"The Business Plan"


The smoke cleared to leave the two of them to resume their conversation, the smoke screen had obviously worked. It was as if the previous conversation had never taken place, obviously           Lil Cloud could charm the birds from the trees.

"Where-about's in Scarlington harbour do you think we should operate from?" asked Dirk. He was hooked but still on a long snood, it was just a matter of  getting the gaff into him.

"As close to the lifeboat shed as possible, the gravel gate slipway of course" replied Lil Cloud "that way Billy Swallow MBE, the bloke who shows the visitors around the shed, can then march them 25 yards along the front to us."

"I would never have thought of that!" said Dirk "but what about the lads that already work from there, it will affect them wont it?"

"Don't worry about them, when I pull in with the Billy Inkwell Ashtray no one else will get a look in" replied Lil Cloud, slowly hauling his catch closer to the side.

"But its very confined at the slipway are you sure that will you be able to get in and out ok?" asked Dirk.

Lil Cloud gave a long suffering sigh and took a long drag on his pipe. "Don't you realise that I am the assistant, relief, emergency, deputy, second coxswain in charge of the Scarlington lifeboat with seamanship skills so sharply honed that I daren't  even shave!  I also remember that this lifeboat has twice as many propellers as the other boats, even a clown could run rings round them! So you see, with my business acumen and superior boat handling techniques plus your  financial backing we cannot fail to make a mint."

With that Lil Cloud (metaphorically speaking) reached over the side and lifted his catch aboard, without the aid of a gaff, pausing only to blow smoke in its eyes. Dirk was caught and in the crib!

Dirk was now full of enthusiasm for what appeared to be an infallible scheme " Right then Cloud count me in, where do we start?" he asked.

"Funding and I haven't got a lot of that" said Lil Cloud "but you should be well placed to find the finances I would have thought?"

The look of hesitancy returned to Dirks face "Hmmmm! I daren't commit myself until I have a word with Cindy" he said.

I later discovered that Cindy was Dirks missus who ran a thriving waterfront business at           Scarlington, selling this and that, and apparently held the purse strings of the Cranium household. Lil Cloud was clearly aware of this. "Take my advice Dirk, this venture cannot fail, sell that twopenceha'pny  shop of your lasses and put the money into this scheme. You will never look back!" said Lil Cloud.

"OK Cloud" said Dirk "That's what I will do, I'll show her that for once I can make a           decision!

Once again Lil Cloud had proved his gift of the oratory would inspire all who listened. This man was a born leader, I was impressed and honoured that of all the boats in the sea he had chosen me. For his part Lil Cloud just smiled and tapped the ashes of his pipe out on the      quayside bollard with a well practiced flourish.


                                                                              Billy Inkwell Ashtray