Second year went over well , I was permanently based in the Bowden store and my instructions in learning the the trade was “POP” Caroline , so exept for Monday a Wednesday mornings rain, hail or shine, me and my deadly treadly ran the gauntlet over to there.
POP used to rib me like hell , always talking about me to the customers , one i'll never forget was Mrs Barklay to me an elderly woman , who always looked as she wanted a good wash , she came to the shop every morning for cats meat , paid for it , then fed it to stray cats on her way home along the street , any how this morning some how the subject turned to me when pop was having a mag with her , she looked at me , and said –never mind Kev you can come home with me , many a good tune can be played by an old fiddle,
Dorreen was another he gave me heaps over , she was a little bit short of a quid, but “STINK” I had to spray room freshener after she had left the shop.
Then there were Mr and Mrs Supple a good pair old but actual cash customers, (in those days businesses gave credit ) he was blind and walked with a walking stick which he used to swing at his wife when they argued in the shop , she would duck under it , but gee you had to smile at that pair , you always could here them coming down the street arguing all the way .
A few other characters come to mind and put a smile on my dial when I remember them , another was Frank who who came into the shop to collect an order for the house of ill repute lol around the corner , he was a proper alcoholic always drunk and smelt like methylated spirits , occasionally he would get the Dts full on, would be missing for awhile then turn up spotless, new clothes , clean shaved , a completely new man , a week later he was off again on a bender , bloody shame.