Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Alfie hates me

He can't forgive me for marring his beauty. He broke down in Sainsburys car park today.

Problem 1
I don't have the recovery service card with the telephone number on it.
Answer
Phone Younger Son.

Problem 2
I don't have a mobile phone.
Answer
Go and use the payphone in Sainsburys

Problem 3
I don't have any money.
Answer
Take the voucher that I forgot to exchange for the butter - that I bought especially because I had a voucher - to the Help Desk and ask them for money.

Problem 4
The payphone isn't working.
Answer
Ask the lady on the tobacco desk if there's another payphone. (There isn't but she lets me use their phone.)

Phone YS, get number; phone recovery service. Explain problem.
'And this is the white Beetle?' she says resignedly (it's the fifth time we've called them out recently).
'No, the white Porsche.'
'Okay, what model?'
'9 ... 44?'
'And the registration mark?'
Long silence.
'Hello? The registration mark?'
'I don't have a clue.'

Anyway the recovery man finds me and we both stare at the car. 'How do you open the bonnet?' he says, after inadvertently opening the boot. He wanders around while I stand and look fixedly at the bonnet, hoping mind over matter will do the trick.

Eventually the bonnet is opened and we both peer in. 'Can you see the battery?' he says.
I say, 'I know where it is on a Beetle.'

It turns out it's in the boot - under my shopping.

He was a very nice recovery man. Told me what to do next time and I got home fine.

While I was sitting waiting for him to arrive, I counted the number of times I have broken down in Sainsburys car park. I decided it was at least 6, including twice in the petrol station.


Perhaps if I insist on driving old cars I should rethink my refusal to own a mobile phone. But, hey, I get by.

And the lesson to be learned from today: it is possible to exchange money-off vouchers at the Help Desk after checking-out.

7 comments:

Anna said...

That is a useful lesson. But, also, you learned how to fix Alfie? I bet it was the silver paper that did it, right?

Anonymous said...

yes, get a mobile!!

i just had a hard time signing in, if you use beta you cant sign in like a normal person. weird.

Liz Hinds said...

Alfie's battery is sitting in a puddle of water. In Alfie.

The recovery man said to drain it so I tried sticking a hose in and sucking but I didn't have enough puff.

Joy Des Jardins said...

Some of my MOST frustrating times have been over car problems. Over the years...I've had plenty. I kind of feel the same way you do about mobile phones; but they DO have some pluses. Your situation would have been a time where it would have been a plus to have one. I hope Alfie will survive Liz!

Anonymous said...

I agree, Liz -- if Alfie's going to have temper tantrums, you definitely need a mobile phone.

By the way, you've been tagged to play the "Weird Game" at my place,
http://missbegotten.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Sucking the water from a (potentially leaky) acid battery is NOT a good idea :-(

People will be calling you Old Sourface next, and we don't want that do we? :-)

Liz Hinds said...

I hadn't thought of that, Stu. I'm going to get out my rubber gloves and go and tackle it now.