Granada,..As I looked at the big "G" while waiting to be seen, my mind was dabbling with Granada, Grenada, Grenadier, Grenade .."Bazookas!". My turn had come, my eyes now uplifted to meet the hazel green eyes of the delectable just 18 years old cashier Jennifer Sara Neale.
"Can I help you?" (Thinks .. maybe later you can). Taken aback, (and afront) I blurted out "I have an interview with Mr. Matt McGee". I had already done my "Tech" interview with the T.S. Graham Wakefield, this final meeting with the branch manager was to see if I would "fit in" locally.
A feeling came over me that I could with someone. It was a technically perfect interview, I was accepted into the fold, soon thereafter to proceed with my induction and my future seduction.
Alan Searle had a bad back, as a Senior Tech he needed my body parts to maneuver TVs from the storage racks to the work and soak test benches. Bob Parker (his 2 I.C.), had been seconded as chauffer to the now banned from driving Graham Wakefield.
The rest of the technical gang included Jeff Henley, Mike Lunnon and John Dekany. I was sent to head office in Bedford twice for training and to obtain my new certificates for Tech 2 colour technology, and then my special little blue tie presented when I had passed my Tech 4 grade.
Graham Wakefield, (area technical supervisor), had seen my potential and wanted to ensure I was on top wages as soon as possible. So here I was a fully integrated member of a team that included Matt Mcghee (manager), Wendy (manageress), Jenny Neale (cashier), Tony Hill (debts), Brian Neal (sales rep), oh, and Dot (yet another Dot) the cleaner.
My enthusiastic drive and self employment experience meant I was soon offered to sink my teeth into the role of 2IC, take charge of Tech calls loading, spares orders, computer punch dockets and stock levels.
This new golden opportunity to interact with the downstairs shop staff became my bonus, I was into bonus. The time soon arrived for me to be given petrol and new technical challenges.
I was instilled with the burning ambition to meet the 3,800 or so customers in our WB759 branch of the Granada Empire. Dispersed as they were in the wilds of Knowle, Totterdown, Knowle West, Hartcliffe, Hengrove, Whitchurch, Stockwood, Keynsham, Pensford and “the out of area” poached customer in infamous / famous "No Mans Land" twixt Saltford & Keynsham.
K.E.Y.N.S.H.A.M .. This little patch of England contained one previously mentioned (1964) Bachelor, one "Horace" to be specific. Secreted between Saltford and Keynsham in his PO Box he was; though not alone, (apart from his Housekeeper). He had a 25" GEC Hybrid Colour TV from us, on top of which stood a 24" B/W GEC, just in case the Colour went.
In those days Colour TV was very hot & very unreliable. (Not yet the cooler Japanese technology you see.). He was a recluse, had burnt himself out, his son was now running the Football forecasting business. Living in one small room with his bed settee & two TVs, he never spoke; only through his housekeeper.
After many visits he took me into his confidence and his inner sanctum, the entertainment room. Here were windows shuttered and barred and the Drinks Bar (from which everyone was excluded). Strewn around like confetti were Pastel Watercolour and Charcoal drawings of all subjects, his escape from Luxembourg.
Tandy Electronics had a shop opposite Granada in the Broadwalk complex, books from Intel littered the shelves, together with loose Data sheets (and the occasional loose woman).
The "Elektor" magazine was now my bedtime reading. I was by now also designing and building my first TTL gated input interface (ASCII character keyboard) and VDU ROM based Display character generator. Linked to an RF Converter and TV this set-up would give me a headache every time I looked at it.
I also had shares in the Veroboard company by now, and even more shares in Mr.Kiss`s shop on Lower Bristol Rd, Bath. He supplied endless ex-ministry PCBs full of 74 and Military 54 family TTL chips for cannibalisation. Another source then, in direct competition with Tandys offerings of reject and out of spec devices.
By now I had built a testing machine with LEDs to display the logical conditions present on 14 & 16 pin TTL chips pins. My days, (not my nights) now filled again with bright flashing lights and chips without fish.
My world was getting very simple now, a question of "on" or "off". I didn`t know how much longer I needed Granada spares and wages, but there was always a wanted bit of "spare" to be had.
If you had access to the code to "peek" and "poke" about a bit that is.
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