long lost work mate

I lived all my early life in Devon before going to University in the MIdlands. My first job was in Bristol where in 1978, I met my future wife, who had lived there since birth. Eventually came the day when both sets of parents met for the first time. Her father was a pretty laid back sort, but I did notice a fleeting hard look at my dad when the first met. The moment was over in a second and no mention was made and it quickly passed my mind. Many months later I was fitting a speaker in my car and future father in law enquired about it. I said that my dad had given it to me, having been taken out from some telecom installation. Immediately he said that my dad worked for XYZ telephone company, which was correct. It emerged that they had briefly worked together in 1946 when future father in law was on a short transfer to Plymouth.