ch2/5 Handycuffs first & teen promotions…

 
  ch2/5

Handycuffs first & teen

flashback… 198…..3?

 

 

 

There may be a photo of my table at the WINE & SPIRIT benevolent society 1982/3 ?

after leaving with only 25k GBP from Seabrook & Smith Ltd, … making a million GBP clear profit , when a million was “worth” about 20 million euros in todays currency…

 

Because my aims were NEVER about getting rich but about the ambition to be the best, and I WAS! … and to rise to all challenges …

 

<interuption>  just watching the “Quiet Man” (not really a John Wayne fan, but… like it when he throws her on the bed and says “no locks between us , except your mercenary heart!” that also relates to

modern fee males …!

 

Wife Jacqui and Linda … my Sales Director , Domeico Pedrimi & another wine producer from Italy,  Accountant Melvyn Plawner, & Christopher X (lawyers) of Richard Baruch & co (both Melvzn & Christophers office would be raided by the fke  “ANton pillar morava injunction “ crew of Lawyer – liars!  And all files of my 8 companies would be stolen… but thats for another chapter,,,and 3 wine clients… 50 GBP a ticket, and thats without the drinks before and at the table..

 

and I had a few ...drinks before and a different wine for each of the 5 courses...celebrating, despite that Seabrook had cowardly blocked my success in convincing M & S to give ME the Italian job… decision reversed after Mike “washed his dirty linen in their faces” //….

 

My 735 BMW was in the garage for service & they gave me a  small 3 series coupe, fast little thing for the day/night… and I had agreed with Linda , who was managing the new Abingdon (oxford) office to help her get things started and have a few meetings there the next day, which meant staying that night in Abingdon, we had “covered” a small house for her & the company …

 

Linda was five years older, but I was “the boss” so to speak. But I rarely “pulled rank” … unless there was a SERIOUS problem,  Linda was askign me to give here the car keys , as she hadnt drunk very much at Dinner.. (it was the Grosvenor House great hall , with 1500 represntatives of the world wine & spirit trade banquet) she was keeping her control… but I felt fine,  sometimes I was like that , often with clients I could even do deals in the early hours, despite drinking all evening...at restaurants or clubs with clients etc…

 

We were arguing I felt close to Linda , she had been known by my family since I was a kid,  she was my big brothers sister in law too *** (another story) and I got so distracted that I didnt pay attention to where I was driving as we left the snob hotel garage… AMAZING as I had been a messenger boy in London from the age of 16…

 

I was lost….. so in a slightly drunken mood, drove faster to correct the situation?

 

Before I had got my bearings or Linda could say “slow down”  from nowhere...appeared a flashing blue light in my rear view mirror..

 

and still in  a quasi Beligerent mood.. bu with clear vision saw there was a POLICE VAN behind me, and I had a suped-up sporty BMW, I slipped down the gears & wa OFF….or so I thought…

orientated, now found the NORTH CIRCULAR road connection… but saw the van was still folowing way back behind me.. so being a 007 fan, as a kid, I did a “James Bond” weaving in & out of the 3 lane traffic at full speed ...over 100 MPH, but the van still followed , although some way behind. Me…

 

so,, my stupid brain, said “ get off this road”  ..saw an exit  a few miles further on, & cut off , hoping the van had not seen me,,, and to this day cant imagine how “serious” they persued me, as there was a POLICE ROAD block at the bottom of the exit road…  the sports car had smoked windows so agreed with Linda, to save my licence , as I was driving thousands of Kms all over europe every week for my group...to switch places,  these are funny moments, if once can see from outside,,  a small sports car , me with some drinks in me, trying to switch places with her..

 

When thecar door opened and about a dozen bizzies grabbed us, well..ME...agressively and literally THREW me into the back of the police VANs floor , handycoffing ME for the FIRST TIME **** whilst a 7 feet tall bruiser knelt on my chest< I was still in evening wear, bow tie etc> and threatened “ IF you move...I wil…. “

 

Linds was taken to the local station too, in a seperate police car, they let her go, I got a sneaky ppunch in my guts for calling to her “phone Ian” (copany’s tame lawyer) … I didnt realise that the sports car had an IRISH registration (this being around the time of the pub bombings in London etc) …

 

I asked for my “one phone call” about 01h … wife Jacqui was staying at her mum’s house...Joan answered the phone,,,

“can I speak to Jacqui, Please!”

 

J> “she is in bed, ChRiS?”

 

“yes its me, but I need to talk to her! “

 

J> she is asleep”

 

“ok, sorry, but I NEED to talk to her”

 

a couple of minutes later...Jacqui answers..

 

“ChRiS?  What do you want, its after 01h in the morning?”

 

ME> I have been arrested “  

 

“stop jocking, I am tired”   < and shevut me off> !!

 

anyway , <i was often making jokes , so … > … when Linda called Jacqui in the morning at the office <Jacqui was in Wickford, I think> … at that time,  she worked it out

 

But Linda was at the magistrate hearing , when the judge refused any argument , < like that the police could nt be 100% who was driving considering the smoked car windows> … 1000 GBP penalty and 18 MONTHS driving ban, I didnt worry about the money too much, but no driving… I agreed with Linda that she would be my driver, at least when there was noother form of ttravel, and that THREW us together..a poor excuse for doing something wrong..to woderful Jacqui!

 

There was even a time when Jacqui & Linda considered “sharing me” I fel sick that I had caused this...and chose Jacqui, who told me she forgave me, ...i didnt deserve such tolerance!

 

And…

 

Flashback ..16 years old…

Got the job as a messenger boy for the London based, family shipping fim, speciallizing in wines & spirots, clearing customs papers at the docks, all adventures, learning about the city, I could walk from one part of the city to another, delivering wine samples without getting wet on a rainly London day, delivering with the lorry drivers into the musty Lonson wine cellars , unloading “Buts” (barrels) of Sherry etc, then in the office , with the “old men” and their jokes.. what a time I had..

 

 promotions ledme to be assistant to transport/logistics manager, and when the bosses (harold & John Porter) saw that I could manage the fleet of trucks & warehouse , at 19, better than middle aged mnager  (Bill Rice?)  they fired him gave me his job and saved  themselves his salary, oh, I learnt the mentality of the rich/upper class/ businss owners very early..

 

I would get up at 06h catch the commuter train or get a ride from Big Brother Mike.. into London, and catch the 18h train back out.. but I was out drinking with Ginger & Mick Woof (I fancied his sister Karen, but I wasnt confident   with girls  in those days) .. but I was excellent at managing anything.. no computers but a brain with unlimited capabilities, and I learnt also the tricks of the office workers or the drivers “excuses” inc one who was (Union) shopsteward, ironic as I had grown up with my mums socialist career as regional secretary of the Labour party...I got to know both sides…

 

next chapter..working for ISIS (no not “that Isis?)

 

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