So you know when you're leaving to get to a theatre show on time or something, and you have one of those "on my way out the door" moments?

Like, on the way out the door I decided I had to go back and get a warmer jacket?

On the way out the door I remembered to check my diary and discovered the start time was actually the following Tuesday?

On our way out the door, the phone rang and I won the lottery and my life changed and I never got to go to the theatre show and I'm sorry I missed it can I take you out to dinner how do you like quail?

You know those ones?

Well, I had one of those today. I was on the phone to my dad. Remember, I'm an adult. My dad said, "Did you get your car checked out before you drive to Sydney in it?"

I said as follows: "Erm".

So on our way out the door, almost, to Sydney, in our car, I took it in to see the nice man who looks at cars for adults who should really think of things before their parents tell them to.

He checked the oil. He said as follows: "You replenish this much?"

I said as follows: "Erm."

He then poured some oil into the bit where the oil goes. You know in cartoons when someone is doing something and it is taking a long time - like when they're falling slowly off a cliff to crash onto a rock below - you know how the bad guy always looks at his watch and whistles by way of marking the glacial passing of time?

Yeah well he did that. He poured oil into that baby for maybe a year. Never has a car needed more oil in the history of automobiles.

So then he decided to check the brakes. He did so. He told me as follows: "It's a good thing you brought this in here. It certainly wouldn't have made it to Sydney without the brakes giving out".

I said as follows: giving out?

He said: yes. Your brakes would have stopped working.

I said as follows: yikes.

Which I followed up rather rapidly with: how much does that cost?

See, now, this is why, when you are good at one part of your life (writing, for instance) you should also be aware of the things you are not so successful at (for example simple mechanics and the ability to exercise forethought).

We may get to Sydney for our meetings. It's not THAT far to walk. Right?