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Friday 6th
I phoned Toby today and he was very surprised to hear that I had decided to return to England. I explained to him that since my departure I’d been inundated with enquiries about my well-being, and I eventually realised that I owed it to the violin world to make use of the considerable expertise and knowledge that I had acquired over a lifetime in the business. Also Rose kept complaining that she missed shopping at Marks & Spencer's and Tesco's.
Anyway Toby asked about my plans and I told him I was going to set up my own workshop, now that I’d become a celebrity violin maker. Hopefully I’ll be able to find a suitable location – a 15th-century converted chapel perhaps, or an old mill house with views over a lake… the sort of place that will get me featured on that page in The Strad. And I’m going to call it an ‘atelier’ so that I can charge even more for my instruments.
But in the meantime he’s agreed to let me use a corner of the shop until I get myself sorted out. Actually, I must say that he sounded somewhat reluctant – rather ungrateful I thought, after everything I’ve done for him. I had to remind him that he owed me a favour after that fiasco last Christmas with Ross Bingham and the Ventapane.
Monday 9th
Couldn’t sleep last night, so I decided to get an early start and went into the old shop. I still had my key so was able to let myself in. Very pleased to discover that my old work bench was in the shed…I was worried Toby might have taken it to the tip! It was quite a job to drag it into the shop and I had to make some rearrangements to get it back into its old place again (Toby’s bench ended up right over in the corner under the stairs).
My old kettle was in the shed too! It had a few extra dents, but was still working so I cleaned out the spiders, made myself a cup of tea and started to unpack my tools. Also arranged my essential supplies in the bottom drawer – a 12-year-old Ardmore and a 14-year-old Oban (and of course the bottle of Jameson's for visitors).
I decided to make a start on the centre joints for my next violin. I had The Gondoliers playing and was just making a nice pile of shavings when I looked up to see Toby at the door, with his mouth open. He was rather surprised… well, perhaps shocked might be a better word. For some reason he didn’t seem at all happy that I’d moved his bench.
Wednesday 11th
Both centre joints done now and I’m working on the rib structure. It’s like riding a bicycle really… once you have the knack it stays with you for life.
Toby’s very busy… he hasn’t had time to say anything much to me at all. He’s got a job for David M__ that has to be finished by tomorrow… a tricky crack repair, new fingerboard, peg bushes and a bow rehair. I thought I should offer to do the rehair for him – might as well make myself useful.
Jack called in… said it was just like old times seeing me back in my usual place in the shop. Toby quickly pointed out that it was only temporary.
Friday 13th
Oh dear… David M__ came in this afternoon in a very bad temper and got stuck into Toby. Apparently he was giving a performance of Haydn’s ‘Frog’ quartet last night and he’d just got to the amphibious part in the last movement, when the top wedge on his bow came out. Hair went everywhere. I tried to lighten the mood by making a joke about his bow having ‘croaked’, but no-one thought it was funny.
I was going to invite Toby for a drink at the Spotted Dog to celebrate my return but he rushed off right on closing time. But just before he left, he was walking past my bench and stopped to look at my progress. He seemed to take some delight in pointing out that my back centre joint had come open! And as he was leaving he made a vague comment about something being ‘past its use-by-date’.
I’d better stay back tonight and redo that back joint. I’ll just have a quiet whisky on my own. I do hope I haven’t made a mistake in deciding to come back.