Wheels

Wheels

I sat on the train, looking at the ticket my employer had sent me. It would take me into Edinburgh and out again to the company’s offices in Dundee. And it was a one way ticket. One of the most exciting things in my life was due to happen. I would be collecting my new company car! I would be driving home in style!
They had persuaded me to stay on an extra year at school. When I finally left, in 1960, I went straight into my first of job as a trainee in a chemical laboratory. Some mates with office jobs convinced me that the work was easier and the pay a bit better.
I spotted an ad in a local newspaper and applied, being, shall we say, rather creative about my qualifications. I was duly interviewed and, to my amazement, got the job – it was a lot easier in those days. I walked straight in as a ‘buyer’s assistant’ at a domestic appliance manufacturer in my home town. This job I was convinced would involve lots of contact with important business people.
In fact my boss made all the important decisions about which suppliers got the orders. Consequently he and the other buyers were regularly wined and dined by sales representatives. The reps returned with ‘thank you’ gifts at Christmas time. And the reps all had company cars!
I envied them. I started to think about what their jobs were like. Could I do that? Ok, reps were judged on results but they generally appeared well motivated and rewarded. The idea of choosing my own prospective customers, organising visits and entertaining really appealed to me. And with a company car.

As luck would have it, our parent company in Sweden decided to increase their Sales force in the UK. I applied for one of the new sales jobs, got interviewed and was delighted when I was offered a chance to cover the southern sales area for the ‘industrial division’.
I hadn’t talked about my ambitions with my new wife. It wasn’t really a promotion and I was sure Carol would be against it as a risky career change. I was right. When I got the job offer, she immediately raised the question of me being required to stay away from home a lot. Reps had to do that didn’t they? I assured her that I would organise things so that this was kept to a minimum. Inwardly, I was gloating at the thought of staying in hotels and entertaining customers and myself, on expenses. I told her it was a fantastic opportunity for us to become a proper family. I concentrated particularly on the use of the company car. We could visit my in-laws in Ayr and go for holidays on the coast. It would also allow us to consider buying a house anywhere in my sales area. I could tell from Carol’s expression she was definitely interested. Although I didn’t actually say the words, I even hinted that we could also start a family soon

So in April 1963, there I was on my way to my new employer’s UK office.
I had been told that the first day would include meetings with colleagues, some product training and eventually getting the keys to my company vehicle. I wouldn’t have minded skipping all the other stuff and just being able to play with my new car.
As we arrived, I clocked the row of new light blue Volvos tidily parked in the farthest bays of the office car park. I was relieved that they hadn’t been painted with the company name or logo. I desperately wanted to know which one would be mine.
The morning was taken up with meetings and presentations. Lars Ericsson, the MD had been recently been sent by the Swedish parent company to oversee their UK activities. Lars was almost a Swedish stereotype. His ruddy complexion and piercing blue eyes were crowned with a mop of blonde/white hair. Like most of his countrymen he spoke fluent English but with a lilting accent like the ‘Swedish Chef’ in the ‘Muppets’. I was to learn he had two ‘modes’: one for admin and internal company affairs – efficient, no nonsense and perceptive; the other, reserved for leisure and entertaining – the hard drinking, uninhibited buffoon.
Today Lars was definitely character number one! But my ears pricked up when he mentioned that, before lunch, the company cars would be allocated and the keys handed over. I could hardly wait but tried to look cool and interested all the long morning. At around 12.00 pm, we were handed out the car keys and insurance documents. I became very excited again but tried my best not to show it. Then came the glorious moment when we sat in our cars for the first time.

The UK lunchtime ritual of the time centred round the Pub. Although it was rather against Scandinavian business culture, Lars had therefore accepted and we drove in convoy to a roadhouse a few miles outside the city.
Over ‘pies and pints’ we all talked long and loudly. In the UK (but not in Sweden), these were pre-breathalyser days. Along with some others, I had three pints of bitter.
When the time came, we returned to our cars and the light blue convoy set off back to the office. I was the lead car and tried to concentrate on not losing the others in the post-lunchtime traffic.
I suppose I was a bit distracted by the new look and smell of the inside of the Volvo. So I was probably not concentrating too well and had to break suddenly at a junction. The rep in the second car was close behind - too close. He too braked, too late. I heard the slightly muffled but unmistakeable sound of bumper crunching bumper and the tinkling of breaking rear lamp glass. And these sickening sounds were repeated six more times!
As collisions go they were minor. But all seven of the cars were damaged; five of them front and rear. It must have been a curious sight to see seven drivers of identical light blue vehicles standing by the road asking each other ‘What happened?’ and ‘Why did you brake?’

All the cars were driveable however and eventually everyone made it back to the office. We sat in the meeting room avoiding looking at each other, saying little. I was preoccupied with finding an explanation for the accident that would show me to be entirely blameless.
Lars handed out insurance claim forms to us and announced,

‘I’ve been in touch with our insurance company. It seems that our claim will be quite unique!’ ‘You will all need to fill in the claim forms’ he continued sternly.‘As much detail as you can remember please!

We were eventually dismissed around 5.30 and said rather muted farewells to each other. Earlier I had been looking forward to driving home but now I returned to my bent Volvo and re-checked the damage to front and rear.
I think I still had an irrational hope that the dents and scratches would have magically mended themselves during the afternoon. But they hadn’t.

I eased my way into the evening rush and resolved to drive carefully and directly home. Yesterday, my plans for returning home in my new car had included at least one stop at a pub. Just to practice parking and publicly display my new wheels. But how would I explain to my wife and God...my mates? I’d also planned to drive to my local and put on a bit of a show. But now, they would be more interested in how I managed to prang my car within 24 hours.

Instead I thought, maybe I should take Carol out to a different pub for dinner? Yes, that was it! A drive in the car and a ‘cosy’ meal might avoid too many questions about the day’s events. It might also smooth the way when I had to tell her that I would be staying away to work at the office, whilst the car was being straightened. But wait a minute! Wouldn’t it be good practice in sales type persuasion? Or at least in re-selling my new job as good for us both.
I started to relax. It was going to be a great life!
I turned on my new car stereo and began to sing along to the Searchers.