Chapter Three Summer Rain
When I wake up, I’m still high on life and the prospect of tomorrow night’s party. These things alone would have had me leaping out of bed with the gaiety of a Disney princess anyway but when I open the curtains, the change in weather delights me just as much and I’m giddy with excitement.
‘Rain, hurrah!’ I cry out to no one at all.
Good old Mother Nature has blessed all travel agents by giving us the cold, wet Manchester we know and love just before the May bank holiday. I get dressed quickly and head straight for the shop, picking up a coffee en route. Weather like this reminds people that they need to go abroad for their sunshine guarantee and will mean an absolute bumper day for sales. I positively skip up the high street and see that the shop over the road now has posters up declaring: ‘LAUNCHING SOON’.
I must let Charlie know. He’s out visiting some hotels this morning, so I get into the shop as quickly as I can and fire up the computer screen. Josie walks in, flicking the raindrops off her brolly.
‘Knew you’d be in early with this weather,’ she says. ‘Have you seen the sign over the road?’
I nod, not being able to talk through a mouthful of cappuccino and a foamy moustache. I lick the chocolatey milk off my lips and then say, ‘It sounds quite exciting, doesn’t it? I can’t wait to find out what it’ll be.’
I swirl my computer screen round to show her what I’ve been doing — reviewing all the last-minute break options that are still out there. When customers arrive looking to escape the wet conditions we’ll give them enough ideas to get the sale, but not so many that they still keep shopping around — people like easy decisions.
‘Lisbon or Marrakech for city breaks, then—’ Josie reads the availability — ‘and maybe still the Canaries or Greece for a week of lying on the beach?’
‘Of course, you know where the best beaches are,’ says a voice. I look round and see Michael entering the shop with some coffees.
‘Northumberland,’ he continues, ‘remote and beautiful.’
‘I agree but we’re not going to sell many north-east breaks when it’s like this.’ I’m very happy to see him and smile at his idea of a good holiday. He does have that wild Heathcliff vibe and I can really see him on the windswept coast even if I can’t see my customers there. ‘What brings you here?’
‘I came round to the house to take you out to breakfast but you’d already left.’ He holds out bakery bags. ‘So I brought breakfast to you ― both of you obviously.’
‘That’s so sweet,’ says Josie, taking one of the pastries.
‘It’s lovely.’ I get up and give him a peck on the cheek. ‘I might have to keep you.’
He blushes then sits on the edge of my desk, sipping his own drink.
‘So how’s the cricket season going?’ asks Josie, knowing that he loves the sport but also knowing full well that the England team is being tanked by Australia this year — or so they both keep telling me.
Michael perks up ready for some banter about his favourite subject. No matter how lovely the gesture, I can’t have Josie distracted and risk missing this morning’s potential sales. I invested in Mercury Travel last year and became a partner alongside Charlie, but it’s not just my livelihood: it’s my absolute passion. As I told Patty last night, I do love this business and I know we’re going to have a bumper day, selling lots of trips and having a good laugh with all our customers. I’m on a high just thinking about it.
‘Guys, we really need to get on. This is going to be such a busy day.’
Michael jumps up, apologizes and starts clearing up the paper bags and cups.
‘I’m sorry,’ he says, ‘and I have to be getting to work, too. See you tomorrow, gorgeous.’
He’s too nice and I instantly feel like the wicked witch of the west. Nevertheless I really need to get on. I blow him a kiss and get straight back to my screen.
The day is every bit as frantic and fantastic as we imagine, with customers coming in wearing big coats and weary looks. We’ve turned up the heating so they don’t want to leave. We’ve got hot chocolate on the go and a little bit of music in the background. The shop is oozing charm today. Charlie taught me all this. Customers aren’t just booking a trip — they’re taking a break from the stresses of the day. If today’s stress is extreme cold and wet, then we have to be the antidote. I make them comfortable and then take time to understand what they’d like — culture, luxury, great food — there’s always something that would just make the trip perfect and if you listen to people, they’ll eventually tell you. Josie always says she can look at a couple and tell what sort of trip they’d like even before they know it themselves. I’ve heard her wheedle information out of people on many occasions.
‘Is that the new Apple? Wow, you’re ahead of the curve,’ she might start off like a would-be mentalist. ‘You must like a great buzz then? Well I’m telling you, South America is THE place right now, especially Lima. Not many people going there yet but come next year, everyone will want to go. You should get in first while it’s still pretty raw.’
Whether customers book up just to get her to stop talking or because Josie has been spot on in her analysis, I couldn’t say, but she’s got a great hit rate. She’s at it now selling Lisbon as a destination, not that it needs much selling — culture, wine, sun and sea — what more could you want? I notice the customers who are waiting to be served listening in on the sales pitch and sure enough, when it’s their turn to be served, they ask to hear about the same trip. If the whole of Manchester turns up in the Portuguese city next month, I think it may be our doing.
The morning is every bit as lively as we expected and after lunch, as the early afternoon rolls in at a more sedate pace, we relax a little. Charlie returns and starts telling us about all the deals we’ve been offered. They look fabulous, so later this afternoon we’ll get back on the phone to let people know about them. Today is a good day. Charlie puts on his happy music (he actually has a list on Spotify called Charlie’s Cheery Chunes — we’re currently being serenaded by Bill Withers doing ‘Lovely Day’) and we have a little bop around the office.
We’re stopped in our tracks by an extremely smart-looking man who walks through our door and stands in the shop taking in the décor without uttering a word.
‘Oops, sorry. Can we help you?’ Charlie asks, gasping for breath.
‘I’m Lorenzo.’ He holds out his hand. ‘I’m opening the shop over the road.’
‘Oh, hello,’ says Charlie, genuinely happy and welcoming. We each take turns to shake Lorenzo’s hand. ‘Good to have you aboard. We’ve been trying to guess for weeks what kind of shop it’ll be.’
‘I’m surprised you haven’t heard by now. I’m opening a travel agency.’