Chapter 190: Business With The British
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𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
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POV of German worker
27-August-1921
’’And how are things going, my dear English friend? I hear your country is not enjoying the best of times’’ I said with a faint smile as I approached one of the groups of company workers, who were using their break to eat bread and soup.
’’Badly... Pretty badly all around... Though we can’t complain’’ replied one of them, nearly choking on his bread and having to wash it down with a little soup before continuing.
’’And how have things become so bad? After all, you are supposed to have won the war, aren’t you?’’ I asked, tilting my head as I leaned against the back of a chair and folded my arms.
’’Winning it was one thing. What came afterward is another. For years, all the work was for the war: weapons, ammunition, uniforms... Once it ended, the orders stopped coming, and we came home from the front to find there was nowhere to earn a day’s pay. They say more than two million men are out of work. Finding a decent-paying job is hard enough. Finding an employer who won’t work you until your arms drop off is harder still’’ said one of the Englishmen before taking another sip of soup.
’’Ah... I see. A great many men out of work... I thought all this mobilization for Ireland would mean more orders for the factories’’ I replied, placing my hands on my hips.
’’We wish it did. They’re only sending troops to sort out the Irish, who’ve got out of hand since they got hold of weapons. Hardly any more arms or ammunition factories have been put to work. More soldiers over there, but things are no better here’’ said another Englishman with a frown.
’’Well... I thought that might help get things back to normal. The boss is unhappy because the food is not selling as well as he expected... Could it be the quality? Have people stopped liking what we bring over?’’ I asked, pressing my lips together.
’’That’s not it. It’s money that’s lacking’’ replied one of the workers, coughing a little before setting down his spoon. ’’Some of the things you sell are a luxury for a lot of people’’.
’’But it is only canned food... We cannot even bring over the truly expensive things, like butter, fresh meat, or those pastries with all that sugar. They would spoil during the sea voyage’’ I said, scratching my head as I handed out more bread and refilled their bowls with hot soup.
’’Not everyone can afford them. We can because we get the employees’ discount. Besides, it saves us buying whatever rubbish they’re selling elsewhere. At least with the Baltic cans, you know what you’re putting in your mouth. Can’t say the same for everything sold in other places’’ replied the first Englishman before dipping another piece of bread into his soup and eating it.
’’ja... The Herzog himself designed the food factories to prevent what he calls cross-contamination, which can spoil the food. The trouble is that the boss brought over a great quantity of canned goods, thinking he would make good money with prices rising. But they are sitting in our warehouses. We are looking for wholesale buyers and can scarcely find anyone willing to take the merchandise’’ I said, looking at the warehouse, packed with cases of canned goods.
’’Food is dear, yes. Dearer than a few months ago, with the poor harvests and everything else. But if you ask me, that doesn’t mean people will buy the expensive stuff. They buy whatever’s cheapest so their money will last until the next payday’’ explained the second Englishman.
’’Ah... Now I understand... It seems we chose the wrong business. Since there are hardly any fertilizer orders at present, the boss wanted to sell something else so we would not spend these months doing nothing but running up expenses. He does not want to dismiss anyone either, with all the shit that is going on’’ I said, noticing the workers’ expressions change.
’’You’re not going to let us go, are you?’’ one of them asked with obvious concern.
’’No, no. Nothing of the sort. We earned enough from the spring and summer business to cover the whole year’s wages, and a good deal more besides. The boss merely wanted to show that this Birmingham branch could turn a greater profit and do more than receive fertilizer and distribute it throughout England. That is why we bought canned goods to import and sell here, but sales have been very poor considering the money spent bringing them over. Though Baltic food is cheap, so I do not even know whether we have actually lost money’’ I said with a grimace.
’’I’d like to live like that myself, Mr. Ulrich... Is everything in the Baltic really as wonderful as they say?’’ asked one of the workers, wrapping his hands around his bowl.
’’The truth is, I do not know... I spent very little time there. As soon as I was hired, they sent me to London, where I worked until they opened this warehouse. Birmingham was a good place from which to distribute the fertilizer the farms need so badly. So I have not experienced that life some of the newspapers talk about either: cheap food and a house practically given away for settling there. Though there must be something to it, because so many people left for the Baltic that they eventually restricted the admission of Englishmen’’ I said with a smile.
’’I spent so long thinking it over that now I’ve finally made up my mind, I can’t go’’ said one of the workers, frowning.
’’Ha, ha... We shall see what happens later. Well, finish eating, sweep the warehouse, and you can go home for the day. Apart from stacking the cases that arrived this morning, I have little else for you to do... I would give you tomorrow off, but one never knows when an order might come in. Come anyway, and if there is no work, I will send you home early’’ I said, reviewing the tasks I had planned for the following day.
’’But it’s barely two o’clock’’ remarked one of the Englishmen, looking at the warehouse clock.
’’And you will receive a full day’s pay. If I have nothing for you to do, take the chance to rest, man. As long as the duchy maintains good relations with the British, your jobs here are secure’’ I replied, setting the papers on the table.
’’Thank you, Mr. Ulrich’’ said the workers.
’’There is nothing to thank me for’’ I replied before returning to my duties.
I began going over the warehouse stock, which consisted of a vast quantity of canned goods, while waiting for the employees sent out to find buyers to return with an order. I could hardly keep the place full until the fertilizer season arrived. Then I really would find myself in trouble over that idea my boss and I had come up with to increase the company’s profits by making use of its import permits.
’’Ulrich... Come here a moment’’ said one of my colleagues, calling down to me from the warehouse’s third floor.
’’What is it?’’ I asked as I hurried up the stairs.
’’Don’t come near the window. Stay here and pretend we’re talking. Do you see the man beside the shoe shop on the corner?’’ said my colleague, positioning himself in front of me.
’’Yes. The one in the coat, standing on the corner?’’ I asked, looking over his shoulder.
’’He has been there for hours. I’ve seen him come closer several times to look inside the warehouse, then return to the same spot. He seems to be keeping an eye on our merchandise’’ he explained without changing his expression.
’’Just him? Have you seen anyone else doing the same?’’ I asked, concerned.
’’I’ve seen others trying to peer inside. I suppose word has spread that we have a good shipment of food. With the prices people pay here, perhaps they’re thinking of robbing us. I would warn the others and keep the weapons handy, just in case. God forbid it should come to that, but we cannot let a few crooks make off with the merchandise’’ he replied before stepping away from the window and heading toward the stairs.
’’Shit... We have the revolvers here, don’t we? We have permits to carry them, but we do not want to undo our diplomats’ work by abusing the concessions they secured for us from the British government’’ I said as we went down to the second floor, where we kept the weapons.
’’Yes. The British revolvers they sold us to defend ourselves if there is no other choice. Shall I send someone to notify the police? The last thing we need is...’’
’’Get the weapons ready and go to the station yourself. Ask whether they can send a patrol. The last thing I want is to report a robbery. You know how those above us will react if they hear someone has emptied our warehouse’’ I said, shaking my head.
As soon as my colleague left, I went downstairs and handed out revolvers to the remaining men. We concealed them beneath our coats, and just as I was about to close the doors, I saw a group of men in suits approaching.
’’I want a word with whoever’s in charge’’ said one of them, stepping ahead of the others and fixing his eyes on me.
’’He is out of town. You will have to come back another day’’ I replied evenly.
’’Didn’t ask when he was coming back’’ the man replied, drawing a revolver from his pocket and pointing it at my face.
’’Do you expect to frighten me with that toy?’’ I asked, raising an eyebrow.
’’Keep talking, German. Let’s see how funny you are with a bullet between your teeth’’ he replied without lowering the weapon.
I heard my men’s footsteps on the different floors of the warehouse. They were getting ready.
I looked over the man’s shoulder and widened my eyes in surprise. When he turned his head to see what I had noticed, I moved aside from the barrel and lunged at him.
We struggled for a moment. I struck his wrist and managed to wrench the revolver from his hand. Before he could react, I had it pointed at his face while holding his hand.
’’And you? What will you look like with a bullet between your teeth?’’ I asked with a smile.
My men appeared with their weapons drawn. The other newcomers also moved to draw theirs.
’’Stay still. All of you’’ said the second man. He took out a cigarette and lit it before looking at the fellow I had seized. ’’I told you we were here to talk, Arthur’’.
He took a drag and turned his eyes toward me. He seemed far too calm for someone with several revolvers pointed at him.
’’I see you know how to look after what’s yours’’.
’’What do you want?’’ I demanded, pressing the barrel against the temple of the man who had tried to intimidate me.
’’To talk. That’s all’’. He let out the smoke before continuing. ’’We’d heard a few things about the Germans in this warehouse. That you weren’t just ordinary workers... I wanted to see how much of it was true’’.
’’Yes... We are what you call Jerries’’ I said, releasing the wrist of the man in front of me to seize him by his clothes and press the revolver against his neck.
’’I’m told there’s a fair amount of food here waiting for a buyer. Other gangs have heard it too. Some were wondering how easy it would be to take... Seems we’ve got our answer’’ said the man after taking another drag on his cigarette. ’’You were in the trenches too. Just on the other side’’.
’’If you want the merchandise, you will have to pay for it. Otherwise, we can fight one of those battles again’’ I replied with a faint smile, tightening my grip on the clothes of the man I held.
’’We intend to pay. We’ve got the money. What we want is a discount... Provided you’re not too particular about where the notes come from’’ said the man who seemed to be in charge.
’’Yeah, very nice, Tommy. Can you tell him to fucking let go of me?’’ growled the man I was holding.
’’You, be quiet’’ I ordered, looking at him as he kept his hands raised.
’’Forgive my brother. Manners have never been his strong point. We can talk like gentlemen’’ said Tommy, holding the cigarette between his fingers.
I turned Arthur around and shoved him toward his companions.
’’Thank you. As I was saying, we’re interested in the goods. You want to sell them, and we can put them into the hands of people who’ll buy. But we need a price that leaves something for us’’ Tommy continued without taking his eyes off me.
’’What discount do you want? And how dirty is that money?’’ I asked, lowering the weapon.
’’Thirty percent. The money comes from betting. We want to expand the business... Give it a more respectable face. I’m sure you understand. There could be a profit in this for us, and a chance to establish a legitimate business’’ he replied calmly, tilting his head slightly.
’’I have eighty thousand cans. Can you pay for all of them?’’ I asked, looking up.
’’All at once? No. I wouldn’t have anywhere to put them, either. But I can take a good quantity every week. The buyers are there. What you don’t do is go looking for them door to door. We do’’.
’’Bring the money, and we will talk. Now leave, before the police arrive. I sent one of my men to fetch a patrol, and I doubt you want to be here when it comes’’ I replied, tucking the revolver into my clothes.
’’All right. I’ll be back’’ said Tommy.
He raised the cigarette to his lips, took a drag, and blew out the smoke as he walked away.
’’Tommy... My revolver. He’s got my fucking revolver’’ Arthur protested, following him.
’’We’ll get you another one, Arthur’’ I heard him reply, though his brother continued grumbling.
’’Are we going to sell to those crooks?’’ asked one of my men.
’’Better that than keep losing money with the warehouses full’’ I replied as I examined the piece of junk they had pointed at my face.
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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