A horse maybe?

You won't believe it, I didn't...... well actually given it's history you probably will.........the exhaust fell off PG's car last night, not three days since the last car catastrophe!

This damnable vehicle was returned to us a few days ago with it's last problem (a distinct inability where starting was concerned) fixed and a jovial promise from the mechanic that there is nothing left to go wrong with it, we have had almost every part of any significance replaced over the last year.....the exhaust included!

Despite all this, at about the time I was expecting PG to arrive home from a late shift at work last night I instead got him somewhat disgruntled on the phone, accompanied by the God awful sound of his pipe dragging along tarmac and the engine blowing straight through! He was not a happy man I can tell you.

"I'll get nicked driving this" says he,
"well pull it off then" says I,
"I can't" says he
"Why not?", says I
"It's too bloody hot" he says,
"Well stop and wait for it to cool down" I suggest,
"No" I wanna get home", is the response,
"Well get nicked then," I somewhat un-sympathetically offer.

Point made, he stops and waits a while and treats me to the inevitable tirade of verbal abuse aimed at the car in the meantime.

"Is it cool yet" I ask,
"yes" is the reply ..... "but I can't get the ******(expletive deleted) thing off"
"Well pull harder"
"I am!!....its fixed on with a rubber 'thing' that I cant break"

Ok.....this is 15 stone of strong man and rubber has defeated him?

"Use a knife" I suggest rather obviously,
"I don't have one" is tersely replied.

PG I might add, owns various 'Leatherman' tools among other gadgets but it seems none are about his person nor in his car!

"Ok........ just drive home, it's the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere, I think the likelihood of the police being in attendance is slim!!"

And so home he comes, dragging the exhaust in his wake with an unearthly clatter, a knife we find and the offending part is removed.

This may all seem quite unimportant but out here where public transport is virtually nil and we both work shifts, a car each is not a luxury, if it were we would most definitely not have two and the incumbent running costs. Thankfully a new pipe was fitted this afternoon just in time for him to get to work but of course it bought with it yet another bill! I dread to think what this car has cost to keep on the road over the last 12 months. It is by no means new but it is not archaic, I think we have a classic 'Friday afternoon' car here and I'm beginning to think a horse instead, might be a good idea!