Bugs in the car
I am a careful driver, at least I try to be, so I always stick to the speed limit, keep my eyes peeled for anything that might hinder my progress and where possible do my best to anticipate the actions of other road users and pedestrians. That apparently isn't enough. As I approached a road junction the other day, I started to brake well in advance, my foot went to the floor but the car didn’t slow down. At the same time a women emerged at speed from a side street oblivious to traffic, she looked in my direction and scowled but kept going, I did the only thing I could, I applied the hand brake and the car stalled to a stop. Now I maintain my car on a regular basis, I am lucky in that we have a fully equipped garage at work and two mechanics on hand to right any wrongs there might be on the company vehicles, So I know that my brakes failing wasn't down to neglect. The car was picked up and brought to the garage where it was discovered that the front brake pipe had been partially chewed through, eventually the pressure in the brake line was enough to rupture the pipe and I lost brake fluid rendering the brakes useless.
The culprit turned out to be next door but one's rabbit. The animal is allowed to roam about at will, as were its two friends, one of which died of a heart attack on my garden path when next doors dog tried to get at it. The other was torn to pieces when next doors dog actually did get at it. This had not however deterred the owner who believes that rabbits should not be denied their natural right of freedom to graze on any patch off green they wish. I had been aware that the rabbits used the underneath of my car to hide from dogs and kids, and most weekends my front garden was usually full of local children with handfuls of grass trying to tempt the rabbit out. This was annoying enough and I did complain to rabbit woman, but my complaints went unheeded, even when I reminded her that it was her liberal ideas on rabbit husbandry that had caused the death of two of her charges.
I am not an animal lover, but I would never hurt one, still the brake incident was serious, so I went round to rabbit woman’s house and informed her of my near miss. "So, what do you want me to do" she said, I managed to contain my anger, but told her through gritted teeth that if I found the rabbit under my car again, I would box it up, take it to the RSPCA and tell them It had been found wondering. As she closed the door she hissed "whatever" I lifted the letterbox and added "And report you"
Sunday morning as I made my first coffee of the day, I heard a commotion outside, apparently a group of kids had been chasing after the rabbit which ran across the road to escape them just as a car rounded the bend. The car wasn’t travelling very fast, but fast enough not to be able to stop in time. The result was that rabbit number three bought the farm and a little girl who ran into the road after it was slightly hurt. The driver was visibly shaken as was the little girl, but none of them had come off as worse as the rabbit. Eventually the little girl, who was by now crying uncontrollably, was taken home by one of the local mums. The car and driver went on their way, and the rest of the mob was left to argue about who would scrape the rabbit up and give it a decent burial, put it in the bin whatever.
I went back to my Sunday morning coffee safe in the knowledge that my car was no longer in danger of being eaten. I had barely enough time to finish my drink when there was yet another commotion from outside. I popped my head out of the front door to see several members of the little girl’s family brandishing pitchforks and firebrands converging on rabbit woman’s house. Ok so I exaggerated that bit, but it did put me in mind of the old Frankenstein films where the villagers form a mob and march to the castle gates intent on the monster's demise. I retreated into the house at that point; I had seen enough blood for one day.
The culprit turned out to be next door but one's rabbit. The animal is allowed to roam about at will, as were its two friends, one of which died of a heart attack on my garden path when next doors dog tried to get at it. The other was torn to pieces when next doors dog actually did get at it. This had not however deterred the owner who believes that rabbits should not be denied their natural right of freedom to graze on any patch off green they wish. I had been aware that the rabbits used the underneath of my car to hide from dogs and kids, and most weekends my front garden was usually full of local children with handfuls of grass trying to tempt the rabbit out. This was annoying enough and I did complain to rabbit woman, but my complaints went unheeded, even when I reminded her that it was her liberal ideas on rabbit husbandry that had caused the death of two of her charges.
I am not an animal lover, but I would never hurt one, still the brake incident was serious, so I went round to rabbit woman’s house and informed her of my near miss. "So, what do you want me to do" she said, I managed to contain my anger, but told her through gritted teeth that if I found the rabbit under my car again, I would box it up, take it to the RSPCA and tell them It had been found wondering. As she closed the door she hissed "whatever" I lifted the letterbox and added "And report you"
Sunday morning as I made my first coffee of the day, I heard a commotion outside, apparently a group of kids had been chasing after the rabbit which ran across the road to escape them just as a car rounded the bend. The car wasn’t travelling very fast, but fast enough not to be able to stop in time. The result was that rabbit number three bought the farm and a little girl who ran into the road after it was slightly hurt. The driver was visibly shaken as was the little girl, but none of them had come off as worse as the rabbit. Eventually the little girl, who was by now crying uncontrollably, was taken home by one of the local mums. The car and driver went on their way, and the rest of the mob was left to argue about who would scrape the rabbit up and give it a decent burial, put it in the bin whatever.
I went back to my Sunday morning coffee safe in the knowledge that my car was no longer in danger of being eaten. I had barely enough time to finish my drink when there was yet another commotion from outside. I popped my head out of the front door to see several members of the little girl’s family brandishing pitchforks and firebrands converging on rabbit woman’s house. Ok so I exaggerated that bit, but it did put me in mind of the old Frankenstein films where the villagers form a mob and march to the castle gates intent on the monster's demise. I retreated into the house at that point; I had seen enough blood for one day.
2 Comments:
Hi Dave, I've just had an entertaining few minutes reading some of your posts as I wait to go to the dentist - have thoroughly enjoyed myself laughing at someone else's expense for a change. I'm going to bookmark you as I think you probably qualify for close supervision, but please don't try anything till I get back from having my gums filled. I'd never forgive myself. Think there's only one "l" in "helpful" by the way. Take care, P
Thanks for your kind comments Pete, now I know someone is reading my miserable scratchings. Although I may appear accident prone I can assure you that the things you might read in my posts have happened over quite a few years. I hate dentists so I can sympathise with you there; my spelling mistake must have been a slip of the finnggere.
Take care yourself Dave
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