R O B E R T C O X

O L D B U L L A N D B U S H
AUSTIN MACAULEY
Copyri ght R o b e r t C o x
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ISBN 978 1 84 963 028 3
www! aust i n%ac a u" ey! co%
*irst Pub"ished +,-1-.
Austin / 0acau" ey Pub"isher s )td!
,1 Canada 23uar e
Canar y 4harf
)ondon
516 1)(
Print ed / (ound in 7reat (ritain
DEDICATION
To my wi f e , Jud i t h .
My L o v e Fo r e v e r .
A" " na%es , char act er s , p" aces and si t uat i ons i n t hi s
book ar e fi ct i ona" and any r ese%b" ance t o per s ons ,
" i #i ng or dead, i s pur e" y coi nci dent a" !
Pa r t 1
Ol d B u l l a n d B u s h
C h a p t e r 1
Th e I nt e r vi e w
8' wish ' didn9t start sweating when '9% ner#ous! 4hat9s taking hi% so "ong:
;e is ha"f an hour "ate now! 's it hot in here or is it <ust %e:= The agitated young
%an was firing a strea% of 3uestions at the serene, attracti#e wo%an, sitting
next to hi%, without waiting for an answer! ;e thrust his forefinger into the
co""ar of his shirt to re"ie#e his neck!
8' %ean ti%e is ti%e isn9t it:=
8' a% sure there is a "ogica" exp"anation for it! ' expect this 0r 0oore is
<ust running "ate! These type of inter#iews are a"ways "ike this! >ust try to be
patient,= she said, trying to ca"% hi%!
8Peop"e shou"d ha#e %ore consideration!=
They had been ushered into a s%a"" waiting roo% by a receptionist who
assured the% 0r 0oore wou"d be with the% short"y but that see%ed an age ago
now!
8Perhaps they9#e forgotten we are waiting! 0aybe ' shou"d go out and ask
so%eone,= he continued!
8' don9t think that9s a good idea, you %ay <ust upset the%,= she rep"ied!
8Re%e%ber we need this <ob bad"y!=
8't9s a"right for you! ?ou a"ways stay coo"! ' wish '9d gone into the po"ice
when ' had the chance or the fire ser#ice! ' wou"d ha#e bree&ed in there! That9s
where a "ot of ex@ser#ice%en go,= he said
8' to"d you, the po"ice is too depressing and dangerous and how cou"d you
be a fire%an when you9re scared of heights:=
84e"", so%ething has got to gi#e soon!=
;e had checked his options upon re"ease fro% the $a#y and found to his
surprise that they were "i%ited! Those euphoric "ast days as he sat in the de@%ob
depot with his fe""ow dischargees were now behind hi% and he was beginning to
rea"ise that he had to sur#i#e in a co%petiti#e wor"d he had ne#er rea""y known!
The high hopes that he sa#oured, as he wa"ked through the barrack gates for the
"ast ti%e, had soon disappeared and "eft a stark rea"ity that there was no co%fort
&one any%ore! The freedo% he had sought ca%e with the price of insecurity and
he was te%pted to go back and sign on again but his pride wou"dn9t "et hi%! ;e
had to find an a"ternati#e! Anyway, she wou"dn9t "et hi% and he cou"d i%agine
so%e of the re%arks when they saw he was back! After a"", he had to"d a"" his
%ates he cou"dn9t wait to be a ci#i"ian and she had to"d hi% ti%e and again how
they needed to sett"e down as a fa%i"y! There were the two kids to consider too!
't wasn9t fair on the% if he was a"ways away! A father shou"d be with his kids!
;e shou"d be ab"e to watch the% grow up! $o %ore "ong partings with hi% on
so%e ship in a 7od forsaken part of the wor"d! ;e fe"t the best prospecti#e
opportunity see%ed to be for hi% to beco%e a cop but she had #ehe%ent"y
opposed that because of a preconcei#ed fear in her %ind that the po"ice "i#ed in
danger e#ery day and anyway, secret"y, he #iewed it as <ust a continuation of the
structured existence he had wanted to "ea#e behind! Anifor%s and yes sir, no sir,
three bags fu"", sir! ;e had continued to co%bat her with it though, during the
eight weeks of unsuccessfu" efforts to get work! 't was his defence against the
sur%ounting fai"ures he was experiencing! ;e was beco%ing desperate and he
sensed she was too! Then they had seen the ad#ertise%ent in the paper! B?ou
cou"d be a "icensee! $o experience necessary! *u"" training pro#ided! A uni3ue
%anage%ent opportunity to <oin our winning tea%!9 't see%ed so attracti#e and
the answer to so %any prob"e%s! A <ob with a p"ace to "i#e! The idea" so"ution
and now here they were, surprised they had recei#ed a response to their "etter but
excited too! They had discussed it for hours! A "and"ord and "and"ady of a pub!
A"%ost "ike a drea% co%e true!
8Don9t worry, "o#e, ' ha#e a good fee"ing about this one,= she tried to
reassure hi%!
8?ou had better be right, we can9t go on %uch "onger "ike this!=
*ina""y the door opened and the secretary appeared! 80r 0oore is sorry to
ha#e kept you!= she said with practiced sincerity! 8P"ease fo""ow %e, he9"" see
you now!=
't had been a "ong day as in#ariab"y they see%ed to be this year! 0ichae"
0oore waited in his office for the secretary to usher in the fourth and "ast
inter#iew of the day! ;e was we"" behind ti%e and fe"t the day had a"ready been
wasted! $othing had co%e of the pre#ious three inter#iews and the one that had
<ust conc"uded was certain"y the worst he cou"d e#er re%e%ber! The inter#iew
had dragged on and each ti%e he tried to bring it to a conc"usion, they repeated
they wou"d be the perfect fit and cou"d %anage any kind of bar, as though, if
they said it often enough they wou"d con#ince 0ichae"! 4ear hi% into
sub%ission! The %an had been on the co%%ittee of a working %an9s c"ub and
fe"t this %ade hi% an authority on the "icensing trade! $o, they hadn9t actua""y
done any work on the other side of the counter outside the c"ub but it "ooked easy
enough! 4hat cou"d there be to it that was different: Anybody with a bit of
sa##y cou"d p"ay B%ine host9! 0ichae" didn9t know how he had %anaged to
re%ain ca"% and ob<ecti#e! ;e had got up fro% his chair on two occasions to
conc"ude the inter#iew but to no a#ai" as they ta"ked non stop! 'n the end he had
to open the door for the% to "ea#e! 4here were they finding these peop"e: The
3uestions coursed through his %ind as they often did when he was in a critica"
%ood with the Personne" Depart%ent! They were supposed to #et the C!C!s
before they set up the inter#iews! 7ranted it was difficu"t to recruit good
candidates but this was 171 and <obs were hard to co%e by! ;e wou"d expect
the standard to be higher and it a"" ca%e down to hi% to find the right peop"e
and the brewery was "ooking for p"enty of the%! Personne" didn9t see% to ha#e a
#ery high standard! 0aybe it was a pub"ic re"ations thing! The brewery were
a"ways ha#ing these cra&y dri#es and ad#ertising in a"" the papers! ;e <ust had to
go a"ong with the%! There weren9t too %any <obs as co%fortab"e as this one and
after a"" it put bread on the tab"e and in fact a "itt"e butter on the bread! Anyway,
it was what he had a"ways wanted to do!

0ichae" took a few %inutes to gather hi%se"f and ga&ed out of the s%a""
window in his office at the g"istening cobb"estoned road be"ow! The dray%en
were "oading the "arge hogshead barre"s for the fo""owing day9s de"i#eries and it
was a ritua" he ne#er tired of watching! 't probab"y had not changed %uch in the
"ast two hundred years except the horse@drawn drays had been rep"aced by
trucks! The %en ro""ed the casks up the ra%ps fro% the o"d red brick bui"ding9s
dock and on to the trai"ers, see%ing"y unaffected by the steady downpour of the
spring rain! ;e cou"d see a constant banter going on between the% but cou"dn9t
hear what they were saying! ;e guessed %ost of it wou"d be good natured
profanities directed at the <unior %e%bers of the group! ;is father had been a
dray%an there a"" his working "ife and 0ichae" had wanted to fo""ow hi%
throughout his chi"dhood but the senior 0oore had other p"ans for his son,
encouraging and ca<o"ing hi% throughout his schoo" years unti" he went
uni#ersity in the end, <ust as his father and %other had p"anned! 't was on"y
natura" to hi% that when he got his degree, he app"ied to the brewery and it was
no surprise when he was accepted into the personne" depart%ent! $ow fifteen
years "ater, he was the training officer and was being groo%ed to %anage the
who"e depart%ent! D"d Darby was de"egating %ore responsibi"ity to hi% a"" the
ti%e and these %anage%ent inter#iews were the "atest task!
;e turned his attention to the app"ications in front of hi%! Ange"a and >ohn
(arstow, both in their ear"y thirties with two chi"dren, a gir" of eight and a boy
of six! That was a disad#antage right away! 2%a"" chi"dren de%anded attention
and the brewery cou"dn9t afford any distractions! 5specia""y if the wife was
in#o"#ed! 'n his experience it was a"ways the fe%a"es that he"d things together
when the tension %ounted and it was ine#itab"e that there wou"d be tension!
4ent with the territory so to speak! Didn9t %atter what kind of pub it was you
ne#er knew what was co%ing through the door next! ;ow cou"d you: 't
certain"y was no secret the o"d saying Bwhen the drink was in the wit was out9
app"ied to the who"e hu%an race! Princes cou"d get pissed as 3uick"y as paupers
and be <ust as ob<ectionab"e! After a whi"e the tension see%ed to wear down so
%any %anagers and a "ot of the% ended up as their own best custo%ers! 't was a
concern but that usua""y happened down the road! Right now he was under
pressure to recruit as %any %anagers as he cou"d in a short ti%e! ;is natura"
caution %ade hi% apprehensi#e for anyone with a young fa%i"y but he wou"d
keep an open %ind!
0ichae" f"eeting"y perused the papers! >ohn (arstow was an ex@ser#ice%an
and his wife had he"d a nu%ber of %inor office <obs! Payro"" c"erk at a s%a""
(ui"ders, accounts payab"e for a %idsi&ed %anufacturing co%pany! ;e ne#er
paid %uch heed to app"ications! 2o%e peop"e <ust cou"dn9t express the%se"#es
whi"e others were downright dishonest! 't was best to trust your <udge%ent in an
inter#iew and then do a background check! Anyway, the (rewery were
co%%itted to the training progra% and the "ess experience in the trade the
better! They wou"d "earn the Ca"our way and wasn9t that the best training
progra% in the trade: 0ichae" "iked to think so as he had he"ped to de#e"op it!
Ca"our had co%e a "ong way since those ear"y days when he had started!
Cou"dn9t be"ie#e it had gone by so 3uick"y! ;e had certain"y beco%e a co%pany
%an and he "iked the prestige of being the Training 0anager! 0ichae" %used
that it wasn9t #ery strange that (reweries were a"ways stri#ing to i%pro#e their
i%ages and that9s how he had got the appoint%ent in the first p"ace! 't was a
new"y created position and a"" about respectabi"ity! ?ou had to gi#e the pub"ic an
air of dignity and decoru% e#en though you thri#ed on how %uch they drank!
The brewery did so %uch to keep their i%age as outstanding co%%unity citi&ens
and spent a ton of %oney to protect it! 'n#o"#ing the%se"#es in "oca" fairs and
fetes and sponsoring charitab"e e#ents throughout (ritain! Ca"our kept their
banners f"ying e#erywhere! ;e was proud to be part of such a fine organisation!
$ow, if on"y he cou"d %ake this day partia""y producti#e, he wou"d be satisfied!
Recruit%ent was not "ike an asse%b"y "ine where you <ust turned out so%ething,
it was %ore "ike prospecting where you had to sift through unti" you found the
right ones! 0anage%ent didn9t see it that way, they <ust wanted their p"anning
nu%bers %et! The thought <o"ted hi% fro% his %usings! There were targets to
%eet and it was ti%e to "ook at this next set of peop"e so, with renewed #igour,
he ca""ed his secretary to bring the% in!
They "ooked a better coup"e! 2he was certain"y striking! 't was the "ong
natura" b"onde hair and the tri% body that got his i%%ediate attention but there
was so%ething %ore than that and he 3uick"y strugg"ed to define it! ;er skin
was pa"e and her eyes had a surrea" "ook! ;e sensed a certain #u"nerabi"ity! 2o%e
wo%en <ust had that aura about the%! 't %ust be the eyes he thought! ?es, there
was a sad, tiredness about the eyes! ("ue but pa"e "ike cornf"owers! There see%ed
to be a "ot of weariness there, as though they had seen %uch %ore than they
wanted to! The %an in contrast was typica" of his i"k with the confidence that the
ar%ed forces in#ariab"y ga#e the%! ;e was sweating and 0ichae" was gratefu"
that the %an wiped the pa"% of his hand on his trousers before reaching out to
shake hands! 0ichae" cou"d see right away that he wou"d try to contro" the
inter#iew! 5x@ser#ice%en near"y a"ways acted that way if they had en<oyed so%e
degree of authority inside the forces and after a"" the ones he saw a"%ost
exc"usi#e"y had he"d a super#isory rank!
84e are #ery p"eased to %eet you,= >ohn said! 8't has a"ways been our
a%bition to get into the pub trade! 'sn9t that right Angie:= and in the next
breath, without waiting for his wife9s confir%ation! 84e are so p"eased you ha#e
agreed to see us!=
84e"" Ca"our is a"ways "ooking for the right kind of peop"e to %aintain our
reputation in the co%%unity and hopefu""y you wi"" pro#e to be successfu" and be
offered a position!= 't a"" sounded so po%pous but it was the standard brewery
"ine! 8There is a great dea" of responsibi"ity in running a pub"ic house and
in#ariab"y you beco%e pro%inent figures in the city or town where you sett"e!
The "oca" peop"e usua""y "ook to you as a "eader!=
>ohn cou"dn9t he"p thinking that it sounded as though they were going to be
ordained into so%e high order but they needed the <ob so he suppressed the urge
to s%i"e and kept what he "iked to fee" was his %axi%u% attention on 0ichae"!
;adn9t he read so%ewhere that if you wanted to "ook as though you were being
attenti#e you "ooked direct"y at the speaker9s nose and that ga#e the i""usion you
were "ooking hi% direct"y in the eyes: ;e wou"d gi#e it a try anyway!
8' see you ha#e no direct experience in the trade! 4hat %akes you think you
wou"d be suitab"e for this kind of work:= 0ichae" continued!
84e wou"dn9t say we don9t know what it entai"s! 4e9#e both worked in %y
unc"e9s bar when he has been shorthanded and we know it9s "ong hours and we
are prepared for that! After a"" the rewards are there, if you work hard and we
are not going into this with our eyes c"osed! Are we Angie:= Ange"a nodded her
head to the affir%ati#e! 2ti"" she hasn9t ta"ked, 0ichae" thought! ;e needed to
find out if she had any persona"ity or was she <ust another intro#ert! 4hat did
her #oice sound "ike: 2o%e wo%en were so beco%ing unti" they opened their
%outh! 2he cou"d be one of those with a high pitched s3ueak! The wo%an was
key and she had to be strong and it was a"" the better if she was do%inant! ;e
decided to start by directing so%e 3uestions exc"usi#e"y to her!
80rs (arstow, what catering experience ha#e you had:=
85#eryone in the fa%i"y "ikes her cooking, she9s a great cook! 0y friend
7eorge says she %issed her ca""ing in "ife, nobody cooks spaghetti bo"ognese "ike
Ange"a! $ot e#en the 'ta"iansE= >ohn inter<ected!
80r (arstow, p"ease "et your wife answer for herse"f!=
8'9% sorry, it9s <ust that she rea""y is good, e#eryone says so!=
8$ot e#eryone, ' ha#en9t had experience cooking for a rea""y "ot of peop"e!=
>ust the usua" fa%i"y gatherings but ' ha#e he"ped put on the food at weddings!=
84hat kind of food wou"d that be:= 0ichae" asked, re"ie#ed to hear she had
a soft toned #oice! 8A set %ea" %enu, ' suppose! 4e"", pub re3uire%ents are #ery
different fro% that! *or instance, how wou"d you fee" about a situation where the
cook in the pub phones in to te"" you she is sick and you ha#e to fi"" in and cook
say, a hundred "unches fro% a #aried %enu: 't happens you know and you are
expected to fi"" the #oid!=
8'9% not afraid of e%ergencies! ' a% sure we cou"d hand"e it if we had to!
A"" the %enus are set and ' a% a 3uick "earner and wou"d soon know how to do
the%! ' wou"d be a foo" not to "earn right away and if it was a rea" e%ergency we
cou"d a"ways %ake sandwiches! ?ou wou"d ha#e to do that if the kitchen
e3uip%ent broke down, wou"dn9t you:= Ange"a rep"ied!
8That9s the answer ' a% "ooking for!= 0ichae" said! 8Crisis %anage%ent is
certain"y i%portant!=
84hat about ce""ar work: ?ou don9t "ook "ike the type who cou"d %o#e
barre"s about if your husband broke his "eg, for instance!=
8' wou"d cope! ' a% stronger than ' "ook and not frightened of hard work
and if the worst ca%e to the worst, '9d get he"p! 4o%en often can, you know!=
0ichae" "aughed! 8?es, ' a% sure of that and you wou"dn9t ha#e a prob"e%!
' don9t want to sound negati#e but pub"ic house "ife is not easy! ' %ust ask you
these 3uestions! 4hat about e<ecting an unru"y custo%er:=
8'f you "ook at %y <ob experience you wi"" see ' was a payro"" c"erk for a
bui"der! ' had to dea" with so%e difficu"t %en when they didn9t think their pay
was right! ' can stand up for %yse"f!=
8' can #ouch for that!= >ohn said!
8?es, ' noticed that! '9% sure so%e peop"e on a bui"ding site can be hard to
dea" with! 4e hope that it wi"" ne#er beco%e too difficu"t if you run a Ca"our
house but we do get the odd iso"ated prob"e% and it is i%portant that you rea"ise
there can be no break in ser#ice! 0anaging a pub"ic house is a twenty@four hour,
se#en day a week <ob and there is no roo% for distractions! Dn the other hand, as
you said, the rewards are there and they can be considerab"e! ?ou cou"d end up
with a tenancy and they can be #ery, #ery "ucrati#e, ' see you ha#e chi"dren! 'f
you are successfu" and we e%p"oy you, what p"ans do you ha#e for their care:
?ou shou"d understand that whi"e you are in training there is no pro#ision for
any dependents to be with you! ' want you to be fu""y aware of a"" this in ad#ance
because the brewery wi"" be %aking a considerab"e in#est%ent in you and we
want to be sure you wi"" be successfu"!=
8Dur chi"dren wi"" be staying with %y fa%i"y unti" we get our own p"ace!
0y wife9s sister and her husband ha#e agreed to board the%!= >ohn rep"ied!
8Does she rea"ise the "ength of ti%e she wi"" be expected to ha#e the%: ?ou
wi"" be in training for sixteen weeks and at the end of that there is no guarantee
you wi"" get a pub right away, a"though %ost of our best peop"e do! ?ou <ust ha#e
to work #ery hard and ' a% sure the )icencees who train you wi"" reco%%end
you for your own p"ace! 4e ha#e so%e #ery professiona" trainers who wi""
e#a"uate your progress e#ery week and report back to %e and ' wi"" be here as
your support!=

84e know we are going to go through a difficu"t period but we9re prepared
for that, sir This is our future and a better "ife for the%,= >ohn rep"ied being sure
to keep his eyes fixed on 0ichae"9s nose!
84e"", we can try and arrange to put you in a training house as c"ose to your
sister as possib"e, if you are a successfu" candidate! 4e at Ca"our rea"ise how
i%portant the fa%i"y unit is and the %anage%ent here supports that fu""y! 0r
Deacon, our area director, is #ery supporti#e of young fa%i"ies and is a"ways
en3uiring after their we"fare! ;e has four grown chi"dren hi%se"f and a nu%ber
of grandchi"dren, so it9s not "ike he doesn9t understand! A"though you %ust
rea"ise that we cannot consider the chi"dren and they cannot "i#e on any of our
pre%ises without our express per%ission! 'n fact it is our po"icy to on"y consider
the husband an e%p"oyee! A"though the wife is expected to work, she does not
get a separate pay@che3ue! 'n a "ess en"ightened industry this cou"d be construed
as unde%ocratic but we "ike to think that our %anagers are running their own
businesses and are in partnership with their wi#es, so there is no need to
separate their re%uneration!=
>ohn was thinking that the (rewery %ust ha#e had so%e troub"e with this
before, especia""y in these days where wo%en were beco%ing %ore "iberated but
he rep"ied that this wou"d not be a prob"e% with Angie and hi% e#en though, he
thought to hi%se"f, "ate"y they see%ed to fight %ore o#er %oney than anything
e"se, now there was so "itt"e of it! 4hat was it his unc"e wou"d say B%oney isn9t
the root of a"" e#i", the "ack of it is9!
82o now you ha#e so%e idea of our position, "et9s ta"k about your
backgrounds,= 0ichae" said! 8Te"" %e so%e things about yourse"f! 4hat are your
proudest achie#e%ents:=

8That is difficu"t to say,= >ohn rep"ied! 8' a% <ust an a#erage person and so
is Ange"a! 4e9#e ne#er done anything exceptiona"!=
8Co%e on, %an, we ha#e a"" done things we are proud of! 2porting
triu%phs, acade%ic achie#e%ents, the arts, there are so %any things! 4hat
about the chi"dren: ' a% sure your wife thinks of that as a %a<or achie#e%ent!
Think about it, there %ust be so%ething! 'n fact, you shou"d be ab"e to "ist at
"east ten significant things!=
8Df course we are proud of the chi"dren but they ca%e natura""y if you know
what ' %ean! Does it count that ' got a co%%endation for bra#ery once: This
%an was drunk at the seaside and fe"" off the side of a boat and ' went in with
so%eone e"se and we pu""ed hi% out! The town ga#e us a certificate but that was
a "ong ti%e ago and ' don9t know whate#er happened to it! Didn9t think %uch of
it at the ti%e but we got our picture in the "oca" paper and the 0ayor %ade the
presentation!=
8There, you see, that was a %a<or achie#e%ent! ?ou he"ped to sa#e a %an9s
"ife! 4hat cou"d be %ore i%portant: ?ou shou"d "ist that on your CC!=
8>ust fee" it9s boasting if ' put it on there,= >ohn rep"ied %odest"y! 8Angie
shou"d te"" you about her achie#e%ents, she has done a "ot %ore than %e! 2he
was a pretty good sportswo%an at schoo"! 4on so%e ath"etic and gy%nastic
%eda"s! Te"" hi% about it Angie!=

8't wasn9t %uch rea""y but ' represented the schoo" and then the county! '
was to"d ' cou"d ha#e gone further after ' "eft schoo" but ' <ust didn9t see% to
ha#e ti%e! ' had to go to work!=
82he was #ery good,= >ohn said proud"y! 8' %ean, ' think she cou"d ha#e
gone to the D"y%pics as a sprinter if so%eone had trained her! At "east that9s
what peop"e say who knew her then, but she had to stay ho%e and "ook after her
"itt"e sister!=
8' a% sure that was an i%portant acco%p"ish%ent! These are the kind of
things we are "ooking for,= 0ichae" said enthusiastica""y! 8's it the sa%e sister
who wi"" "ook after your chi"dren:=
8?es, '9#e on"y got the one!= Angie rep"ied!
84e"" that9s good! *a%i"y ties are #ery i%portant! 't shows responsibi"ity
and stabi"ity which we "ike but you %ust get those other achie#e%ents down on
your C!C! After a"", re%e%ber you are se""ing yourse"#es! 5#en if you are not
successfu" here, those are the things an e%p"oyer is "ooking for and ' wou"d urge
you to add the%!=
>ohn had an uneasy fee"ing that he was recei#ing instruction for future
app"ications e"sewhere! This inter#iew see%ed to be going we"" but you cou"d
ne#er te"" with personne" peop"e! ;e had app"ied for a shipping fore%an9s <ob
<ust prior to this and e#erything at the inter#iew see%ed to ha#e gone s%ooth"y!
'n fact, they ta"ked for o#er an hour and e#en discussed wages and when he
cou"d start but a "etter arri#ed in the %ai" a week "ater te""ing hi% he had been
unsuccessfu"! 0aybe he hadn9t so"d hi%se"f enough, as this 0r 0oore had been
saying! ;e decided to %ention so%e things he had a"%ost forgotten!
8' represented %y schoo" in the nationa" debating cha%pionships!= >ohn
said!
8And ' won a Duke of Edinburgh Youth Achievement award,= Ange"a
added!
8?ou see, you ha#e so%e done so%e fine things but ' wou"dn9t know that
un"ess ' asked!=
84e"", it was a "ong ti%e ago and we didn9t think they were re"e#ant here,=
>ohn said!
8$onsense, that is the kind of thing we are "ooking for! The things that
%ake you stand out in a crowd!
8' a% not saying %odesty isn9t a good thing but you %ust pro%ote
yourse"#es! A"right, "ets ta"k about your work records! 4hat %ade you go into
the $a#y:=
8' was brought up in 0anchester and "eft schoo" at fifteen and there wasn9t
%uch choice! Cou"d ha#e gone in the factories ' suppose! That9s where a "ot of
%y %ates ended up but ' <ust fe"t ' wanted to get so%e respect so ' went down
the recruiting office one day and <ust <oined up! ' wanted to go as a cook but the
officer said they didn9t need anyone in that area and on"y had openings for
sea%en at that ti%e! ;e to"d %e that cooks didn9t %o#e about %uch anyway but
as a sea%an, ' cou"d be sent anywhere in the wor"d and that sounded good to
%e!=
8Df course, it didn9t work out that way but ' don9t regret going in! >ust wish
' had he"d out for being a cook, especia""y now! $ot %uch ca"" for sea%en
outside, it9s not "ike you ha#e a trade or anything! ' see the pub as an opportunity
to get into so%e sort of trade! After a"", it9s not <ust ser#ing pints any%ore! ?ou
ha#e to know "ots of other things and there9s a "ot of catering and '9% interested
in that!=
8?es and we wi"" train you if your app"ication is successfu"!= 0ichae" was
war%ing to this coup"e! They see%ed to be the kind of peop"e the (rewery were
"ooking for! 'f on"y they didn9t ha#e the two chi"dren, it wou"d be an easy
decision! 82o you reached the rank of petty officer,= 0ichae" continued! 84hy
didn9t you stay in the *orces and %ake it a co%p"ete career: After a"", you had
co%%itted ten years of your "ife to it and don9t you get a pension at the end:=
8' <ust didn9t want to be progra%%ed any "onger! The $a#y go#erns your
e#ery %o#e%ent! ?ou don9t ha#e to think for yourse"f! 'n fact you had better
not!= >ohn rep"ied!
84e"", we at Ca"our work in a #ery structured way! $ot un"ike the ser#ice!
Dur District 0anagers "ook after at "east thirty houses, so%eti%es as %any as
fifty and are responsib"e for e#erything about the%! Appearance, good beer and
#ictua"s, the %anagers and their stocks! That9s why we "et the% se"ect who they
want at the end of your training and you %ight ha#e to wait six %onths or %ore
for one of the% to pick you for one of their houses! 'n the %eanti%e when you9#e
finished training you ha#e to do re"ief work, rep"acing %anagers going on
ho"idays or when so%eone is sick and wait unti" a District 0anager se"ects you
for your own p"ace! ?ou ha#e to a"ways be on standby and ready for an
e%ergency because no %atter what happens the house has to open for business
during "icensing hours! 't9s the "aw! This is a side, 0r (arstow, that the pub"ic
don9t see! There is a "ot to running a pub successfu""y! $ot a "ot of peop"e rea"ise
that! Rea""y "ike ' said before it9s not un"ike the ser#ices in that you ha#e to work
your way up through the ranks and then you get the best p"aces! Pubs co%e in a""
si&es and ser#e a"" types of co%%unities! At first you %ight be assigned to
so%ething "ess than that beautifu" country house! ' a% not trying to discourage
you in any way! 't9s %y <ob to "et you know what it entai"s before you go into it!
Ca"our considers your training a %a<or in#est%ent and we don9t want you
beco%ing disi""usioned and "ea#ing after a few weeks!=
>ohn was beginning to be"ie#e that they cou"d be a waiting a "ong ti%e for
their own p"ace but he rea""y needed the <ob and his options were not good! 'n
fact, if he thought about it, he had to %ake this work!
8' understand what is expected of us but we rea""y fee" we can do we"" if we
are gi#en the chance! 'sn9t that right, Ange"a:=
8?es, "ike >ohn says, we <ust want to be successfu" and we are prepared to
work hard,= she rep"ied!
Ange"a was thinking it was ne#er her idea in the first p"ace! A"" she wanted
was their own house with so%e garden and >ohn in a nine to fi#e <ob! The p"ace
didn9t ha#e to be big, <ust as "ong as there was roo% for the% and the kids and it
was in a decent neighbourhood! 2o%ewhere c"ose to a park, so she cou"d take the
kids out and "et the% run and p"ay on the swings! Do the things nor%a" peop"e
do! 2ee%ed so %any peop"e were "ucky that way! 2ti"" she had to go a"ong with
this because it cou"d %ean they wou"d get a pub in the country e#entua""y and
then they wou"d ha#e so%e freedo%!
8And you, 0rs (arstow, ' see you ha#e had so%e accounting experience
which is certain"y an asset in the "icensing trade! Db#ious"y we re3uire tight
financia" contro" and we ha#e de#ised standard %ethods by which you report to
your District 0anager! Anyone with a financia" background wou"d not find the%
difficu"t, '9% sure!=
8'9% experienced in %ost accounting procedures, working for a s%a""
co%pany for six years!=
8't "ooks as though they thought #ery high"y of you by their written
reference! That9s good, but ' prefer to trust %y own <udge%ent,= 0ichae" said,
%aking a %enta" note to phone and #erify with the bui"ding co%pany
i%%ediate"y after the inter#iew! 8' see you were a good student at schoo" 0rs
(arstow and gained four BA9 "e#e"s and se#era" BD9 "e#e"s! 4hat about you 0r
(arstow: 't see%s your education was so%ewhat "i%ited!=
8' suppose you cou"d say ' was a "ate de#e"oper! ' got %ore education after
' <oined the $a#y! 4e got to do a "ot of courses and ' think ' ha#e a good a""
round know"edge now!=
8?es, ' suppose you did! After a"", you beca%e a Petty Dfficer! That to %e
%eans "eadership abi"ity!
2o, do you ha#e any 3uestions for %e: ' can9t ta"k about re%uneration
unti" we %ake you a for%a" written offer, if we decide to do so! ;owe#er,
Ca"our is a #ery "arge co%pany and we adhere to industry standards and
payro"" guide"ines, so you can be assured that any offer we %ake wou"d be
attracti#e!=
84e know about the brewery, rea""y, on account of %y unc"e! ;e9s a"ways
said you were one of the best to work for and e#eryone knows Ca"our, of
course,= >ohn said!

84e"", 0r and 0rs (arstow if you ha#e no 3uestions, ' don9t think there
is %uch %ore ' need to know at this stage! 4e wi"" get back to you with our
decision, probab"y by the end of the week,= 0ichae" said as he rose fro% his
desk, conc"uding the inter#iew and re"ie#ed that it had been so brief! Thank
you for showing an interest in Ca"our!=
;e was sti"" apprehensi#e about the two chi"dren but these peop"e see%ed
to be responsib"e and he was behind in his recruit%ent 3uota and getting so%e
pressure fro% o"d Darby, the Personne" 0anager, who% he intended to %eet
with, before finishing for the day!
;e #erified with the bui"ding co%pany that Ange"a (arstow was a"" the
reference said she was and they spoke in g"owing ter%s of her abi"ity! 2he had
on"y "eft because she had <oined her husband at one of the na#a" bases on the
south coast! They were sorry to see her go and wou"d re@e%p"oy her if gi#en
the opportunity! The %an had satisfactory records fro% the $a#y with no
discip"inary breaches and a steady progress record! 0ichae" decided that these
were 3ua"ity candidates and he %ade his way down the ha"" to report to Darby
and ask his opinion about e%p"oying the% with two chi"dren!
Darby was in his office shuff"ing through a %ass of papers which stood in
pi"es on his desk and cra%%ing se"ections into his we"" scarred 7"adstone bag,
as he wa"ked around! ;is office "ooked %ore "ike a docu%ent storage roo%
with %ounds of paper e#erywhere and it was we"" known that he ne#er threw
anything away! The story went that whi"e searching for so%ething one day in
front of a subordinate, he unearthed a three@year@o"d ca"endar and pro%pt"y re@
fi"ed it into the pi"e it ca%e fro%! The secretaria" staff had "ong abandoned
trying to keep hi% in so%e sense of order, yet he see%ed to be ab"e to find
anything he was "ooking for readi"y! A rotund %an in his ear"y sixties with a
shock of unru"y gray hair, a ruddy co%p"exion that see%ed to disp"ay an o#er
fondness for the co%pany9s product and a per%anent"y cru%p"ed appearance,
with his ine#itab"e tweed sports <acket and faded co""ege tie, he was a"%ost an
institution in the (rewery! 0ichae" knew it was going to be a daunting task to
rep"ace hi% when the ti%e ca%e! The (rewery was Darby9s who"e "ife and he
a"ways see%ed to be there, ear"y in the %orning unti" "ate at night and e#ery
weekend! Top %anage%ent had "ong co%e to re"y on hi% for %atters outside
his rea"% of responsibi"ity in the personne" area and he a"ways see%ed to
perfor% the% to their satisfaction, e#en though he ga#e the appearance of
being in constant disarray!
84hat is it, 0ichae": Cou"d you be brief, ' a% on %y way to )ondon with
0r Deacon short"y: $ow where did ' put that interi% report and the
reco%%endations, its got to be here so%ewhere,= as he de"#ed into a pi"e,
8p"ease speak whi"e ' a% searching for it!=
80r Darby, ' ha#e <ust inter#iewed a pro%ising young coup"e but they
ha#e two young chi"dren and ' a% a "itt"e concerned about where their
priorities wi"" "ie if we take the% on! They are the on"y fa#ourab"e ones '9#e
had today! 'n fact on"y the second ones this week!=
8)ook, 0ichae", it is up to you to run a successfu" recruit%ent and
training progra% and frank"y, we ha#e been fa""ing behind the p"anned
nu%bers! ' a% sure one of the first 3uestions 0r Deacon wi"" be asking %e on
the train is how we are doing with the progra%! ;e be"ie#es with the recession
that there shou"d be p"enty of suitab"e candidates and he is aware of the
a%ount of inter#iews we are doing but you know he is on"y e#er interested in
resu"ts! The a%ount we actua""y e%p"oy! ' know its difficu"t and you ha#e to be
sure and if ' had the ti%e ' wou"d inter#iew so%e peop"e %yse"f but ' a%
co%p"ete"y tied up with the conso"idation p"an now, so you are going to ha#e
to %ake your own decisions! ' need to te"" 0r Deacon that we are %aking so%e
offers so you are going to ha#e to be a "itt"e "ess se"ecti#e! 'f it %eans taking on
peop"e with chi"dren, so be it!=
8' a% <ust a "itt"e apprehensi#e that9s a""! The progra% is #ery de%anding
and ' don9t want to see the% "ea#ing after a few weeks!=
8?ou can9t be expected to foresee e#ery e#entua"ity and so%eti%es we
ha#e to take a chance! Anyway it is your decision! ' wou"d go ahead if ' were
you! Ah, there9s the report now! 4e"", ' a% on %y way but ' wi"" ca"" you fro%
)ondon! Feep in %ind what ' said, we need recruits to i%pro#e our "abour
force and we ha#e 3uotas to %eet! 0r Deacon is a"ready going to be
e%barrassed in the board %eeting that we are so far behind in the recruit%ent
dri#e! ' a% sure we are going to get so%e extre%e pressure next week, so you
had better find %ore 3ua"ity peop"e or we9"" be in troub"e!=
2o there it is 0ichae" thought! ?ou9re da%ned if you do and da%ned if
you don9t and it a"" see%ed to be on his shou"ders! ;e wou"d %ake an offer to
the (arstows right away and two other coup"es, one of which see%ed
border"ine and %ight co%e back to haunt hi% in the future!
8;ope the %eeting goes we"" 0r Darby,= he said as he "eft to return to his
office!
The phone rang and >ohn decided to ignore it! 't was probab"y for Angie
anyway! ;er %other asking how they had got on at the inter#iew and he rea""y
didn9t want to ta"k about it and particu"ar"y to her! ;is re"ationship with her
%other had a"ways been tenuous at the best of ti%es and she a"ways wanted to
know his and Angie9s business! The inter#iew had not gone #ery we"" anyway,
as far as he cou"d see and this wou"d be another opportunity to "abe" hi% a
fai"ure! The o"d bat cou"dn9t keep her nose out, wanting to co%e o#er and see
the kids a"" the ti%e but ne#er ha#ing the% stay o#er at her house! 'f it wasn9t
for Angie9s sister, >ane, they wou"d ne#er ha#e e#en been ab"e to consider
going for a pub!
8Can you get the phone, "o#e: ' a% <ust getting the kids ready for bed,=
Angie ca""ed out, knowing he wou"d ne#er answer un"ess he had to!
8D!F! but if it9s your %other you had better be ready to ta"k to her! ' don9t
want to get in to what happened today with her! ;e""o!=
8?es, 0r (arstow, ' a% sorry to disturb you at this ti%e of the e#ening,
its 0r 0oore of Ca"our and ' ha#e good news! 4e wou"d "ike to offer you and
your wife a trainee %anage%ent position with the brewery! ' a% wondering if
you wou"d be a#ai"ab"e to%orrow %orning to go o#er our offer package and
fina"ise the detai"s such as sa"ary, starting date and where you wou"d be doing
your training ' know it is short notice but a uni3ue chance to p"ace you "oca""y
in one of our %ost prestigious houses has turned up and it wi"" gi#e you and
0rs (arstow a%p"e opportunity to see your chi"dren on a regu"ar basis!
Perhaps you and 0rs (arstow cou"d discuss it and get right back to %e!=
8That won9t be necessary, we both agree that we wou"d "ike to get into the
"icensing trade so we wi"" see you in the %orning! 4hat ti%e do you want us to
be there:= >ohn rep"ied hasti"y!
8Ten o9c"ock!=
8Ten o9c"ock it is then and thank you #ery %uch, 0r 0oore!=
0ichae" put the phone down so%ewhat re"ie#ed! ;e wou"d ha#e to p"ace
the% at the BDuke of ?ork9 under the Row"ands and that certain"y wasn9t the
best situation but at "east this wou"d be another coup"e and satisfy o"d Darby,
when he phoned, that so%ething was happening!