MOD.

This happened in 1992 my last year in the Cafe before I moved up to the Seafront.
 My Lease was to expire in the end of January 1993. This lad came for a job, he told me he didn't want a full time job because he was going to join the Army. The first thing I asked him was his age, he told me he was 17 but 18 in July, the same date as my Sister's Birthday so I remembered it. I then told him that all I had was a place in the kitchen assisting me, he told me that this was fine. As for me it suited me because I presumed he would be available until late September. I did not tell him that I was closing down at the end of the season.
 He started the following week just to get to know how things worked. After he had been there a couple of weeks he told me after his meal that the Steak Pie was gorgeous and the Apple Pie was delicious, naturally I thanked him where he said to me that I did not make them. I looked at him and told him that I certainly did and actually I had to do a lot more baking ready for Easter. He then began to ask if he could help me but I refused but he kept asking until I relented.
 I found out that he studied in Louth and knew few Mablethorpe lads and lassies. His main Pal was a lad who lived in Louth. He told me that he could get to mine before 4.30.pm. on Friday. This was agreed to but I knew he wouldn't complete his task of helping me before it got dark, so on the Friday I made 18 Steak Pies which are frozen then pulled out of the freezer to be cooked, Apples Pies are made and baked then froze and pulled out to defrost and put in the warming cabinet.
 By the time the lad arrived I had made the apple mix and told him to freeze the Steak Pies making sure they laid straight. He did this and I had made enough pastry for about 56 Apple Pies and rolled out the base, I showed him how to fill the base then wet the edge so that I could roll out the top and put it on to make a pie.
 He worked well and began to take some interest in the kitchen, odd times his pal came over from Louth to wait for him to finish work. One day he asked me if I would like to see his scar. To be honest I was not really interested but all the same I said I would like to see hi scar. IT was on his back at least 2 of his vertebrae had been fused. I was impressed and told him that they had made a good job and asked if he had any pain which he told me no.
 As the Season got on the lad was a good help, one day soon after his 18th. Birthday he asked me if he could change his day off. Naturally I told him of course he could, then he told me why. It was that he had to go for a medical for the Army. I looked ta him and said that this was very soon after his Birthday. He readily agreed, when he got back from having his Medical, naturally I asked him how he got on. He told me it was fine and he had given my name as a reference. I just thought that I would hear nothing from them but told him that it was fine because I had given references to several ex workers.
 The next thing was that the week before August Bank Holiday he came and told me he must leave because on Thursday he had to report to Catterick. I think that where he had to report. This meant that I had no cover for the Bank Holiday but it didn't worry me for it was my last Season.
 I used to have several Businessmen come into the Cafe early each morning during the Season where we put the world to rights. My Mother who used to come for a month after the height of the season used to love it hearing the daily tales.
 It was just after my Mother had gone back to Grantham so it would be very early October when the phone rang I answered it and a woman's voice asked to speak to me. I just said speaking and she said it was the Ministry of Defence and I had employed this lad which I concurred. She ten told me that they were conducting a search as to his suitability for the Armed Forces. To be honest I thought it was a wind up so I was uninterested but I told her she could do as she liked. She asked me if I would be willing to have an informal interview which I told her that it was fine. She then told me it would be a MR. I could not remember his name if you gave me a million. I naturally thought it was definitely a wind up when she told me the man would come from Sleaford. A time and date was arranged then she said something that made me wonder and I quote."I wish to thank you for your cooperation in the matter it is very much appreciated." All I said was that she was welcome she bade me goodbye and I waited to see if the Man came.
Sure enough the Man was spot on time, showed me his card. Incidentally he was dressed like a City gent with pinstripe suit, bowler had and a furled umbrella.
 He started to ask simple question like was he tidy, did he get to work on time then out of the blue came this." Has He any Homosexual tendencies". I was taken aback and just said this to him. "Fancy asking me!! HE only worked here and what he did when he left the premises was nothing whatever to do with me," I added after a few seconds."He did have a girlfriend" He then stated that he had to ask these sorts of questions for he might have a sensitive position in the Armed Forces, I added that I could not help him further in that matter. HE told me he quite understood and asked a couple more questions as to hs work then told me he would ask no more and left.
 It was early December when the phone rang, it was the lad who worked in the Kitchen with me asking if he could see me. Naturally I told him that would be fine but I would have to go to Skegness Railway Station on the Saturday morning and meet him off the train. Upon seeing him I knew why he wanted to see me, his pal who had his vertebrae fused had died of a drugs overdose and he just couldn't believe it. Anyway he asked me if he could borrow the car to visit his grave which I gave permission. When he came back to mine he noticed all the furniture had been removed. WE had fish and chips then he showed me photos of where he was staying. He then told me that he was not supposed to show anyone this but he would show it to me. IT was his Identity Card, on it was his date of Birth and his photograph he then told me to turn it over and I was surprised but didn't show it for on there was a description of what he did. It stated Intelligent Service. Naturally I didn't tell him that I had been interviewed nor did I tell him that his pal called to see me a couple of times asking if I had heard from his pal saying that he missed him. I also didn't tell him that I guessed that they both had decided to go into the Army but naturally the lad with his back problems would never have passed his medical.
 I took him back to where he was stationed later that night and I have heard nothing more from him. I suppose he will have done his stint in the Army as this was 1992. More soon.