Mary Moyes was the chief telephone operator and Marion Brereton, June Petrie, June Stelmock, Jacquie Baillie and Lenore Morrissey were a few of the other "hello girls" that I recall. Morva was a good money manager and it was with her help on the down payment that I could buy my first car. Morva's parents, Jim and Olive did not seem to object to this plan, so arrangements were made to go car shopping in Vancouver. My prowess as a fix-it man had gained Olive's approval as her husband Jim and son Billy were not the handy-man types. She saved little repair jobs for me.

Campbell's Used Cars on Kingsway were the lucky sellers on my shopping trip. They sold me a beautiful 1938 McLaughlin Buick for $ 1,200, a good chunk of change for a ten-year-old car. World War Two had only been terminated three years prior and used cars were still in big demand. My knowledge of car buying at this time was kicking the tires and stroking my chin with a knowing look. Come to think of it, that is still the way I buy cars. Not very astute for someone that used to be in the business.

The winter of 1948 was quite eventful; much cold weather, sports events, and an extra heavy snowfall. At the holiday season, Morva and her family had Mavis Walton, her sister in name, staying with them for a visit. George Murray Jr. had also arrived in town for a break in his studies at the University of British Columbia. My Mom and Dad held their usual New Year's Party, of course Morva was invited and she brought Mavis with her for the festivities. Uncle George, Aunt Annie and George Jr.

attended also. When the evening came to a close, Morva, Mavis, George and I all walked down to the McCreight home on Voght Street. The girls were safely home, George went on to his parent's place and I returned to my home.

Very common and mundane happenings, lo and behold, Mavis and George got together for outings and dates after they returned to Vancouver. The university was the common ground as Mavis worked in the office there and George was a student.
Summer arrived again and George was in Kootenay Country gaining knowledge of the pill pushing industry and playing baseball in his spare time. He had the misfortune of breaking his leg quite badly, while playing a game; he arrived for a summer visit with a full leg cast. Mavis was again in town and George decided to give her some car driving lessons, to make use of their holiday time. I believe it was the turn into the Canford Sawmill off the Spences Bridge Highway that caused the trouble, loose gravel. Alas, the leg was broken again, poor George had a real bad, drawn out experience, getting that leg to heal properly. We were all together again during the Christmas Holidays at the end of the year. This time we were travelling in style, in the Buick with bald tires whenever the car stuck in the snow, Morva and Mavis got out and pushed, I drove and George with his leg cast would issue the instructions. We commented on this arrangement in later years with warm memories. Someone made the comment, "Typical men can't get anywhere unless good women are pushing them."