Some things happen so regularly and so easily that you take them for granted, until...
My wife phoned and asked if I could pick her up from work as she had so much paperwork to bring home one evening (the troubled life of a primary school teacher).
Of course I leaped into the car, and was on autopilot as I headed up the road, looking forward to seeing Nicky after a day apart.
But after pausing at the road junction to check for traffic, the car gears wouldn't engage.
D’oh!
Despite turning the car off and restarting (works with the computer) the fault was not fixed. The looks from other motorists I was holding up didn't help :(
I had to phone a friend.
My 16 year old son.
He came and rescued me, helping me to push the car into a space beside the road…it was going nowhere.
As I write the story has not ended.
Yesterday I paid for a guy to collect the vehicle. The last time I saw it, it was being taken away on the back of a truck to a local garage.
I'm still waiting for the mechanic to phone with the news of what is wrong, and what it will cost. I'm preparing for the worst - a new clutch!
I've always been grateful for the bus service in Ealing.
I'm also grateful that Tesco delivers.
I'm grateful that I get to work from home.
I've just remembered the car belongs to my wife - so it is no longer my worry.
