Photo: © Al Forbes 2015
This’ll be my last year sweeping the Coningshall streets. I’m not really ready to retire but my body is telling me to slow down. I’m working ’til Christmas to say my goodbyes.
I’ve made some good friends, both on the job and on the streets. Everybody knows me in this town, and I think I’m part of the furniture. I’ve been working here since I left school at fifteen.
I’m not going to change now, just because I won’t be “on the brushes” any more. I’ll still have a pint or three on a Friday night down at the ‘Lucky Horseshoe’. And I will always have a flutter on the Football Pools.
I’ll miss being the Union shop steward. I’ve fought to keep our jobs through all the Council cutbacks and ‘savings efficiencies’ of the last few decades. But the final blow was privatisation. Our service was put out to tender, to be sold to the highest bidder. I couldn’t stop that one, and later resigned my office.
Then I had an idea. I knew what I had to do. Some of the lads wondered why I changed my tune and started supporting the privatisation. A few harsh words were said to me, and I understand why.
There wasn’t a huge demand for the contract to clean the streets of our town. And somebody with inside knowledge of the job could get a good deal. I’m pretty proud of what I achieved there. I quickly got all the lads on board.
We’ve unlocked our Pension contributions and created a new company, where we all have equal shares. I don’t understand the business side of things, but my son is a bit of a hotshot in that area. He knows what he’s doing. Of course there’s a risk, but we’re all in it together. It’s not for the money or the thrill of being in business. There’s just the sense of a job well done.
So, even though I’ll be hanging up my brush, I won’t have to leave it all behind.
This story is inspired by the photo supplied by Al Forbes of Sunday Photo Fiction, October 4th 2015. For more details click the logo.
To view other stories written for this challenge, please click here.
Walk the Self-Talk 
nice turn! Love the “When one door closes, another opens” feel at the end. I was feeling bad for the old boy at the beginning.
Thanks. I originally thought of him winning a fortune on the Football Pools, but I wanted the ending to be more ‘down to Earth’.
This is a lovely take on the image, really enjoyable piece of writing way you get the sense that everything is going to work out in the end.
Thanks. I think things are going to work out well.
That was pretty good. Nice way of him turning it around and buying the company with the others.
Thanks. For a Union man to part own a company, it must be a bit like ‘Poacher turned Gamekeeper’!
I like that analogy 😀
Sounds like things really worked out for the main character. He was able to change a bad thing into something good for him and his fellow workers.
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
Not sure if this is true or fiction but it is a wonderful story.
Thanks. It’s actually fiction. The story may have been influenced by the Deacon Blue song “Dignity”, which is about a council worker who is planning to retire, and his plans for the future.
I’m not familiar with that song.
Interesting story. Very realistic. I could feel the ending of the job but still a bit of help from the others he could still enjoy himself. Well done!
Thanks. Being involved will give him a purpose in retirement.
Yes people working all their life need something to keep them occupied.