I hate cars

It's nearly 2am and I'm buzzing. Why? Because my car broke down at 11pm, and I had to wait in a little side street in Cambridge until 1.30am when the cool dude from Manchett's came out (via the AA) to tell me that "this car ain't going anywhere, mate". Yeah, I know, when the warning light came on and I skidded across a road. It was a quiet road, late at night, thankfully, and I managed to drag the car to a cul-de-sac next to a church. Apparently there's an issue with my transmission/gearbox. Could be something as simple as a wire out of place, or it could be mega expensive. Either way, my car ended up on a big truck. In my time waiting, I watched as a homeless man found his nest for the night, as drunks staggered out of the pub, as ambulances flew by, as a young couple argued, as lights went off around the various apartments, as a dodgy man delivered something on a bike to a block of flats. I wrote it all down. But, aware that I needed to stay awake for the AA/whoever they sublet it too,  I drank a Red Bull. It's nearly 2am, I'm supposed to be teaching at 8am (won't because I can't get there) and I'm off my tits on energy drinks. I've just woken up my wife, which she didn't appreciate, telling her all about my adventures this evening. 

It's a shame because the evening was lovely. We had a first run through of my latest play, Esther really enjoyed the script, as did Cara the director. This one stressed me out but I've balanced it right, it's a lovely little show. It's an absolute winner, apart from one scene where my character apparently shows 'toxic behaviour' - Esther is great at being so honest and not holding back if she doesn't like something, as much as Cara understood why this bit had to be in the play. We cut four lines and everyone was happy. Mutually, they both seemed to love the other 23 pages. It's a beast, a complex wordy beast, with a twist I had to explain but we'll find a way of staging it so that it's a bit clearer. It was clearer in my head, but this is why we have a (brilliant) director to bring this to life.

I do feel sorry for Esther. The last time we travelled together we had the whole airline disaster in France and it cost us a lot of money and a bit of stress (although we reminisced about it tonight and agreed that those 11 hours at the airport were actually good fun and we enjoyed each other's company a lot). Tonight I gave her a lift home and my car scraped and rattled and she probably feared for her safety. It broke down just after I dropped her off.

I'm supposed to be gigging in Bedford tomorrow (well, today). I'm guessing I'll spend a chunk of the day in a garage and then will be trying to work out if it's worth keeping. Losing me work along the way. I really, really hate cars. 


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