Page 100 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

THE STORY
On this particular day when our story developed, Albert needed to go into the town for
some reason and asked Michael if he could borrow his car. A beige 1800 “land crab”.
It was parked on the grass verge outside our yard and Albert proceeded to town.
It didn’t take him too long and on his return Michael was out somewhere.

Picture of Parking in Boston in Wide
Bargate, “The Green”. This is where
Albert had parked.

Albert left the car keys in our office and
happened to mention that Michael’s
fuel gauge was wonky as the reading
on the way home was far far less than
when he went into town. Albert went
off home for his rest.

In the meantime, I had taken Albert’s
lorry to some ‘way out’ farm in South Lincolnshire to load 10 tons of potatoes for another
Hobster delivery this next night and arrived back home shortly before Michael left for the
end of the day.
Michael came in for the car keys. Only a minute or two passed and Michael was back.
“Where’s MY car, “he exclaimed for all to hear!
“The car outside looks like mine but it isn’t! Apart from the key being stiff in the lock and
the colour being the same its registration is totally different!”

Michael was highly agitated. On his way home that evening he was due at the Police
Station in Boston to take vehicle documents after an “incident” in Grimsby when a drunken
driver ran into the back of a lorry he, Michael, was taking for annual test!

I phoned the police at Boston and asked if they had any reports about a car the same
colour as Michael’s but with a different registration.
“What can you tell me about this car?” Was the stern reply from the Policeman on the
desk!

So I began to tell him the story so far. “I know it sounds hard to believe but this is how it
goes! Etc “.
“I think Mr Whitehead (Michael) had better come straight to the Station with this car,” the
policeman insisted.
Michael managed with difficulty to get into the car with his key and start it up.

If you saw Albert, I know he would not mind me telling you that not much resists his
“touch”. Michael’s car keys had “almost” fitted this other car and Albert’s strong arm had
done the persuading!

The rest of the story we heard from Michael later in the evening.
His journey to the police station was uneventful, which was a surprise considering what
happened to that particular car’s actual owner even later in the day.
Michael produced the lorry documents he had promised to deliver originally and told the
story of Albert’s journey to Boston earlier in the day.

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