Scrap 27

SCRAP 27
It has been some weeks since Frank’s last visit to the scrap yard. He has heard that the new crushing machine has been installed and is keen to get a look at it.
Danny is working in the yard and comes to greet him. ‘Frank, what have you got for me?’ he asks. He is surprised when Frank tells him he is here to buy something for a change. ‘Have you got any wheels and tyres for Ken’s 30ft trailer?’ he asks, ‘only some bugger’s nicked the spare from under the chassis. Ken had only just had a new tyre fitted so he is less than pleased.’
Danny calls to Jason, who crawls out from beneath a Ford Transit pick-up truck. ‘I’ll go and look for you,’ he says, heading off towards one of the sheds.
Frank asks to see the new machine, which Danny is proud to show off. He talks Frank through the process whereby a car goes in one end and emerges at the other as a neat block of mangled metal. ‘This is the future,’ he says, ‘we’ll make our fortunes with this little beauty. No more working away with axes and hammers or cutting gear, just pick the thing up with the electromagnet, dump it in the machine and switch on. Here, I’ll show you.’
He climbs into the crane cab, swings the magnet round on its boom, lowers it over Frank’s van and switches on the power. Frank yells at him and he sets the Thames 15cwt back on its wheels, laughing. ‘Only having a little joke,’ he calls out to a relieved Frank. He then turns his attention to a burned-out Morris Minor, lifts it into the gully of the crushing machine and walks over to the control panel. Within a minute the car is reduced to a neat block of metal and he uses the magnet to place it in a big skip. ‘What do you think of that then?’ he asks. ‘Very impressive,’ agrees Frank.
Jason has found two wheels which would be suitable for Ken’s trailer. Frank selects the best one and they load it into the van. It just squeezes in at an angle and the back springs droop with the weight of it. In common with most old vans, this one has seen better times. ‘I’ll need a receipt,’ Frank says. Danny eyes him suspiciously. ‘That’s not like you Frank. Are you up to one of your scams?’ Frank assures him that he is not; simply that Ken is always suspicious of any bargain being offered by him. Jason makes out a receipt; Frank pays the asking price and pockets the important piece of paper. He will make a few copies of it before handing it over to Ken.
The economy being what it is, there are bound to be further thefts of spare wheels and Frank has a decent stock of them at the lock-up in Kemsley where he is also storing the diesel. Happy days.