AlisonH
Senior Member
I don't know if the W124 owner who came to my rescue Sunday morning is a member here, but if so, and he recognises himself, thank you again. You really saved the day.
As some know, I'm involved with an animal rescue support network and that includes a number of members with disabilities. Yesterday morning I set off with some thirty-two budgerigars in two crates loaded in the rear, and various other things destined for a rescue centre near London, although my leg of the journey was only from a little north of Cardiff, down the M4 to Magor services. There another disabled member and her friend had over-nighted and expected to meet me at noon. After that, I was supposed to go on to the army camp in Chepstow to collect an industrial sewing machine that was being loaned to the animal support group, and they were expecting me at 1.30pm and needed it out of the way before the battalion moved north and made way fro a different battalion to move in.
Well, just a couple of hundred yards from my house I realised something was wrong with the steering and that it felt like my old car had a puncture. With cars parked both sides of the road, the first available place to pull over just happened to be outside a house with a saloon version of my car. My son hopped out and prepared to change the tyre, which had acquired a plasterboard screw and was flat as a board, when, horror of horrors, we discovered the spare tyre had a split in the wall, and that really didn't look healthy!
I was sure that the owner of the house we had pulled up by had a second Merc that he kept for spares. We had chatted casually a couple of times in passing and exchanged some plants, but didn't really know one another. However, I decided to knock his door on the offchance he'd an extra spare wheel he could either sell or loan me. I explained my situation and how so many people were depending upon me to be in particular places at specific times. Although he didn't have an old Merc for spares, instead he very kindly loaned me the spare wheel from his own car to help the cause.
What a lovely, generous man. His kindness enabled all to take place as planned - even on time - and the budgies (many whose previous, elderly owners had died or gone into care) made it safely to their new, heated aviary quarters.
After a really terrible week on many fronts, that W124 owner really restored my faith in human nature.
(Oh, and for any doubters, I did remember to return the spare wheel, plus a 'wee dram' at the time arranged. :wink: )
As some know, I'm involved with an animal rescue support network and that includes a number of members with disabilities. Yesterday morning I set off with some thirty-two budgerigars in two crates loaded in the rear, and various other things destined for a rescue centre near London, although my leg of the journey was only from a little north of Cardiff, down the M4 to Magor services. There another disabled member and her friend had over-nighted and expected to meet me at noon. After that, I was supposed to go on to the army camp in Chepstow to collect an industrial sewing machine that was being loaned to the animal support group, and they were expecting me at 1.30pm and needed it out of the way before the battalion moved north and made way fro a different battalion to move in.
Well, just a couple of hundred yards from my house I realised something was wrong with the steering and that it felt like my old car had a puncture. With cars parked both sides of the road, the first available place to pull over just happened to be outside a house with a saloon version of my car. My son hopped out and prepared to change the tyre, which had acquired a plasterboard screw and was flat as a board, when, horror of horrors, we discovered the spare tyre had a split in the wall, and that really didn't look healthy!
I was sure that the owner of the house we had pulled up by had a second Merc that he kept for spares. We had chatted casually a couple of times in passing and exchanged some plants, but didn't really know one another. However, I decided to knock his door on the offchance he'd an extra spare wheel he could either sell or loan me. I explained my situation and how so many people were depending upon me to be in particular places at specific times. Although he didn't have an old Merc for spares, instead he very kindly loaned me the spare wheel from his own car to help the cause.
What a lovely, generous man. His kindness enabled all to take place as planned - even on time - and the budgies (many whose previous, elderly owners had died or gone into care) made it safely to their new, heated aviary quarters.
After a really terrible week on many fronts, that W124 owner really restored my faith in human nature.
(Oh, and for any doubters, I did remember to return the spare wheel, plus a 'wee dram' at the time arranged. :wink: )
