RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30763, 29 May 1965, Page 42

RANDOM REMINDER

MILK OF KINDNESS

Even in this day and age, grown men still delight in tormenting in hearty and unsubtle manner, the new apprentice. We’ll not go into the psychology of this if you don’t mind, but it’s pretty plain that ageing tradesmen in general are not a little concerned about the abilities of those clambering up the ladder behind them and will slow the process by every means. Be that as it may, the youngest apprentice in a big workshop can expect at some stage or other to be sent on the most unlikely errands—to find a lefthanded screwdriver, for instance, a pot of striped paint, a leather-covered hammer or a right-handed spanner. Some requests sound convincing enough

and it would be an astute young man who would ignore them, especially if they are issued with a straight face in the normal way. If a lot of leering faces, winking and nodding, are also participating, the apprentice might be safe if he ignores or rejects the request, but he can never be certain that he is not being impertinent or insubordinate. And life can be unpleasant if such misdeeds are chalked up against him. So the prudent apprentice can ignore requests only at his peril. Which is why a young man on his first day at an engineering works scurried busily about answering every request, anticipating others and generally making an impression of eagerness to serve. It

was too much for one grizzled veteran, who no doubt recalled his own humiliations of 40 years ago. Beckoning to the new boy he gave him a 10s note and asked if he would be good enough to get a pint of pigeon’s milk. The boy, who is something of a fancier himself, took the money and cycled off to the pet shop. He talked the matter over with the proprietor, a fairly close acquaintance, and together they thought of a counter. Back to work be cycled with a little box under his arm and respectfully made his report to the old hand. The man at the pet shop, he said, was clear out of pigeon's milk, but here in the box was a pigeon he could milk himself. And there was no charge.