Aerial?

I spent a large part of my day sat in a garage - masked up, of course - and working while a mechanic sorted out Dan's car. I brought it in for a service recently and there were a couple of things that needed doing: a leaking seal and a bit of welding on the exhaust. They also mentioned the tyres were getting a bit "low" so I decided I should get those done, too.

Anyway, I settled down behind my laptop having been warned it would all take two or three hours, which was fine, and the time was helped along by being offered the occasional coffee.

The first problem was the exhaust. The welding was not going to do the trick and they'd need to fit a new one. Well, I had been warned that was a possibility, so I said sure, go right ahead. They looked quite relieved at this, so I'm not sure what reaction they usually get.

Then the service manager came out to say there was something to do with the seal that was going to cost a bit more and she was wringing her hands in a way that suggested the car was getting close to being a write off but it was just an extra £15.

And then, when they came to replace one of the tyres, it turned out that the wheel rim was rusted and would need replacing. They were in absolute agonies by this stage and insisted on taking me through to the workshop to see it. And it was, indeed, rusty.

At some point I took a breather from work and the escalating costs and went out to enjoy the sunshine and have a chat with Steve on the phone. There was something about the blue sky, the chill in the air, and this aerial (or whatever it is) that put me in mind of my trips to Berlin with the Minx.

****
Reading: 'Jews Don't Count' by David Baddiel