Filed under: 2007
Who buys a car that blows up after being driven for half an hour? Tom, that’s who. Pete from the AA laughed as the engine overheated in neutral, the bumper seemed to be stuck on with airfix and the fog lights weren’t even wired in. He’d have cried if he could have seen the engine, but the bonnet was stuck.
Our great idea for getting to Calais, now that the car was out, was to get a lift from Billingsgate fish market in Canary ‘Oh my God it’s a long way’ Wharf. Unfortunately all the French trucks left before we arrived. Fortunately, Pearse got to see a handgun transaction taking place which made his night.
This leaves me wondering how to go south. What do you think we should do? Or, bearing in mind the Big Lebowski car theme, should that be ‘What would the Dude do?’.
I’ve been asked to dedicate the rally to my friend Pippa’s father, Peter, who died of cancer just a few month’s back. She’s in Australia so unfortunately I didn’t get the text with the news that her father had carked it. Meantime, I see her new photo on Facebook and write to tell her “Your new profile photo makes you look depressed”.
Response : “My Dad died yesterday”.
So this rally goes out to you, Mr. Druce. I’ve asked Pippa to send a photo so that we can have you riding on our dashboard for a final journey, after your final journey. If you’re anything like Pippa (and by the way, well done on growing her – she’s great) you’ll be good company.
I’ll also co-dedicate the rally to Julia Luard, my friend Dave’s mother. Apparently she was very serene when she went, convinced that she was off to a ‘tea party in the sky’. Whenever I went to their farm in Somerset she’d be smiling and was the kindest person you could imagine.
My heart really goes out to both of you OK, enough of the platitudes.
Your parents died.
It will be a bit shit forever.
But you’ll have them forever in amazing bittersweet memories. Get used to crying with a smile on your face because, in those moments, Peter and Julia live on.
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I’m open to sponsorship at www.justgiving.com/tomshelleyrallier.
