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+---- Thread: [Complete] This will be a great idea [Harbor, Beach, and Sea] (/showthread.php?tid=133)
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This will be a great idea [Harbor, Beach, and Sea] - Davy Galloway - 10-05-2019
Davy was a man on a mission. He'd put on his good coat, and his good top hat and was marching down to the harbour. He had asked around, he had thought it through and what he needed now was a man who could do what he couldn't. And from everything he had heard that man was Harry Longbottom. Or at least, Harry Longbottom was good enough.
He had been given very specific instructions on how to get to the yard. For years he had lived in Whitby, and for years he had mostly only travelled between his home, the store, the pub and the post office. Looking around the yard, he could really only hope he'd been given the right location.
"Mr. Harry Longbottom? I'm looking for a Mr. Harry Longbottom?" As he called out, trying not to be so loud that he disturbed the whole neighbourhood, he wondered suddenly if someone had pulled a prank on him.
RE: This will be a great idea - Harry Longbottom - 10-05-2019
Harry was in the yard, surrounded by several children who were helping him fix a bicycle. None of them had ever rode on one, including Harry. But if people could pay, he could fix it. He was instructing the children to get certain items, or hold the bicycle a certain way while he was working on it. They looked unwashed, their clothes were old and their hair was uncombed.
Harry rose when the man called out his name. "Yer lookin' at 'im, ser," he said. He wasn't much to look at, with his brown hair receding, revealing a sweaty forehead, and his skin coarse, two teeth missing from his mouth and dirty clothes. The man in front of him, on the other hand, was decently dressed. And that meant money.
"Kitty, go inside and get t' gentleman a cuppa tea." he told one of the children.
"I'm not Kitty," the child protested.
"I don't care what yer called. Make that tea already!"
The girl rushed inside and Harry turned back to the other man. "How can I help ye, ser?"
RE: This will be a great idea - Davy Galloway - 10-06-2019
The bicycle was of keen interest to Davy. He had heard about them, but hadn't seen one in person yet. The bicycle was much bigger in person than he was expecting, and seemed awfully dainty to carry the weight of a full grown person. Still, the fact it was here was a very good sign. His fascination meant it took him a moment to look away from the contraption and up to Harry.
Davy took his hat off and held it to his chest. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Longbottom." He nodded his head before putting his hat back on. "I have a business plan upcoming, but before I can feel assured it's worth making the investment. I need to find someone who can work gears," He waved his hand over towards the bicycle, "and repair any number of nautical instruments."
Davy took a few steps toward Harry, leaning in conspiratorially . "And perhaps, to keep quiet about it until such time that any competitors have lost their advantage."
RE: This will be a great idea - Harry Longbottom - 10-08-2019
Harry wasn't sure what 'nautical' meant, but he could smell money when it was before him. "That should be no problem, ser." And he would keep his silence too. Most people avoided talking to him.
'Not Kitty' came back out. "There ain't no tea left."
"Then make yerself useful an' buy some!" Harry snapped. The child ran back inside.
Harry turned back to the man. "Ye can bring 'em instruments in any time ye like ser. For a small additional fee" - double the price - "we offer extra fast service." - and extra sloppy work.
RE: This will be a great idea - Davy Galloway - 10-09-2019
Small additional fee was a term Davy knew. For all he loved technology though, he liked owning it much more than understanding it. He would be able to the inside of a clock from the inside of a toaster. His eyes flickered briefly between Harry and the bicycle. Mr. Longbottom obviously knew something about how to work it, and going with the first person you asked had distinct advantages to keeping things quiet. Davy plastered a smile on his face before he throwing his arms back. "Wonderful, wonderful!" His enthusiasm however was some what canned, and his expression quickly became more serious as he straightened his jacket. "There certainly will be maintenance needed I'm sure, though limited rush."
"No, what I need most of all is to know I have a man on the boat with us incase anything goes wrong. Now that, oh ho ho! That I'd pay an arm and a leg for."
RE: This will be a great idea - Harry Longbottom - 10-10-2019
He wasn't going to burn himself on that. The idea of being on a boat when 'everything went wrong' was not exactly appealing. But money was.
"Oh I know just the right man for the job, ser," said Harry. "Me son Claude is a fine, responsible young man, who will gladly go with you." Claude. The one whose name he remembered because he shouted it so often. "We do expect the payment up front." Just in case something did go wrong...
RE: This will be a great idea - Davy Galloway - 10-11-2019
Davy's eyes turned slowly to one of the little boys that had been in the yard when Harry mentioned his son. His eyebrows lowered as he stared accusingly at the child, until Harry had finished talking and Davy's eyes slowly turned back to the man, eyebrows still furrowed.
"I need a skilled, responsible man for the pump." All attempts at faux jolliness were gone at this point. "Not a child who's just seen you fix a bicycle, Mr. Longbottom. Getting the air down there is too important a job for just some child." In his distress at imagining his life in the hands of 'Not Kitty, boy addition', he let slip more information than he necessarily wanted to.
RE: This will be a great idea - Harry Longbottom - 10-12-2019
Harry looked around. "I wasn't talking about these. Claude is twenty-...." how old was he again? "-five." he hadded. Twenty-five sounded responsible. "'E's s responsible and clever as you find 'em in this town, ser." Where was that useless boy when he needed him?! Oh right, probably at that dimwit rich fellow whose furniture Claude repaired in such a way he would have to come back to fix it. Good boy. He had trained him well.
Not Kitty came back out. "There ain't no money left to buy tea either."
"Then earn some!" Harry snapped. The child darted out of the yard.
RE: This will be a great idea - Davy Galloway - 10-14-2019
Clever as you find 'em in this town, ser.
The words echoed in Davy's mind as he otherwise zoned out and watched Harry talk with his daughter. Perhaps getting help in town was a mistake. But lord almighty was that damned piece equipment already so expensive, and hiring a full team. No, this would be fine. There was never any need to rush, and always time to do a few tests. He could find other ways of making money between now and then if he really needed.
"Which means he has no less than 25 years experience than you." Davy decided he was in it from this point on. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. He unfolded it, and handed it over to Harry. The photograph was of a man in a diving suit. "A safe piece of technology but I know the water will always take another life given a chance. Your children are obviously more than happy to follow your orders but do you trust your Claude with this?"
RE: This will be a great idea - Harry Longbottom - 10-14-2019
Harry looked at the photograph. That looked dangerous. "Oh he knows all he needs to know." Harry said, although he often told the boy (young man) he was stupid. "He's also stronger than I am." Even though Harry would still chase him when he was angry. "He's your man."