Hello, dear reader!
They say kindness costs nothing. I’m a great believer in that.
True, there are some people who will take advantage of kindness, or see it as some sort of weakness, but we have names for people like that. Names I’ll refrain from detailing, lest delicate eyes are reading.
You see…kindness.
Last night was a case in point.
Dickory Dock
To set the scene, Tina and I were meeting up with friends. A lovely bunch of people Tina met through her therapy group. The place was Hickory’s Smokehouse in Huddersfield, an American diner/bar type establishment. The occasion, well that was mainly a catch up and a chin wag.
We’ve been to Hickory’s before, perhaps a month or two ago, but that was just a lunch date for me and my marvellous Mrs. We’d never been there on an evening. Never been there for a drink.
Well, we have now.
Key Concepts
The weather being clement, we sat outside, and thanks to a very friendly bar manager, we got involved in a conversation with a nearby table (well, the people sat at the table, anyway. In my limited experience, bar furniture isn’t all that talkative). One of the guys was disabled (No, I don’t know the name or full nature of his disability. It’s not a question that ever needs to be asked) and the bar manager bloke had some experience with his dad having mobility problems, so talk naturally, revolved about that.
Well, we have now.
Key Concepts
The weather being clement, we sat outside, and thanks to a very friendly bar manager, we got involved in a conversation with a nearby table (well, the people sat at the table, anyway. In my limited experience, bar furniture isn’t all that talkative). One of the guys was disabled (No, I don’t know the name or full nature of his disability. It’s not a question that ever needs to be asked) and the bar manager bloke had some experience with his dad having mobility problems, so talk naturally, revolved about that.
At this point it was just me and Tina at the table, the rest of the gang being fashionably un-early. The two guys made their way back to the car, put the disabled lad’s (and yes, I have forgotten names, you can blame bourbon and a memory like a whassisname for that) walking frame in the boot and promptly locked the keys in with it.
A dilly of a pickle.
The non-disabled guy (they were brothers, we later found out), a man who bore a striking resemblance to Samuel L Jackson, came back to grab a chair for his sibling, and we found out what had occurred. With Tina’s prompting I went to see if there was any help I could give.
Musical Chairs
Now, I’m no mechanic, far from it, but there were two things I could help with. The first was to provide a number for the RAC Motability helpline.
A dilly of a pickle.
The non-disabled guy (they were brothers, we later found out), a man who bore a striking resemblance to Samuel L Jackson, came back to grab a chair for his sibling, and we found out what had occurred. With Tina’s prompting I went to see if there was any help I could give.
Musical Chairs
Now, I’m no mechanic, far from it, but there were two things I could help with. The first was to provide a number for the RAC Motability helpline.
Being a disabled driver myself, this is something I’ve used before and had the contact details for. One phone call later and help was on its way (or so we thought). ETA 60 to 90 minutes.
The next bit of help I could proffer was the temporary use of my wheelchair. As I mentioned, a chair had already been provided for my disabled friend, but it did leave him sat next to his car and fair game for the gawk squad. A relocation back to the beer garden and the refreshments and lack of staring it provided seemed a better option. So, after the usual dance of polite refusal and concern for temporary inconvenience, we swapped seats and operation relocation began.
Now, that should have been the end of the story, but sadly, it wasn’t. As Tina and I joined up with our friends for a nice and, thanks to one of the gang being a Hickory’s employee, discounted meal, the clock ticked on and no RAC van arrived.
Window Of Opportunity
At around the two hour mark, I went back over to the brothers, and asked what was occurring, but they were as baffled as me. I suggested giving them another ring, and they did, only to be told the RAC couldn’t help because locking your keys in the car comes under home insurance (I’m not sure if this is because the house keys were on the same fob).
It meant the two hour plus wait was in vain. It also meant the friendly bar manager (I think his name was John) came back into play. With the help of a claw hammer a window was broken, the glass cleared and the snake-hipped publican gained entry and got the keys.
It will probably mean some expense. Having worked in insurance, firms love a get-out-without-paying-up card and breaking into your own car sounds like an ideal excuse. The main thing is that the boys got home and there wasn’t any pressing need for medication or any other timely matters to consider. Leaving a motorist, let alone a disabled motorist, in that position for two hours before telling them you can’t help is not on, though.
Break Glass In Case Of Emergency
Now, that should have been the end of the story, but sadly, it wasn’t. As Tina and I joined up with our friends for a nice and, thanks to one of the gang being a Hickory’s employee, discounted meal, the clock ticked on and no RAC van arrived.
Window Of Opportunity
At around the two hour mark, I went back over to the brothers, and asked what was occurring, but they were as baffled as me. I suggested giving them another ring, and they did, only to be told the RAC couldn’t help because locking your keys in the car comes under home insurance (I’m not sure if this is because the house keys were on the same fob).
It meant the two hour plus wait was in vain. It also meant the friendly bar manager (I think his name was John) came back into play. With the help of a claw hammer a window was broken, the glass cleared and the snake-hipped publican gained entry and got the keys.
It will probably mean some expense. Having worked in insurance, firms love a get-out-without-paying-up card and breaking into your own car sounds like an ideal excuse. The main thing is that the boys got home and there wasn’t any pressing need for medication or any other timely matters to consider. Leaving a motorist, let alone a disabled motorist, in that position for two hours before telling them you can’t help is not on, though.
Break Glass In Case Of Emergency
I don’t know if the issue is with the first or the second operator the brothers spoke to, but it seems to me that, somewhere down the line, there’s been a massive failure of communication which has caused a lot of distress, a lot of frustration, and one broken window.
Still, at least I know I did what I could. Not that I’m bragging about that. No, that’s not the point. I’m not trying to claim any sainthoods here, nor am I putting myself forward as citizen of the year. The little I could offer, and the potentially life-altering break and enter from the manager (John? I think it was John. Whatever his name, Tina did warn him to watch his manhood as he was climbing in) made no material difference to either of us in the end. I know it meant a lot to two frustrated, angry motorists, though.
Hey, there! If you enjoyed reading any of the above, why not take a look at some of my published work? Below you’ll find links to a number of short stories I’m lucky enough to have included in anthologies. I’d love to know what you think.
New Tales Of Old
Death Ship
Pestilence: Drabbles 1
Reaperman: Drabbles 3
The Musketeers Vs Cthulhu
Eldritch Investigations
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Hey, there! If you enjoyed reading any of the above, why not take a look at some of my published work? Below you’ll find links to a number of short stories I’m lucky enough to have included in anthologies. I’d love to know what you think.
New Tales Of Old
Death Ship
Pestilence: Drabbles 1
Reaperman: Drabbles 3
The Musketeers Vs Cthulhu
Eldritch Investigations
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