A quiet day with Jennifer Jane 1/7

“I really ought to do something about getting the bicycle saddles I promised Maddy and the other apprentices,” said Jennifer Jane, “would you mind driving me down to the shop dad and help me choose something suitable?”

Twenty minutes later her father had parked the car and joined her in the local cycle shop. “What she’s looking for is the old fashioned sort of saddle, large and comfy with springs at the back corners.”

“I think you’ll find them rather hard to come by,” said the shopkeeper, “we certainly don’t keep them anymore. Everybody seems to want the narrow racing type these days. There is a possibility though, you could go and see old Tom in his shed down near the station. He makes a living by breaking up old bikes for spare parts; he might be able to help you! Just drive along ‘station way’, turn right just before you get to the end of the trees and drive up the lane. You’ll find his shed in a field at the end, you can’t miss it”

Dad drove along the road as directed. They went past the station entrance, along a narrow country road and then just as the trees along the side of the road began thinning out, he spotted the lane turning off to his right.

After the first few feet of concrete, the lane became a muddy track and the car bumped along slowly, mud splashing up whenever one of the wheels went into a puddle. Then at last after bouncing along for fifty yards, they reached old Tom’s shed.

Now that they’d found it, there was no doubt at all as to what he did for a living. There was one heap of old wheels, another heap of frames in all shapes and sizes, headlamps, rear lamps and mudguards.

In fact everything you might want to repair an old bike, except saddles. Old Tom himself had come out to meet them as he heard them driving up the lane and waited while Jennifer Jane got out of the car and walked towards him, carefully picking her way between the puddles.

“I’m looking for really old fashioned bicycle saddles,” she said, “but we couldn’t see any as we drove along the lane.”

“No more you won’t; have to keep them inside a shed, otherwise they get wet and go rotten! You and your dad come this way and I’ll show you what I’ve got.”

Tom lead them along a path beside the first shed and then turned right between some bushes. There was a small field round the back which had several rickety sheds built on it.

He pointed to one of them. “Bicycle saddles in that one, take what you like my dear, have as many as you want for one pound each, you’ll find me round at the front when you’ve made your choice.”

Jennifer Jane sorted out a dozen of the most suitable. “I thought I’d better anticipate lots of people wanting one when they see Maddy’s,” she said, “even some of the seniors said they might want to have a go. It won’t be too expensive will it?”

“Good heavens no; well worth it just to say thank you to Abigail for finding you the last time you got lost.”

They walked back to the front of the yard loaded with saddles. Tom took the money and gave them four big bags to carry them in.

“Looks like you’re going to set up in business on your own,” he joked to Jennifer Jane, as dad put the bags in the car’s boot.

“They’re going to be presents for some of my friends.”

“Are they now, funny sort of presents if you ask me, but I daresay you know best miss.”