Page 97 - IT'S A RUM LIFE BOOK TWO "BOSTON 1960 TO 1970"

Vehicles were ordered from the factory together with
masses of point of sale material, cut away engines and
anything else that could create interest.
Potential clients were circulated and food ordered for the
visitors. William was tearing more from the tops of his socks
every day.

GOOD NEWS
My next bit of really good news happened one evening just
before our promotional week began.
The Lorries were actually parked in the Main Ridge
showroom and I had been paid a visit by the rep from Michelin
tyres.
He actually offered me a small retainer to paint all the
Michelin tyres on the vehicles with tyre black and pick out the
Michelin names in white.
I was engaged in this when Barry the current South
Lincolnshire Firestone Rep. turned up and asked me for a quiet
word somewhere private. We retired to his Ford Anglia
company car.
What he had to tell me literally transformed the rest of my
life.
He had decided to emigrate to Canada and Fred Popham,
my Firestone contact and future boss had instructed Barry to
come and tell me of his plans and ask if I was still interested in
working for the company? Was I just? I was on cloud nine for
days.
I went to see Fred at his home in Market Rasen and he
explained what I had to do. There was to be an interview at the
Firestone UK Head Office and Factory in London and I had to
present exactly the figure that Fred had told the Factory chiefs
to expect. If I managed to get through that ordeal, the job was
mine!
I left Market Rasen that evening and on the way home
managed to over rev my “company” Hillman Imp’s Coventry

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