Probably the best garagiste in the world - Part 2

So there I was broken down by the side of the road with my wolfish best friend. My smart travelling salesman outfit - picture a banker on a team building weekend, chinos, pressed shirt and shiny semi trendy shoes - covered in muddy paw marks, icicles growing larger by the second on my fingers and no sign of anyone at Axa assistance finishing their cigarette break and coming to my aid. Things then got worse.

The snow come sleet come hail got harder, my movements slowed to the pace of an arctic adventurer making his final approach on the north pole and the wolf come dog broke free and attempted to commit suicide in front of a passing juggernaut which skidded across the ice rink of a road and collected my wing mirror as a momento of the occasion. A mad woman inexplicable yanked on her handbrake as she passed, turning her car like a Catherine wheel, before flinging the door open and gesticulating wildly.

“This is no place for a dog,” she screamed wildly, apparently unconcerned by my plight.
I shrugged, refrained from revealing my suspicions that my companion was in fact a wolf and bundled my furry friend in through the open door.

Now some readers might be wondering why this blog is entitled - probably the best garagiste in the world. To recap Bruno, the Lourmarin garagiste, sold me a 15 year old BMW, with the promise that it was far more reliable than my 19 year old model. Thanks to him I was now considering digging a snow hole by the side of the road. Fortunately, my wife, Tanya, had been thinking laterally. Winking orange lights approached.

“You’re Mr Ivey.”

I nodded trying to control my chattering teeth.

“Bruno sent me.”

Despite the overwhelming smell of garlic I felt like kissing my rescuer. Half an hour later I was dropped at my house, Bruno repaired my car free of charge, and I thanked the Lord that I’d bought the car from a local mechanic prepared to rescue me, instead of counting his profits like Axa.

And now as you will see from the adjacent pictures the blossom is out!