Thursday 1st September 1938

Local calls – Southend, Leigh, Westcliff, Thorpe Bay. 16 calls – 1 order. Most of the calls were satisfactory; sound interviews. Only two of the sixteen were “unproductives” (i.e. buyer not seen). Pretty grim: one order out of 14 interviews. Not much work in the Southend district. Many of today’s prospects were very conscious of a slump in building and decorating.

Sequel to the Hadleigh Builders Supply trouble (August 22nd). Saw Townsend, the builder involved. I’d intended to just casually mention our Hadleigh stockist but Mr Townsend had since seen Mr Page and knew all about the affair. He told me he felt he’d “rather put his foot in it”; that he thought it “rather unfair” of Mr Page to raise trouble over a “casual remark”. He hoped I would not “get into hot water” with my firm? I assured him I should not but, on the other hand would probably lose the Hadleigh business. Added that, dammit, I’d have told him about Page’s shop only I didn’t think he’d be likely to dash over to Hadleigh for orders! “Well,” said Mr Townsend, “I’ve bought several tins of your stuff from him since then and eventually he’ll have to order more!” Townsend remarked that Page had referred to the incident as though it were only humorous – “a leg-pull”.

(Psychologically, I suppose really, Mr Page lost his temper at the time and has since relented.) Townsend continued – “He said, Dawson’s a nice young feller, and he coloured up and went out of the shop looking as awkward as anything!” That’s just what I felt like when I lost my temper! However, I’ll be like Brer Rabbit now, and await events.