Dad sold his children six handmade WORLD’S BEST DAD mugs to give back to him on birthdays and Father’s Day.
The money would pay for more pottery lessons.
Then Tom rang to ask about a discount.
Dad put the call on speaker.
Mum listened as Tom explained which part of the present he wanted to leave out….
After his first pottery class, Len made a mug with a handle big enough for two fingers.
After the second, he made one that stood up.
By week six, he was taking orders.
His wife, Carol, asked where the customers had come from.
Word of mouth.
Whose mouth?
Mine. At Sunday lunch.
He spread six mugs across the kitchen table. Every one said WORLD’S BEST DAD.
Carol counted them.
You seem very sure of the result.
The customer chooses the words.
Who ordered that one?
Lucy.
And that one?
James.
And those four?
They’ve ordered ahead.
Carol picked up a blue mug. The letters leaned slightly downhill.
How much?
Ten pounds.
Did you charge the children?
They insisted on paying properly.
And you let them?
I can’t run a business on compliments.
Carol said she hadn’t realised the evening class was a business.
Neither had I until someone paid.
Len showed her his little order book.
Lucy had bought two. James had bought two. Their youngest, Tom, had bought the last pair.
Each had requested gift wrapping.
Carol read the delivery dates.
Your birthday. Father’s Day. Your birthday again.
Reliable customers, Len said.
You do know whose presents these are?
Of course.
You’re making your own presents.
It saves them having to guess what I want.
Carol asked whether he wanted six mugs.
I want another term of pottery.
She looked at the sixty pounds in the tin.
So the children are paying for your lessons and giving you back the results?
Len straightened the blue mug.
Handmade gifts mean so much more.
His phone rang. It was Tom.
Could he change his order?
Len said the clay was already dry.
Tom wasn’t asking to change the mug. He had a question about the price.
Carol put the call on speaker.
What question? Len asked.
Do you charge less if I don’t visit to watch you open it?
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