday.

"Do I have to be there?" asked Len.

"No. I'll have his evaluation report by noon and if it's okay you can have the mortgage in the afternoon."

"Will I be able to withdraw all of it that afternoon? I'm buying some land."

"Oh, yes. Once it's approved the money's available."

"Thanks, Mrs. Aintree. Please call me at this number when you know the result," and Len gave her one of his business cards.

Len returned the deed to his deposit box and, once outside, he told Richard that they had time for a quick coffee before going to the lawyer so they went to the nearest restaurant. Whilst drinking Richard said that they'd probably not get ownership until the week after buying the land but he would still go ahead and get the surveying and subdividing started.

"How about your house, Len. It looks as if it's worth fifty thousand, with all that land. How much did you say you had?"

"A bit more than two acres."

"And the house looks quite big. Three bedrooms?"

"Yes and a study."

"You'll have no trouble then."

Mr. Jackson had heard of Richard Downey although they'd never met and he understood what they wanted to do as soon as Len described the plan.

"Well, what do you want to call your partnership?" he asked.

"Richard and Len," suggested Len.

"Why not just L and R," countered Richard.

"Toss up who comes first," said Len.

They did, and it became R & L Partners on the document.

It wasn't as easy to form a partnership as Len had imagined, with Mr. Jackson asking what each member was contributing, how the liabilities and profits were to be divided, the duration of the partnership, how the partnership would be dissolved and other details that Len hadn't thought about. Eventually Mr. Jackson said he had enough to prepare the agreement and that it would be ready by Friday, when they should both come in and sign it. "You will have to set up a joint business account at a bank. Which one will you use?"

"I'd like to use the Royal Bank, that's where I already have my own business account."

"All right. Tell me what's happening with the land you are buying, Mr. Andrews."

"Jimmy Baker is handling the sale. He has my deposit," said Len. "Five thousand dollars. The land costs sixty thousand. Jimmy will know the name of the farmer's lawyer. Can you look after the transfer for me?"

"Glad to. I'll need a certified cheque for the fifty five thousand before the closing date payable to R & L Partners. You will have that?"

"Yes, I already have thirty thousand and I'm getting a mortgage on my house for the other half."

"I see. That shouldn't be any problem, from what I know about the place. All right, set a time with my secretary to see me next Friday to give me the cheque and sign the agreement and we'll go from there."

Len drove Richard back to Jimmy's office so he could collect his car then they agreed to meet at the Royal Bank a week Friday at two o'clock to set up their business account. They would go from there to the lawyers' office to sign the partnership document and hand over the cheque. They shook hands before saying goodbye and Len drove to the Brockville office, deciding again not to take Chris to lunch that day. He wanted to sort things out, have the partnership agreement finalised and have the mortgage arranged before telling her what he was doing. He wasn't sure that she be happy about it but he didn't want any doubts she might have to cloud his thinking. He'd tell her about it when he saw her after the arrangements were finalised.

Wednesday evening Mr. Alan, his accountant, phoned to ask if he wanted him to handle his income tax returns this year.

"Ah, I'd forgotten all about that. Yes, please. I'll get everything and bring them around. Thanks for calling Mr. Alan."

Len went to his study and pulled out his records file and the box with his receipts and expenses for the work he'd done on the house and his Stowel's pay and hoped he hadn't forgotten anything. He put them on the kitchen counter so he wouldn't forget to take them in.

Mrs. Aintree phoned Len at twelve thirty on Friday and told him that he could have the mortgage. Len said he'd come in that afternoon and sign for it. He also told her that he was forming a partnership with another man and that they'd have to have a business account and asked if she could she arrange that. She said that she couldn't do it herself but would arrange for someone to handle it. He told Lilly at one forty that he was taking the rest of the afternoon off and asked her to look after things. She was happy to do so.

He arrived at the bank a few minutes early but Mrs. Aintree was ready for him. He signed the mortgage forms and she handed him a cheque. "Mr. Lenard is ready to talk to you about the business account. But both you and your partner would have to be there to sign the form and the signature card. Is he here?"

"He's probably in the bank or waiting outside. I'll find him."

Richard was sitting in a chair inside the bank. He'd seen Len's car outside and had guessed what he was doing. He stood up as Len approached and Mrs. Aintree took them to Mr. Lenard's office. Twenty minutes later they had a business account that held one dollar, needed, they were told, to keep the account active. All they wanted now was the signed partnership papers. They both drove to Mr. Jackson's office and waited until three when he was free. By three thirty they were officially partners and Mr. Jackson would look after finalising the land purchase and registering the property deed.

Over coffee in the restaurant they looked at Richard's sketch of the land that showed how the field would be divided.

"It's just as we discussed, Len. Six lots along the road, lot numbers one to six, and five lots along the river with the park and boat ramp being lot nine. One road in going directly to the park with a branch off both sides to give the river lots, numbers seven, eight, ten, eleven and twelve, access to the road. They are not all exactly the same size, as you can see, but the price of each one would reflect the amount of land they have. Oh, and I've decided to have one central well, not one on each lot. That will lessen the cost of construction. They'll have to sign an agreement that they will all share the cost of running and maintaining the community well. That is, until a pipe is run from the town which is likely to happen within the next ten years."

"What about septic waste? Will there be just one of those?"

"No. It becomes too complicated to do that and there's probably not enough land in the park to handle everybody. No, everyone will have their own septic system."

"I see. So it might cost less than twenty five thousand to build each house if there's only one well?" asked Len.

"Yes. But twenty five is just what an average, three-bedroom house costs me to build. I'm not sure yet if the land near the river is high enough to have basements and they'll cost less to build if that's so but they'll sell for less too. The six road houses could handle a basement I'm sure."

"You must have lots to worry about," said Len. "What's your next step?"

"Getting the severances request approved and the land surveyed. Then borrowing money against the land to buy materials for the first couple of houses and finding who of my former employees are available. With luck I'll be able to start building before March ends. Once the severances are approved I'll have Jimmy erect a sign on the road showing the lots and a few pictures of houses I've constructed in the past. He'll handle the sales."

"Okay. You'll keep me up-to-date?"

"Sure. I'll phone you when I know about the severances."

## Chapter Sixty Seven

At first Chris wasn't happy about Len mortgaging his house when he outlined what he had done that week.

"What if Jimmy can't find any buyers Len? You'll have to pay off the mortgage out of your, no, out of our income. Can we afford to do that? What are you paying? Fifteen percent?"

"No, it's down to twelve now. That's thirty six hundred a year. We can manage that, I hope."

"Go over the details again. I'm still a bit worried."

"Well, let's get up and I'll put it on paper."

After dressing they went to the study and Len showed Chris how he would get about eight thousand for each house if they cost twenty five thousand to build and sold for between forty five and fifty thousand. "Of course, that's only if Richard's estimate of building costs and Jimmy guess about what they would sell for are correct. So, it's a good investment, don't you think?"

"I suppose so. It's what you like to do, I guess. I'll have to learn to live with it."

"Don't worry Chris, I'll be careful."

"I don't know if I should tell my dad and mum. I think it might upset them."

"I think you should, I don't want them to discover what's happening from someone else. Look, I'll tell them. Do you think they'd like to come for supper next week? If so, I'll tell them after we've eaten."

"Sure, they'll be glad to do that. What night?"

"Better make it Saturday. Richard might have heard about the severances by then and there'd be less for them to worry about. I'll call them now, okay?"

"Yes."

They were happy to come for dinner and Susan asked if she could bring the dessert. "How about an apple crumble? Jack and Chris love that."

Needless to say, Len accepted the offer, wondering what he could make for the main course. When he asked Chris she suggested hamburgers, something her mom seldom made.

Monday morning the sign makers phoned to say that the sign for the Gananoque store was ready. Len took an hour off to collect it, paying for it himself for he would be receiving the income from the lease. He took it to the pub and gave it to George.

Tuesday afternoon a middle-aged man came into the store and spent time looking around. He said he didn't need any help but spent over ten minutes apparently looking at computers but also watching the customers. Finally he walked over to Len and asked if he could have a chat with him. Len took him to the coffee room and offered a mug of coffee. The man shook his head.

"My name is Paul Amity. I run the television and computer store in the shopping mall, the one near the 401."

"Oh, pleased to meet you. So we're competitors?"

"Yes, I guess so. And I must say it looks as if you're doing better than I am."

"Well, trade goes up and down, as you must know."

"Yes. Look I have an idea. Can I tell you about it?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Well, my wife and I have season tickets to the Gananoque Playhouse and we attended a performance about a month ago, on Saturday, February twenty fifth in fact. Well, before the show we went for a drink at Ganny's Home, something we usually do, and I overheard Dick telling George about what happened that week. Apparently he'd spent it working in this store. When I had a chance I asked him why he'd done that and he told me that he was going to open a Comp & Pro branch in Gananoque."

"Yes, that's right."

"Well, that intrigued me. I asked him if he'd bought a franchise and he said no, it was just a lease to use the name and it cost just two hundred a month."

"Well, two hundred a month for the first six months, then four hundred for the next and five hundred for the rest of the time he wanted to use it."

"Well, none of that's very much I think. What I'd like to get are the discounts and the up-dates on the new computers and programs. I used to have a man who suggested what to order but he moved to Sudbury where his girlfriend lives and set up a store there."

"Was his name Pete?"

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"He taught me how to use a couple of programs at Robert's Homes. You sold them a computer."

"Yes, I did."

"Well, you know we'll help Dick if we can but mostly he's on his own."

"Yes, I learned that. That's why it's not a full franchise, I guess."

"Well, we'll be glad to have you on board. You'd have to change your store's name, of course. And sell at the same price as we do. We'll send you a list of suggestions every two or three weeks and we'll place the orders for you so we can get a better discount. We'll deliver the stock to your store and you can give us a cheque to pay for it when you receive it. Remember, you can't sell lower than the price we stipulate. All you can compete with us is on the service you provide."

"Yes, I understand that. And changing the name of the store is okay, Daphne's agreed to it. We inherited it from her father and it bears his name now."

"Right. Do you know how to run the accounting and word processing key programs?"

"Yes, I had to learn those."

"And games?"

"Yes, although Daphne looks after them."

"Then you won't need to take any of the courses we run."

"No, I don't think so, though I'd like any new staff I hire, if we get that lucky, to take them."

"That's no problem. Look, just having the name Comp & Pro on the store won't necessarily increase your sales."

"No, I realise that but the name is beginning to be known around here and there's less chance they'll come to you if I'm also in the organization."

"Yes," laughed Len, "we'll really be competitors then. But I'll chance it. When do you want to join?"

"As soon as possible."

"It'll take two weeks to get the outdoor sign made and you'll have to paint the inside of the store the same as we have here. That's two things you do have to do. Oh, there's a contract you have to sign and you must hold sales when we do."

"That's no problem. All right. I'll get the painting started and I'll measure how big the sign should be."

Len showed Paul the half-full can of paint that was kept in the cupboard in case they needed to do retouches and Paul copied the details before leaving. Len accompanied him to the door and watched as he walked along the street before he headed up the slope towards the shopping mall. 'Perhaps he parked his car up there otherwise he's in for a long walk' he thought. 'Well, well, well. Money coming in for nothing. Isn't life grand!'

He decided to drive to Townsville and talk to Chris about the arrangement rather than tell her. He'd given her more work to do and he hoped she wouldn't be upset. He told Lilly he was going to the Townsville store and asked her to take over then left.

Chris didn't mind ordering stock for Paul. It was just what she did for Dick. In fact she was pleased that Paul was joining because it was an easy way to earn money.

"Trouble is Len, there won't be enough room to store the stock. We could have it shipped to dad's store but there's often not enough room there either. And he's already got it on sale. We'll have to rent a place."

"I've got a better idea. We'll store it at the back of the classroom or along the side of the room."

"We'll have to put a reinforced door at the bottom of the steps if we do that."

"Yes. I'll get that done right away."

"You know, the lease money will be enough to cover the interest on your house mortgage. So that's one worry off my mind. Do you think there'll be any other stores who might want to use our name?"

"Shouldn't think so. The nearest other computer sellers are in Kingston and they probably don't even know we exist."

When Len arrived back at the Brockville store Lilly had a message for him. "Mr. Amity said the space for the sign was two by fourteen feet. Does that make any sense? And he left his phone number in case you wanted more information."

"He's the owner of the television and computer store in the shopping mall, Lilly. He's going to lease the use of our name."

"Oh, like Dick then."

"Yes, that's right."

"And that's the space to put the store sign?"

"You've got it."

Len phoned Paul and said he'd order the sign immediately and see if he could get it before the end of the month. "That way you can start April first."

"That's a Sunday, it'll be on Monday the second."

"Yes, I guess so. How about the painting? Will that be done by then?"

"Oh yes, we'll do that this weekend."

"I'll have Chris phone you to arrange a time when she can go over the ordering form."

"Thanks. Shall I give her the cheques for the lease?"

"Yes, you might as well. Twelve post-dated cheques, six for two hundred and six for four hundred, dated the first of each month starting April first. And she'll have the contract for you to sign."

"All right. I hope this pays off."

"Well, you can cancel if you give me three months' notice," said Len, thinking that would be enough to pay for the sign and Chris's trouble. He next phoned the security-shutter's company and explained what he wanted. They said they could install the door the next week and he placed the order.

Len phoned Chris afterwards and gave her Paul's number, asking her to call him and set a time to see her, sign the contract and learn how to place his orders. He worked in the store the rest of the afternoon. Life was becoming more interesting now with all the new things to think about.

Friday afternoon Richard phoned to say that the committee had approved the severances on the field. "They were happy to do so, they said. Townsville needs more homes. And, better yet, they'll run a pipe line and provide water. They said that it'd be needed for other subdivisions before long."

"And the sewage?"

"Ah, no. That's much more expensive. That'll have to wait until something much bigger goes in."

"So we'll have to provide that."

"Yes, a septic system for each house. But not having to dig the well, which would have to be one with plenty of storage capacity will save us two or three thousand."

"How do you know about the water? Were you at the meeting?"

"Yes, anyone can attend. So we're on. I've already phoned hydro to get electricity on the site. They'll do that Thursday or Friday next week."

"And what about Jimmy? When's he going to put up a sign?"

"As soon as I give him photos of houses I've built and a lot plan. I'll get everything ready this weekend so I guess the sign will be up on Monday or Tuesday."

"I don't suppose many people will see it. There's not much traffic along River Road."

"No, but he'll also have notices in his office and we will be running a small ad in the Courier each weekend."

"Ah. And the money to pay for workers and materials, how will you get that?"

"I'll go to the bank and get a loan against the land tomorrow. I'll ask for thirty thousand. It shouldn't be any trouble. They know what we're doing."

"Will I have to sign the loan with you?"

"No, either one of us can sign to withdraw money from the partnership. Don't you remember?"

"Oh yes, that's right. Mr. Jackson told us. Okay, it looks as if everything is going well."

"I'll plant red marker posts at the corners of each lot and lot numbers on Monday, so people can see where each one is. Why don't you walk around sometime and see the shape of what we've planned."

"Right, I will."

Len bought eight hamburgers, frozen French fries, buns, lots of salad ingredients, dressings, beer, red and white wine and a box of candles for the table on Friday after closing the store and made the salad as soon as he had eaten his supper. He checked the propane tank on the barbeque finding it a third full, cleaned the fireplace and laid a new fire then dusted everything and finally vacuumed the lounge carpet. It snowed a little during the night but not enough for him to worry about clearing the drive.

Saturday, when Jack came around to pay the staff and collect the week's takings, he congratulated Len on finding another person to lease the name.

"So there'll be four Comp & Pro stores now. You're running an empire!" and he laughed. "It was a great birthday present for you after all."

"Yes, thank you again Jack. But it's not just for me in the future, it'll be for both Chris and me."

"Ah yes. That reminds me, Sue wants to talk about the wedding tonight. How's the grass? Does it look a okay?"

"Too early to tell, mostly it's still covered with snow but there's a patch in the centre that shows a bit of green. Let's hope it's all okay."

The Stowel's didn't arrive until seven thirty and Len was getting a bit worried, wondering if they'd had an accident but they arrived in good cheer and he soon found out that they might have a buyer for their store.

"A man living in Kingston phoned me just as we were setting out. He wanted to know more about the store, how large it was, how long had it been running as an appliance store and when it might be available. I told him I had an agent he should work through but I didn't mind answering his questions. It turned out it was his brother who was interested who had a similar store in Regina and wanted to relocate to be near his brother and parents. So I told him all I could and referred him to my agent. So we might have sold it!"

"Oh, great," said Len. "Then you'll retire?"

"Yes," said Susan. "And travel."

"Depends on how much we get for it, Sue. We might not be able to go round the world, just to Australia and Europe once or twice."

"Oh, come on Jack. Don't forget the savings we have." Turing to Len she held out the dessert casserole, "it should be warmed before we eat it."

"Right, the oven is on but that's for the fries. I'll put it in after they are done. Did Chris tell you we're having hamburgers?"

"No," said Jack, "good. I love them."

"Do you want a drink before I start cooking?"

"Better not," said Susan. "It's been a long time since we had lunch."

"Right, I'll put the fries in and start the barbeque."

"It's pretty cold out there," said Jack. "Why not do them in the oven."

"Well, the fries will be in there."

"Oh, you can do them both in the oven," said Susan. "Cook the fries until they're nearly done, take them out then cook the hamburgers using the grill then finish the fries off. The burgers will hold their heat for five minutes and taste better for doing so. Want me to do it?"

"Well, you're supposed to be my guests."

"Ah, no problem," said Jack. "We'll all help. How do I warm the buns, Sue?"

"In the microwave, but don't do it yet, wait until the hamburgers are done. They won't take more than a minute."

"What can I do?" asked Chris.

"Err, light the candles on the table and put the salad there. I'll light the fire," said Len.

Everyone got busy and twenty five minutes later they were eating their first burger and washing it down with a beer. Everyone had two burgers and then a large plate of apple crumble and ice cream. Once the plates were stacked in the kitchen they sat down with cognac and Bailey's in front of the fire. Len didn't know whether to tell them about what he'd done that week or wait until Susan had updated him on the wedding plans and he was just about to tell them when Chris told him she had chosen the wedding date.

"It's going to be June sixteenth, Len, and now I can find a place and book our honeymoon."

"Okay," said Len. "The grass should have grown enough by then."

"We'll have about forty people coming," said Jack. "We'll close the stores and invite all our employees and their families, that's about fifteen, your sister and brother and their families, that's another five and some of our friends, a dozen or so, and us. I've ordered the marquee . They'll also provide a dance floor and the tables and chairs."

"I've got the date booked with a catering company and they'll bring the plates and cutlery as well as the food," said Susan. "Chris and I will make the table arrangements."

"What can I do to help?" asked Len.

"Nothing, I guess, until the marquee arrives," said Jack. You'll have to take time off and help them position it. They'll do it a couple of days early, they said. There's a canvas floor in it but it won't be down long enough to ruin the grass. Oh, they'll also provide two Porta Pots, so you won't have everyone traipsing inside the house."

"Except the caterers," added Susan. "They'll need the kitchen."

"What about drinks?" asked Len.

"The catering people will set up a bar in the marquee and provide the ice and glasses."

"Wow, it looks as if you've got it all arranged already."

"It was easier than I thought Len," said Susan. "I just had to say what we wanted and they suggested everything else. It's a relief to have most of it settled."

"All but my dress, mum," said Chris.

"We'll start looking anytime now. Let's go to Kingston or Ottawa one Saturday."

"I'll look after your store when you want to go," said Len. "Lilly does a good job of looking after mine when I'm away."

"Tell mum and dad what you've done this week, Len," said Chris.

"Well, I've partnered with an builder and he's going to build eleven houses on land we've bought."

"What?" said Jack. "Partnered? What does that mean?"

Len told them how he'd used thirty thousand of his savings and taken a loan on his house and bought the six acres a couple of fields away from his property and that was where the houses would be built. He didn't go into the finances but said he'd have a profit of about twenty five thousand dollars when all the houses were sold. "That's after paying off the mortgage and regaining my thirty thousand."

Jack was impressed but Susan was less so.

"What happens if he's not a good builder and the houses don't sell?"

"He's been building houses for many years and constructed over a hundred so I guess people must want them," Len replied.

"What about you?" asked Jack. "Do you want to stop managing the Brockville store and help him?"

"No Jack. All I've done is provide the cash to buy the land, he and his men do all the rest."

"If he's sold so many houses how come he doesn't have plenty of money himself?" asked Jack.

"His partner gambled, using money from their partnership and lost it and more, and Richard almost went bankrupt. He had to mortgage his house to pay off the debt. All he has now is his equipment."

"That's tough," said Jack. "Well, I guess he's got plenty of inducement to build houses that sell."

"Jimmy Baker is looking after the sales," said Len. "He's the estate agent who found houses for Matt and some land for me."

"I know him," Jack said. "Well, we'll keep our fingers crossed."

They said goodnight shortly after that, with Chris saying she'd come around three tomorrow. Len watched them leave but soon turned his thoughts to the profit he'd make. Really, it was a better way than working in a store every day. He wondered if there was a way he could do that all his life. 'But I'd have to do more than just invest money. That'd certainly become boring after a while if that's all I did. I need something interesting to do.'

## Chapter Sixty Eight

The sign for the Amity's store was ready to collect on Tuesday so Len collected and paid for it then took it to Paul's store. It had been repainted and looked very fresh. Daphne was serving a customer when he walked in but when she was finished they chatted over mugs of hot chocolate in their lunch room while Paul looked after the store. She was quite excited about the forthcoming change, with someone suggesting what to order in future. It had been quite a chore for them after Pete had left, trying to decide what to order.

"We'll also be telling you what prices to sell them at. Did Paul tell you that?" Len asked.

"Yes."

"And we'll be having a sale at Easter, on Saturday. That's the twenty first. So you won't be having an opening sale like Dick will in Gananoque. He's got a new store but you haven't. Do you mind not having the opening sale?"

"No, we're not actually opening, just changing our allegiance. We'll do what you think best. You're the boss."

"No, I'm not. You and Paul are. We just give advice, help when we can, order and deliver the stock and set prices. That's all."

"Oh, I've got the cheques for you. Can you sign for them, please. It's just something I want to keep in the records," and Daphne took her handbag out of a cupboard and gave Len an envelope. He signed the paper she gave him and took the envelope. He'd have to go to Gananoque to collect Dick's cheques too but he'd better phone before he did that.

Driving past the field on his way home he saw the notice that Richard or Jimmy had put up. He got out of the car to look at it. It was a four by six foot poster, covered with a sheet of plastic and fastened to a half-inch sheet of plywood mounted on two wooden stakes. It looked very professional. In the centre was map showing how the land would be divided, with each of the lots numbered. Around the top and sides were photographs of houses and bungalows that were among those that could be built there. Along the bottom was Jimmy's name, office address and telephone number and a smaller note stating that houses or bungalows could be built to meet owners designs. 'Well, we're off,' Len thought. 'I'll have to look for Jimmy's ad in the Courier this weekend. I wonder if he'll run one in the Recorder and Times as well.'

Thursday, on driving home, there was a hydro pole just inside the gap where the central opening to the field was to be and Friday evening there was a distributor box located close to the pole.

Shortly after Chris arrived on Sunday she told Len that she had booked their honeymoon trip.

"I decided we should take a cruise rather than go to a resort. There's more to do on a ship. I've booked us on a Carnival Cruise. The travel agent said that almost all cruises depart on Saturday but Carnival left on Sunday. It goes from Miami so we have to fly down there on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning."

"I'd rather go on Sunday," said Len.

"Me too, I don't want to miss most of the party. Then I'll ask her to book a room in a hotel near Toronto airport as well."

"Where does the ship go?"

"Oh, around the Caribbean, but I'm not even sure I want to get off. There's lots to do on board. What most people do when they visit one of the islands is shop, the agent said, when I asked her about them. I don't really want to do that. Do you?"

"No."

"The ship has swimming pools so bring your swim suit."

"I will if you do. Give me a hug and another kiss Chris. It's been a tiring week."

"Poor thing. Then let's go to bed."

"If we do I'll probably fall asleep."

"Not if I have anything to do with it. Come on."

Sex and an hour's nap was enough to alert Len. Lying in bed he asked about the sale of her parent's store.

"The man that called dad came round with dad's agent on Saturday and took lots of photos. I guess he'll send them to his brother. So things are looking promising. Dad's trying to find out how badly his brother wants to move here so he knows how firm he can be on his asking price."

"Well, let's hope he gets what he wants."

"What's the latest with Dick?"

"Oh, he gets possession of his store today and I guess he's painting it right now. Did you order the stock for him?"

"Yes, and for Paul. I think we'll be getting a slightly bigger discount on the Commodores. Don't know about the other's yet. I'm just using two distributors now because I've found I can get everything from them. And they'll both deliver on Wednesday. That makes things easier, doesn't it."

"I guess so. Yes, of course it does, I'll have the rest of the week to deliverer it if they do that. Great."

Len stopped at the field as he was driving to work on Monday. Richard and a man were unloading a bulldozer from the back of a truck. Len watched them until it was on the ground then got out of his car and walked over to Richard who was telling the man where the road into the field was to start.

"The yellow sticks and ropes show you the way Jim, as usual, but I'll guide you at the central cross-road. Hi, Len. Jim's one of my key helpers, he can do almost everything. Jim, this is Len, my new partner." Jim waved from the seat then used the bulldozer to widen the opening to the field.

"We're just outlining the road where the crushed stone will be put. It's coming tomorrow. Did you see the ads in the paper?"

"Yes. Small ones but they were attractive. Are we hoping mostly for retired people to live here?"

"No, that's just Jimmy's way of starting. Next weekend it'll focus more on people who might want to move to a bigger house. I don't know what comes after that."

"I see. Will you leave the bulldozer in the field?"

"Might as well. I don't have any other work for it and it'll be needed as soon as we have a sale."

"Let's hope that's soon. I'll have to go now, I've a store to open. Cheers, Richard."

Len phoned Ganny's Home during a coffee break on Monday afternoon to ask how Dick was doing. Prue answered and told him that he was putting on a second coat of the paint and that he'd got one of his friends to work for him.

"Has he got all the shelves, tables and things he needs?"

"They're coming. We helped him make up a list. They should all be there Friday. Do you know when the stock will arrive?"

"It'll probably be Thursday. Dick should phone Chris to be sure. Can I have his phone number?"

"Yes, just a minute, it's somewhere behind the bar. Yes, here it is," and she told Len the number. "You'll want the cheques, I guess. George has them ready for you. Do you want us to mail them or will you come around for them?"

"I'll come tomorrow, if you don't mind. In the afternoon and I'd like to look at the store to see if I can suggest anything."

"Oh, good. Thanks. I'll let Dick know."

The walls had been painted and Dick and his assistant, John, were screwing shelves onto the wall behind where the counter would go when Len walked in on Tuesday afternoon. Dick stopped working and showed Len around. He was glad to see that there was a reasonably-sized store room. He suggested that they change the linoleum and not put any more shelves up until they knew just how far apart they should be.

"Do you have an 'Opening Sale' sign for the window?"

"No. Hadn't thought of that."

"Well, make one or two. Two or three feet wide so everybody driving by in their car can read it too. Chris will have mailed the normal stock prices and a list of the discount prices to you by now. You should get it tomorrow, I guess. You need the one stating the price of each item at the cash register so you and John don't get mixed up. And mark the price on each item."

"Yes, I know. Just like you do in your stores."

"Are you getting shutters for the windows?"

"I don't know. I'll have to talk to dad about that. You had a break-in, didn't you?"

"Yes. That's when we decided to put them in. Insurance covered most of the stock taken though. You need one or the other, preferably both. Right, I'm off to collect the cheques from your dad. I'll tell him about security while I'm there. When will you open?"

"Next Monday, if all goes well."

"Good luck then. Call me if you think I can help in any way."

Len collected the cheques and went to his bank on the way back to his store to deposit Dick's and Paul's cheques for April in his own business account. Lilly had a message for him when he arrived at his store. "Jimmy Barker called and asked you to phone him Len."

He did so and Jimmy told him that he had sold a lot to one of the committee members.

"It's number seven. He's already talked to Richard and he wants a three bedroom house there. He's retired and fishing is one of his hobbies."

"That was quick. I didn't expect anything to move for a few weeks."

"Well, he knew about the properties as soon as Richard asked for the severances. He says there are one or two other people interested in buying waterfront properties so we might find them easy to sell."

"That's great news. Thanks."

Len called Chris immediately afterwards to tell her the news. She was very glad, saying that she thought that they wouldn't start selling until Richard had put up a few for people to inspect.

"I guess he can show them some of the ones he's already built in Kingston if they want to see more than the pictures on the poster," said Len. "He'll begin building immediately and people will also see what's happening."

"Just those who pass along that road, remember," said Chris.

"Oh, have you sent Dick the list of regular and discount prices? He said he hopes to open next Monday. And he's got a helper, name of John, working with him. I went there this afternoon and it's beginning to look good. Say, do you have the posters we used when we were opening?"

"Yes, they're rolled up in the lunchroom cupboard."

"Can I lend them to him?"

"Of course. Just tell him to look after them. I want them back."

"Right. Let's have supper together and I'll get them then."

"Okay, pick me up at the store. I'll phone mum and tell her I'm eating with you tonight."

They went to the Red Lion for supper, thinking back to the first time they all went there and what had happened in between. They also discussed the courses they and Mike were giving. The next series didn't start for two weeks but they only had five in the last WordStar course.

"I think we should only run them every second month," said Chris. "In fact, I'm tired of giving them. Aren't you?"

"Yes. They make it a very long day. Why don't we drop them?"

"I think a number of people like and need them. It's one thing that makes us better than other stores."

"There aren't any around Townsville or Brockville now. The other one in Brockville stopped selling computers, just like your dad forecast."

"Yes, I know, but newcomers to computers will need help. Why don't we ask Mike to teach the courses whenever there's more than five applicants and let him keep all the money he makes? We'd be free that way."

"Would you dad mind?"

"No, I don't think so. I'll ask him."

Len phoned Ganny's Home when he got home that night and told Dick, who was helping behind the bar, that he had two posters he could borrow for the opening day sale.

"I'll take them to the store first thing tomorrow. Will eight thirty be okay?"

"Yes. Oh, thanks. I've not had time to make any yet."

"We'll post them in the window when I get there so people will see them the rest of the week. And be careful with them. Chris made them and wants them back."

As Len drove to Gananoque Wednesday morning he saw Richard and Jim on lot seven banging stakes into the ground in positions that must be the corners of a house. A stranger was with them helping to position them, presumably the man who had bought the place. Len waved when they looked up but he didn't stop.

He helped Dick fasten the posters to the window using tape that he'd bought, for he guessed Dick wouldn't have any with him, then drove to his own store and opened up.

There were big mounds of earth around the lot as Len passed by on his way home. 'It looks as if the houses along the waterfront can have basements then. That's good.'

Jimmy phoned Len at lunchtime and told him that they'd just had another sale.

"It's Lenten's friend, the guy who bought the first lot. He's bought the place next door, lot eight. He and his wife are talking to Richard at the moment deciding what kind of house they want."

"That's great! Oh, do you know if Richard managed to get all the men he needs?"

"No I don't. Do you want me to ask him?"

"No, not especially. Just say I said 'congratulations' from me. And the same to you, too."

'Well, it looks as if the waterfront properties are selling,' Len thought. 'Let's hope that the road lots do as well.'

He told Chris about the houses that afternoon and asked what her dad had thought about letting Mike do all the teaching and keeping all the money he earned.

"He thinks it a good idea and he won't miss much since there are fewer people taking them. He agrees with us, that working all day in a store is enough for anyone. So I'll ask Mike if he wants to do it if you agree."

"Yes, of course I agree. You know, with the houses selling we'll have plenty of money coming in. What we need is more free time. Can I help you with your paperwork?"

"I don't see how, Len. Mom still looks after our expenses and income, although she's taught me how to do it. All I do is check with Mike what we should be buying, make up a list of suggestions for Dick and Paul, place the orders and set the selling prices."

"What's going to happen when your mum and dad go on holiday?"

"Oh, I'll do the work she does. It's not difficult using the spreadsheets you and she made."

"Any news on selling their store?"

"No. Dad thinks that the guy's brother would want to visit and look at it before buying. And it might be more than he can afford with the two apartments above it. Dad also thinks that he might have other places to look at too, ones in Kingston or Brockville, so he and mum have been thinking of selling all the stock then selling the building to anyone, or just renting the store."

"Has he told his agent he's thinking of doing that?"

"I don't know."

"It might hasten the man's thoughts if he knew about that."

"Why?"

"Well, he'd lose all the reputation that the Stowel's had built up over the years."

"But he'd get that from any other appliance seller whose place he bought."

"Yes, if there were other appliance stores for sale. That's unlikely to be happening at the same time, I'd guess."

"I see. Okay, I'll suggest that to them. Oh, both deliveries have arrived. Mike helped them take Dick and Paul's stuff to the classroom."

"Any problem doing that?"

"We had to dismantle a row of computers and take them and the tables and chairs to the lounge, mainly because Dick has ordered a lot. We probably won't have to do that in future."

"Does it affect any classes?"

"No, the last two of this series are this week and there are not many taking them."

"Okay. See you soon. Love you. Bye."

Len asked Lilly to open the store the next day before leaving that night, telling her that he would be delivering stock most of the day. It certainly took that much time; three deliveries to Dick with his station wagon full, including the front seat for the first two trips, and one to Paul and finally two for his store. He had help loading and unloading, of course but climbing up and down the stairs where they were stored was the worst. Hopefully it would be better next time. Dick couldn't sell all he had ordered in just two weeks. He kept the two payment cheques he was given and would give them to Chris next time they met. As he drove home that evening he realised that by franchising Comp & Pro he'd also become a distributor and would have to deliver stock to Dick, Paul and his own store in future. That meant he'd probably have to buy a van. But it would only be used one day every two weeks if he did that. Perhaps it would be worth renting one though.

## Chapter Sixty Nine

Two Sundays later Len and Chris decided to walk along the road to see what Richard had done. They entered the field and followed the crushed-stone road to the houses being built. The basement walls of both were up, projecting three or four feet above ground level on the river side, and the garage foundations were poured. A cement floor had been laid inside each and had been covered with plastic sheets. Stacks of wood of various dimensions and trusses lay beside each house ready for the next steps. It looked as if Richard had found enough men to construct two houses at once, or the helpers he'd got could work very fast.

Walking back to Len's house he told Chris that he was going to build a garage for their two cars starting that week.

"I don't like getting up and brushing snow off my car during the winter. You must feel the same."

"Dad usually clears mine. He doesn't have to do his or mums because they're in the garage so he doesn't like to see me doing it."

"Well, the trouble is, where should I put it? It would be nice if it were beside the kitchen door but that would block the view from the kitchen window. The only place it can go is in front of the house further back but that'd mean there'd be a bit of a walk between the garage and the kitchen door."

"Well, that would be better than cleaning snow, but can't you cover the walk? Make it a like a pergola but covered with some of that transparent corrugated plastic. A friend's parents have one like that."

"Ah, yes, I could do that. If we had vines or bushes growing along the side or on top it would look quite nice."

"The roof would have to be high enough so you can still see out of the kitchen window."

"Yes. Do you like the idea of living here after we're married?"

"It'll be nice to have a place of our own but it might take me a while to get used to living without any neighbours."

"But I'd be here and we'd be working most of the time."

"No, I meant when we have young children and I'm here, looking after them."

"Perhaps there will be neighbours by then."

"What? In a couple of years? I don't think so."

"I'd rather wait longer than that Chris. Five or six years. We'd be well established by then and have money enough to buy everything we'd need to care for them."

"Oh, Len. That's too long to wait. But let's not talk about it now. What are we having for supper?"

Len remembered the conversation as he went to bed that night. He was twenty, only just stopped being a teenager. He didn't feel old enough to have kids to look after. How come Chris didn't feel the same?

He bought a dozen twelve foot long two-by-fours first thing Monday and a roll of reinforcing wire mesh. The assistant fastened a red flag to the end of the wood which stuck out the back of the station wagon and he drove directly to his house and laid the wood and mesh on the stones in the turn-around. That evening after changing into working clothes he built a two-by-four wall around the edge of his future garage. He laid the wire mesh inside and the concrete would be poured on top and he'd pull it up to the middle as he levelled the floor. He was finished before it darkened and had a TV dinner for supper. Afterwards he calculated the amount of concrete he would need and, hopefully, get it delivered first thing on Wednesday.

When Len phoned to order the cement he found that it couldn't be delivered until Thursday if he wanted it there by eight. He phoned the lumber yard afterwards and placed his order for the wood, trusses, shingles, plastic siding, garage doors and their openers. He told them he wanted it delivered on Thursday afternoon and placed near the concrete pad. When he asked if he'd get the discount he used to get they said he no longer qualified but if he placed a lot more orders in the near future they'd reconsider it.

Thursday came and the cement truck arrived on time. As soon as they'd spread the load and left Len leveled the concrete with a two-by-four. It was hard work, doing that and using a wire hook to pull up the wire mesh. He finished at eight forty then sat in the kitchen with a pot of tea, wishing it wasn't a delivery day with all the stairs he had to climb, but pushing a plank backwards and forwards at least exercised a different set of muscles.

He changed his clothes into something smarter then drove to the Townsville store where Mike was waiting to help him load the wagon. There were two less trips this time. Dick had sold a little more than Paul and was very happy by how the two weeks had gone. He returned Chris's posters when handing over the cheque for the deliveries and told him that he'd already earned enough to pay the first month's lease. "And that's after paying John, myself and all the other expenses. Dad's very pleased too. He says he thinks I'm already a good businessman!"

The wood and materials were standing near the concrete pad when Len returned in the evening. The concrete looked fine and he sprinkled it with water and did the same on Friday morning. It was Easter weekend and their stores were closed so he had all day to work on the garage. He wished that the concrete was dry, for he wanted to build the stud walls, the flat concrete pad would have made a perfect place to do that. Instead he used the four-by-eight particle boards to make a flat base on the grass which was growing where his garden used to be. He made the four stud walls of the garage and dragged then to the far side of the pad, hoping that Chris would help him put them up on Sunday. The rest of the day he cleaned the house then read how to install plastic siding. It would take longer to do that than anything else he discovered.

Saturday they held their Easter sale. Since the sales had been advertised on Wednesday people who might have come on Thursday had stayed away and the stores were full of customers all the day. Jack, as usual, came around to pay the staff and Len asked him if he had heard from the guy who was interested in buying his store.

"No," Jack said. "It looks as if he's not interested in my place any more. Well, there's no hurry although we're both sorry it hasn't sold."

"That's too bad. Let's hope someone else comes along."

"Yes. What are you doing for Easter? Can you come for lunch tomorrow?"

"I'd love to," Len said, although he'd rather get on with putting up the garage walls. He'd have to do that Monday, but maybe Chris would come Sunday morning. He called her after Jack had left and asked if she'd come, telling her what he wanted her to do.

"How long would it take?" she asked. "I told mum I'd help her prepare lunch."

"Oh, no more than an hour. I'll only need you for a while."

"Okay. I'll be there at nine. Has dad asked you to come for lunch?"

"Yes, he did. Thanks."

"Good. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

Once the number of customers allowed him to take a break Len walked along King Street to the flower store and bought a big bouquet of flowers to give to Susan. He put the stems in an old coffee tin half-filled with water until he went home.

Sunday morning Chris and Len began with the wall next to the house. Once it's base was standing along the edge of the concrete they lifted the frame upright and Chris held it in place while Len nailed long two-by-four struts to hold it upright. The rear wall came next. Once it was vertical Len used a piece of rope to tie it to the first wall. That kept it upright. They positioned and tied the third wall then the front one, a light one because of the openings where the garage doors would hang. Then Len went around the bottom studs, nudging them into place and drilling holes through the studs and into the concrete then nailing them to the pencil of wood he'd pushed into the hole then into the concrete. Chris stepped back and looked the place over.

"I see where the side door will be but what about the windows. Aren't you having any?"

"Yes, but I haven't chosen them yet. I'll have three, two on the back wall and one on the north side. I'll cut the openings in the studs when I know what size windows I've got. One last thing, Chris. Something I've just remembered. Can you help me put the trusses on top of the walls? I'll just let them hang there. That'll make it much easier for me to put them up."

It was easy to carry the trusses from their pile when there were two of them. Len let them hang upside down from the top of the walls.

"Thanks, Chris," he said, when they were all up. "Well, it was just over an hour. Sorry. What time do I come for lunch?"

"One should be all right. I'll tell mum that's the time I told you and we'll work to that."

They had a hug and some kisses then Chris drove off.

'There's more than two hours left before I have to leave,' Len thought. 'Time to nail the corners together and perhaps fasten the trusses.' He wondered about making himself a coffee but decided against it. He'd have one after the trusses were done, if there was time.

Nailing the corners together didn't take long. He used two sixteen foot two-by-fours to hold the first truss in place and fastened the others eighteen inches apart. At that distance apart they would be strong enough to hold any amount of snow that might accumulate. A couple of diagonal two-by-fours kept them all in place.

During his coffee break he wondered where he'd get the windows. Buying new ones would be expensive and he'd not much spare cash left after paying what he owed on his last year's income tax. Perhaps Brockville's junk yard would have some. He'd check there before buying elsewhere.

Easter lunch was a ham shoulder baked and glazed by Susan with help from Chris, carrots and potatoes, followed by a key lime pie covered with meringue whipped cream. That and wine left Len too full to go back to work when he arrived home at four o'clock carrying two thick slices of ham. It was raining as he went to bed and he hoped that it would clear before dawn otherwise working on the garage would be very uncomfortable. It stopped during the night and although the wood was wet Len spent Monday morning covering the roof and the back side with particle board. The two ends were covered and the side door attached in the afternoon and he went to bed feeling happy about the work he had done that day. He really enjoyed making things as long as he was only on his own timetable and didn't have to meet any deadlines. If only he could find a job like that he'd be happy.

Every evening, except Wednesday, when it was raining, Len worked on the garage. He shingled half the roof Tuesday evening and did the other half on Thursday. Wednesday he found windows he could use at the junk yard. He replaced the broken panes after changing his clothes when he got home, working inside the garage. The frames needed painting but that could be done after they were installed. Friday evening he cut the openings in the walls and fitted two windows on the back wall. He worked until ten, using two of Matt's extension lights so he could see what he was doing. Saturday evening he fitted the larger window in the north wall then rested. Sunday morning he installed the garage doors and the door openers. For now he had to lift the doors by hand because he hadn't installed the electricity. Cleaning the house was done after lunch.

Chris was impressed by how much he had accomplished when she arrived that afternoon. "And it blends well with the house. The pergola will run along the house to the side door, I suppose."

"Yes. I should have it all done in two or three weeks, that is, if the siding isn't too difficult to put on. It'll be ready a month before the wedding, so don't worry."

"I wasn't worried. I can see how quickly you get things done. The grass looks good too, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it's taken well. The rain helps, of course."

"I hope it doesn't rain during the reception."

"So do I. Will there be music for people to dance to?"

"Yes, but I'll have to find someone to change the records. I'll ask Mike. Oh, things are happening on the sale of the store. It turns out that the man went back to Calgary for Easter and to close the sale of his store. He spent some time with dad on Wednesday talking about the accounts. He particularly wanted to know about the sudden bump in earnings."

"A sudden bump?"

"Yes. That's when we sold computers in the store. Remember? It boosted the income remarkably and the man wanted to know what had happened and why it went down again. He was disappointed when dad told him what caused it, that he'd bought another store and sold the computers there now. But he's still interested and he and dad are negotiating the final price."

"It's more than he wanted to pay, I guess."

"It's the two apartments, they add to the cost. Dad talked to mum about keeping them and just selling the store but she doesn't want to do that. So that's what's happening right now."

## Chapter Seventy

Mike began his first word processing class on Monday with seven people attending. He covered both WordStar and Word Perfect. He now taught what customers preferred; six lessons taken two each week on word processing. He put up notices in both stores saying that he'd also teach Lotus 1-2-3 if more than five people wanted to take it. He charged ten dollars a night, collecting the money from those who came that evening, for not everyone could come every time, and handed out course notes. He enjoyed teaching and told Len he wanted to do that rather than work in a software company. The space where computer boxes, printers, drives and programs would be stored over Wednesday nights never had to be reclaimed.

Len spent the evenings, over two hours of daylight by now, installing the siding. He started on the end facing the house where mistakes wouldn't show and worked slowly until he found out how to level each strip, how to correctly install the corners and how to cut the ends so they fit accurately. He was soon going almost as fast as a professional and had finished the south and back walls by Friday although he was very tired on Thursday evening after delivering stock all the day. Saturday he took Chris out to supper and she stayed the night, leaving after a late breakfast. Len spent the rest of the day installing the siding on the north wall and above and between the garage doors. The next job would be the pergola.

Richard's crew had finished the shell of the houses on lots seven and eight by the end of the week and were working on the inside. Len saw him talking to one of his workmen Monday morning as he was driving to work so he parked and walked over to find out how things were going.

"Got time to talk?" he asked as he drew near.

"Hi, Len. Yes, of course. Okay, Bill, finish the last trench then ask Terry to join you and lay the pipe."

The man nodded and climbed onto the bulldozer and started it.

"What pipe, Richard?" asked Len.

"For the water. It's cheaper if we put the pipe in ourselves. We also run the hydro line through the same trench. Want to see inside one of these?" and he nodded towards the houses.

"Yes, please. Are they the same inside? They look similar."

"No. One's open plan, mostly. Oh, Jimmy's going to have an open house in two weeks, on the Sunday, but there won't be any furniture and I don't think the water will be on. Hydro should, though. And he's just sold a bungalow. A young couple with the woman in a wheel chair have bought it. It's on the road, lot six, so it's easier for her husband to drive out in the winter. That's the next one we'll build."

The house they entered after Len had put on a hard hat was almost finished inside. Four rooms downstairs; kitchen, living, family, dining and a powder room. Upstairs were four bedrooms, the master had a small ensuite and there was a family bathroom. The basement was unfinished, just an oil furnace and laundry tub with connections for the washer and dryer. Len was struck by the speed with which Richard and his crew had done so much and told him.

"We've done so many similar houses, Len. I don't have to show the boys what to do next, they just go ahead."

"When do we get the money?"

"Not until the owners have taken possession. That might be in three or four weeks."

After work that day Len drove to the lumber yard and bought nine sono tubes, bags of concrete mix and post holders. He was going to extend the pergola past the corner of the house, where one had to turn right to go up the two stairs to get to the kitchen door, inclining the roof upwards above the stairs, then continuing it past the kitchen door so that walking from the garage to the kitchen door would always be covered. He rented a post hole digger for three nights, although he expected to get the work done in two. He'd read that large stones, especially ones near the bottom of the hole, could make the job take much longer than expected. When he got home he changed into his working clothes and used the tape measure and small stakes to mark exactly where each hole should be dug then tried the digger. It wasn't difficult to turn and he got down to four feet without hitting any major stones. He made another two holes when he stopped and had supper.

The next night he dug four more holes and did the last two Wednesday evening, returning the digger afterwards and buying seven, eight-foot and two, ten-foot long, four-by-fours.

Chris phoned him first thing Thursday morning to tell him that they'd sold the store. "There was a lot of bargaining last night, sales contracts going backwards and forwards for over an hour. But dad got almost as much as he asked for. And he's sold everything, the van and parking lot, the store and the two apartments. At one time he said he would keep the apartments to lower the price but mum kept reminding him of all the work and worry there was doing that; finding new tenants, checking their credentials, arranging cleaning and so on. Eventually they both signed and we no longer own the store. So he's now thinking about the trip to Australia and all the other places they might visit during the journey."

"That's great news. He's sold it to the man from Calgary?"

"Yes, that's right. He now has to return home to finalise the sale of his house. His store is already sold. So mum and dad are going to celebrate, have dinner sometime. We're invited."

"Well, give them my congratulations."

"I will. Bye Len. I love you."

"I love you, too. Bye Chris."

Len told the staff that Jack had sold his appliance store and would be retiring. "He'll still own the computer stores, though. So everything stays the same for us."

After work Len returned to constructing the pergola. He rammed stones and dirt in place to hold a sono tube vertically in one of the holes. Then he slowly added water to the concrete he'd dumped into his wheelbarrow, mixing it with his hoe until it felt and looked right, then filled the sono tube and pushed one of the metal post holders into the top. He had time to place and fill a second tube before stopping for supper. Friday evening he put all the tubes in their holes before mixing and adding the concrete, filling three holes. He finished the last four on Saturday evening, glad that that part was over and that the rain that fell Thursday as he was finishing hadn't caused any problems. It had helped the grass to grow and he mowed it Sunday morning. After doing that he drove to the lumber yard and bought ten foot lengths of two-by-sixes and two-by-fours that he would use to make the ledger board and joists to hold the corrugated plastic sheets. Once home he spent the rest of the morning fastening the ledger board to the house wall. He had time to clean and wash his clothes before Chris arrived. After a few hugs and kisses Len asked her if she would help him mount the pergola posts. "All I want you to do is hold them vertically while I use struts to fix them in place."

He fetched the galvanised nails, level and hammer from the tool shed then nailed one of the posts onto the metal post holder as Chris held the post upright. He then fastened a two-by-four to the ledger with one nail so that the wood could move and nailed it to the post once Chris told him it was vertical. Another two-by-four held the post firmly. Those struts would stay there until the joists were attached. Five of the posts were fastened within an hour and then they stopped, for Len judged the cement laid on Saturday would not be solid enough to work on. They showered together before going to bed and Chris left for home after supper.

Driving to work on Monday Len saw a couple of men positioning stakes along the road and stopped to ask what they were doing. "It's where the water pipe will run," he was told. They didn't know when it would be laid but assumed that it would be within a week or two.

After closing the store that night Len bought the plastic roofing, choosing a pale green shade and having each cut to five foot lengths. The sixteen foot lengths of two-by-four and two-by-six he tied carefully on the roof and drove slowly back to his home hoping the roof struts could hold the weight. They did and were not bent when he checked after removing the wood. There was time to erect the last two posts but it took a long time when he had to use struts to hold them upright and vertical but he managed before it got too dark to see.

So the job continued. Tuesday evening he added the trusses, making the pergola ready for roofing. Wednesday he screwed on two-thirds of the sheets and finished the job after a tiring day delivering on Thursday. Now one could walk all the way from the side door of the garage to the kitchen door under cover. All that heeded to be done was hooking up electricity to the garage.

He bought twenty meters of armoured hydro cable and two four-foot long fluorescent lamps Friday evening and fastened them above the bench he planned to build along the back wall. Saturday evening he drilled a hole through the kitchen wall starting inside the kitchen near to a hydro outlet that was close to the garage side door, making sure that the drill bit didn't touch any of the hydro wires as he drilled. Then he pushed one end of the armoured cladding through the hole from the outside of the house and anchored it with silicone caulk, finally fastening a hydro plug to the inside end. Outside he ran the cable up the wall to the transom, across the pergola roof then along and down the nearest post until it was just below the garage roof, fastening it in place with large hydro staples. He bent the cable slightly upwards so any water that might fall on it would drain away from the garage and pushed the cable through a hole he drilled into the garage side, caulking around the hole afterwards. That was all he could manage that evening.

On Sunday he stapled the cable inside the garage and pushed it into a junction box, cutting off the surplus. From this box he ran wires to the control boxes for the garage door openers, the switches for the fluorescent lights and to receptacles he fixed along the back wall. By lunchtime he had finished all the electrical work. Entering the garage by the side door he could turn on one or both lights and open either of the garage doors. Once the remote controls were set up he could use them to open the doors. He would give the one near the side door to Chris when she came. He cleaned the house and washed his clothes before she arrived at three.

He greeted her at her car and gave her the remote. "Here, this is for you. Press the button." She did that and laughed. "My god, Len, you must have worked every evening to get all this done."

"That's right, I did. Drive in the garage, park and close the door. I'll see you at the side door."

He watched her drive in, thinking that he'd have to fashion a stop of some kind to let them both know when they had driven in far enough. He shouted, "Stop, that's far enough," when she was a bit more than a foot inside. As she closed the garage door he ran around to the side door to check how much room was left for a bench. It looked like six feet, so he'd better make the bench just three feet wide. Where his station wagon was parked he had about three feet and he gave up his idea of having two benches. He'd put shelves on that wall.

As they were walking along the pergola to the kitchen door Chris told Len that there was an 'Open House' sign by the entrance to the field where Richard was building the houses.

"And there were two cars parked by the houses. So I guess one must be the real estate agent's car and the other could belong to someone looking at the houses."

"Richard told me Jimmy was having an open house this Sunday. Well I hope he gets more than one viewer. I'll have to have a chat with him. What time is the open house finished?"

"I didn't notice. Probably four o'clock."

"Well, let's walk over about three thirty. Do you know him? Jimmy Baker?"

"No."

"Well, he's helped me a lot, finding land and selling houses. And Matt, of course. That's how I met him. You know, I'd like to invite him and Richard to our wedding reception. Would you mind?"

"No, of course not. Then I better meet him. What are we having for supper? Is there much to prepare?"

"Trout. Want them barbequed?"

"Yes, I'd like that. When do we go fishing?"

"I don't know when it opens but it will be this month. How about next Sunday?"

"Good. Then we can have fresh fish."

"Don't forget to buy a fishing licence."

"I didn't last year. Do I need one?"

"Sure. I just forgot to tell you about it. You buy them at the tackle store in Brockville."

"You'll have to show me where it is. How about me coming for lunch tomorrow and I'll buy it then."

"All right. We'll go to the Red Lion."

"No, not there. I don't want to drink when I'm going back to work. Let's go to a deli."

"All right."

They talked about the wedding and the honeymoon as they walked along the road to see Jimmy. He was talking to a couple outside the house at the end of the road so Len showed Chris around the other one. There was a standard lamp in the far corner of the living room, a table lamp on the kitchen counter and another one on a chair at the top of the stairs. 'So the hydro is on' thought Len. 'Jimmy really should use more lamps. Thank goodness it's sunny.'

Once the people had left Len introduced Jimmy to Chris then asked how the afternoon had been.

"Sold one, a five bedroom house, on lot twelve to the first man who came here. He wants it the second weekend of June, on June tenth. I told him that's impossible but he insisted so I called Richard and he came over and talked to him. Richard said that to build it by then he'd have to pay a lot of overtime but the man insisted, saying the truck with all his furniture was arriving on the Monday and he didn't want to pay for storage and another truck to move it again. So Richard said it'd cost him another five thousand and the man agreed. The house sold for fifty six thousand five hundred! And I might have sold another one on the road to a young couple with a baby. They're looking at others and will let me know if they want the one here."

"That's great news, Jimmy. Are you going to have another open house?"

"Not for a month. But I'll add a note to the road poster and to the newspaper ad to say that four of the eleven lots have sold. That might prompt people to check what the place looks like."

"Well, I'm very pleased. I bet Richard is too."

"He is. He told me after the man had left that he'll shift his crew to working full time on the man's house. The bungalow can wait. And, he added, doing that will mean that he won't have to pay any overtime. He's a smart man."

"I guess so. Jimmy, Chris and I are getting married June sixteenth. We'd like you and Richard to come to the wedding reception."

"It's a civil marriage, Jimmy," said Chris, "so there's no church service. I'll see you get an invitation as soon as mum receives them."

"Thanks. I'd like to come. Err, can I bring Olive, my wife?"

"Yes, of course."

"Thanks."

## Chapter Seventy One

Len passed a machine that was parked just past the entrance to the six acres on his way home Monday. Behind it lay a trench stretching back towards Townsville. He guessed it was the trench for the water pipe and that it would be laid soon.

Barb phoned him as he was eating supper that evening. "Len, we've bought a restaurant! It's ours on July first, Canada Day. Peter's very happy. It's what he always wanted."

"Congratulations! Where is it?"

"In Brockville, on King Street West. It's about four stores east of Comp & Pro. So you'll be able to come for lunch when we open."

"Ah, I don't leave the store at lunch time, Barb. That's when we get busy. But I'll certainly come over when I can. Is it all ready to go?"

"Peter wants to upgrade the kitchen when we can afford it. We'll do the same for the tables and chairs too, as soon as we can. It's not a fancy restaurant but Peter wants to slowly turn it into one. There aren't many good places to eat in Brockville."

"Will you move there, Barb?"

"I hope not but we'll have to see. If we get very busy we might have to."

"And you'll work there?"

"Oh, yes, of course. And the staff that are there now want to continue."

"Well, I'm very happy for you and Peter. You're both coming to our wedding?"

"Yes, but we haven't had an invitation yet."

"I expect they'll arrive this week. There's been some kind of delay but I don't know what it is."

"What do you want for a wedding present, Len?"

"Nothing. We've got everything already."

"Well you must have something. Look what you and Dan gave me for my wedding, a car!"

"Ah, well how about some wine. That we can use."

"Wine? Okay. We'll buy you a box."

"Don't spend a lot of money, Barb. You'll need it for the restaurant."

"Let me worry about that. Now I must phone Dan. Cheers, Len."

"Bye, Barb."

The water pipe was laid along the road Thursday morning. It stopped where the trench stopped, just past their entrance.

That evening Len joined the Stowel's at Giovanni's to celebrate the sale of their store. Peter came out to say hello when they were seated and told them about the restaurant he'd just bought in Brockville.

"Well, that's very good news," said Jack. "Congratulations. What does your boss say here?"

"He knew I was looking for a place. It's what most chefs want to do, buy a place of their own. He's looking for my replacement already. Have you chosen what you want to eat yet?"

"No," said Susan. "What do you recommend?"

"Filetto alla Don Giovanni for the main course. It's a filet of veal with asparagus, mushrooms caps, parmigiana, diced tomatoes and a cognac demi-glaze. Or, Risotto alla Pescatora if you prefer seafood. It's king crab and grilled seafood with a tomato sauce on rice. Or perhaps Petto D'Anatra, a duck breast with prosciutto and a sweet and sour fig marmalade sauce."

Len, worried about the price of these dishes, asked if he could have a spaghetti.

"With a meat sauce?" asked Peter.

"Yes, please."

"Then it's Spaghetti con Polpette for you."

Susan and Chris chose the crab and Jack the veal. Jack also chose escargot as a starter, all the others ordered smelts. When the time came to order a dessert no one wanted one because they couldn't eat any more.

Friday Len decided to finish the work on the pergola and lay the path. He bought bags of sand and, after mowing the grass as short as he could under the pergola, spread the sand along the path, raking it to provide a level base for the concrete slabs. He knew they would probably sink in places but it would be easy to move them back. He collected half of the slabs Saturday morning, taking them home before opening the store, and got the rest on his way home. He put half in place before supper and finished Sunday morning. It looked very nice now and was much easier to walk along. He mowed the rest of the grass afterwards then lowered the boat, filled the tank with gas, started the motor and drove the boat to the dock. He checked the fishing rods then wondered about digging for worms. Without a garden this would not be easy but he remembered reading about a way to make them come to the surface. He fetched a metal coat hanger, straightened it and cut it in half then pushed the two wires into the ground about a foot apart. Next he fastened a wire to each coat hanger and connected the other ends to a hydro plug. Then he pushed the plug into a connected extension cord and waited. Within thirty seconds two fat worms emerged and moved onto the grass. Len pulled the plug from the extension cord and picked up the worms. 'So it works! I'd better get a tin to keep them in.' He did that then moved one of the wires to cover a fresh spot and collected another worm. He had a dozen in the tin after ten minutes.

Chris arrived about two o'clock, dressed in jeans and ready to go fishing. After a hug and kisses they climbed into the boat and set off to the reed beds. Len showed Chris the worms and suggested they try using them on a hook hanging from a float.

"It's mid-afternoon and I think this might be better than casting or trolling." He fastened floats to their lines, added hooks and pushed a worm onto each one. They cast off and waited. Two minutes later Chris's line jerked and the hook was pulled sideways. She struck then reeled the line it. She had caught a seven-inch perch.

"That's big enough to eat," said Len. "Oh, I've got one too."

His was another perch, eight inches this time.

"That's enough for supper but would your mum and dad like some?"

"Yes, I'm sure they would."

They fished for another half hour catching ten more with five big enough to keep, putting the others back in the river.

Len slowly drove the boat home watching the ducks swimming along the shore and tied it to the dock. He and Chris cleaned the fish by the kitchen sink and then went to bed.

During supper Chris told Len that the invitations had been sent out. "I've got two in my handbag so you can send them to Jimmy and Richard. Any more news about the houses?"

"The water pipe was at the entrance Thursday and I bet it's been connected by now. And the basement for the houses has been poured. Are your parents excited about their retirement?"

"Yes. Mum's already beginning to sort through the files and stock room to see what they should keep. There are lots of old documents from years' past which won't be any good for the new man. His name's Wilbert Kinkade, his wife's name is Cathy."

"When do they take over?"

"The closing date is June twenty second, a Friday. Mr. Kinkade plans to formally open the store under his name on the Monday, the twenty fifth, with an opening sale. The store will be closed on Saturday."

"And the honeymoon's all set?"

"According to the travel agency, yes. She's booked a hotel near the airport and our plane leaves at seven fifty Sunday morning. It's not going to be much of a wedding night, driving down after the party and getting up around six."

"Well, we'll have plenty of time to make up for that on the boat."

"People have been asking me about wedding presents. I'd like to have a nicer dinner service and cutlery. These are fine for everyday use but I'd like something better when we host dinners. Would you mind?"

"No, of course not. I told Barb we didn't need anything and suggested she buy us some wine."

"We can't have everyone buying wine for us Len. What would they think? And it would all go bad before we drank it. Let me organise it. I'll register us at Sears and they'll look after it."

"Is that how it's done? All right."

"I'll phone them after I have the orders in, sorted and placed."

"It looks as if Dick is doing a little better than Paul from what I hear when taking to him."

"Yes, I think he has been on the last two shipments. Of course, Paul sells televisions and radios as well. I have no idea how he's doing with those. Len, we should buy our wedding rings soon. You're going to wear one aren't you?"

"I guess so. All right, let's go tomorrow afternoon. Come to my store and we'll walk to the store where we bought the engagement ring. They'll have plenty, I'm sure."

Chris arrived mid-afternoon and Len bought two matching rings. Chris wanted hers engraved with Chris and Len, June 16, 1984 on the inside. Len decided not to have his ring inscribed and collected them two days later.

Thursday evening Dan hosted the first dealership board meeting. He had the year's operation to report. The meeting began at seven and they sat around his dining room table, Dan, Sarah, her parents, Barb and Len, all waiting for the news, good or bad.

"Well," said Dan. "It's been a good year. No staff changes, sales and service both bringing in money and we cleared sixty one thousand, six hundred and thirteen dollars. That's eight thousand eight hundred and one dollars and eighty seven cents for each share.

"Wow!" said Sarah's father, "good for you, Dan."

"Thanks, but Sarah helped a lot too. She's been looking after a lot of the paperwork and I let one of the clerks go. That saved us money, of course."

"You should pay Sarah," said Barb.

"Well he does, sort of," answered Sarah. "We eat out or order in a lot more now."

"When do we get the money?" asked Sarah's dad.

"Right now," and Dan opened a large envelope and handed every stockholder a smaller envelope. "There's a financial statement, a summary of the dealership's income and costs and the cheque inside. While you look at it Sara and I will bring in the refreshments."

"It's nothing much," said Sarah. "Just some snacks and a couple of bottles of champagne."

It was a happy end to the meeting, with much talk of how they were going to spend the money. Dan's would go to Joe to reduce the loan, Sarah's parents would put theirs into their retirement savings account and Barbara's would help renovate their restaurant. Only Len had no idea what he'd use his money for, although the honeymoon hotel and cruise would take some of it.

When Len got home he phoned Chris and told her what had happened at the meeting.

"In short, my share earned me, us, just over eighty eight hundred dollars. That's over a quarter of my pay! All for doing nothing. That's what I want to do, Chris. Invest money."

"What? Sit back all day and just invest money? What happens when you chose badly? You'll have to do more than that, Len."

"Well, not work in a store all day, that's for sure. If I can make enough I'm going to stop doing that."

"Well, I feel the same but we can't both do it. Not for a while, anyway. I'd have to stop when we have a baby though."

"Yes. I know. I just wanted you to know how buying a share in Dan's dealership worked out. Well, goodnight, Chris. I love you."

"I love you too, Len. I'm going to tell mum and dad about the money from Dan's place. You don't mind?"

"No, of course not."

"Okay. Bye, Len. Love you."

Len went to the bank at ten Friday morning to deposit the dealership cheque and the two franchise cheques for June. When that was done he drove to the Amity's store to ask how things were going.

"Hello, Len," said Paul when he walked in. "How's things?"

"That's just what I was going to ask you. Things are fine with me. What about with you?"

"We get about the same number of customers, Len, but make a slightly better profit on our sales because of the discount. It's enough to cover the franchise fee several times so I'm not worried. Got time for a coffee?"

"Yes, a quick one."

"Daphne, Len's here. Put the kettle on for coffee, please."

A minute later she came out from the back and greeted Len. "Hello Len. You're in luck, I've brought some ginger snaps to the store today. Paul loves them so I make them once or twice a month. Come into the staff room."

They both went to the room leaving Paul to look after a man who just walked in. The room contained three large chairs, a small table, a large television, a counter and sink, a microwave and a small refrigerator.

"I wish our coffee room was big enough to have easy chairs in," said Len.

"Well, sit here, Paul usually sits in that one." She made the coffee and poured a mug for Len and herself. "He'll be in as soon as he's free.

Daphne opened a tin and put several ginger snaps on a plate. "We have them plain so there's no clotted cream, sorry. Hope you like them like this."

Len took one and bit off a piece. "Yes, they're lovely. Thanks."

Paul walked in and poured himself a mug of coffee. He took a snap and sat down. "Are you checking on us, Len?"

"No, of course not. I just wondered how things were doing and if you thought being a franchisee was worth the cost."

"Oh, yes, it is," said Daphne. "The Easter sale bought in more customers, probably some from you since we had the same discounts. Did you suffer?"

"No, I don't think so," replied Len. "I think more and more people are buying computers, that's all."

"Good," she said, "that's what I like to hear. You know it's a big relief not having to keep up with all the new ones coming on the market. Your man, Mike, isn't it, must do a lot of research."

"He reads lots of magazines, that's for sure. All the ones we sell and probably more," said Len, standing up. "Well, I'm glad things are working out for you. And thanks for the coffee and snap, Daphne. I must go and look after my own store now."

"Take another snap with you, Len," Daphne said, and he did before leaving the room accompanied by Paul who opened the door to the store for him.

'I wonder how I can get more franchisees,' Len thought as he drove off. 'It's a great way to make money. I'll really have to think about it.'

## Chapter Seventy Two

Sunday morning Len mowed the grass over the whole lot then lowered the cutters before going over the grass in his garden area a second time to make it ready for the marquee. He next cleaned and dusted the house then wondered what he should do to make it ready for the caterers. Perhaps Chris would know. She arrived at three with a car full of clothes.

"These are my winter ones, most of them," she told Len. "There's still my overcoats and jackets. Where should I put them?"

"There won't be enough room in the bedroom for both your and my clothes. We'll have to use the closet in the next door bedroom. Do you have hangers?"

"Yes, they're in a bag. But I'm not going into another bedroom to get dressed each day."

"No, I guess not. We'll put my winter things in there as well and split the rest of the room in the closet."

"You haven't seen all I've got. I'll need at least two thirds of the closet."

"That'll be okay. I don't have much."

They hung Chris's winter clothes in the spare bedroom then moved Len's sweaters, under shirts and suits there. That, together with the empty drawers that Len didn't use, gave Chris what she thought might be enough room.

"I'll bring the summer things after work. How about tomorrow? Okay?"

"Sure."

"It'll be after supper, about eight."

"No problem. How about staying the night/"

"No. Did you know today's the last time for sex before we get married?"

"Well, now we're here . . ."

"Yes."

An hour later Len asked Chris if she wanted to go fishing.

"Not today. Too tired. I just want to sleep for a bit then have supper."

"All right, I'll do the same."

They cuddled and soon fell asleep. Len woke two hours later and got carefully out of bed, dressed then went downstairs to prepare supper, a frozen lasagna that needed time in the oven. It was not the best meal for a warm afternoon but steaks and French fries would not have been any better. He sat on the deck with a beer until Chris came down half an hour later.

"Who's going to look after your store while we're on our honeymoon, Chris?"

"I asked Ben to do it but he said he'd rather let Jane take over. She's more interested in computers than he is and he thought she'd make a good assistant manager. I was a bit surprised when he said that but I agreed. She said she would do it and I'll give her a bonus when I get back. What about you? Who's going to look after your store?"

"Lilly. I'm paying her $100."

"Then I'll give Jane the same, or, rather, I'll ask dad to do that to both of them when he gives them their wages on Saturday. You shouldn't have to pay her out of your salary."

Chris returned with more clothes Monday and Wednesday evenings and boxes of shoes, toiletries, pictures and records on Thursday and Friday. Len asked her how much more she had for he was running out of space.

"That's most of it. There's my suitcases, they can go in the other bedroom."

Richard phoned Len just as Chris was about to leave. She stayed to hear what he had to say.

"He finished the house for the guy who wanted it by June tenth and they closed on Friday. The cheque was deposited in the partnership account and I get ten thousand, three hundred and nineteen dollars, plus some cents!"

"Wow! And there'll be eleven houses? The ten thousand can't be all profit, surely."

"No. I have to repay the mortgage and recover the money I put in. This house was exceptional. Richard charged him five thousand for rushing the job and it was a big house plus he didn't have to dig a well so we earned more than expected. The others won't bring in so much. He's going to bring around his accounting sheet to show his costs later but I trust him. I told him he needn't do that but he insisted."

"Well, I won't wait for him. Mind if I tell mum and dad?"

"No. I'd like them to know that I can afford to keep you!"

"Well, you can, right now. But I might get used to money coming in and want to spend more."

"I hope not."

"Hey, just kidding. Give me a hug and a kiss and I'm off."

Richard arrived forty minutes later. He gave Len his summary sheet and went over it, making sure Len understood what each figure stood for, then handed Len a check drawn from the partnership account.

"You could have drawn it but I did for you so you can deposit it tomorrow."

"Thanks, Richard. This was a good one. Was it hard to meet the deadline?"

"No, but the bungalow's going to be a week later than I expected. I hope they don't mind."

"No more sales?"

"None that I've heard of. Jimmy's going to have another open house next Sunday. Oh, thank you for the wedding invitation. My wife is looking forward to meeting you. What do you want for a wedding present?"

"Oh, Chris has arranged something with Sears but I'd rather just have a bottle of wine."

"Then that's what I'll give you. Any preferences?"

"A shiraz would be my choice."

"Right. Well, I'm off. I hope we sell more houses otherwise I'll lose my men."

"I hope Jimmy finds some buyers then. Bye Richard."

"Bye, Len."

Monday evening as Len drove past the field he saw a large truck parked by the house on lot twelve, with one man carrying a box into the house and another holding out a pad of paper to someone who could have been the owner. It looked as if they had just finishing unloading the truck as a third man was climbing into the driver's seat. The garage doors were open and two cars stood inside. Four children were in the garden, two girls running around and two boys throwing stones into the river.

Eileen and Hank, Jack's sister and her husband, arrived from Australia on Wednesday, Chris told Len when she saw him as he was collecting the stock to deliver Thursday morning. They were staying for the wedding then exploring England for two weeks after which they were going to the continent for three more. "It's the first time Hank has been here and the first time Aunt Eileen has returned since she emigrated fifteen years ago. You'll meet them at the wedding. And all sorts of presents have been arriving. Mum's cleared the spare bedroom and they're all in there. We'll open them after the wedding, there isn't time to do it now. Oh, the man in charge of putting up the marquee is going to be at your place at about lunch time today. You'll have to show them where you want it. Can you be there then?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Dick's got two loads and so has Paul. I'll do Dick's first and the first of Paul's and let him know the second one will come later in the afternoon. I'll do mine afterwards and on Friday."

"The porta potties are coming Friday and they'll phone you before delivering. Where are you going to put them?"

"The other side of the tool and garden shed so they'll be out of the way. How about the tables and chairs? When are they coming?"

"Also on Friday. They don't need to be supervised, they've done this thing many times and someone from the catering company will tell them where they and the bar goes. Getting excited? I am."

"Yes, I guess so. How about the tickets for the cruise and hotel booking. Have you got those?"

"Yes. they're with my passport. Don't forget to take your passport. You've got it?"

"Yes, it came a week ago."

"Good. I'm coming over tonight to pack my suitcases. After supper, will that be okay?"

"Can I use one of your suitcases? I've only got an old one that was dads and it's rather scruffy."

"We might be able to get all your stuff in my case. I'm not taking much."

Len met the truck with the marquee at the entrance to his home and showed the supervisor where he wanted it placed. They backed the truck up then unloaded sections of the tent, poles and ropes and the three men with Len's help positioned a large groundsheet over the garden. It took an hour to erect the marquee and Len was impressed by the size of it. He signed the delivery paper and asked when they would come and remove it.

"Sometime on Monday. You don't have to be here for that."

"I hope not," laughed Len.

The man laughed with him, saying, "I guess you'll be on your honeymoon then. Well, good luck to you."

Chris arrived at seven thirty and they both went into the marquee.

"Oh, there's supposed to be a floor section where people can dance," she said. "Maybe the people with the table will bring it. Let me phone mum and ask."

She did that and was told that the marquee people said they would be bringing it tomorrow after it had been returned from another booking. "Don't worry. How's Len? Still wanting to get married?" and she laughed.

"I hope so," and Chris repeated the question to Len.

"Well, I'm not sure," he said, with a smile, then shouted "Yes" at the phone. He took it from Chris's hand, returned it to the cradle and gave her a hug and a long kiss. "Yes, I am."

They packed Len's things in the largest suitcase first since he had the least. Long trousers and shorts, short- and long-sleeved shirts, a jacket for any formal dinners, a tie and a swim suit. Chris had dresses, underclothes, shorts and tops, a soft hat and a swim suit. They put their toilet bags, pyjamas and nightdress in the shoulder bag.

"I'll put the passports and tickets in the front pocket and add some books," said Len.

"There's a library on the ship," Chris told him, "so we'll only need books for the flight. But I'm going to try to sleep on the plane. We won't have had much the night before."

"I hope you can. Right, want a drink?"

"No, thanks. Oh, the new owners of the store came in today with their children and spent some time there. The man, Will, asked if he could help until the store became his, that's a week tomorrow, and dad and mum said they'd like that. Then dad said the store was closing for the wedding on Saturday and the man asked if he and his wife could keep it going. Well, dad didn't know what to say but eventually said yes. I think he's going to check that things are okay sometime in the afternoon."

"What does he think might go wrong?"

"I don't know but he hardly knows him. He might load up all the expensive things and disappear."

"Oh, I hardly think that's going to happen."

"No, I guess not. But dad's just being careful. I bet he'll be there most of the morning and at closing time."

As they were walking through the kitchen Len asked Chris what he should do to prepare for the catering people. "Do I have to clear out a cupboard or something like that?"

"No." She looked at the counter and inside the stove. "No, you don't have to do anything. They just come in, bringing all they need. They'll set up the tables in the marquee in the morning, sometime after ten, and take over the kitchen in the afternoon. You'll just have to keep out of their way. And Mike has said he'll be the DJ and provide the music. He'll set up the equipment Saturday morning. They'll put a table and chair for him in the tent."

The porta pottie people phoned at lunchtime Friday and Len drove home to show them where they should go. He looked into the tent but it was still empty. When he returned in the evening he checked again and saw that the bar, tables, chairs and a wooden floor were all in place with tables and chairs for sixty four people. There were several tables set for eight and others set for four with plenty of room to move between them. A head table set for eight was positioned in the center of one side with the dance floor in front of it. Another table and a chair stood by itself in the corner near the bar. Presumably that was where Mike would sit. Lamps had been hung between the supporting poles and two extension cords lay coiled up near the door, presumably to be run to hydro outlets.

## Chapter Seventy Three

Len got up at eight Saturday morning, had a shower and dressed in a suit, ready for the wedding and reception. He would change into casual clothes before leaving with Chris that evening. Mike arrived at ten, had a quick coffee while talking to Len, then took two turntables from a car, which he told Len was his father's, and put them on the table. Next came an amplifier and two speakers. Finally, two large plastic milk crates full of records were taken from the trunk. After connecting the equipment he said, "Can you connect the hydro Len?"

Len plugged the extension cords into the tool shed sockets then returned to watch Mike as he pulled a record from one of the crates and put it on a turntable. He lowered the needle and Glen Miller's orchestra playing In the Mood filled the air.

"How's that, Len, should I open with that?"

"That's great, Mike. Yes. please do. Play it when Chris and I get out of the car. I don't know where everyone will be but that'd make a grand entrance for us. Thanks. And thanks very much for doing this."

"Glad to help, Len. Anytime."

"Mike, I've meant to ask you earlier but forgot, what are you doing after you graduate?"

"Don't know, I've just started looking. Any chance of a job at the Townsville store?"

"You'll have to ask Chris about that but I'd like it if you did. It's your knowledge of what's new that helps us buy the right things. I'll talk to her as well but probably not today. Ask her after she comes back from the honeymoon."

"Okay, I will. Thanks."

An approaching car drew Len out of the marquee and he saw the caterer's van following it. A woman got out and walked into the marquee.

"Hi, I'm Rebecca. Who's Len?"

"I am," he said, "and this is Mike."

"Well, we're here to set up the tables. I'll start the others doing that. Can you show me the kitchen?"

Len led the way and Rebecca checked that the water was running and that it was drinkable and turned on the stove and oven, switching it off when she saw that each element was working.

"I have to do that Len. Sometimes there's one or more that don't work. Right, we'll bring the food about two. The wedding's at two thirty and it's a civil one so the guests will probably arrive between two thirty and three. You'll get here about three. We were told to start serving about five, but you know all that, I guess."

"No, I don't," said Len, "but it makes sense. What about the bar?"

"They'll come when we do, about two o'clock and set it up. Do you have waiters and waitresses?"

"I don't know but I suppose something's been arranged."

"Do you mind if I call Mrs. Stowel and ask? If she hasn't arranged that I'll have to do it."

Len took her to the phone and dialed Susan's number then gave the phone to Rebecca who asked about servers then said she'd arrange it. "We'll need about five, I think," and hung up.

"I'll have to make a few more calls," she told Len.

Twenty minutes later she joined him in the marquee where a man and a woman were laying the tables. They had covered them with white table cloths and arranged side plates, knives, forks, spoons and glasses before each chair, and were now placing candles standing on a glass holder in the centre of each table. Another woman was putting small bags of treats on each side plate.

Rebecca walked around the marquee checking that everything was satisfactory then said goodbye and drove off. Mike left soon afterwards, saying he'd be back at two.

Len suddenly remembered that he'd be driving to Toronto that evening and checked the fuel level in the wagon. It was a good thing he did for it was only a quarter full. So he drove to the gas station, filled up and had them check the oil level. He parked his car in the garage and wondered where everyone would park theirs. There would be room for about a dozen along the sides of his driveway but the rest would have to park beside the road. He was glad that the forecast was for a sunny day. Oh, yes, he'd better give Jack one of the spare keys to his house. Someone would have to lock it when the party ended. He took one out of his desk and taped it to his car key so that he wouldn't forget to hand it over.

He made a cheese sandwich for lunch and wondered how many men ate their wedding lunches alone and drove to their wedding by themselves. Not many, he guessed. He tried sitting on the deck but couldn't sit still for long. He got up and wandered around the place, checking that everything was ready. Thinking that there were too many valuable things in the tool shed he moved the hydro plugs to the garden shed and locked the tool shed door. He'd give Jack the key to the garden shed too. And the wedding rings! He'd almost forgotten them. He went to his study and took them out of his safe and put them in his jacket pocket. Now, was there anything else he should do?

Two o'clock came and Len drove to the civic hall, parked his car and waited outside for Chris to arrive. Dan and Barb arrived at two fifteen then Chris, Jack and Susan came at two twenty. Chris was wearing a slim white wedding dress that looked as if it could also be used as an evening gown. They all walked up the steps and waited in the reception area until the wedding group that was before them left the clerk's office. While there, Len gave his house key and the key to the garden shed to Jack and asked him to lock up after everyone had left that evening. The previous wedding group left at two thirty and they were asked to go in. The man behind a desk who had just finished writing something in what looked like a register stood up and smiled.

"You're Mr. Andrews and Miss Stowel? About to be married?"

"Yes, that's right," said Len.

"All right. Come, stand at the side of the desk. Will everyone else just move to the other side of the room. Yes," he said, looking at Barb who held a camera in her hands, "you can take photographs."

A few sentences later Chris and Len were married, that is, after Len had been reminded to give the wedding ring he would wear to Chris. A hug and a kiss followed and they left the room. It had taken just twenty minutes.

Len waited five minutes after the others had left, so they could tell everyone they were coming, before driving back to his home. He hoped someone had kept a space for them to park and kept the drive clear so he could park his wagon in the garage. He found out later that Sarah had looked after that and she had placed two signs along the driveway reserving spaces for Jack and Barbara's cars.

Everyone was waiting for them and they cheered as Len drove his station wagon towards the garage. He parked inside and as soon as he and Chris came out of the garage In the Mood began and people started throwing confetti. He and Chris made their way towards the tent and stood just inside. Jack, Susan, Barb and Dan joined them and they welcomed the guests as they entered. Len knew more than half of them but didn't know the names of all of the employees' spouses nor Jimmy or Richard's wives. He tried to remember their names but it was difficult. When Jack's sister and her husband came in she gave Len a big hug and said how glad she was to meet him.

Once the last guest had entered a waiter brought a tray with flutes of champagne to the welcoming party and other servers handed them out to everyone else. Jack, who had made his way to the bar asked Mike to stop the music then shouted, "Welcome everybody. Please raise your glasses to Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, Chris and Len to all of you. My lovely daughter is now Len's responsibility!" Everyone laughed and drank to the newly married couple.

The time between entering the marquee and when supper was served moved quickly for Len. He made one glass of wine last the duration, danced with probably half of the ladies after he and Chris had the first one. Glen Miller and Victor Sylvester's music got many people on their feet and the bar was busy. Trays of snacks were brought out from the kitchen and at five thirty they all sat down to eat. There were only two speeches from the head table. Len was first. He stood and tapped his glass to get everybody's attention.

"Chris and I want to say 'thank you,' to everybody, for coming to our reception. And I want to say 'thank you,' Susan and Jack, for everything you have done for me, giving me a job, making me the manager of the Brockville store and, lastly, but most importantly, arranging everything so that Chris and I could be married today. Please, everyone, raise your glasses to Jack and Susan."

He sat down after the toast, happy with what he had said but not knowing if it was the right thing to say at a wedding. Without a best man to make some kind of a speech he didn't know what was the proper thing to do.

Jack rose. "I also want to repeat what Len has said. Thank you, everyone, for joining us here. And a special thank you to our staff for all they have done throughout the years. As you know, Susan and I have sold the appliance store to Mr. and Mrs. Kinkade who will take possession on Friday and will keep Roger on until he retires. We have not sold the two computers stores, as I expect you will know. Those two stores will continue, unchanged. So, enjoy yourselves everybody and thank you again."

The plates and cutlery were cleared away and some of the tables were folded and stacked outside the tent to make it easier for people to move around. Some danced, others chatted and at seven forty five Len and Chris slipped away, going to Len's bedroom where they changed into casual clothes. Len took the suitcase and carry-on bag to his station wagon, opened the garage door then returned to collect Chris. They thanked Rebecca for arranging the food and drinks as they passed through the kitchen then walked into the marquee to say goodbye to everybody. Dan, who was near the entrance and had seen Len open the garage door, guessed what was happening so he told Mike to stop the music then shouted that the love birds were on their way. Susan ran to Chris and hugged her and everybody started cheering. Len waved and a few seconds later he and Chris walked to the wagon and got in. They opened the windows and waved as they drove slowly through the guests. It was not until they started driving along the road that they realised that someone had tied strings with tin cans to the back bumper. Len pulled to the side and tried to unfasten the knots, eventually opening the trunk and getting out the lug wrench to break the strings. He put the tins and cords in the back and then they drove on.

They chatted about the reception as they drove to Toronto. Chris told him that Aunt Eileen had given her an opal necklace to make up for the many birthdays she hadn't sent a present and an opal-encrusted glass flower vase as a wedding gift.

"There's lots more presents, most of them wrapped. I haven't opened any of them yet. There's a microwave from Roger which is unwrapped. He must have heard me telling mum that the one you have is too small."

"I guess it is, for two, but the one I have has been okay for just me. Did we get other appliances?"

"I asked for a crock pot and a pressure cooker and a Hoover. There are several boxes large enough to hold them but they're wrapped."

"I hope we have enough room in the kitchen to hold all the new stuff."

"I think there will be, I looked through your cupboards when you were asleep, I hope you don't mind."

"No, they're more your cupboards now. Do you want to stop for a coffee?"

"No, I'm okay. How about you?"

"No, I'd rather get there. They know we'll be arriving late?"

"Yes, the agent told them. You can leave the wagon there but they'll charge for the parking, she said."

"How far is it from the airport?"

"It's close and the hotel runs a shuttle every thirty minutes so that's no problem."

They arrived at the hotel at ten fifty. Len found a place to park under a light and they checked in. He told them that they wanted to leave their station wagon for the week and the receptionist gave him a slip to place on the dashboard. He did that after they had checked into their room. Chris was in the bathroom when he returned. He found his pyjamas and toilet bag on the bed and put his pyjamas on while waiting for Chris to emerge. She came out wearing a short, pink nightdress and Len looked at her.

"I didn't see you pack that," he said.

"It's a last-minute present from mum. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I do."

"Well, get ready for bed and you can feel how nice it is. It's silk." It didn't take Len more than five minutes to find out how nice it was.

The phone rang at seven fifteen, a wake-up call that Chris had arranged when Len was in the bathroom. They dressed and checked out, catching the seven forty five shuttle. At the airport they collected their boarding passes then ate breakfast at a Tim Hortons. Their flight didn't leave until nine twenty so they had plenty of time.

At Miami they found the bus that Carnival ran and joined the group waiting to get on. Their tickets were examined and they were allowed onto the bus. At the port they stood in another line where their passports were checked then kept. They were told that they'd get them back at the end of the cruise, once their ship's expenses were paid. They climbed the gang plank to the ship, the Carnivale, where they were shown to their cabin. A queen-sized bed filled most of the room and two windows let them see the water. The ship sailed at five thirty and they watched the procedure from the top deck with many others. At six they were asked to collect their life jackets and follow the signs to get to their station. Once their names were taken and everybody in their group had arrived they were shown how to put on their life jackets and then dismissed.

Dinner was at seven and they found that everybody had dressed for it. They were guided to a table of six where two other couples about their age were seated. The men half rose as the waiter pulled out a chair for Chris to sit and the two girls, who looked as though they might be twins, giggled.

One of the men laughed as he sat down, the other one simply smiled before sitting and saying "Hello. My name is Gerry, and the laughing idiot is Donald, or Don and the two lovely girls, sorry, women, are Loraine and Elizabeth. To us, they are Lor and Liz, and they are, as you might have guessed, twins."

"Hello," said Len, "this is Chris and I'm Len."

"You've a funny accent," said Lor, or was it Liz, "where do you live?"

"In Ontario," replied Chris. "How about you?"

"Don, Lor and I live in Florida, Myrtle Beach for us and Miami for Don. Gerry lives in Greenville, South Carolina. Ever been on a cruise before?"

"No, this is our first time," answered Chris. "How about you?"

"Well, Lor and I have been with our parents about seven years ago. Gerry has been on one before but I don't know about Don."

"No, this is my first," he said.

"If you live in different places," Len asked, as he took a slice of bread and broke off a piece, "how did you meet?"

"At university. Florida university. We've just graduated."

"Lucky you," said Len, after swallowing his bread, "that's what I wanted to do, to take maths, but I couldn't afford it."

"Couldn't your parents help?" asked Loraine.

"They'd died and I didn't have enough money."

"I'm sorry. What about scholarships, would you qualify?"

"No, only my maths was good."

A waiter came to their table and asked if they were ready to order and just as Loraine was about to reply Gerry said, "Sorry, we've been talking."

"All right," said the waiter, "I'll come back in a few minutes."

They stopped talking and looked at the menus. Several salads, two soups, two fish, sirloin steak and several side dishes were offered. Len, remembering how little he'd eaten yesterday chose a Caesar salad, the steak with roast potatoes and parsnips. Chris chose the Caesar and plaice with peas and mashed potatoes. The others ordered and Gerry asked if they wanted to share the cost of a bottle of wine. The women wanted white and the men wanted red so they ordered a Chardonnet and a Cabernet putting it on Gerry's room number.

They ate and talked in between mouthfuls. Gerry and Liz were a couple and planned to get married after they had both found jobs. He was a budding veterinarian and Liz had a nursing certificate. Lor wanted to be a special education teacher and Don planned to enter public service like his father had done. Don asked what they did and they were surprised to find that they were both managers of computer stores until Chris told them that her father owned them. They were more surprised when she also told them that they were on their honeymoon, having married just the day before. Gerry, on hearing this, called a waiter over and ordered a bottle of champagne, not, he assured them, on their shared account. They drank it before and during the desserts which arrived on a trolley with many choices.

Afterwards they moved to the lounge and joined others in dancing and drinking. It was agreed that all the liquor costs would be put on Gerry's account and they would settle up on the last day. Chris and Len called it a day and went to bed as the clock turned eleven.

## Chapter Seventy Four

They explored the ship Monday morning after eating more than they really should at breakfast. They checked the swimming pools and Chris said she wanted to try the one with the water slide but not until the afternoon. They found the library and took out books then found a corner where they would be sheltered from the breeze. They didn't see their dinner companions until lunch time when they found them half way through their meal sitting at a table for four so they just said hello then found a table for two. They swam in the afternoon, sunbathed a little then went back to their cabin for a nap.

After dinner they all went to the evening performance. A couple sang and a magician followed by a group of dancers, helped along by a very capable master of ceremonies who made the evening pass quickly. When they left at the end of the show Liz and Gerry took a different corridor from the others. Don and Lor reached their cabin and said "Goodnight" before Len and Chris got to theirs.

"I wonder if the girls' mother knows what's happening," said Len.

"She probably does if she knows that their boyfriends are on this ship," Chris said. "Mine certainly would. And they must be two or three years older than we are."

Len and Chris didn't get off at Samana on Tuesday but just read, swam and sunbathed. They asked the others at dinner what the town was like and were glad they'd stayed on board for they hadn't found it very interesting. They all went to the show after dinner as the program changed every night. This night there were two acrobats, a steel drum band and a couple of comedians.

When they docked at San Juan on Thursday only Don and Gerry went ashore because they wanted to visit the castle, a place the ship's travel guide said was interesting. It was, they reported at dinner, but mostly for the walls, their thickness and colour, and the views from them.

Friday was the last chance Len and Chris had to leave the ship so they explored the area around the terminal at St. Thomas. There were shops and restaurants and they chose one to have a lunch of lobster. They continued walking afterwards and soon discovered the Pirates' Treasure Museum. They spent an hour there finding that it mostly contained items recovered from shipwrecks.

Saturday the ship returned to Florida and docked at Miami Sunday morning. Len gave Gerry the ninety eight dollars he owed for the drinks and collected their passports from the purser. They disembarked at ten, took a taxi to Miami airport and caught their one thirty flight back to Toronto. Once there they took the hotel shuttle to collect their station wagon and were home, at Len's house, by nine o'clock. After emptying the suitcase and putting the clothes they had used in the washing machine Chris phoned her mother to tell them they were back and to ask how they felt now that the store had been sold. They talked for five minutes and Chris continued talking with her dad for another two. Jack asked them to come for dinner Monday night, adding, "I'll get some boxes so you can take your wedding presents home."

The bulldozer was working on one of the sites, number one, as Len drove to work Monday morning. 'Jimmy must have sold another one.' He got to the store early, opening it at eight forty five. Nothing much had changed, just the IBM PC had been removed and the table it sat on was empty. He guessed that they had sold both the one they had in stock and the display one. That was the first thing Lilly told him after she'd welcomed him back and commented on his tan.

"It's been a good week, Len. Sold both IBM PCs and another three ordered. Black and Decker bought them. I put in a request for five more."

"I'm surprised that they didn't go to the Amity's, their store is closer."

"Perhaps they did," she replied "since they wanted more. Oh, I'd like to take one of my week's holidays next month. Can I have the week of July sixteenth off?"

"Sure. Got any plans?"

"Spending the week with my boyfriend in Ottawa. He's got that week off."

"What does he do?"

"Works in the Ottawa Citizen's plant. On the production line."

Pauline and Toby arrived then and the day's work began.

Richard phoned during the day, welcoming him back and saying that he had two cheques for him. "I'll bring them to the store this afternoon, if you like."

"Cheques for the first two houses?"

"Yes, they closed Friday, the fifteenth, but I didn't get the money until you had left. Oh, Jimmy sold two houses from the ads in the newspapers and another one at the open house."

"That's great news. I saw the bulldozer working on lot one as I passed this morning."

"Yes, and the other two are on the river. I wish we had more of them. I asked Jimmy to look out for water frontage but it doesn't come up for sale often."

Richard gave Len the cheques, one for seventy nine hundred and eighty eight dollars and some cents and the other for seventy eight hundred and four dollars together with the accounting sheet for both houses in the afternoon and Len deposited the cheques in his bank. He now had well over twenty thousand waiting to pay off the mortgage on his home. Another house would do it. Once back at the store he phoned Chris and told her the good news.

While having a drink before supper that night they talked about the hand-over of the appliance store that occurred on Friday and Chris asked her dad and mum how it felt not having to work on Saturday or every other day for the rest of their lives. Susan said that they were still adjusting to it and Jack said he'd have to find something else to do because the day was too long. Len told them about the sale of three more houses and that the money they brought in would pay off the mortgage he'd taken on his house. After that they talked about the ship and what they did on their honeymoon, with Chris saying that they mostly stayed on board and that they dined with four graduates and that the food was good and they ate too much.

"Did I get a scale in the wedding presents?" asked Chris. "I'm sure I've put on five pounds."

"I don't know," said Susan, "we haven't opened any of them. You did get a vacuum cleaner, that was hard to disguise."

"It came from our store," said Jack.

"Oh, how did it go with the new owners?" asked Len. "Any trouble on the wedding day?"

"No, everything went well. We went there after every one had left, about ten, and the store was shuttered and locked. We went in and the receipts, credit card slips and cash were in the register. Will came in on Monday morning, returned the keys and helped for a couple of hours. Which reminds me, here are your keys."

"You should keep the one to the house, dad," said Chris. You might need to go there sometime when we're not at home."

"I'll put a label on it and keep it in the study desk with the others then," he said.

Chris and Len refused dessert and Chris asked if they could leave the table and start opening the presents. Jack said, "before you leave here is the present your mum and I am giving you," and he reached behind him and opened a sideboard drawer and pulled out a thick envelope. He gave it to Chris who opened it.

"What is it, dad?" she asked.

"It's the deed to the Townsville store. You and Len are joint owners. We used the profits from both stores to pay off the mortgage."

"And you'll get the Brockville store when we've paid off its mortgage," said Susan.

"That'll probably be by next January or February," added Jack, "when we won't be here. We've arranged to stay with Eileen and Hank at the end of January."

"Wow! Thanks, dad. Thanks, mum," and Chris got up to hug both of them.

Len said, 'Thank you, that's a wonderful present, but don't you need the money?"

"No," said Susan. "We've plenty saved. And I don't want Jack to worry about the stores. Anyway, you two are doing all the work, all we did is give you a start."

"Yes, that's right. You both deserve it. Now, go and unwrap your other presents."

"There's a pad of paper and a pen there, plus some sticky labels on top of one of the boxes," Susan said. "Make a note of who gave you what so you can thank them. There's fifty 'Thank You' cards and envelopes there too but you'll have to fill them in another time, unless you want to stay here until midnight."

There were dinner plates and cutlery for eight people, serving platters and spoons, a fine set of glasses, a large microwave, a blender, two cases of Shiraz, two scales, one for the kitchen and the other for the bathroom and various other things. Len opened the presents and Chris took notes. Then he placed the items in one of the several larger boxes her father had collected. Susan joined them after they had finished their dessert and Jack came in shortly afterwards with a glass of scotch in his hand.

"Does anyone want a drink?"

"No thanks," said Chris and Len. Susan just shook her head.

They put the overflowing boxes in Len's station wagon and they drove home, excited about everything that was happening to them. To own two stores! And all the profit from the Townsville store would be theirs from now on.

"You know," said Chris, as she snuggled up to Len in bed, "I'm tempted to make Jane the full-time manager and just go in now and again."

"What would you do with all the time you have spare?" asked Len.

"Play tennis, for one. I've missed it."

"You can't just do that," said Len.

"No, I'd still go into the store and help when I felt like it or when I knew they would be busy. And I'd have the paperwork to do, unless you want to do it," and she turned off the light just as Len said, "I'll leave that to you. I have something else I want to explore."

"What?" Chris asked.

"I'll tell you when I have thought it out. Oh, did you send off all the orders today?"

"Yes, no problem. Night-night, Len."

"Night, Chris."

They wrote the 'Thank You' letters on Tuesday after supper and found places to store each item, putting the things they replaced on the kitchen counter. The china that was chipped or cracked they would discard and the small microwave, old plates and mugs would go to the Salvation Army. They stopped at ten and finished the rest on Wednesday evening, when, as they were storing the last of the presents, Len told Chris what he had been thinking about.

"It's the money we make from letting Dick and the Amity's use the trade name. It's just four hundred a month right now but after the year's trial is up and if they decide to continue, which I'm sure they will, we'll be getting twelve thousand dollars from them. Now, what if we could get more to join? It's easy money, don't you think?"

"Yes it is, but how could you do that?"

"By asking people in Kingston to join Comp & Pro. Some of them must have heard of us by now because I bet some visit Brockville now and again."

"Well, how would you get them to join?"

"I'd visit them and tell them about the benefits of being under one banner. I've already used the Yellow Pages to find how many there are. There are ten stores selling computers."

"Hmm, it's worth a try, I suppose. Not much to lose by doing that."

"Well, I'd have to find a place to store the stock, a secure one, and buy a truck to deliver."

"What would a truck cost?"

"I'd have to ask Dan, he'd know. There is a secure compound I've seen in Kingston. Maybe the stock could be delivered there though I doubt it. It's more for long-term storage and not a place to receive deliveries, but I'll check."

"What about building a place here? Next to the road. That would be convenient."

"Ah, yes. I could do that."

"Get someone to help you make it if you're too busy."

"I'd rather do it myself. But let's see if anyone in Kingston joins before I do anything like that."

"Sure. Well, why not invite them to a meeting where Paul can tell them how he benefits. That might be effective," said Chris.

"That's a good idea. You know, if I have a meeting I could advertise it and there might be some like Dick who are just thinking of selling computers. They might come along also."

"Then you'd should ask Dick to come too and answer questions."

"Yes, and you. How about it? Should we do it?"

"All right. It'd have to be on a Sunday, of course."

"Yes. a Sunday afternoon. A short meeting, just an hour or an hour and a half, so they won't get fed up."

"We'd give them coffee and tea and snacks to get them in a good mood," Chris added.

"Yes. If we rent a room in one of the hotels they'd provide that."

"Okay."

"I'll draft an ad tomorrow and you can check it."

"You'd have to find where the meeting would be held first."

"I'll do that."

As usual on every second Thursday Lilly ran the Brockville store while Len collected and delivered the stock but before doing that he phoned the Holiday Inn that stood at the bottom of Princess Street in Kingston, overlooking the river. It was a nice hotel and would be a good place to have the meeting. He asked if they had a room to hold a meeting on Sunday, July twenty ninth.

"For how many, sir?" was the reply.

"Oh, no more than ten, no, better make it twenty," Len replied, not knowing how many the advertisement might bring in.

"Yes, we can do that by dividing a room for you. At what time and for how long?"

"From three to five, please. And can you provide coffee, tea and some sandwiches?"

"Of course, for twenty people?"

"Yes."

"And at what time do you want them?"

"Right at the beginning. Can you set them up at the back of the room so they can help themselves?"

"Yes, no problem. We'll check periodically and keep the coffee and hot water containers full."

"Thank you. How much will that cost, please?"

"The room would be one hundred dollars. I'll get back to you about the food. I'll need a cheque or credit card number to reserve the room."

Len gave the man his credit card details and hung up.

During the day, as he was driving between Townsville and Dick and Paul's stores, Len drafted and redrafted in his mind the advertisement he'd place in the Kingston Whig-Standard and he copied down the latest version before unloading the stock. That evening during supper he showed what he had written to Chris. She read it and commented on the title. 'Com & Pro. Computers and Programs or Computers and Professionals.' "A catchy start, Len." 'You are invited to a meeting from three to four thirty on Sunday July 29th, at the Holiday Inn, Kingston-Waterfront, with Len and Chris Andrews outlining the advantages of joining Comp & Pro. Plus Paul and Daphne Amity explaining why they joined and Dick Drover describing how we helped him to start selling computers.' "Yes, short and sweet. Have you already asked Paul and Dick to help?"

"No, if you think the ad's okay, I'll call them now."

Len told Daphne, who picked up the phone, what he was going to do and asked if she and Paul would join them. "Let me check the calendar, Len."

A minute later she said she'd told Paul about it and they were both free and would be glad to help. Dick, when phoned, immediately said that he'd do it and that he had wanted to meet the Amity's but had never had the chance before.

That gave Len and idea; he'd take them all to dinner afterwards. He told Chris this as they were washing the dishes. "A good idea, Len. And you should add, 'refreshments provided,' to the advertisement."

"Yes, I should and I will."

"You know, the ad could also be the sheet you hand to the owners when you go around the stores."

"I'd thought about that. I want to go and see them tomorrow, so they can book the date."

"Okay, and put the ad in the Whig too, the weekend edition."

"Will do. I'll type this up now then run off twenty copies."

Chris came to the study after she had tidied the kitchen and checked the ad before Len printed copies. After doing that he found the map of Kingston that Matt had in his map drawer and they plotted where each store was, guessing the actual place because the map didn't show street numbers. Finally, he phoned the Whig-Standard, hoping that there would be someone there to take the advertisement but the man who answered the phone told him to call back after nine the next day.

First thing Friday Len placed the ad then asked Lilly to manage the store and told her what he was doing that morning. She wished him luck and he was on his way along the 401 by nine fifteen. He took the Montreal Street exit and followed the road to the shopping mall where the first store was located. He found it, parked, and walked in. When it was his turn to be served, for the store was busy, he asked to see the owner and was told that he wasn't there but he could talk to the manager. A woman shortly afterwards approached and asked Len how she could help him and he explained who he was and what he was going to do, giving her one of the sheets as he finished talking. She looked at it and said she'd give it to the owner when she saw him.

"Do you think he'll be interested?" Len asked her.

"I don't know. You say he'll get a bigger discount on the items he buys if he joins?"

"On most things, yes."

"Then he might be interested, I guess."

This was the pattern that was followed at most of the stores Len visited. The owner was present at six of them. One immediately rejected the idea when Len told him he'd have to change the name of the store if he joined, three were skeptical, two were quite interested. There were three stores where his message would be passed on.

It took Len until two thirty to locate and talk to someone in each store, with a fifteen minute break for a ham and cheese roll and a coffee at Tim Hortons. He was back in Brockville just after three. They were busy in the store so he immediately began helping and they couldn't close the store until six thirty. It was good for business but he was glad that it was Canada Day on Sunday and that the store would be closed on Monday.

## Chapter Seventy Five

Driving home Len remembered that they hadn't had a Canada Day sale. It was the wedding and honeymoon, of course, and it hadn't entered anybody's mind. They should probably have one soon. What holiday could it be attached to? There was nothing until Labour Day in September. Two months ahead. Well, maybe that would be a good date if any of the stores in Kingston decided to join Comp & Pro. It'd give them time to prepare and might draw in more stores that didn't earlier want to participate. Chris agreed with him when he brought it up as they were preparing dinner that night.

"So it looks as if you'll get two. Well, that's better than nothing."

"I must get a copy of the Whig-Standard tomorrow and see how the ad looks," he replied.

"Mike came in to see me this afternoon to check that he was still needed," said Chris. "I told him yes, and he starts on Tuesday. Once he's working I'll begin taking time off. Remember? We discussed it. You don't mind, do you?"

"No. I might do the same. Once the mortgage is paid off on the Brockville store we'll be making plenty of money."

"Enough to start a baby?"

"Ah, I'd rather wait. Let's have more time for ourselves first."

"Doing what, Len? We don't do much together right now. How about playing tennis with me?"

"Okay, I'd like to do that. I enjoyed it the few times I played."

"Great, then I'll check with the tennis club and see if they can take more people."

"If we join we should play on Mondays or Tuesdays, that's when the stores are least busy."

"Okay, but I might want to play om other days, too. And there'd be competitions. I'd like to enter those."

"Not me, and certainly not until I get a lot better than I am now. There's something else we can do, fishing."

"Sure. That'd be good."

The newspaper advertisement was not large, one sixteenth of a page, but it was prominently placed and easy to read. Len wondered if it would bring in anyone like Dick, people who were just thinking about selling computers and, if so, how they might do it if they didn't have any experience running a business. He'd have to be able to tell them what help they'd be given if any turned up. If it was only one person then they could do what Dick did, just work in one of their stores for a week. If there were two or three, what could they do then? Well, they could manage two at a time but if there were more they'd have to have to run two separate weeks of training.

Jack collected the takings from the Brockville store each Saturday and paid the staff their wages just as he'd always done before retiring but Chris managed the Townsville store all by herself since she and Len now owned it. When he arrived this Saturday Len told him how he was trying to attract more computer store owners to join Comp & Pro and showed him one of the Kingston flyers.

"Hmm," Jack said. "How many do you think will attend?"

"I've no idea. Only two showed interest but I hope for more."

"I see the Amity's and Dick are also going."

"Yes. Do you want to come too?"

"I'd like to but Sue won't want me to go. I'll ask her though. Maybe she'd also like to see what happens. Are you coming into town tomorrow to watch the fireworks?"

"Didn't plan too. If it was more than a ten minute show we might. What do you do to celebrate Canada Day?"

"We used to have parties but that stopped as friends moved away. When we hear the bangs now we just watch from an upstairs window but we probably won't even do that tomorrow."

Chris and Len went fishing first thing on Sunday morning but stopped after Len caught two good-sized smallmouth bass.

"Let's invite mum and dad to supper Len. We could serve these with French fries and a salad."

Len agreed and Chris phoned her parents and dinner was arranged for that night. They cleaned the house together and got out the new plates and cutlery they received as wedding presents. Barb, phoned while they were doing this and said that they now had possession of their restaurant and would be opening on Friday.

"Can you come for supper that night?" she asked. "I'm afraid we won't get anybody."

"Sure," said Len. "I'll ask Jack and Susan to come, too. Do you have much to do to get the place ready?"

"Paint the walls and change the lino, it's all scuffed and spoils the look of the place. Clean all the tables and chairs but we'll change them for new ones when we have the money. Put up some pictures, clean the windows, things like that."

"How about the kitchen? Much to do there?"

"Just clean everything. Peter is checking all the equipment they left. He said he'll have to buy new pans. He already owns the knives he uses but will have to buy more. And herbs, fresh spices, things like that. I leave all that kind of thing to him."

"You'll be the waiter, I guess."

"Yes. So you'll come Friday? I'm going to ask Dan to come too."

"Oh, good. It'll be a family opening then."

"Let's hope that there's more than just us."

"Have you advertised the opening? You should put an ad in the Recorder. How about including an opening discount of ten percent? That might attract people."

"Oh, never thought about that. I'll see what Peter says."

"And put a notice, a poster of some kind, in the windows about the opening, with the menu, as soon as Peter draws one up."

"Yes, we will be doing that."

"What's the restaurant's name?"

"Jallope's. What else could it be? Okay, we'll see you Friday. Bye."

They ate the bass on the deck that evening, having peanuts and beer before cooking. They drank Bailey's and scotch afterwards, watching the sun drop below the trees before cleaning up.

Len told them about Barb and Peter's restaurant and asked if they'd like to join them on Friday night.

"Sure, we'd like to," said Susan.

"Come here at seven and we'll drive in my wagon," Len said.

Mike joined the Townsville store on Tuesday and Chris took Wednesday afternoon off. She visited the town's tennis club, found the secretary and paid the fees to join the club. The first three afternoons of the week, she was told, were the least used times and Jean, the secretary, would find someone to play with her if she chose a date.

"How about next Tuesday afternoon?" Chris asked.

"Okay. I'll find someone and phone you to tell you the time."

Chris gave her the store's telephone number. Len was surprised when she told him what she'd done that afternoon.

"You didn't waste much time. So you don't want to play with me then."

"Of course I do, but you'll have to join the club first. Do that tomorrow and we'll ask when the courts are free. Monday to Wednesday afternoons are least booked, Jean said. Jean's the secretary. I think she's there most of the time."

"But you have to take and place the orders on Monday's"

"Yes, I know. I could ask Dick and Paul to phone in the morning though and I'd be free then."

Len joined the club Thursday afternoon. Richard phoned that evening, saying that he now had the money from the bungalow sale.

"How about you and Chris having dinner with Olive and me tomorrow night. I'll give you the cheque then."

"We can't tomorrow Richard. My sister and her husband are opening their restaurant. Hey, would you like to join us there? She's afraid they won't get any customers. Dan and his family are going and Jack and Susan as well. You met them all at the wedding."

"Let me just check with Olive. I'll call you back."

Five minutes later Richard called and said they'd like to join them so Len told him to come to his house at seven for a quick drink before leaving.

Len bought beer and tonic water Friday morning, he had all the spirits, then a jar of mixed nuts, four bags of crisps and three tins of smoked oysters, returning to the store after he showed Chris what he'd got to buy some toothpicks for eating the oysters. They both left their store early to tidy the house and prepare for the guests, leaving Jane and Lilly in charge.

Jack and Susan arrived first, bringing a large bunch of flowers from their garden. Len had just finished telling them that Richard and Olive were joining them when they arrived.

They sat in the lounge to drink and snack for it was cloudy and the wind made it too uncomfortable to sit on the deck. Richard asked Jack and Susan what it was like to be retired and they both said they missed the interactions with customers. "But we've both joined the tennis club so we'll soon begin meeting new people," said Susan.

"What?" asked Chris. "So did we. So we can play together sometimes."

"You wouldn't want to play with us, we're both novices."

"Then you can play with me," said Len. "That's what I am."

"Do you play tennis Richard?" asked Jack.

"No. No time to do that, unfortunately. Olive used to play."

"I don't have time now," Olive said. "I have my house-cleaning business to run."

"It kept us alive when I had money problems," Richard added. "Oh, Len, here's the cheque and accounting for the bungalow," and he gave Len an envelope.

"Thanks, Richard. Well, we should be going soon or Barb will think we're not coming."

"I wondered if you'd forgotten, Len," Barb said when they turned up. "Welcome. What do you think of the place?"

"Very smart," said Len, "although I haven't been in here before. How did it go today?"

"We had what we think was the usual number of customers for lunch and only three tables for supper before Dan and you came. I'm very glad you're here".

Len helped Barb move two table together then she laid places for six while everyone else talked to Dan, Sarah and Rob who were already there and had started their meal on an adjacent table.

"We couldn't wait for you," Sarah said, "it's already past Rob's bedtime. If you like spaghetti, have the spaghetti bolognaise, it's wonderful. Rob's already eaten a quarter of mine."

They talked for a while then sat down and Barb handed them the menus. Peter came out of the kitchen to say hello and told them that the special that evening was Veal Piccata, "a scaloppini in lemon-scented white wine and caper butter sauce with roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables," then he returned to the kitchen as a couple entered the restaurant and Barb went to seat them.

Olive chose the escargot and the chicken parmigiana and Susan the house salad and the special. Chris also had the special and the Caesar salad as did Richard and Jack. Len ordered the spaghetti bolognaise and the steamed mussels starter, They ordered a bottle of the house red and one of the house white to find out what they tasted like.

Dan's family finished while Len's group were eating their starters and pulled up chairs to join them, drinking coffee and giving Rob small spoonful's of vanilla ice cream. They talked about the holiday that Dan, Sarah and Rob would have in two weeks' time, just four days in a resort near Algonquin park.

"It's just Monday to Thursday," Dan said, "these are the least busy days for us."

"Yes," said Jack and Len, almost together, then Jack finished the sentence, "it was the same for us. Although we had Sundays off."

"We can't do that," said Sarah, "lots of people look at cars that day."

They left as the main courses came to the table for it was long past Rob's bedtime. Midway through their meal Peter emerged from the kitchen to ask how they liked the dishes. Everyone was enthusiastic as were the people on the other two tables. Perter then asked all of them to tell their friends about Jallope's before returning to the kitchen to tell his assistant to be quieter as he cleared the counters of pots and pans.

Len paid for everyone's meal, saying how lucky he was to have such friends. Richard reminded Len afterwards that he'd asked if they could come for a meal at their home sometime and followed it by saying, "how about next week?"

"Love to," Len said. "What night?"

"Thursday or Friday would be best," said Olive.

"Friday," said Chris, "it makes the most of the weekend if we go that day."

"Good. You know our address?" Olive asked.

"I do," Len answered.

"Come about seven, then."

Len asked Jack and Susan if they wanted to come in for a last drink when they got to his house but they refused. Len locked the door once they had driven away and they went to bed.

## Chapter Seventy Six

They changed the way they worked over the following weeks, playing tennis together on Monday afternoons and often on Wednesday. Chris sometimes played with club members or her mum and dad on other days. Jane, Ben and Mike could easily handle the Townsville store and Lilly, Toby and Pauline ably looked after the Brockville one. Once or twice Len left work early and stopped to watch Richard and his crew construct the houses wondering if he would enjoy that life better than managing a store and selling computers. When Lilly took her holiday week mid-July he stayed in the store but found that Pauline and Toby could manage without him most of the time. He spent much of his unoccupied time thinking about the Kingston meeting. In preparation, he bought a packet of sticky name tags, a pad of flip charts, some coloured markers, a roll of sticky tape, made a note to bring copies of the latest What's New leaflet and fifty of his business cards, all items he'd be using or need at the meeting. One afternoon, he listed on one of the flip chart sheets the advantages of joining the organization and a list of the costs of doing so on another, planning to tape them to the front wall when he covered those topics. In the evening Chris told him how she wanted to handle the ordering and pricing and they drew up a flip chart to illustrate the order and pricing sheet they would use. It was a table with many rows and several columns. At the top of the first row was the number of units the store wanted. The second row was the name of the item. The third row was the price the sub-distributor, Comp & Pro, was charging for each item, the fourth was the cost for the number of units that store wanted, the fifth was the price the item should sell for and the sixth was empty. That column was to be initialled by the owner to show that he'd received the items. At the bottom of the sheet was the total amount the store owner had to pay. The driver, usually Len, would initial next to that when he had received the cheque. Three copies of the sheet for each store were to be made; Chris would kept one and the other two would be taken by the driver with a carbon paper between them which would copy the check marks and initials from the first page onto the second.

"I think this should work, Len, but let me know if you find any problems."

"Wouldn't a check mark be enough to show the owner had received the item? Why do you want initials?"

"Well, maybe it would but let's see if initialling causes any problems. It's safer to have that done, I think."

"I'll need a clipboard to work on."

"Matt has one, I'll get it. And some envelopes for you to keep the sheets and cheques in."

When they had finished Len rolled up the flip charts and put them with the other items he'd be taking to the presentation. He phoned the Amity's and Dick the Wednesday evening before the meeting to check that they could still come and to invite them to supper after the meeting was finished.

Richard phoned Friday evening to say that he had another cheque. He bought it to Len's store Saturday morning and they had coffee together in the deli. It was for house number eleven, a water-front property and was for seventy eight hundred and ninety two dollars, seventy five cents.

"I'll have another one in two weeks, for the last river side lot and the road one three weeks later."

"Has Jimmy sold any more?" asked Len.

"No and he might not this year. Best time is in the spring, not August and on."

"What are you going to do if no more are sold this year Richard?"

"Oh, I've bought two lots on the other side of Kingston and I'll probably build a house on one. They're listed with my real estate agent but no buyers yet. There are more people looking for houses there than this side of Townsville."

Sunday, July the twenty ninth finally arrived. Len and Chris drove to Kingston early, arriving an hour before the meeting started. Len wanted to check that the room was set up with the right number of chairs, although what the right number was he didn't know, and that the refreshments would be ready on time. When he found the manager to ask about the refreshments he was told that they would be in the room before three and also that there would be a sign in the lobby pointing to the room where the meeting would be held. The Amity's arrived at two thirty and Dick came ten minutes later. Len asked them to write their name on one of the sticky name tags and wear it. He and Chris did the same.

"Help yourself to coffee and sandwiches and sit on the chairs at the back of the room, please," he told them. "I'd like the attendees to sit at the front."

Chris sat with them and they talked about business affairs and how well computers were still selling. Len stood in the corridor, hoping that at least one person would come.

Two people arrived at two fifty, a minute later three more showed up and one more came at three. Len welcomed them as they arrived, asked them to help themselves to coffee or tea and asked them to print their name on the pad of paper and write what they'd like to be called on one of the sticky pads and put it on their chest.

"Please wear it so everyone will know who you are."

Len left the corridor and came into the room at three, leaving the door ajar. Once the man who was filling a plastic plate with sandwiches had sat down Len began the meeting.

"Thank you for coming. I hope you will find the meeting interesting and that we will all benefit by your coming. My name is Len Andrews. My wife, Chris, Mr. and Mrs. Amity and Dick Drover are also here. Chris, please stand up so everyone knows who you are. Thanks. Now Paul and Daphne, would you stand too. Thanks. And Dick, please. Thank you. They also run computer-selling stores and are members of Comp & Pro, Chris in Townsville, the Amity's, as I do, in Brockville and Dick in Gananoque. Okay, please sit down now.

"I called this meeting because we can all benefit if you joined Comp & Pro. How will you profit? Because we get a bigger discount on our purchases if our orders are larger. Right now Comp & Pro gets a discount of between five and seven percent which I didn't get when I first started ordering with only one store. Why do we now get a discount? Simply because our four stores order stock as one unit, using one joint account and our two distributors don't have to deliver to four stores. They only deliver to us and that saves them time and money. Oh, welcome," Len said to the four people who had just entered. "Please print you names on the attendance sheet, make up a name tag and help yourself to refreshments."

He waited while they did that and, once they were seated, gave a quick summary of what he had just said then resumed his presentation.

"Now, at the moment Comp & Pro can only order stock for four stores, however, Chris, who looks after the ordering, tells me that we can get ten to fifteen percent discount if we can double our orders. That is where you come in. I'm sure you all would like to have a ten to fifteen percent increase in profits. I know I would. And we can all get it if enough of you join Comp & Pro. So that's why I called this meeting. Now, I've prepared a summary of what I've just said," and he let the first flip chart, which was taped at the top to the wall but covered by the folded-up bottom half, unroll. "Now, I'm sure you have questions, so please ask them.

One of the first to arrive group raised his hand then said, "And what does joining Comp & Pro cost?"

"Two hundred dollars for the first six months," Len said, "then four hundred dollars for the next six. To join, you have to sign a one-year contract. Now, if you decide to continue in the organization after that trial year it will cost you five hundred a month and that fee will never increase. As you can quickly work out, you'll recover that amount easily. Selling just a few computers will cover the cost."

"So, there's only the monthly fee to pay?" the man continued.

"No. you have to change your store-front sign to say Comp & Pro and paint your inside walls the light blue colour so you look like the rest of us."

"Why do we have to change the sign?" asked one of the women.

"Because we run Comp & Pro ads periodically and with our name on your store front people will know where to go. And your store benefits from the growing reputation of the company."

"Any other things we must do?" asked another man.

"Well, you have to place orders through us, so we can get the discount. Chris, do you want to say anything about that?"

"Hello, everyone. As Len said, I run the Townsville store and I also handle the ordering for all the stores. The procedure is simple. You phone your order to me every second Monday. I combine what all of you need then order the items from the distributors at five thirty that Monday, paying for them with our credit card. The stock is sent to us, arriving Wednesday, and we deliver it to you during the next three days. You pay for it when we deliver by giving the driver, probably Len, a cheque. He'll give you a list of the things you ordered, what the sub-distributor, Comp & Pro, charged for each item, the total cost, and that's what you owe us. He'll also give you the latest What's New flyers, there are copies of the last one on the table over there, and a blank order form for your next order. Now here is what the order form looks like," and she unfolded her flip chart. "We'll give you copies today if you want to join. Now, this is how it works," and Chris went through the two sample items she had written on the flip chart. "Any questions?"

"It looks as if you've only marked up the computer by sixteen percent," said a man in the front row.

"Yes, that's right."

"Well I use twenty."

"What?" said another man. "You do? Do you sell many doing that?"

"Enough," the first man replied.

Chris took over and said," I guessed that there would be differences in the mark up each one of you used. These are the figures we use and they work for us. Our Townsville store earns about twenty five thousand each year and the Brockville one about thirty five. That's because of the difference in the size of the towns, I guess. Look, it could take hours to agree on what mark ups to use so I want you to use the ones I give you. If that causes difficulty please let me know and we'll have a meeting to see what changes should be made. But try it for six months first. If it works for us I think it will work for you. Right, any questions about how you order or anything else?"

There weren't at that time as everybody was thinking through what the changes in mark-up might make to them. So Len let his second flip chart drop down, the one that summarised the costs of joining the organization. A minute or two later one of the newcomers said, "It sounds too good to be true."

"Well, it is true," replied Paul Amity, as he stood up. "We have earned more than we need to pay our monthly fee after selling just two thousand dollars' worth of stock, which we often do in the first two or three days. Of course, we're still in our first half-year so the fee is only two hundred a month. It definitely pays to belong to Comp & Pro."

"More than that," added Daphne, " once our technician moved to Sudbury and we were on our own it was difficult to know what to order. Of course, salesmen, when they came around, helped but we didn't see them often. So we didn't know what we should be stocking. Now we know because Comp & Pro gives us a suggestion list when they deliver the stock."

"Oh," said a man, "that would be useful."

"That's the What's News flyer Chris mentioned before. Any other questions?" asked Len.

"So we have to change the store sign," said one of the women. "That's what you said."

"Yes, because that's what customers will look for when they see the Comp & Pro sales advertisements in the Wigg Standard. The phone number of the company that makes the store signs is underneath that requirement on the flip chart. The signs cost between one and two hundred dollars, depending on the size you need. I'd suggest that you order them straight away, if you decide to join us."

"'Coordinated sales'," asked one of the last men to enter the room, "what does that mean?"

"Comp & Pro periodically runs sales where we usually offer a discount of ten percent on everything. You, as members of the group, have also to run those sales."

"What about other sales we might also want to have? Can we also have those?"

"No. You become members of one organization, like a franchise, and you can't compete against each other by having private sales. The only way you can compete is by service. Selling prices are the same for everyone but you can offer more and better service. We do that by having a technician go to people's homes to set up their computers, although they pay him, not us, to do that. He goes in the evenings, on his own time."

"We also give lessons," added Chris. "The same technician gives them in the evenings in a room above one of our stores and he keeps what he earns. But he is also a full-time employee of my store. It might be worth you doing things like that."

"Yes," said Len, "that's how you can compete between yourselves, by adding improved services."

"I don't mind keeping to the set sale's price," the man who asked the question earlier said. "Okay, I'm in."

"Thank you. We'll all benefit by your joining. Any other questions?"

There seemed to be none at that moment so Len asked Dick to say what his experience of Comp & Pro was. Dick stood up and told his story.

"My dad runs a pub in Gananoque and I helped him but didn't want to do that all my life. Mike, my cousin, works at Chris's store, actually he teaches and he's the one that makes up the What's New list that Comp & Pro sends out every two weeks. Well, he suggested I open a store. My dad said he would finance it and I learned how to operate one by working at Len's store in Brockville. I went to Chris's store two or three times and she showed me how to manage the finances. You'll never regret joining Comp & Pro, I bet," and he sat down.

"Thanks, Dick. Now, what I suggest is that we leave the room and you can discuss the idea of joining together without us being present. How about we give you ten minutes to talk it over?"

"I don't need ten minutes," said one of the women, "I'm in."

"Me too," said a man. "I don't see how we could lose."

"And me," a woman said. "I don't need to think about it. Where do we sign, Len?"

"Oh," Len replied. "I didn't think anyone would want to sign up right away. Look, print your name, the address of your store and your telephone number on this pad," and he walked over to the table where the pad of paper was and picked it up. "I'll phone those of you who want to join tomorrow and arrange a time when I could come and bring the application form to you."

Len wrote at the top of the paper, 'I'm Interested in joining Comp & Pro' and gave it to the man who had just said he wanted to join.

"Well, I'm interested too, but I want to think about it first," another man said.

"Me too," came a woman's voice. "Can I call you sometime next week if I decide to go ahead?"

"Sure," said Len, and he wrote his telephone number on a flip chart sheet and taped it to the wall. "You can also take one of my business cards if you haven't already got one. They're on the table with the name tags. Could you hand out the What's New and the ordering sheets to everyone Chris, please."

That was the end of the formal part of the meeting ended and several sub-groups formed, some around Len and Chris, others around Paul, Daphne and Dick asking questions. Some stood there, listening to what others were saying, or they joined another group and listened to, or participated in, what was being said in that group. Fresh tea and coffee was bought in and some poured themselves another cup or took sandwiches or cookies. Slowly people left and by four forty only Len's group was present. On the sign-up sheet there were eight names.

"What do you think, Chris?" asked Len. "What kind of discount can we get with orders from twelve stores?"

"Easily above ten percent, more like fifteen, I'd guess. Of course it depends on how much each store orders."

"Yes. Hey, maybe we should order only once per month. That would double the order size."

"No, we couldn't do that," said Paul. "We don't have enough room to store a month's supply."

"Yes," said Len, "nor do I. Pity. But I'm going to be very busy in the next two weeks. Can you both manage if we delay ordering for a week? Do you have enough stock to do that?"

"I do," said Dick.

"And we can manage if that would help. We often take back orders if we haven't something in stock," said Daphne.

"Oh, good. Thanks."

There was a knock on the door and the hotel manager entered.

"I saw people leaving. You are finished then?"

"Yes. we're just going."

"Can we wrap the sandwiches and cookies for you?"

"Does anyone want them?" asked Len.

"I'll take them if that's okay," said Dick.

"Right," said the manager. "I'll have someone bring bags."

Five minutes later two men came. One man wrapped the sandwiches and put them in one of the bags then placed the cookies in another bag. The other man collected the plates, cups and saucers. Dick took them as they walked out of the room. Len said it's a bit early to have supper here. "How about we drive to Brockville and have supper in my brother's restaurant?"

" Sure," said Daphne. "Where is it?"

"On King West, just three stores from my store. It's called Jallope's. We'll be able to park on the street today."

It was a joyous meal. Everyone was happy for each was becoming richer, either from greater discounts, which Len and Chris also would be getting, but they, of course, would receive the franchise fees as well. And Barb and Peter were happy, for the Amities told them that they were going to tell all their friends about this wonderful new restaurant.

## Chapter Seventy Seven

Chris phoned her parents when they got home to tell them what had happened at the Kingston meeting. Susan was very happy and said so but Jack, when he came to the phone, said that there were obligations when owning a franchise and asked to speak to Len.

"Len, I don't know much about owing a franchise but I think you should talk to a lawyer and have a carefully-worded contract that you and your franchisees should sign. A simple agreement could cause lots of problems down the road."

"Problems? What kind?" asked Len.

"Well, I don't really know but how do your franchisees know that you won't do things like putting more Comp & Pro stores in their territory?"

"Well, I wouldn't."

"But they don't know that. They have to have rights to a certain area, I think. That's the kind of thing you should see a lawyer about."

"Yes, now I think about it, you're right. I don't want any of them to harm the other members by selling below the price we set. Okay, I'll see my lawyer tomorrow. Thanks."

"You're going to be a rich man if you find more people to join, Len. Just go about it carefully."

"Yes, I will. How are you doing? Have you booked your trip to Australia?"

"We've just decided to go to Europe for a few weeks first. Probably in August."

"Lucky you. I bet you'll have a great time."

"I think we will. Bye, Len."

Len told Chris what her dad had said. "So I'm going to see Mr. Jackson tomorrow and talk to him before seeing any of the Kingston people."

"And dad was right about getting rich quickly, Len. Why don't you ask him to make Lilly the store manager and you spend all your time on getting more members?"

"If I did that I wouldn't get paid, but I was thinking about the same thing when we drove back from Kingston. I'll go to Belleville next, then try Ottawa. What discount would we get if we ordered for twenty or thirty stores?"

"I don't know. Maybe not much more than we'll get with twelve or fourteen, if all the ones we talked to do join. But any newcomers would get what we'll be getting now and that could be quite enough for them to become a member, I'd guess."

"Yes, it must be, otherwise we wouldn't have got anyone from Kingston. But I don't want to drag the Amity's or Dick along to each meeting."

"No, we can't do that. But I'll come. And we could take some photos of all the Comp & Pro stores to show them."

"Yes, once they have the store signs on. What should your dad pay Lilly if he makes her the store manager?"

"They all get just over twenty five thousand a year now. I'd suggest thirty thousand, like you get. When we decide to have children I'll make Jane the manager. Do you want to phone him about it now?"

"No, tomorrow will do. Let's go to bed and celebrate."

Len phoned Jack before leaving for the store on Monday morning. "Jack, I want to increase the number of franchisees if I can and do it quickly before any other organization tries to do the same kind of thing. I'll go to Belleville first, then Ottawa and Toronto then go further. Chris suggested that I quit being manager and ask you to make Lilly the store manager."

"Would you have enough to live on if I did that?"

"Oh, yes. With ten or twelve, if everyone in Kingston joins, we'll have two thousand or twenty four hundred coming in each month. With the increase to four hundred after six months I'll have nearly twice what you are paying me."

"Well, why don't I make Lilly manager for just six months so you can return if no one else joins? Then you could come back as manager without any trouble. But, I suppose it won't matter, the mortgage on the Brockville store will be paid off by then, quicker than that if I won't have to pay you, and you and Chris will then own both stores so you can do as you like. Okay, I'll come in on Wednesday. That'll be July the first and see if she wants the job."

"Oh, she'll want it, I'm sure. Thanks, Jack. Bye."

Then he phoned Mr. Jackson and his secretary picked up the phone. When Len asked her how much time he should ask for and told her what he wanted to do she said, "I don't think we've ever done that kind of thing. Hang on, and I'll check with him."

A minute later Mr. Jackson came on the line.

"Hello Mr. Andrews. I'm sorry, I can't help you with that, you need a specialist. The nearest one, and someone I have recommended once before, is Mr. Carthage. His office is in Kingston. Here is his phone number," and he read it out. "I am sure he'll be able to help you. I saw the Comp & Pro sign on the Amity's store a couple of weeks ago. So you're franchising the business then?"

"Yes, we are."

"Well, good luck. I'm sure Mr. Carthage can help. Goodbye, Mr. Andrews."

"Goodbye, Mr. Jackson," said Len, admiring the man's professional formality in using surnames every time, not that he wanted to do the same but just couldn't help being formal in return.

He phoned Mr. Carthage who picked up the phone himself and after Len outlined what he wanted to do he gave Len his address and suggested that he come in at two o'clock that afternoon. Len checked the clock and decided to drive to Kingston right then and go to the stores of each of the owners who wanted to join Comp & Pro and tell them that he was getting a formal contract drawn up and that would delay when they could join the organization. 'How long would that take,' he wondered. 'More than a week? Probably. I'll just have to tell them that I don't know when it'll be.'

He told Chris what he'd done then drove to and opened the store. Lilly arrived as he was doing it and he told her that he'd not be staying and asked her to look after the store for the day. In the wagon he remembered that the distance he drove doing this kind of thing would be a tax-deductible item he found the book in his glove compartment and started a new page, heading it Comp & Pro, making columns then dating the first row. Finally, he got out the map that he and Chris had marked showing where the various stores in Kingston were then drove to the first one. The owner, Larry Latch, was there.

"Hello Len," he said, "I didn't expect you to be here until later in the week. Got the contract for me to sign?"

Len told him that he was seeing a franchise lawyer that afternoon and would be back once he had the agreement.

"I don't know when that will be but I'll be back as soon as I can. You know, I do like the look of your store. But I think I told you that when I first came here."

"Thank you. It's in a good position and we're doing all right."

"And you'll be earning more shortly. Well, bye Larry. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Bye, Len. I'm looking forward to the increase."

The other visits went similar to that one and the two owners who had said they needed time to think it over told him that they would join when Len talked to them. He finished seeing everybody around twelve thirty so he went to Tim Hortons and had a ham and cheese roll and a coffee.

He found Mr. Carthage's office by consulting the map. It was a house on Regent Street, just off Princess. His name was on a bronze plaque fastened to the brickwork at the side of the door. Len lifted an owl-shaped door knocker and gave two taps then opened the door. He stepped into a room where an overweight man who looked about fifty years old sat at the centre of a large desk placed near the opposite wall. An IBM-PC and printer were on the left-hand side of the desk and three stacked trays stood on the other end. He had a file stacked with papers in front of him. Several five-drawer filing cabinets lined the wall at his side. He shut the open file and stood up.

"Hello. You must be Mr. Andrews. I'm Ken Carthage. Let me put this file away and we'll talk. Take one of the easy chairs beside the window. Would you like a coffee? I'm going to have one."

"Err, yes please, Mr. Carthage."

"Call me Ken. Can I call you Len?"

"Oh, sure. I prefer that."

Ken took the pot of coffee from a machine, added two mugs, a bowl of sugar cubes, spoons a plate of cookies and asked, "do you take milk or cream?"

"Either would do," said Len.

Ken put the tray on the small table that stood between the chairs and left the room by a door that stood beside his desk, returning shortly afterwards with a small jug of cream.

"I take it black but make up for it by eating these cream cookies. Help yourself."

He took a pad of paper from his desk than sat opposite Len.

"Okay. So you want to set up a franchise. Do you now own a business?"

"Yes, my wife and I own a store and will, in three or four months own another."

"What kind?"

"A store that sells computers."

"You can't franchise a store. You must have something more than that. "

"Well I own the trade mark that we run under, Comp & Pro."

"Oh, do you. I saw your ad in the Wigg Standard. How many people did you get?"

"Ten, and we already have two beside the two we run."

"What kind of franchise agreement do you have at the moment?"

"I don't have one, just a signed contract. That's why I'm here."

"I see. Well, let me guess the situation. You want them to pay for the use of the name and, in return, you will provide the items they sell at a discounted price."

"Yes, exactly."

"What else do you want from them?" Ken asked, picking up the pad of paper.

"Well, they must change the store's name to Comp & Pro and paint the inside walls pale blue. And place their orders through us, so we can get the discount. And not sell at a lower price than the one we set every two weeks, but join everyone when we hold a sale, which we do about four times a year. That's about it."

Ken, after finishing his note-taking, asked, "the contract that you've already used, does it include a time period?"

"Well, I think of it as holding for a year and they have the option of renewing after that."

"Hmm, it'd be better if it was longer, at least five years. Why did you think one year was appropriate?"

"Well, they pay two hundred a month for the first six months, four hundred a month for the next six months, then, if they want to continue it is five hundred a month and never increases."

"I see. It's an unusual arrangement but if that's what you've told them, okay. But I suggest that once they agree to continue their membership they sign an agreement for five years or longer."

"All right, I could do that."

"What have you told them about territory. Did you talk about that at the meeting?"

"No. but I'd not let others join Comp & Pro if they come into the area the members are now operating."

"Sooner or later they will want that in the agreement. But what if someone wants to open a store on the outskirts of Kingston and join Comp & Pro. Are you going to say that they can't?"

"No, I don't want to do that."

"Well, we must include a statement about territorial rights," and Ken made another note.

"What advertising do you provide Len?"

"Local newspapers, in the weekend editions, before each sale. That's all."

"Oaky," and Ken wrote that down.

"Anything else you provide?"

"No. Well we trained Dick, a young man who opened a store in Gananoque. But all we did was let him work in the Townsville store and spend some time with Chris, my wife, to learn about keeping track of his income, expenses and stock. But none of the people who came to the meeting would want that, they all already own stores."

"Then we'll not say anything about training. You could provide it, if needed, but you would have to charge a separate fee for it in that case."

"All right, I understand."

"Is there anything else you want them to do?" asked Ken.

"Well they must place orders through us, so we can get the discount. We want them to do that on Mondays, every two weeks. Chris orders, pays by credit card and they give a cheque to the driver when the items are delivered later that week. All the orders are shipped to us and I deliver them." A sudden thought struck Len which he didn't say out loud, 'and I'll have to find another place to store them soon.'

"So you are a sub-distributor," and Ken made a note. "Do you inspect their premises periodically?"

"Why should I do that?"

"To check that they are providing the service you want the organization to provide."

"Well I haven't been doing that. Must I?"

"It's up to you. I'd say that you should and that you should state that you, or your representative, will be doing that at least once a year."

"Oh. Do you think they'll argue about that?"

"No, I don't think so. It's to their advantage that you are maintaining a standard and the organization's reputation. If negotiations are needed I can be your franchise attorney."

"Well I didn't want to go and see everybody every year if I expand. I could do Kingston, Belleville and Ottawa but there must be thirty to fifty stores in Toronto and many more if we could expand across the province."

"Think of it as holidays, if it becomes too onerous. Go with your wife. Most of the expenses will be tax-deductible, don't forget. Do you have an accountant?"

"Yes, I do."

"Okay, I've got enough to go on for now. I'll phone you if I need more information. Oh, what's the paint you want them to use?"

Len told him then gave him one of his business cards. "When do you think the agreement will be ready?"

"Next Monday, I have to finish what I'm working on first. Let's say Monday, August sixth at nine o'clock. If I need more information I might have to change the date but I think what I have now will be enough. It's rather a simple agreement."

"Well, thanks a lot Ken. Oh, I haven't drunk any coffee but don't think I want any now."

"I'll save it until Monday for you," said Ken. "No, I'm just kidding. Bye Len. I think you are onto a good thing."

"I hope so. Bye Ken, see you next Monday," and Len left the room, thinking it was a good thing he'd gone to a franchise attorney and hoping that none of the owners would object to anything he wanted them to do.

## Chapter Seventy Eight

Driving home Len decided that he'd store the computers and other stock in the garage, using both spaces if needed. He find another place to put them before winter. He told Chris what he was going to do when she got home that evening. She thought it was a good but temporary solution.

"You could build a shed near the entrance, Len. The place that Matt died, you said, and where you stored the old cabinets. It'd be perfect when the stock was delivered."

"Yes, I could do that. I'll do it in September, if things go as we hope."

"We must think about what's involved in more detail, though. For instance, phone calls. If most of the owners in Belleville, Ottawa and Toronto join us we'll have sixty or seventy members. Well I don't know how I can take orders from that many people in one day. So we'll have to give them two days in future. And I'll give everyone our home phone number and have them call there otherwise it'll stop the store's normal customers from getting a line. I'll have to handle everything from home. Also deliveries, you can't deliver to sixty or seventy stores by yourself. We'll have to hire a driver. And trucks, we can use U-Haul vans, the biggest they've got until we know that it would be cheaper to buy them. And storage. I think we should rent a large tent until we're established, the garage won't be big enough. Also, we don't know how big a storage shed we'll eventually need so there's no point in building one this September."

"Yes, you're right. But I've got an idea about orders and deliveries. We'll alternate weeks. We'll have Kingston, Belleville and Ottawa phone one Monday and have Toronto phone us the following Monday. That way we'll need half the storage space, half the trucks and there'll not be more than forty stores we have to look after in any one week."

"Yes, that would do it. And we won't need a second phone line and a secretary, at least to begin with. That should work."

"But it'll still be a lot of work."

"Yes, looks like it, though I'll be working from home and that would be nice."

Jack arrived at the Brockville store at ten o'clock on Wednesday morning. Len waited until Lilly had served the lady who was buying a game then asked her to join them in the coffee room.

"Sit down, Lilly," said Len. "Do you want a coffee?"

"Err, no thanks. Am I in trouble?" she asked.

"No, not at all," Len replied. "You know that I've been looking for other computer-selling stores to join our Comp & Pro group. Well, on Sunday ten stores in Kingston did that and I'll shortly be going to other towns looking for others. So I'll be spending most of my time doing that."

"That's why I'm here, Lilly," said Jack. "Would you like to become the manager of this store for the next six months?"

"Me, manager? Why, yes. certainly. I'd like that."

"Oh, good," said Len. "You would make an excellent one and I'd be free to work on building the franchise."

"Would I get more pay?" Lilly asked.

"Yes," said Jack. "You'd get what I pay Len, thirty thousand a year. So you would get fifteen thousand while being the manager. After six months Len might be coming back. We don't know if he would, it depends on how many stores agree to join Comp & Pro."

"Wowee! Thanks. When do I start?"

"Right now, August first. And you'll be manager until February first, longer if Len decides to continue seeking franchisees."

"What about Len?" Lilly asked. "Can you afford to pay both of us?"

"No," said Len. "I won't be paid while I'm doing this."

"Right," said Jack. "Once the store's empty we'll tell the others."

That happened ten minutes later and Pauline led a cheer for Lilly. She and Ben hugged her but had to stop the congratulations when a young man came in. Len stayed in the coffee room most of the morning looking at a map of Ontario and jotting down towns he should go to after going to Toronto. He phoned Chris around twelve and suggested they have lunch together.

As they ate at the Townsville's Subway Chris gave Len a job. "As long as you are home before me, can you make supper? I really can't leave before six unless I've taken the afternoon off, which will be just twice a week now, and it'd be nice if supper was waiting for me when I get home."

"Sure, I'd be glad to. What do you want tonight? What's in the freezer?"

"A couple of rib eyes and a frozen pizza. Since you've got time, do some shopping and surprise me."

"Okay."

They had filet mignons, French fries and green beans that night on the deck and agreed to go fishing on Sunday as their next joint activity.

Richard gave Len a cheque for seven thousand seven hundred and forty four dollars and thirty cents Saturday morning, again telling him that Jimmy hadn't found any more buyers.

"Lot six will be closing August twenty fourth and I'll have a cheque for you on the Saturday. Probably the last one this year. How are things going with you?"

Len told Richard about his franchising business and how he was expanding it quickly.

"It looks as if you're making yourself a lot of work, Len. How are you going to manage all the deliveries, especially those in Toronto if they all join up?"

"I don't know yet. Delivering to them might take four or five days. I'll probably hire a driver and rent two trucks."

"Hmm, phone me if you need a driver for a couple of days. I could help and I don't want any pay."

"Why, thank you. I might very well do that."

Chris caught a bass Sunday morning, big enough for the evening meal so they stopped fishing and drove slowly back to their home enjoying the river views then Chris looked after the clothes washing and Len mowed the grass. When he had finished they cleaned the house, Len with the vacuum and Chris with the duster. During the supper Len remembered the cheque that Richard had given him and he told Chris about it.

"I've now got over forty thousand and it's much more than I need to pay off the mortgage. Can you look after that? Deposit the cheque in my business account then see the loans officer? I'm going to be too busy to handle that. I'll give you a signed cheque from my business account and you can fill in the amount she wants and give it to her."

"Sure. How many lots are left now?"

"There's one sold and four remaining. They're all along the road not the river and Richard thinks they'll not sell until next year. Oh, he's offered to be a driver for a couple of days if we need one."

"He has? That's great. It was one of the things I was worried about."

At Ken Carthage's office Monday morning Len carefully read through the six-page contract that he was given, asking questions whenever he was not sure why a statement was written in the way it was or why others sentences were included. Ken explained how they protected both him and each franchisee. "What you have is one of the simplest agreements I have ever drafted. It will have to be rewritten if you get a hundred or more franchisees. To include factors like bankruptcies, miss-use of rights, breach of agreement, and so on. I don't think they are necessary for the stage you are at now. Do you want me to make copies for you or will you make your own?"

"Could you make forty, please. I'll make others as I need them."

Twenty minutes later Len was handed his forty copies in exchange for his cheque. It was just after ten and they had coffee, fresh coffee, of course, and cream-filled cookies together while chatting about franchise businesses and how more and more cropped up every day. Len left after that and started visiting the Kingston stores.

He saw only five owners that day for each of them read slowly through each application form, asked questions then, eventually, signed two copies. Len signed the same two copies then they each kept one. He gave them his home phone number and told them to place the orders on that number and that Chris would take their calls. Each owner then gave Len a dozen post-dated cheques, six of two hundred dollars for the first six months and six more of four hundred for the last six months. Len had given them two weeks to buy and mount the outside sign and paint the store walls light blue and checked that they each knew where to buy the signs and what shade of blue to get. From now on he wasn't going to buy the signs for them. He didn't get home until six twenty, just after Chris had arrived and they made supper together, just as they always used to do.

He saw the other five owners on Tuesday, getting home this time early enough to cook the chops, boil the potatoes and steam the broccoli. They drank a full bottle of Chardonnet that evening to celebrate.

Early on Wednesday morning Len phoned the Holiday Inn in Belleville and booked a room that would seat twenty people for Sunday, August nineteenth, from three to five and arranged for refreshments. He then asked for their address and said he wanted to see the room sometime that day. Next, he rewrote the announcement of the meeting, changing the date and place it was to be held and made twenty copies. After breakfast he drove with Chris to Belleville, stopping to see the room at the Holiday Inn first then going to the library to look at the phone book and mark the location of all the stores selling computers on the map of the town that he was given at the hotel. There were nine stores to visit.

He found the owner or manager of most of the stores when he arrived but had to reschedule a visit to a later time in two stores. Everyone seemed interested in attending the meeting after Len briefly told them that by joining Comp & Pro they would get a ten to fifteen percent deduction in the cost of most of their orders. He showed them the pictures he had taken of the four stores that had the signs displayed and said that there were ten more in Kingston that had joined earlier that week. While he was doing this Chris walked around the strip or mall, looking at the stores, finding a place to have lunch and, at the last stop, buying groceries.

Thursday morning he repeated the same actions without Chris in Ottawa, making the meeting date Sunday, August twenty six, again using the Holiday Inn, the one in the center of the city. He left at six thirty in the morning, for it took two hours to get to the city, and he finished just before six. Driving home he knew it would take him at least two days to deliver stock to Ottawa. He was tired when he reached home and told Chris that he'd have to stay in Toronto when he visited the stores the following week.

"There must be forty or fifty there," Len said. "Come with me and we'll make it a bit of a holiday."

"All right. I'll explore more of the Path and go to the ROM and the Casa Loma. I've never been to either. Maybe go the zoo. There's lots of things to do there. Oh, no, I can't Len. The next orders are coming in on Monday and I'll have to be home on Wednesday to receive them."

"Yes, I'd forgotten about that. Pity. Well, can you book a U-Haul truck for Friday and Saturday. I'll collect it first thing on Friday morning, I'm sure to be back by Thursday night. Make it big enough to hold what you have ordered. There's a U-Haul outlet in Brockville."

Saturday he booked a room at the Delta Inn for three nights. The hotel was downtown and he'd radiate from there, visiting stores on the east side of the city on Monday and sweeping around the city Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. If he was quick he might be able to get it done in three days. He drove to Brockville after he had his ten o'clock mug of coffee bought a street map of Toronto from a store then went to the library, hoping they'd have a copy of the Toronto Yellow Pages. They did and he paid the librarian to photocopy the pages under 'Computers.'

Once home, Len spread the city map on the dining table and marked the location of the stores then used a light blue marker to map what seemed the best route to follow. After that he did a few financial calculations and sat back amazed. Once Chris arrived home he pulled her into the lounge and told her to sit down for a moment.

"I've something to tell you, Chris. First, there are thirty eight stores in Toronto and I've been doing some calculations. Do you know what we'd be making if everyone joined us? In Kingston there are ten, Belleville has nine, Ottawa has eighteen, and Toronto with thirty eight makes a total of seventy five! And Paul and Dick makes seventy seven. That's fifteen thousand, four hundred a month! And that's for the first six months. We'd get double that the next six months and afterwards, at five hundred a month, we'd get thirty eight thousand, five hundred dollars. Each month! That's four hundred and sixty two thousand a year!"

"My god," Chris said. "Are you sure?"

"Unbelievable, isn't it. Look, you do the calculations. Here's the calculator. Add the numbers, ten plus nine plus eighteen plus thirty eight plus two. What do you get?"

"Seventy seven."

"Right. Now just do the second year figures. Multiply that by five hundred a month. What do you get?"

"Thirty eight thousand, five hundred."

"Yes. now multiply that by twelve to get the year's income."

"Four hundred and sixty two thousand. Like you said, it's unbelievable! Ah, but they've not all joined yet though."

"No, but I bet most will. And there are all the other stores in Ontario and in Canada."

"We'll have to hire staff to do all the things you'll be doing Len."

"And build a warehouse, buy trucks, hire drivers and sales people."

"We'd need an office and people to answer the phones, and look after the books. It's too much, Len. I'm not sure I can handle all that."

"You wouldn't have to. I'd do it," he replied. "Or I could hire someone to do it."

"Are you going to tell mum and dad?"

"Of course, when we know how many have joined us."

"Let's go out for supper, Len. I don't feel much like cooking after all that."

"Sure. We'll go to Jallope's, but don't say anything to them about this until it's settled."

## Chapter Seventy Nine

Monday Len set off early using Chris's car so she could have his station wagon to deliver stock. He hoped to arrive at the first Toronto store by nine but traffic on the 401 slowed him down and he didn't arrive until nearly nine thirty. The store was in a shopping mall that was situated on a corner of the first major crossroads he came to after leaving the highway. The owner was in the store and his reaction was just as most of the others had been when Len told them that by joining Comp & Pro they could increase their profits by ten or more percent. He gave the man one of the notices about the meeting and suggested he attend.

"The meeting is less than two hours long and even if you don't join Comp & Pro you'll meet other computer-store owners. And there's refreshments, of course."

The man, like all the other owners of the thirty eight stores that Len visited, except for four who had arranged to do other things that afternoon, said they'd attend. Visiting the Toronto stores took Len three days, most of it spent driving the busy roads or finding parking spots. He arrived home at eight thirty Wednesday evening. Chris had supper waiting for him although she had already eaten hers. He told her that he expected thirty four people at the Toronto meeting and asked her how her week had been.

"The phone calls on Monday went okay although four of them said that they had to call back because the line was busy. I've thought of a way to avoid that. I've made a list of the most popular items, there are about twenty right now, and numbered them and I'll send out that list with each What's New pamphlet. All they have to do is state the number of the item they want and how many, like 'six number one' and I'll copy that against their store name on a master sheet and repeat the item's name as I write it down so they know I'm ordering the right item. Then they might say 'four number two's' and I'll copy that down. And so on. And there are twenty extra blank rows where they can write the names of any other items they want to order, one's I've not named. Also, I'll suggest a time when each owner should call, giving them ten minutes each. So Jenny Attender, for instance, will call between nine and nine ten, hopefully, and so on. That way there should be no waiting to get hold of me."

"Oh, that's a good idea. It should save a lot of time."

"I hope so. And the first delivery arrived at eleven o'clock this morning and unloaded in front of the garage. It took me two hours to sort the items into store-by-store lots. The second truck arrived at three and there wasn't enough room in the garage so I covered what was left after I had sorted them with some tarps. I'll have to order a tent to hold them in future."

"You've been busy. We should think about hiring some help."

"Not for a while. Let's find out what's involved first, but I'm thinking of asking Ben to help me sort in future."

Thursday Len and Chris delivered the stock, using Len's station wagon and Chris' car, going together to the Amities, then to Dick's store in the morning. This allowed Chris to see how their places were set up. They did the same in the afternoon, delivering to their own stores. They went to Jallope's for supper and told Barb what they had been doing when she had time after most of the other diners had left.

"It sounds as if you've taken on too much, Len, Chris," said Barb. "What are you going to do when you've got twice as many stores to deliver to?"

"We'll work it out," said Len.

"Actually, it's likely to be a lot more than twice," said Chris. "We hope to have over seventy stores in a month's time."

"That'll be a nightmare," she said. "You'll have to hire people to deliver the stock and find a place to store it. Can't you slow down?"

"It's too late," said Len. "But I'll not look for any more until all these get sorted."

Peter came out of the kitchen carrying a bottle of wine and some glasses.

"I saw that you weren't drinking. Have a glass of this," and he filled their empty glasses.

"How's everything going?" asked Len. "Do you get enough customers?"

"Oh, yes, we do now. We're full every day except Sunday lunch time and nearly full for dinners except Tuesday night."

"We close Monday after lunch is served," added Barb. "It's the only time we get a bit of a rest."

"I'm looking for an assistant cook," said Peter, "and he or she might handle most of the lunches. And we've hired a waitress. She starts next Monday."

"So you're doing good. That's great," said Len. "We're okay, also."

"They've taken on too much," said Barb and she proceeded to tell Peter what she had just heard.

"Then I guess you'll have to be hiring too," Peter said after she had finished. "I hope you can manage it. The whole thing sounds much more complicated than starting a restaurant!"

Len and Chris left shortly after that and drove home, going straight to bed with the alarm clock set for six.

Friday morning Len drove to the Brockville U-Haul garage in Chris's car and signed for the truck after checking it all over to ensure it wasn't damaged in any way. He told them he'd be back before they closed that day and checked that their closing time was still eight o'clock then he asked if the truck had been booked by anyone for Saturday. The man said it hadn't, "but if you don't take it someone else might." Len decided he'd chance it, hoping that the truck was big enough to hold everything and drove it home.

Chris, using the route-marked-map of Kingston, helped Len load the truck so the last store on the route would be at the front of the truck. Unfortunately, only three quarters of the stock could get in.

"Right, I'll leave now," Len told her, "and be back as soon as I can for the rest."

"Hey, wait a minute. You haven't got the envelopes for each store."

"What envelopes. Oh, of course. The order sheet and What's News."

"Yes. And don't leave a store without getting their cheque. I'll get the envelopes."

Chris collected them from her desk and took them to Len with an empty envelope to hold the cheques.

"Here you are." She gave him a quick kiss and he drove off.

With the staff of most stores helping Len to unload as the owner initialled the receipt of each item it didn't' take long to deliver and he was back home by one thirty. He ate the sandwiches Chris had made for him and drank the coffee as he drove back to Kingston. The deliveries, for just the ten stores in the town had taken a full day. It was going to be impossible to deliver to Toronto in less than four or five days. What the hell was he going to do?

He returned the truck to the garage. It was inspected and accepted and Len paid the bill. In the office he noticed a poster which stated the size of trucks available. At the bottom of the poster there was a truck larger than the size he had been given.

"Hey," said Len, pointing to the poster. "I thought we had been given the biggest one."

"You were, the largest size we carry. Why?"

"Well next time I want that one," and Len pointed to the largest shown.

"We don't keep that. If you want it you have to have to order it at least three days in advance."

"Okay. I'll be ordering that sometimes in the future," he said. "Why do I have to order in advance?"

"Because we have to find where one is available and bring it in. You should know that the cost of delivering it to us is added to the bill."

'Well,' thought Len, 'it'll certainly be worth it.'

He gave the envelope holding the cheques to Chris and asked her to deposit them the next day then he told her what he'd learned about the trucks while he was eating the supper she had saved for him.

"The biggest truck will be worth hiring, Chris. Using it I won't have to go to Kingston twice."

"You might have to before we hold a sale. I'm sure they'll be like us, ordering extra."

Saturday Len redrafted the flip sheets for the meeting in Belleville and made twenty copies of the franchise agreement, extra What's News and order sheets with the owner's or manager's name at the top of their sheet together with the time Chris wanted them to phone her and her phone number. Afterwards he cleaned the house and prepared the supper while Chris visited their two stores, paid the staff, collected and deposited the takings. They talked about the next day's meeting when she returned and went to bed early.

Sunday eight people attended the Belleville meeting. They listened to Len and Chris, heard that ten stores in Kingstone had signed on, looked at the photographs of the four stores Len passed around, read through the franchise agreement he'd given each one and asked questions, usually about clauses in the contract and the mark-up percentages. Then Len and Chris left the room, shutting the door behind them to let them talk among themselves. They were called back fifteen minutes later and a rather quiet man who had not asked any questions but had spent most of the time looking at the contract was standing at the front of the room.

"We're all in," he said. "We can't see anything wrong with the idea and have already signed the agreements. All we need is a signed copy from you."

"Thank you," said Len. "We have more copies. Give me the one you have signed and I'll sign it and we'll do the second one at the same time."

"Remember," added Chris, "the next order date is Monday, August twenty seventh. Look over the What's New sheet I gave you and use the order sheet to phone at the time stated for your call. And please order by item number and the number of items you want as I explained. It will make everything much quicker for both of us if you do. And use the phone number at the top of the sheet. That's where I'll be. Thanks."

"Thank you all for coming. I think we're going to be a great organization," said Len, as everybody began to leave.

"I think Ken Leaport will also want to join but he couldn't come to the meeting," said a woman when she came to sign the documents. "Give me two blank copies, another What's New and another order sheet and I'll give them to him and explain everything. If he wants to join he'll sign them and phone you his order. You can sign the contracts with him when you deliver."

"Okay. Thank you," said Len.

Chris asked the man in charge of the refreshments to wrap the uneaten sandwiches and cookies and they ate most of them on their way home.

"That went well, don't you think, Chris?" said Len.

"Yes. We'll do the same thing at the other meetings. Leaving them to talk among themselves did the trick."

"And giving them the contract to look over prepared the way. I bet we get the other man, Ken, something."

"Ken Leaport," said Chris. "Yes, I think we will. That'll make nine."

"The extra-large truck would hold all that they would order, for sure, and I could deliver to them and to Kingston in the same day."

"If we could load up quickly in between the deliveries."

"Yes, and I could do Ottawa the next two days."

"I'll come with you to help unload on the trips, Len."

"Well, the store assistants helped me in Kingston. They'll probably do the same at all the stores."

"They can't if they're busy. No, I'll come with you."

"You know, we'll be too busy to have a Labour Day sale. That's too bad because I bet lots of students would want to buy then."

"Well, they'll still buy if they need a computer anyway," answered Chris.

When they got home they were too full to eat anything but ice cream which they did while trying to watch television but kept thinking about what they were doing and kept discussing that.

## Chapter Eighty

Chris ordered a large tent Monday morning. It arrived and was put up next to the garage on Wednesday. It was about six times larger than the garage and it looked as if there would be plenty of room to move between stacks so sorting the items would be easier. She then called the Brockville U-Haul and ordered one of the extra large trucks to be picked up in the evening of Wednesday, August twenty ninth and to be returned on Friday August thirty first and a large truck for Saturday September first. An extra-large truck then a large one would be plenty for Ottawa.

"We'll be needing one or two of the extra-large trucks each week for the foreseeable future. Can you keep them at your yard?"

"How long will you be hiring the extra-large ones each week?" she was asked.

"We'll need one every week and two every second week."

"Well, we'll keep one here and find the other when you need it. Do you want to book the one we get for you from Wednesday evening to Friday evening for each week then?"

"Yes, please. Then, we want one extra-large on Wednesday twenty seventh and two on Wednesday fifth of September, then one the next Wednesday and two the following Wednesday."

"Right, got it."

"Thanks."

"Thank you for the order."

Richard gave Len a cheque for seven thousand, six hundred and thirty one dollars, forty four cents and the account sheet for the construction of the house on lot five on Saturday, meeting him over lunch in the deli in Brockville.

"That's probably it for the year, Len. Jimmy hasn't sold any more."

"Well, I've paid off the mortgage and interest already. What's coming in now is paying back the cash I put in and profit."

"There's four more road-side lots to do and you'll get between seven and eight thousand on each. I've got enough to keep me going already, of course."

"And the two other houses you said you might build. They going okay?"

"Sure, but I'm only going to put up one like I said. Most people want to make changes to the plans these days."

"Would you be willing to drive a truck, a big one, in two weeks' time?"

"Sure. Just phone me when you know the days."

"Well, it'll be September sixth and seventh. But we'll have to get the trucks on the fifth, in the evening, from Brockville U-Haul."

"Where are we delivering to?"

"Toronto."

"Oh! It's going to be hard driving around there."

"Yes, I know. But I'll hire a driver if you don't want to do it."

"No, glad to help. You pulled me out of a bind and I appreciate it."

"I'd like Chris to go with you to see that each owner uses the check list properly. Can you have one of your good drivers come with me to see how it's done? I'll pay him, of course and I'll want to hire him to drive a truck every alternate week."

"Oh yes, that's no problem. Most of my people can drive trucks and they'll be happy for a bit of work during winter. September sixth and seventh for both of us and the evening on the fifth just for me. What time should I be at your place on the fifth?"

"Can you manage six o'clock?"

"Sure. Give me a call if anything changes."

Len paid for their lunches and felt much relieved as he walked back to his store. He paid the employees and put the current takings along with the money from the previous days in a deposit bag and dropped it into the Royal Bank deposit box along with the money and cheques from Chris's store that he had collected earlier. He drove home then prepared new flip sheets, made copies of the franchise agreement, the contract, the What's New sheet, using the suggestions that Mike had provided, and order phone-sheets for each store with the number to call and the ten-minute time slot prominently placed at the top, making some extra copies in case he'd missed a store or two in Ottawa. After that, he prepared the evening meal. It was his favourite again, filet mignon, French fries and green beans with cherry pie and ice cream afterwards. As he laid the table, using the best cutlery, he thought 'we'll have Richard and Olive round for supper after we've done the Toronto delivery and have this meal again.'

Over supper Len told Chris that he was a bit worried about how much they were putting on the business credit card. "There's enough in the bank to cover it and we've been lucky so far. The cheques have all cleared before the card's due date but what happens if we have to pay and the cheques haven't all cleared? There could be fifty or sixty thousand owing."

"Dad had a line of credit at the appliance store that covered us for that. I heard mum and dad talking about it. But there's another way to do it. I'll ask the distributors to give us thirty days credit. I think they'll do that now they know we're not going to cheat them. I'll ask for it when I make the next order."

The meeting in Ottawa on Sunday followed the same plan they used in Belleville. Everybody who attended signed on, adding fifteen more owners, a total of thirty eight franchisees all together. Chris spent extra time with them going over the 'What's New' sheet and the phone order sheet because the next order-day was Monday, the following day. She explained that they only had ten minutes to place their orders if they didn't want to wait while other people were on the line but they could order between five and five thirty if they wanted to take a chance the line was free. "But not after five thirty, I'll be placing the orders with our distributors. Remember, the number to call me is at the top of the order sheet together with the time when you should call."

By five o'clock on Monday Chris had everyone's orders. In between the time the calls came in she prepared a combined order list so that at five thirty she was able to place the orders to the two large distributors she used. Telling them how Comp & Pro operated she was able to arrange that one truck would deliver in the morning and the other in the afternoon the next day.

"And they gave us two weeks credit before they would charge our credit card," she told Len over supper. "That, and the time before the card's due date, will be plenty. No need to worry anymore."

A very large truck delivered items Tuesday morning and a second one arrived in the afternoon. Len, the driver and his assistant helped unload the boxes with Chris telling them where each one should go. Once each truck had left Len and Chris made stacks under each store's name with the line of stacks following the route that Len followed when visiting the town. They finished the job Wednesday morning. Ken drove to the U-Haul after supper, signed for the extra-large truck they had found for him and drove it carefully home. Turning corners was the hardest thing but after hitting the curb a couple of times he managed to arrive safely. Backing up his laneway was easy, he just followed the track the other trucks had made. Using a couple of flood lights he had set up earlier he and Chris loaded the stock for Kingston. There was space for another three or four stores after they had finished so they were both very relieved. Because they were worried about possible theft Chris decided not to accompany Len to Kingston. It was unlikely that any thief knew about what they were doing right now although that could change any moment. They'd have to find a secure storage area soon.

Len was back home at twelve and they filled the truck with the stock for Belleville. Again, staff in most stores helped him unload and he was home by seven.

They loaded the truck with the stock for nine Ottawa stores although it would hold twelve or more. Doing this took less time to deliver and he'd be back before the U-Haul closed to swap it for the smaller truck. The stock for Saturday was small enough to store in the garage so Chris went with Len to Ottawa on Friday and on Saturday. Saturday evening, after returning the truck, they ate at Jallope's, sharing a bottle of wine and telling Barb then Peter how their week had been. Chris was sorry that her parents were still in Europe for she'd like to tell them about everything as well. There was no address on the postcards they received for they moved from place to place every three or four days.

Thirty eight attended the meeting in Toronto and they all signed up once they heard about the other stores who had climbed aboard and of the discounts they were getting. The fees were negligible one man said. They spent most of the time asking questions about the franchise contract. Some also began filling in the order form once Chris told them that their first order day would be tomorrow. Len posted the names of the three stores that belonged to the same chain of sign-makers as the stores in Kingston and Ottawa, telling everyone that they should have their signs replaced during the next two weeks even though they weren't planning to have a sale for at least a month. One woman disliked having to change the name of her store but accepted the necessity in the end.

The orders were phoned in on Monday and had been placed by six thirty with the distributors again confirming that their trucks would arrive the next day. The rest of the week followed the pattern established the previous week except that Richard joined Len in collecting the two trucks Wednesday evening and Nick sat with Len when they drove to Toronto on Thursday and Friday. On the way back Nick said he'd be glad to drive every two weeks.

"Do you have a mate who would help unload?" Len asked.

"Sure. Pat would do it, I'm sure."

"Good. I'll pay him the same as you, one hundred for helping and I'll give you one fifty since you'll be driving. Plus, I'll give you another fifty for coming with me to collect the truck Wednesday night."

"Oh, thanks."

So the future deliveries were arranged and a pattern was set up that continued; Kingston, Belleville and Ottawa one week and Toronto the following week.

Jack and Susan arrived home Saturday, September fifteenth. As soon as they had unpacked, Susan phoned Chris and invited them for supper the next day.

"We've got lots to talk about," she said.

"So do we," said Chris. "Can we come in the afternoon to talk then stay for supper?"

"Come about three then. I've got lots of washing to do and groceries to buy before you arrive."

Sunday Len gave them a big vase of flowers as a home-coming gift. The first hour was spent listening to the places Jack and Susan had visited, looking at photographs, hearing about the people they had met and the adventures they had had. Then Chris and Len told them what they had done and how the money was rolling in. They ate supper early, at six, for the another busy week started the next day and Len and Chris were fast asleep by nine thirty, getting ready to deal with Toronto.

Saturday afternoon, September twenty second, Len received a phone call that radically changed their future.

## Chapter Eighty One

"Hello. Could I speak to Mr. Len Andrews," a man said.

"Speaking," answered Len.

"Hello. My name's Sam Hinton and I live in Toronto. Do you own the Comp & Pro franchise?"

"Well, yes I do," and Len left it like that not wanting to explain why he didn't think of it as a franchise.

"I'd like to talk to you. I'm very interested in what you are doing."

"Oh, do you own a store? We'd be glad to include you if you're interested."

"No. I'm not a store owner, I'm a venture capitalist and very interested in helping new franchisers. Ron Field's company is one of your distributors, Field Distributing you will know it as. He's a friend of mine and I had a word with him."

"Oh?"

"Well, from what he told me I think you could use some help."

"Why do you say that?"

"Mostly from what one of his drivers has told him. He said you store the computers in a tent. Is that right?"

"Well, yes, we do at the moment but I'm looking for a more secure storage."

"And you live in Townsville?"

"Close by. Why are you asking me all this?"

"One more question and I'll tell you. Are you intending to expand? To seek more stores?"

"Yes, I am."

"That's what I thought. Look, I'd like to visit and explain why I can help you."

"I don't think we need any help, thanks."

"Are you sure? My guess is that you have a bit more than you can manage right now, that you'd find an experienced assistant, one who'd helped other franchisees expand, very useful."

"If you know of someone like that tell me his name and I'll contact him."

"Ah, there's more than hiring him that matters. For instance, your location. There are much better places than Townsville to work from and you must be beginning to realise that. All the items you order are shipped from Toronto, right? And you turn some of them around and ship them back. There are savings in money and time you can have right there. And if you hope to cover more of Ontario and expand into the rest of Canada you'll need many more people than one man. Let me come and discuss what I and a supportive team can do for you."

"I think we're handling it alright, thanks."

"At the moment, Len, but how are you going to handle the provinces? Quebec, for instance. Do you speak French? And the different regulatory and legal systems you'll encounter. There's a ton of things that could go wrong. I know, because over the years I've dealt with them many times."

"Well, I suppose it won't hurt to hear what you have to say. But we're busy during the week. Can you come on Sunday?"

"Sure. How about next Sunday?"

"That would be all right. Can you come in the morning?"

"I'll be there as early as you like."

"How about ten o'clock?"

"Sure. Just tell me how to find you once I get to Townsville."

"We live along River Road. My name's on the mailbox."

"Right. I'll be there. You won't regret it. Bye, Mr. Andrews."

"Goodbye, Mr. Hinton."

"Who was that?" Chris asked, after he'd hung up.

"A venture capitalist," Len replied and summarised what he had said.

"So he knows how to set up a franchise," Chris answered. "So do we. We have just done it."

"And expand one across Canada. We haven't done that and from what he said I can see it's not going to be easy. I'd be glad of some help doing that."

"Well we're not going to get it for nothing. Don't they take a part of the company in return for helping?"

"Yes, I think they do. But we might be able to afford it, if we double or triple our size. And it'll make things much easier if we had an experienced man on board. Anyway, I said he could come next Sunday. He'll be here at ten."

"Okay. Should I ask dad to attend?"

"Would you mum mind if he did?"

"I don't know. I'll phone him and find out."

"I don't know anything about how venture capitalists work Chris," her father said. "What you want is a lawyer. Not at the first meeting but before you sign anything. And before him you need an accountant to check all the figures involved with what he's suggesting. I'll come if you want support but I'll not tell you what to do. I don't want to be responsible for suggesting you do this or that and it turns out to be a bad choice. I'm sure mum would think the same way."

"Okay. Thanks, dad. We'll let you know what happens."

The following week they handled the orders from Kingston, Belleville and Ottawa. Tuesdays and Wednesdays being relatively easy days. Len bought a infra-red sensor from a security store and fitted it across the entrance, hiding the parts in the hedges. Whenever someone or a vehicle entered a buzzer sounded in their kitchen and bedroom. Hopefully, that would warn them that someone, a guest or a thief, was visiting. That would do until Jimmy found a safer storage place they could rent or buy.

They heard the buzzer at nine fifty on Sunday morning and a BMW pulled up beside the garage. Two men got out as Len opened the kitchen door.

"Hello, I'm Sam Hinton. This is Ron Field," he said as the approached the door.

"Hi, I'm Len Andrews and this is my wife, Chris," and asked them to come in. "It's coffee time. Would you like some?"

"Sure would," said Mr. Field. "Ten o'clock is when I usually have it. You've a nice place here. Was this a cottage at one time?"

"Yes, it was," Len replied.

They sat in the lounge for it was too cool to sit on the deck and ate slices of cake that Susan had made earlier that week between drinking mugs of coffee. After chatting about the boats they saw moving along the river and the kind of fish they caught here Mr. Hinton asked if they had found a safer place to store items. Len told him that they were still looking. Then Mr. Hinton explained why he'd brought Ron.

"We've known each other since high school and play golf together. When I was learning about Comp & Pro and planning to contact you I knew Ron should come with me because you buy through him."

"And from Farness Distributors," said Chris.

"Yes, I guessed you be buying from others too," said Ron. "Well, I'd like it if you bought all your stock from me."

"Oh, would we get a better discount if we did? And can you provide all the items Farness provides?" Chris asked.

"I can't say anything about discounts until I know what you are buying but I'm sure we can provide everything he gets for you," Ron said.

"But that's not the reason I called," said Sam. "I'd like to help you expand. Like you, I can see that people are going to buy computers for a long time and that a franchise that provides what they want will make money. But you have to expand quickly before anyone else starts one. You were mentioned in the Globe and Mail's Business section two weeks ago. Did you know that?"

"No," said Len.

"Ah, well I've got it in the car and I'll give it to you later. Well, you can understand the reason for acting quickly, can't you?"

"Yes, we can," said Len.

"Then that's where we can help. I've helped franchises several times before. I know people who can handle every aspect, from marketing to distributing, in Canada and in the States and I've done it once in Europe."

"How would you help us expand?" asked Chris.

"From offices, in Toronto to begin with, then in Montreal and Vancouver, then Halifax and on to New York."

"Oh, how long would all that take?" Chris asked.

"Probably less than a year. It'd have to be quick, as we said."

"What would it cost us?" asked Len.

"Well, what do you make now, if you don't mind telling me," asked Sam.

"Close to half a million a year, when all the stores are in their second year," said Chris.

"And how many stores do you have?"

"Seventy five. Brockville, Kingston, Bellville, Ottawa and Toronto."

"Oh, that's good. You've done well," Sam said. "Hmm, we could probably get more than four times that many in Canada alone. Look, what I often do is buy fifty one percent and help the existing company expand but you've only got yourselves, right?"

Len nodded, then added, "plus a driver and helper when we deliver to Toronto."

"You see, it's not a case of helping an existing organization in your case, I'd have to build one. I'd need ninety five percent if I was going to do that. I'd have to be very involved for two or three years."

"No way," said Len.

"And we'd get, what, five percent of half a million, twenty five thousand a year?" said Chris. "No, of course we can't do something like that."

"No, you'd get at least four time that from Canada and ten times that from the States. About a million a year before long, I'd guess, and we'll be doing all the work. And very much more, if we can get into Europe quickly enough."

"If you succeed," said Chris.

"Of course, but I'd be putting up all the money so of course I want to succeed."

"When would you want to take over?" asked Len.

"As soon as an agreement has been signed. Next week, if you can do it that quickly."

"What do you think, Chris?" asked Len.

"It'd be great if things worked out the way you say, Sam, but if it doesn't we'll be losing half a million a year."

"Look, I'll throw in two hundred thousand as well if you sign next week. What about that?"

"Make it three hundred," said Len, who suddenly realised that all his worries would suddenly disappear, "and we'll do it."

"Two hundred and fifty. That's all. Now, what do you say?"

Len looked at Chris who nodded and he then said, "Yes" and stretched out his hand which was shaken by Sam.

"I've got a contract in the car," Sam said.

"I'm not signing it until my lawyer has seen it," Len replied.

"Yes, of course. I'll add the terms and leave it with you. Do you think you could get it to me next week if it is okay with your lawyer?"

"Yes, I'll be in Toronto Thursday and Friday with a truck, delivering. We could meet at a shopping center."

"Right, here's my card. Phone me when you have decided," and Sam stood up.

"No, wait a minute," said Ron. "Sit down, Sam. I need to know who your clients are to let my sub-distributors know and you, Sam, will need to read through their existing contract right now. It'll bind you."

"Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about that," Sam said, and he sat down.

"I'll get you a list of who we supply," said Chris and she went to the office to fetch it. She also bought back a copy of the franchise agreement. She gave the client list to Ron and the agreement to Sam.

"Well, Kingston and Ottawa will be no trouble. And I'll ask my Kingston sub to look after Bellville and Brockville."

"And us and Gananoque," added Len.

"So you're only getting two hundred now. I thought it was five hundred," said Sam.

"No, I told you what we'd be earning in their second year. And I also told them it would never go higher than five hundred a year. Does that cause a problem?" Len asked.

"Not sure. Let me think. No, it'll be all right. It's more incentive to work quickly but any new clients will have to pay more. Let me skim the rest of this," and Sam lent back and worked his way through the rest of the document.

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" Chris asked Ron. "It's just soup and chicken sandwiches."

"I'll see what Sam says," he replied. When Sam put the paper down a few minutes later he repeated Chris's question.

"No, thanks, Chris. I want to get home before the rain starts. I can handle all this," he said to Len. "Right, I'll just get the contract from the car and the Globe article."

While Sam went to his car Ron used the downstairs washroom then stood with Len and Chris on the deck.

"I've a cottage in Owen Sound, I want to live there when I retire. It must be nice to live here when you're so young."

"It is," said Len.

Sam joined them and gave Len the completed contract and the Globe article and asked if he could use the toilet. Five minutes later he and Rom were driving out the gateway and, as the kitchen buzzer announced their exit, Len put his arms around Chris and hugged her before they turned and went into the house.

## Chapter Eighty Two

"How do you feel?" he asked her when they were in the lounge.

"Relieved and happy. I already knew that we'd taken on too much and I worried every day about how we would expand. Doing things locally is easy compared to doing it across Canada."

"Yes, I know. Canada and the States. I never thought about going to the States."

"And Europe, maybe."

"Yes. Do you think he'll succeed?"

"I hope so," answered Chris.

"I think I'll have a scotch to celebrate. Want a drink?"

"Not just now. I want to phone mum and dad and tell them about it."

"Yes, good, but remember, we don't know if there are any catches. I'll try to see Mr. Jackson tomorrow."

Chris's parents, Jack especially, were very interested in what they had tentatively agreed to. Len had to read the whole contract through to him so he could fully understand the implications. He couldn't see anything wrong with it.

"So, if Mr. Jackson thinks it's okay and you sign they'll take over next Saturday?"

"Yes, that's right."

"As Chris said, it'll save you both a lot of trouble."

First thing Monday morning Len wrote a note, attached it to the contract and left them with Mr. Jackson's secretary, asking him to read it and phone as soon as possible. Mr. Jackson called that afternoon and arranged to meet Len at six o'clock that evening. Both Len and Chris attended.

"As far as I can see there's nothing wrong with the contract. You're selling, he's buying and taking over. In return, you receive five percent of the proceeds. I suggest you add that you want to be a board member and will, whenever needed, at least once a year, be able to hire your own financial auditor and have him or her check the books. You want to be sure you're getting the full five percent. It's important to keep an eye on your investments."

"So, if I add those things it's okay for me to sign?"

"Yes, as long as he expands as you told me he intends to, you'll do very well. Congratulations, Mr. Andrews."

"Thanks. Mr. Jackson."

First thing Tuesday morning Len phoned Sam and they arranged to meet on Thursday at six thirty at a restaurant in a shopping mall where there was plenty of room for the truck to park. Over a beer and before they started eating they signed and swapped documents. Len then asked for his cheque but Sam told him he'd have it Monday but he needed the endorsed cheques from the Comp & Pro members in return.

"Do you have them?"

"No, I didn't think about that."

"Well you have to endorse them first. Don't worry about stating they're payable to my company, I have a stamp that will add that. Can you bring them to me Saturday morning?"

"There's a lot to sign. How about Saturday evening?"

"Okay. What about meeting here at six?"

"All right. I'll bring Chris and we'll have the weekend in Toronto. What's your next step?"

"Ron and I talked about that on our way home last Sunday. I'll have my usual marketers call on computer sellers in the larger towns in Ontario and in Quebec starting tomorrow. I've already got photos of most of the stores in Toronto as evidence that we're already a relatively large franchise. I'll provide the money for Ron to buy or rent secure storage areas and he'll set up sub-distributors as quickly as he can in the provinces wherever he's not already got them.. He's going to use the same technique that Chris used, have a couple of secretaries phone everybody on your Monday list. We both think that is a great idea. Deliveries to them will be just as you have handled them. We'll add the names of others as they join and hope to cover Ontario and much of Quebec in the next month."

"Wow! That's quick."

"As soon as we have these provinces covered we'll set up sub-distributors in Vancouver and Halifax. As you know, most of the computers and equipment comes from Asia, mostly China, and Ron will have them shipped to those ports. We'll do the same in the States, New York, San Francisco, probably Seattle. Europe, we don't know yet."

They ate their supper after that, with Sam having another drink but Len having tonic and lime for he had the truck to drive home.

Friday Chris phoned as many Comp & Pro members as she could and told them that they had sold the company to a venture capitalist, Sam Hinton and that just one distributor, Field's, would be delivering the stock they ordered to them.

"But everything will be the same except you won't have to do the phoning. Field's secretaries will phone you at your designated time to take your orders. Your contract stays the same and you'll never have to pay more than the five hundred a month, if you continue with them the following year. They're expanding, and you'll soon be members of an organization that we expect will soon be all over Canada, then the States afterwards."

The reaction to that news was surprise and general happiness, although many said they would be sad to not talk to her again. Len was late home that night as all those who had talked to Chris earlier wanted more information from him. Chris finished calling everybody on Saturday morning while Len sat at his desk and endorsed every one of the cheques, ready to hand them to Sam. Chris came in after she had finished phoning and said she didn't think that they should start paying fees and that she'd tell Sam that. When they met in the restaurant that evening, after exchanging Len's envelope full of cheques for just one, large, cheque, Chris told him that there weren't any cheques for her store in Townsville nor for Len's store in Brockville because they weren't going to pay the monthly fee. Sam laughed and said that would be okay. "It'll be an extra bonus for you."

They stayed at the Royal York and celebrated until Wednesday. Chris shopped while Len took the ferry to the island just to find out what it was like. They went to Casa Loma and twice to the theatre and ate at several, rather expensive restaurants. As they drove home Chris suggested they take a winter holiday and they agreed that two weeks on a Caribbean beach in November would be a good start. Their stores would be well cared for by their staff.

## Chapter Eighty Three

Two weeks on a beach was all Len could take. He got bored lying under a tree in the shade most of the day. He enjoyed the early morning and evening swims but hated walking around the markets and in and out of stores. Chris also found the holiday monotonous and they were glad when they finally arrived home. During the days when they weren't busy before Christmas they wondered what to do to fill in the time. There was no tennis and they thought about joining the curling club but never got around to doing so. Buying presents for Christmas helped to keep them active and library books, read in front of the fire, filled a lot more time but both of them were restless. An article in the Globe two weeks before Christmas about the merits of getting a degree grabbed Len's attention. Why didn't he do that? He certainly could afford to do so now and he wouldn't be much older than the other students. He told Chris what he was thinking. At first she thought it a good idea for him but soon became worried.

"I'm not sure what I would do all day, Len. A long time ago I told you I didn't want to stay here looking after children. Well, it would be just the same if you did that. You'd be gone all day and I'd be here all alone. And I'm certainly not going back to serving in the store."

"You could rent a house or a flat near your parents. Would that make things better?"

"Perhaps. But, if we're going to have kids before long we might as well buy a house."

"Why? Once I've graduated I'll be here with you, that is if we leave it until I'm finished."

"Be here all the time once you have a degree? Then why are you getting one? Surely you'll be teaching or something? What else can you do with a maths degree?"

"Well, actually, I don't want to take mathematics now. I want to become an architect."

"Oh? Well that sounds more interesting. But you'd still be away at a job all the week."

"What if we buy a house near your parents before I go to college?" Len asked. "How about that? Then we could have children anytime and that'd keep you busy, for sure, and your mum will help you."

"But you won't be involved and won't be able to help."

"I'll try, Chris, I'll help as much as I can. But it would be better if we waited until I graduated."

"Yes, I guess it would. Well, if you want to get a degree then let's buy a house."

"All right. We have the money to buy one, even an expensive one."

"And enough to pay all your fees?"

"Oh, sure. Comp & Pro will provide that and much more. They already have most of the B,C, and Nova Scotia stores enrolled, Sam told me." As part of the arrangement to be a member of the board, Len called Sam each month to keep up-to-date.

"Okay. Then I'm going to talk to mum and dad. Maybe they know of places for sale. You phone Jimmy and see what he has."

"You want to do this before Christmas?"

"Start, at least. Prices should be lower this time of the year too."

The week before Christmas they saw fourteen houses, some of which had earlier been for sale but had been removed during the winter months. They found one that they both liked December twenty eighth, a short two-blocks from the Stowel's home. Susan found it by following a suggestion offered by a friend and they didn't have to pay any real estate fees, which would have been close to six thousand dollars on the large five-bedroom house, complete with a swimming pool. It cost eighty seven thousand dollars.

Len decided to attend the Faculty of Architecture in the University of Toronto after visiting and talking to someone in the registration office. Queen's university in Kingston didn't teach architecture, unfortunately. He used the list of boarding houses the university provided and found one near the end of the subway on the east side of the city that had enough parking space to store his station wagon and he began taking courses in January. The mathematics, trigonometry and calculus were easy topics and he was often called upon by other students to help them. Drawing he found more difficult and this often took most of his time.

During the next three years his classes often allowed him to be home from Thursday night to sometime Monday. He worked as an unpaid assistant in two architectural offices during his undergraduate summers followed by full-time work in a small office in Kingston after he graduated. Three years later he returned to the university and got his Master of Architecture. Once he had that he opened his own office in Kingston. He specialized in designing luxury homes, his first four being built by Richard. After Richard retired he designed for three other construction firms.

Chris delivered their first baby, a girl, in August 1987 and their second, another girl, in September, 1989, and Len was able to spend many hours with them as they grew up.

Comp & Pro continued for five years after Len had sold the franchise. It expanded across Canada and into the upper States but was overtaken by the giant computer stores, first Future Shop, moving out from Vancouver then Best Buy coming up from the lower States. Field's merged with them. Sam Hinton made a fortune the same year when he helped a Pizza chain become a continental leader.

Len never became very rich but earned enough to take two or three long holidays each year. He and Chris now live on Matt's lot in a completely rebuilt home, placed between other luxury homes, most of which Len had designed.

###

## A note from the author

Smashwords has published two other novels by me: _Bob of Small End_ and _Whatfor._ I hope you like them.

A few years ago I wrote _Developing a Universal Religion_. I was and still am an atheist but I could see the need for such a thing. It was written primarily for my six teenager grandchildren, trying to help them resolve questions about the universe, life, meaning, truth and morality. Perhaps you might know somebody who might like to look at it.

All the best,

David
