Pat Ritter. Books

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‘GIBSON SERVICE STATIONS’.
Hannah expressed with alarm.
‘Yes. I decided to register our business as GIBSON SERVICE STATIONS. I want same number stations as Sidney has properties.’ Joe announced positively.
‘Sorry Joe. You’ve been with Sidney too long. We’ll talk about this later when we’re alone.’
‘Time for me to go.’ Sidney shook hands with Joe, kissed Hannah on her cheek. ‘I’ll book into the hotel. Wait for my vehicle to be serviced.’ Sidney left.
‘Hannah. I need to service Sidney’s vehicle. I’ll be at the garage.’ Joe stomped from the house walked across the road to
GIBSON SERVICE STATION CUNNAULLA. His mind fixed on building his business from this garage. His two workers met him at the front counter. All shook hands in welcome.
‘Great to have you back Boss.’ Clive spoke first.
Joe looked around the newly constructed garage. ‘You both have been working flat out. I have a proposition for each of you.’ Joe asked sitting behind his desk.
Both men showed interest in what Joe about to tell them. ‘I want you both to work for me fulltime. We have orders for thirty-five motor vehicles to assemble. What do you think?’
Clive nodded, ‘You bet. I love working in town. Live with the missus and kids. Better than on a property. I’m in Joe.’ His mate agreed by nodding his head.
‘I’ll speak with Nat. Inform him of my decision to employ you both fulltime. We’ll be busy building these motor vehicles. Instead of constructing one at a time, I want to invent an assembly line. Put your thinking caps on. Produce something to make this business work efficiently.’

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Both nodded in agreement.
‘I need to service Sidney’s vehicle. We’ve travelled over country you wouldn’t believe possible. Not even a flat tyre. We’re on the right track gentlemen.’ Joe walked to Sidney’s motor vehicle, drove it over the service trench.
After servicing Sidney’s vehicle, he drove to the hotel parked and entered the hotel.
‘Here are your keys, Sidney. All done. Ready to go.’ Joe handed Sidney his keys. ‘Hi Alex.’
‘I want to order one of those contraptions.’ Alex replied.
‘I told Alex how well we travelled over the past couple of months. Didn’t have a flat tyre.’ Sidney expressed with confidence.
‘I better place my order for another thirty-six Ford motor vehicles. Takes six months for them to arrive. I’m assembling them more quickly than one at a time. Have my men working on ideas as we speak.’ Joe explained. Alex served him a tumbler of beer.
‘Before this next shipment arrives; you’ll have more orders to fill once word grows about GISON SERVICE STATION CUNNAMULLA.’ Sidney expressed with concern.
‘Another beer, thanks Alex. Another for my friend here.’ Joe indicated. ‘Only one slight problem with expanding my business. Hannah.’ Joe sipped his beer. ‘Sidney, do you talk with your wife about which property you want to purchase?’ Joe asked.

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‘No. My property, my decision. When you have a burning desire in your stomach which you have Joe, decide what YOU WANT!’ Sidney expressed in a stern voice.
‘I want this to work Sidney. Want Hannah and I to work together’.
‘Might turn out you may have to make the final decision. At this stage when a motor vehicle is mentioned everyone is frightened of the future. Who would’ve thought we’d be driving a motor vehicle at this time of our lives? Until you introduced me to my motor vehicle, drove over worst country in the land only convinced me of the future. I believe in you Joe, especially, your idea of GIBSON SERVICE STATIONS throughout the country. This is the beginning of your journey Joe?’ Sidney slapped Joe on the shoulder. ‘I better be off home.’
‘Don’t forget to order me one of those contraptions Joe.’ Alex called when Joe left with Sidney.
‘I’ll place the order now.’ Joe threw over his shoulder.
Joe arrived home. Hannah waited in the kitchen. ‘Sit down Joe. We need to talk.’ Her voice cut through Joe like a hot knife through butter. Joe sat at the table determined to listen to Hannah with a mind to explain his side of the argument.
‘What is it you want to discuss with me Hannah?’ Joe said in a clear concise voice.
‘This nonsense about GIBSON SERVICE STATIONS. You’ve been with Sidney Kidman too long. He’s filled your head with strange ideas.’ Hannah announced.

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‘They’re not strange ideas Hannah. This is the beginning of our journey to financial freedom. Wouldn’t you love to be in your father’s position? I need to do this Hannah. My heart and soul is filled with love for you and the children. Let me do this Hannah. I plead with you.’ Joe’s eyes filled with tears.
Hannah wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Hugged her husband. She’d never seen him react like this before. ‘I’m afraid Joe. We could lose everything.’ She stammered.
‘Do you think your father feared he would lose everything when he purchase nine properties a decade ago?’ Joe questioned his wife. ‘Look how that turned out. He’s the wealthiest grazier in south-west Queensland.’ Joe admitted. ‘Have a little faith in me?’
‘We are wealthy Joe. With the sale of ‘Tilbaroo Station’. My job as Principal at the school. We are wealthy Joe.’ Hannah tried to impress her husband.
‘Hannah. We would be wealthier beyond our dreams if you support my dream. This motor vehicle industry is at its infancy. I’ve already built the first motor vehicle. I can build hundreds even thousands. GIBSON SERVICE STATIONS will be in every country town across this State.’ Joe pleaded with Hannah.
Hannah released her hold on Joe. Sat down beside him. Looked him squarely in the eyes. ‘Do you think you can do this?’ She asked her husband sincerely.
Without hesitation Joe replied in a positive voice, ‘Work with me on this project. Please Hannah.’ She nodded. Kissed her husband on the lips.
‘You’d better be started otherwise you won’t make our fortune.’ Hannah smiled.

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After ordering another forty Model T Fords he walked across to his garage. Upon entering his two workers approached him. ‘We need to talk?’ Both said in unison.
‘Take a seat. We’ll discuss everything. Have you produced any ideas?’ Joe asked after everyone seated.
‘ Are our positions permanent here?’ Asked one of the men.
‘Sure, as I’m sitting here with both of you. I need to employ enough men to assemble this first order. We’ll be a factory of assembling Model T Fords. Nat and I assembled one in three days following instructions from manual sent by Henry Ford. I’m certain all three of us can do better.’ Joe finished.
‘When do the other crates arrive?’ Asked one of the men.
‘Should be on the rail now. I ordered thirty for Sidney Kidman. Ordered another forty before I arrived here. We’ll be busy.’ Joe explained.
‘Thought I’d find you here?’ Keith walked into the office. ‘Your crates arrived at the Goods Shed this morning. You’ll need men to load them onto wagons. One hundred and eighty crates in all.’
‘Wow! Thank you, my friend. We were discussing when the crates would arrive. Can you go across to the Blacksmith ask him for a loan of his wagons please.’ Joe directed both his men. They left.
Keith sat across from Joe. ‘This is your new business, Joe?’ Keith looked around.
‘Mate. You wouldn’t believe what happened. I met Sidney Kidman, wealthiest land holder in Australia. He purchased ‘Tilbaroo Station’. Went with him to his properties. Camped with Sidney on creek banks. Talked for hours about his empire. My mind filled with ideas.’ Joe expressed in an exited voice.

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‘You sold ‘Tilbaroo Station’?’ Keith said in astonishment.
‘Yes. At first, I hesitated. After camping with Sidney for a couple of days. He lite a raging fire in my belly to start GIBSON SERVICE STATIONS.’
‘Hannah is agreeable to your idea?’ Keith asked, astonished.
‘Yes. In the beginning she wanted me to think about my ideas. Now she’s excited as I am.’
‘My friend. I wish you the best of luck. Anything Daisy and I can do to help you succeed you can depend on us. We’ll enjoy our memories of ‘Tilbaroo Station’ particularly Christmas Dinner when we ate goanna.’ Keith ,laughed.
‘Much appreciated my friend.’ Joe shook Keith’s hand.
After Keith left Joe sat behind his desk pondering his future. His mind overloaded with ideas. To gain control Joe decided to record his ideas onto paper. Scribbling as fast as possible, jotting down each idea when they entered his mind. After filling sheets of paper, he heard a wagon pull up at the rear of his garage.
‘Where do you want these Boss?’ A voice echoed through the building.
Joe walked to the waiting wagon. Crates filled the wagon. ‘For a start let’s place them in rows at the rear. I have ideas of what to do. Count the crates.’ Joe asked.
‘We’ll be the remainder of the day bringing them here.’

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‘Right. Let’s stack them into rows. After we’ve gathered them all today. We’ll start to assemble them tomorrow.’ Joe instructed. ‘I’ll come with you.’
For the remainder of the day all three men transported crates from rail to GIBSON SERVICE STATION. Exhausted after delivering the final crate Joe farewelled his men until the next day.
Joe arrived early next morning to plan his day. Thoughts rushed through his mind. ‘Before I build a motor vehicle, I need to work out fuel to drive the vehicle.’ Joe pondered. Up until this time Joe depended on the local Chemist to make fuel for his only motor vehicle plus fuel sent by Henry Ford.
He opened a magazine on his desk. Read an article Neptune (Australia) Photos. John Kitchen and sons started Neptune. They bought petrol from Socony. Their petrol sold under brand Waratah. This information completed his thoughts on his issue of petrol.
Joe wrote a letter to John Kitchen outlining his ideas to assemble Model T Fords at GIBSON SERVICE STATION CUNAMULLA. In this letter Joe sought to become a distributor of fuel for Queensland. Eager to send his letter to John Kitchen, Joe folded the letter, placed the letter into an envelope, addressed the envelope, stood, walked briskly to the Post Office for mailing.
Returning to his work his men arrived. ‘What do you want us to do?’ Asked one of the men.
‘Nat and I assembled one Model T Ford in three days in the old stables at the rear of our house. I think with a little imagination we three can break the time down to one motor vehicle per day. What do you think?’
‘We’ll give anything a try Boss.’ Replied both men in unison. Both men had been collaborating with Joe on projects for years. They helped Joe assemble and instal overhead shearing equipment in Nat Young’s Shearing Sheds step by step. How different to assemble motor vehicles step by step, each thought.