360. Driving again (5)

 So I called Miss R21 (new name earned by Muddy Boots, her boots are never muddy anyway working in hot summer weather and on rocks and cliffs and not in muddy fields or soggy woods).

'Hey mum! Why are you calling me? Any problems?'

I feel a little ashamed here, it is true I rarely call because when you call Miss R21 you need to have time ahead of you. Lots of time. If you don't and excuse yourself you get into trouble. She always complains to her grand-mother and her father that I rarely pick up. But hey I lead a busy life.

'No, I'm just calling ... just ... just to ...'

How can I diplomatically tell her that I am in the throes of having a daughter lose in the wild.

'All right.' I say, a little annoyed. 'I just want to see how you got on with the driving and the job ... and the driving mainly. Is the car in bits yet?'

Then I get the whole story, the long - slow - drive on the country roads and then on the motorway and then the - emergency kind of 😱 stop when the storm is upon her and the hailstones are tumbling down making a terrible racket. Then the arrival at the flat where the Ecuadorian flatmates are lovely and chatterboxes just like R21 (what a racket in that flat then) and then the slow careful drive from city center to office in suburbs among heavy, fast 😱 morning commute traffic. And then finally the office and locked gates and no pass.

'So I had to ask and then my boss came to the gate ... and he was like OMG a R21! With a 15! Honestly I do not know what he found the most incredible the vehicle or the registration. Anyway he was really nice and he showed me where to park and then he took me to meet the team. And then he introduced me to the team. This is (real name) and she drives a R21 registered 15 and they all burst out laughing and clapped as if this was some kind of big thing to have the 15 thingie, or was it the car thingie?'

It is ok I have time ahead of me now.

I got from the story that she had arrived (her and the car) in one piece and she was to work with lovely people who had a sense of humour and capable of out-of-the-box thinking. It was essential she said to think out-of-the-box and that's why they picked me. I did not say that did she mean eccentric?

'I drive like a pro, I even shout at people who really are dangerous on the road. I even beeped the horn. It's got a good beeping sound!'

I cannot believe she of all people is judging other people's driving! The cheek of her.' 

'I said I'm driving like a pro. It's the manoeuvring the problem.'

Definitely cheeky.

'The other day there were some icons lighting on the dashboard and so I told the guys at work and three of them came out and did a check of the oil and the water and the tyres. They said the oil is fine, it is the right consistency. Water ok. And the tyres I'll have to change them when I go to Italy.'

'Italy? You want to drive in Italy? Have you seen how they drive there?'

'I think I'll fit in. Speed is not a problem. The tricky thing is slow manoeuvring, you see if I go slow I stall and so it's hard to manoeuvre fast.'

I'd had enough for one night. Chamomile tea maybe would calm down my nerves, Just as well I was off alcohol.