The Adventures of Ol' Red & British Car Week
by Scott G. Helms
There once was a proud little shiny British car,
It was painted bright red and could be seen from afar.
The paint was brand new and the leather was fresh,
The mechanics were as tight as a clockmakers best.
Its owner was as happy as a man could be,
Because when he drove his little British car he felt so free.
Every time the two of them set out for who knows where,
They knew they could forget about their worldly cares.
They shifted through the gears with such great finesse,
And where they'd end up would be anyone's guess.
A loop-dee-loop here and a hairpin turn there,
The straight-aways were a rev-counter redline dare.
That old farm tractor-like engine would grunt and groan,
It would rattle the wall hangings inside any nearby home.
The roarty exhaust could be heard for many country miles,
It appeared to provide the lonely farm animals with some much-needed smiles.
The beautiful green landscape was a sight to behold,
Their bountiful journeys were full of stories to be told.
The road ahead was full of hidden treasures,
And theyd always choose the twisty roads just for good measure.
But then one day the owner heard a funny noise.
And put Ol' Red away in a dark place where it would lose its happy poise.
The lights were turned off and the fresh air was all but gone,
What was intended to be days turned into a period much too long.
Those long days turned to weeks, the weeks turned to months,
The months turned to years, and when Ol' Red would see daylight again wasn't
even a hunch.
All dusty and dirty, and so full of cobwebs,
Red spent years and years in that musty dark shed.
Most of his daily activity was watching two mice,
Crawl around the interior and eating away at his fuzzy dice.
The owner found other things to do with his spare time,
Twas about as exciting as collecting old dimes.
Then one day while flipping through British Car Magazine,
The owner saw a date for the annual British Car Week that took place during
the spring.
Ahhh, he could remember those days when he and Red had so much fun,
And he knew all he needed was a little bit of time to get some repairs done.
He could envision the fun of shifting gears,
Something he hadn't done in too many years.
The heel and toe driving skill that he had perfected,
He now felt real bad about the car he had neglected.
The warm summer breeze on his sun-kissed face,
A wonderful feeling that could never be replaced.
The beautiful blue sky provided by you know who from above,
Its all part of that great feeling of being as free as a dove.
Ol' Red took him places he'd never been before,
He owed that car dearly and now it was time to restore.
The next thing you know Ol' Red was being towed,
To a nearby place where he saw other cars in the same broken-down mode.
The sun was now beaming on its bright but faded red paint,
At last it was time to prove himself again and he just couldnt wait.
The warmth felt so good while the sun beamed its rays upon it,
Ol' Red knew he was being saved when the mechanic popped his bonnet.
The mechanic replaced this and then he adjusted that,
Then finally the fluids were changed and he was given a brand new thermostat.
With a simple turn of the key, and the starter button a poke,
The old tractor engine fired up with a bellow of black smoke.
The fire inside the engine was like a hot furnace blast,
And the owner hopped into the cracked leather seat with his heart pumpin'
fast.
The roarty exhaust reminded everyone within an earshot,
That this old car was still hotter than hot.
Given this second chance, he'd make his owner so proud,
And everywhere theyd go he'd draw a large crowd.
Even though Ol Red was much older than ever before,
He was now a classic and that meant much more.
Now they were having more fun than ever,
And they truly appreciated their restored life together.
Theyve made a commitment they promise not to sever,
Thats to celebrate British Car Drivers Week and pray for good weather.
British Car Drivers Week is the last full week of May every year
May 19 27, 2001
http://members.aol.com/trmgafun/britishcarweek.html
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