Author Description

Football fan Brian has decided to 'put away childish things' and embark on a career in Retail Management. His mentors are a drunken and possibly dishonest manager and his oily and self - serving deputy. Brian struggles to learn his craft against a background of chaos. He is accompanied by a cast of thieves, perverts and violent criminals and quickly learns that selling is only part of his role: Coping with the many unwanted diversions is equally important.His only helper is a silver - tongued Irishman called John Carney who has his own unique and often hilarious methods of problem - solving. Carney masks his considerable courage with a string of witty one - liners as he assists Brian and his equally inexperienced colleague Girish to get the job done. This is usually achieved with the minimum of interference from any authority figure.Brian's other objective is to improve his performance with girls. Learning his trade in a store with more than three hundred female staff would appear to be a good choice except that any form of personal contact is strictly forbidden. Nevertheless, Brian pursues the lovely but elusive Pauline relentlessly, despite being tempted by a very naughty nurse. A more mature lady also assists in his 'sentimental education' but this puts him in grave danger.The action occurs in England's third biggest city; a place which is much improved today but is still recognisable fifty years later.The story races on at a breathless pace and is set between the months of September and December 1969. It is told in a humorous but aggressive style which is true to the time and place.