So Artur now has a car. It isn’t a very magnificent one but it seems to go all right.
It’s Thursday afternoon and Arthur is working in the library. Tomorrow evening he will start his two weeks’ holiday and will drive down to Applefield to stay with his family. He has no money left to go anywhere else. He needn’t go by train this time. He needn’t spend money on fares but he must, of course, buy petrol.
Mr Steele has gone home early today and there aren’t many people in the library so Arthur’s sitting behind the desk and he’s thinking:
‘This evening I shall clean the car, check the tyres, fill up the radiator and put some distilled water into the battery. Then I shall get four gallons of petrol.'
‘How long will it take to drive to Applefield, I wonder? It’s only about forty miles so it won’t take more than an hour and a half. So I shall arrive home at about eight-thirty. They’ll all be surprised to see me with a car, won’t they? It’s a pity Mary isn’t coming. She’ll be with Bruce, I suppose. Oh well, never mind. Perhaps I’ll take Jennifer to the seaside on Sunday.’
So Arthur drove down to Applefield on Friday night and on Saturday morning he was in the village shop. There he met Sheila. She was at her aunt’s again and was very pleased to see Arthur. He told her about his ‘new’ car.
On Sunday, Arthur took Jennifer and Sheila to Swanage for the day. They stopped and looked at Corfe Castle about five miles outside Swanage.
***
- It’s a fantastic castle, isn’t it?
- Yes, it is. I like old castles. Don’t you, Arthur?
- Yes, I do.
- Come on, you two. Hurry up. We’ll get to Swanage at midnight at this rate.
- All right, all right. We’re coming. Now where did we put the car? Oh, I remeber. It’s round the corner, isn’t it? It’s by that pub. By the way, shall we have lunch there?
- No, come on or we'll have no time at the seaside. Let’s go straight on. Well, open the doors for goodness’ shake, Arthur. Wake up!
- Shall I sit in front now?
- No, I’ll sit in front because I’m navigating. Arthur will never find the way on his own. Yes, that’s right, it’s left and then straight on up that hill. And by the way, look at your petrol gauge. We’ll need some petrol in a minute.
- No, we won’t. That petrol gauge doesn’t work.
- Huh! How much did you pay for this car?
- Well, personally, I think it’s a very nice car. It’s a lovely colour. Look, it says Swanage - two miles. We’ll soon there now.
- Thank God for that. I’ll be really glad to get out of this old wreck.
- Well, why did you come, then?
- Oh, look. There’s the sea. Doesn’t it look lovely? I’m dying for a swim. Aren’t you, Arthur?
- I’m a bit hungry, actually. What about having lunch first?
- That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said today. We’ll have lunch at The Ship in the Square. It’s just round the corner here.
- Where shall I park? It says ‘Car Park Full’ and there are yellow lines on this street. I mustn’t park here.
- It’s Sunday, you idiot! It doesn’t count.
- All right. I’ll park here. Let’s go.
- I enjoyed that meal. Didn’t you, Arthur?
- Yes, it was good. Here! Where’s the car? It’s gone.
