3: Bill Patterson Motors

But this feeling of euphoria was soon cut short.

I was asked to report to the board room the one day and fearing the worst, I tidied up my desk and slowly walked across the mezzanine walkway and knocked on the door. 

To my surprise I hadn’t made mistakes with the ledgers and journals. I was being offered a sales cadet’s job and a company car to use when seeing customers at night.

"a car salesman! 

a car salesman!" 

I remember mum shrieking when I told her about my new position that evening, 

"a car salesman! 

Oh my God why? 

What happened?" 

I wondered if my dear old mum would have been as animated if I had said “a bank robber” or a “professional hit man” or even a Collingwood supporter. 

But “my God! a car salesman!......

That was worse, much worse. 

I remember years later when in conversation with my youngest brother Alistair, my mum came across the room, interjected, and said, "don't you mind a word he's saying Alistair, remember he's a car salesman, he'll tell you anything" 

Thanks mum! 

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