Did Arthur learn to drive? Probably not, you may think. But Mr Taylor’s hair didn’t go completely white and in fact Arthur learnt to drive without too much difficulty. He did not take his driving test two or three times - he passed the very first time - six weeks after his first lesson.
So now he needed a car but he wanted a cheap one because he only had about two hundred pounds. By now Bruce was out of hospital and back at work. Bruce is a second-hand car salesman, by the way. He sells cars at Middleford Used Car Mart just round the corner from the library.
One Saturday afternoon Arthur put his cheque-book into his pocket and caught a bus to the High Street. He wanted to have a look at some good second-hand cars. He got off the bus at the police station and crossed the road to the Car Mart. There was a yellow sports car outside the showroom with the following information on the windscreen.
THIS WEEK’S BARGAIN
ONE CAREFUL OWNER - LOW MILEAGE
1978 M.O.T. - RADIO - MANY EXTRAS
200 pounds deposit - THREE YEARS TO PAY
Arthur looked at it for a long time. It was bright and shiny. The paint looked new. ‘I need a car like that,’ thought Arthur. ‘I may have enough money for the deposit next month.’
***
- Hallo, Arthur. So you passed your test. Congratulations. So now you need a car, don’t you? What do you think of that one?
- I must say it looks very nice. May I get in and start the engine?
- Of course. The key’s in there … Beautiful, isn’t it? Nothing wrong with that, is there?
- The only thing is that the price is a bit high. I’ve only got about two hundred pounds at the moment but it’s pay-day again soon.
- Well, that’s out of question then. The insurance alone on this car comes to about two hundred pounds a year and there’s the road tax. That’s another eighty-five pounds. A bit too much for you, perhaps?
- Yes, I suppose so. Yes, you’re right. It is a little too much for me, I’m afraid. May I look at something else?
- Yes, certainly, Arthur. We’ve got one or two inside. Come and have a look.
- What about the car over there?
- Ha-ha. I can see you’ve got the taste. That’s only three thousand, five hundred pounds. Not for you really, is it?
- I suppose not. I haven’t got that much in my pocket today.
- Never mind. What about this one instead? One hindred and fifty pounds deposit, three years to pay.
- How much are the monthly installments? I may just have enough.
- About fifty pounds a month, I should think.
- Oh … er … well, I see. What else have you got?
- Well, we don’t give cars away, you know, but I think we may have something suitable for you. Come on round the back for a moment … Now what about this one here? I can let you have this for three hundred pounds, as it’s you, Arthur. Seventy-five pounds deposit.
- How old is it? It looks a bit scruffy.
- What can you expect for three hundred pounds? It goes well. That’s the main thing. It belonged to our mechanic and he’s looked after it really well. Charlie, come over here for a minute.
- You want to buy that, do you? You’ve got a bargain there, sir. Why not drive it round the block?
- Oh, thanks. That’s a good idea …
- Well, Charlie. We may get rid of that heap of junk with a bit of luck. Don’t forget. It was your car and you looked after it personaly.
- I get it. Ha-ha …
- Yes, it doesn’t seem too bad. It goes all right. I’ll take it.
