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Robert Junior
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14-04-2019, 10:19 PM
1

New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

Mandy & the V.I.P.s

In my days working for a D.I.Y. chain it was difficult to take a lunch break, so different from the department stores where an hour and a bit strolling up & down the High Street was seldom missed.
Nevertheless one time I was expecting a visit from the firm’s executives to see how I was faring in this out of town environment. I had worked in Department Stores for 12 years previously.
The day before I had popped into my local the VILLAGE GREEN public house for a steadying pint. The bar maid was Mandy. I knew her surname because she had worked in my store for years before me, but moved when her marriage broke up. She professed her dislike of children, which didn’t ring true as she gained custody of all 5 of the children affected by the divorce.
Despite her domestic problems she was always bright and breezy, greeting me with
“Hullo Bob ! The usual is it?”.

I went for a pint mostly once a week and passed the time of day with the regulars and Hilda, the other barmaid. Hilda was the mother of Sonia one of my shelf fillers, so I was careful what I said whilst supping my Courage Best.

Any way, the day of the visit came, the V.I.P.s came enjoyed looking around my D.I.Y store, making favourable comments & declaring it
“A store that well run & interesting to browse around”
Then one of them, general manager then , later main board director, asked me to escort them to a decent pub with food. I assured them that I hardly ever went out for lunch but I knew of a good pub, the VILLAGE GREEN.
So we drove in convoy the 500 yards or so to the pub. MANDY welcomed me in & trilled.

“Hullo Bob, you in again”
at which & to my relief my colleagues burst out into raucous laughter. .My boss put his hand on my shoulder and said,
“What’ll you have to drink Bob”

MANDY chirruped
“I have it here, a pint of Courage Best your usual Bob"

and so she did.“Your usual!”

During lunch Mandy periodically gave me soppy forced smiles , thumbs up signs & little waves.

Bless her.

(C)
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14-04-2019, 11:28 PM
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Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

Love this Young Robert.
I look forward to the next installment.
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15-04-2019, 06:44 AM
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Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

Such simple days now marred by the fact that such an entourage would have to walk the 500 yards to the pub, or nominate a couple of fellows with a sobrietus disposition.
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15-04-2019, 08:44 AM
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Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

Looking forward to your follow ups, Robert
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Robert Junior
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15-04-2019, 08:53 AM
5

Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

In my days at GRACE BROS, I met a good number of famous people in the course of my work. Signing Sessions for Authors, B list celebs opening a new franchise, department or product, all came my way.
Percy Thrower, Geoff Love, great bloke, Larry Grayson, Margaret Powell, Sir Francis Chichester, Pat Phoenix, Dustin Gee & the other one, Rod Hull & Emu, & loads of others whose names I can’t recall. Frederick Forsythe, Lesley Thomas, Dick Frances, loads more.

I recall though, now looking back, the staff & customers were generally more interesting.
I’ll put my thinking cap on & post some on Confessions of a retired shopkeeper.

One of my colleagues had a double life while his mother was alive. Poor man was treated like a girl by his butch mother, dressing him as a girl until he went to school. Whether this helped him in his decision to secretly bat for the other side or his predilection to dress up and listen with fellow music lovers to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky or something else but when the mother died he had no need to pretend anymore & went off the rails. He took to wearing gold lame catsuits & the last I heard of him was that he had gone to MILAN to work as an Au Pare to an opera singer
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15-04-2019, 10:36 AM
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Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

Awwww, spot on Robert, really enjoyed your memoirs and look forward some more. Just when the forum was getting boring, you came up with this .....Bravo....
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Robert Junior
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15-04-2019, 12:20 PM
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Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

Thanks for so kind comments , I will try to post about once a week.
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15-04-2019, 12:38 PM
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Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

I'm enjoying this, Robert. It's nice that some people can start up their own personal threads without fear of being called narcissists - it's just good, old-fashioned recollections that are enjoyable to read Your opening post was especially most welcome to read through during my night shift last night
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15-04-2019, 01:09 PM
9

Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

I enjoyed reading those Robert. The gold Lame gave me a giggle.
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Robert Junior
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15-04-2019, 06:40 PM
10

Re: New Series; confessions of a retired SHOPKEEPER

Originally Posted by Floydy ->
I'm enjoying this, Robert. It's nice that some people can start up their own personal threads without fear of being called narcissists - it's just good, old-fashioned recollections that are enjoyable to read Your opening post was especially most welcome to read through during my night shift last night
I am not a narcissist Floydy. for me, when Í look in the mirror it's the real thing !

Just kidding ! I think?
 
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