As I Currently Don't Have Anything All That Interesting To Say.....

.....ladies and gentlemen, I bring you:

The Sad, Sad Tale Of The Broken Window Motor.

I wrote this a long time ago, inspired by an hour and a half long journey in my aunt’s car, back from visiting my great aunt in Cannock. Enjoy...

~~~~~

It was a dark and stormy night.

(...well, in actual fact it was a brisk and sunny autumn afternoon, but that is neither here nor there...)

The heroines of the tale, Mum; Aunt Amanda; and Alice; were sat in Aunt Amanda's car as it tootled its way home from a successful visit from Great Aunt Betty’s. The overall atmosphere in the car was jovial and jubilant. Everyone was happy. Life was good.

     And then: It Happened.

Alice, feeling a little hot, said; “I’ll just open the window”.

Pressing the button, the motor sprang into action, and there was a WZZZZT sound. The window opened far faster than Alice had anticipated, causing her to let go, but she did not read too much into that. It often did such things, and so at that moment there was no cause for concern.

“Oops, silly me”, said she.

She pressed the button again, this time to go UP instead of DOWN.

      Nothing happened.

“Odd,” says Alice. 

She pressed the button again, and then again, and again. 

     .....It was after the fifteen press of the button that she began to get concerned.....

“- um -” admitted Alice, eventually; “the window doesn’t seem to be working...?”

The others were also concerned, but as they were currently tootling down the A460 at 60-70mph, there was not a lot that could be done about. 

     Upon returning home, Aunt Amanda and her husband (Uncle Guy) wrestled with the offending window, and managed to get it up and closed again.

So! Alls well that ends well, I hear you say.

Not so, says I! 

     For there is, alas, more.

Several weeks later, another visit to Great Aunt Betty was arranged. 

     Remembering the window, Alice made a joke about not touching it and the other occupants of the car (this time Granddad as well as Mum and Aunt Amanda) laughed, and off they tootled to Cannock.

     The journey there and the visit were successful, just like last time. The overall atmosphere in the car as Aunt Amanda began backing out of Great Aunt Betty’s drive was jovial and jubilant. 

     All were happy. Life was good.

It was as the car finished its three point turn and prepared to drive off that It Happened.

     The windows, you see, were all steamed up, and Alice and Granddad couldn’t see Great Aunt Betty as she stood ready to wave them off. So instinctively (and most definitely without thinking) Alice leaned over, and pressed the button to open the window, so that those sat in the back could see her properly.

     As soon as she had done it, she regretted it. 

     Almost instantly she removed her finger, but it was too late. 

     WZZZZT went the motor. 

     Down went the window, fast and unstoppable. And there, down, it stayed.

She clicked and she pleaded and she threatened, but to no avail: there it was and it flat out refused to go back up again.

     Alice was guilty. Alice was sorry. The other occupants of the car were sorry too, but not particularly concerned, and certainly not as sorry as Alice, who had to sit close beside a fully open window being rained upon on a dark and stormy night (really, this time).

Five hours later, the car is back at Aunt Amanda’s and has been for some time, but in this instance there is unfortunately no happy ending.

      Despite their best efforts, Aunt Amanda and her husband (Uncle Guy) could not get the motor working again. The window was well and truly stuck and intended to remain that way, forever more.

And there you have it.

     As of this moment the motor is dead, the left hand passenger seat is open to the elements (which at this point in the year are not hospitable), Aunt Amanda is facing the prospect of taking the car to a garage, and Alice is feeling very, very sorry indeed.

And there, on that melancholy note, endeth The Sad, Sad Tale Of The Broken Window Motor.

~~~~~

Alice x