I'll get my coat...

Elias Sagtrouser, Meccano and Simeon O'Blene were leaning up against the bar of the 'The Eight Bells' the other day, and while Meccano guzzled at some yellow drink with a chunk of lime stuck in the top, scoffed pork scratchings and incessantly babbled to some idiot on his mobile, Elias leaned across to me with a twinkle in his eye and told me what had happened that morning.

Three rogueish 'painters', who always paid cash, were doing a lash-up job locally, (for cash only again) and would call by first thing in the morning, to collect several gallons of the cheapest paint that Elias sold, white, and in big drums. Sometimes they even bought a paint brush, but not very often...

Elias is a lovely man; a stalwart to the construction business in times when pompous politicians and bankers waste precious resources, and cause great misery to a whole generation of good builders. However, times are tough, and Mr Sagtrouser will sell to anyone, as long as they pay.

Dave Ferret, Wayne Haywain, T-jay Noggis, and one of their brood, were picking up their paint for the day, and paid Meccano in the shop. Meccano is not very bright, in fact, he's as thick as two short planks, and while taking their money, he was also gibbering on his mobile phone to one of his squawking girlfriends, and didn't notice that he'd been given a fiver short.

Nevertheless, T-Jay, who was driving, decided to take the easy way out, rushed out to the waiting car, threw the paint containers in the back seat and drive out of the yard at some speed.

But he didn't see Mr Sandy Bletherington-Carstairs driving carefully into the yard, to buy a few nails for the barge boards on the stables...