The long and winding road.....

[Ray]

Hi all, This weekend my car club, Spokes, took part in a multi-make car show featuring an indoor venue. The weather was a little English that day, so I kept the side curtains up on the drive out. Who would have thought what great frisbees they make when large trucks pass at 85 MPH? But that's a sub-story...... Arriving at the arena where the show was held, our Club set up our placards and stands, placed the cars, and broke out the stolen hotel towels to put a shine on our little friends. The show was a two day affair, and the TB collected much comment and praise. My wife took a lot of time, as did I, to explain to twenty-something's that MG was a car company still making a car called, oddly, the MG. We talked up the proud history of the marque, and mentioned some of the folks who started the company years ago. We explained that "MG" [i]really[/i] stood for "Mighty Good"! We felt pretty good about the whole affair, especially when the judges came by to inspect the cars, and all the switches performed their jobs with alacrity. Poked and prodded, the little red car took it all in stride. We were fortunate to win First Overall in class. With everything packed away, we pulled out into the late afternoon sun for the ride home. My wife had suggested a more scenic route, instead of the Interstate, so off we went, just the three of us. A winding two lane road was selected, and the MG gearbox snicked from gearchange to gearchange as each push or pull took us further from the beaten path. All was well until the Right Turn. It was one of those occurrences that when you look back on it you really cannot put your finger on just [i]why[/i] you did what you did.....at the time it just looked like the right thing. A choice of right or left.... Forty minutes later, my wife, good sport that she is, asked in a nonchalant voice if I was sure that this was the way home. Of course I was, I assured her in my best no-problem voice. Somehow, though, that last one lane underpass didn't look quite right...... We continued onward! Darkness comes fairly quickly in the Tennessee hills, and soon it was time to switch on the lights. A quick flick of the wrist, and a blinding (perhaps adequate is the word) column of light appeared ahead- for about ten seconds. Having left my Butler trouble light at the house in case it decided to grow legs at the show, I had only ambient light with which to work. With a great deal of trouble I was able to resurrect only the side lamps and tail lamps, much to my chagrin. (Hon, look how useful these original tools are on the side of the road"). That familiar-to-men ugly noise came from the cockpit..."Are we lost?" My wife knows that I am a charter member of the Manly Men Who Never Ask For Directions club, and she usually waits until there is no doubt before complaining.......in this case, I was saved(?) by the fact that there was no-one to ask. She was not amused. It was getting dark now; dark like one of those old Hammer films where the sun visibly fades as the vampire hunters hurry toward the castle. I shared what they must have felt.... We turned around, and began to search for the route home. It took over two hours to cover what is, at most, a mere twenty miles from the show site to our house as a crow flies. During this trip, the cockpit turned from a warm and friendly place, to a frozen spot in a dark hell, as cars coming in the opposite direction pretended - pretended I say!- not to see us until the last millisecond before swerving back onto their side of the road. All the while my wife's mute face spoke volumes. The very road itself underwent a change from a beckoning siren to an raddled hag, with slavering police waiting in the shadows to ticket me for driving without lights! I have difficulty remembering just when I have been so glad to see our house appear. I felt a surge of relief as the hood (bonnet) of the MG threaded down the short driveway and lead us into the brightly lit garage. I believe I may write a sternly worded letter to Mr. Lucas tomorrow, but for now a glass of Dalwhinnie is a much appreciated thing! Best Regards, Ray "Remember- It's the collision with the planet that counts!"

[LuckyFloridaLin@aol.com]

Spooky story- Thom Collins