You know how every once in a while you meet someone and you have absolutely no idea of the huge impact they’ll have on your life later? This is about just that. In my last post I shared the delightful memory of rolling our car while learning to drive with my father. I closed with the intimation that I was about to meet someone special who would play a role in my wedding. Without further ado let’s pick up the story of that person – the original wedding crasher.
Dad finishes his phone call with the towing company and slugs back the last of his gin.
“Thanks for the use of your phone Mom. We have to go now.”
My savvy grandmother cocks her head to the side and looks at the empty tumbler. It hasn’t escaped her notice that her surprisingly paler than pale middle-aged son and his equally shell-shocked 16-year-old daughter have dropped by unannounced on a Sunday with absolutely no explanation other than the need to use to the phone and quaff a double gin. All before ten. She wisely says nothing.
The tow truck driver smothers his grin at our impossible situation and asks where we’d like the crumpled Volkswagen beetle to be towed. As it’s the first vehicular collision in the family my dad seeks his advice.
“Finns Auto Body. Nobody does a better job than Mathew.”
The car is remarkably repairable and ready for pick up in a short six weeks. Dad insists I accompany him to Finns for the reunion.
“Always good to see things through to their conclusion.”
Any hope I have of getting away without an introductory chitchat is quashed the minute we walk into the auto body office.
“I’ve simply got to meet the gal who crashed that car!”
The voice belongs to a bear of a man with mitts to match. Mathew crushes my hand in an enthusiastic greeting.
“Nice job! You really did a number on that puppy. I’ve never seen so much damage with only one car involved! Well done! I’m sure I won’t forget you.”
In fairness, I give him little chance. Over the next decade or so I’m a regular visitor to Finns auto body shop as my dear dad has cottoned on to the fact that as a particular favourite of Mathew’s I’m most likely to get the best estimate on any car repair job. Nicks, scratches, and minor fender benders? Yes, I’m the driver. God only knows what Mathew thinks of my driving. However he is always kind, funny and more than welcoming whenever I pop by. After the first couple of visits he always closes with the same reminder.
“Remember Kelly. I’m driving you to your wedding in my ’38 Rolls!”
Yeah, yeah, yeah. In my late teens my wedding is still a lonnnnnng way off. With the groom department woefully dearth I can’t even fathom having a wedding, much less getting to it.
Let’s fast forward a few years. It’s the December of my second year of university. My parents are out of town and my sister has allowed me to drive “her” car to the campus pub. Excuse me? It’s our parents’ just as much as it’s her’s however I wisely refrain from enlightening her. After downing copious beers enjoying the odd tipple I close down the pub and head out to the frosty parking lot. Suddenly without a wink of warning a towering metal light standard leaps forward and attacks my car as I’m backing out of the icy parking stall. My friend and I tumble out to check the damage. Is it noticeable or can I get away with it? Damn.The trunk lid is crumpled rather nicely. Just typikel; there’s not enough magic marker in the world to cover this baby up. There’s only one solution. Mathew at dawn.
His face breaks out into a wreath of smiles when I stumble breeze across the threshold a few hours later. I launch into a panicked rant concise and collected relaying of the imperative need to get the car repaired before my folks get back home in four days. Bless him. An alum of my university and a once frequent patron of the very same pub he gets it in one.
“No worries, Kel. Come back the day after tomorrow. She’ll be ready.”
He’s on the phone when I toddle back in. Waving me into a seat, he winks and winds up his call. I’m a weensy bit nervous.We never discussed an estimate of this latest damage and I’m hoping he’ll agree to my payment proposition. With my bank account rather low at the moment I’m only able to pay by installments. But before I can broach the subject he simply hands me the keys.
“Merry Christmas kid. Drive carefully.”
What? Did I hear him correctly? Merry Christmas as in here’s-your-present-you-don’t-have-to-pay Merry Christmas? Sweet mother of god. How very kind. I am positively gobsmacked as I cautiously drive the sparkling car out of the noisy service bay. I can just make out his parting words.
“Remember Kelly. I’m driving you to your wedding in my ’38 Rolls!”
The Original Wedding Crasher
I am delighted to report that Mathew did indeed drive me to my wedding in his ’38 Rolls many crashes years later. I wish I could show you a picture of his gem of a car but in true just typikel fashion my wedding album is locked away on a shelf behind an immovable piano; I’m not sure if my kids have even seen it.
However, please know that my Dad and I were chauffeured to the church in style by the kindest of men. Thank you Mathew. Because of our accidental meeting so many years ago and the nature of our relationship you will always be the original wedding crasher. I’ll never forget you.
Enough about me and the original wedding crasher. I’m curious about you. Is there someone in your life you’ll never forget? That gem of gems who went out of their way to make your life easier? Or perhaps there is someone you’d like to forget? If you’d care to share, I’d love to hear.
35 Responses
What a gem of a man! The people (yes plural!) I’d like to forget are the ones I had the misfortune to be sitting with at the wedding breakfast I attended at the weekend. We had no idea who they were but we were clearly sitting amidst a huge family feud on the brides side of the family! Not a word was uttered – just plenty of scowls and the worst atmosphere ever! It was memorable for the wrong reasons!! ( but it was so absurd it makes me giggle now!)
Oh boy – that must have been some wedding breakfast. No idea who they were and yet you’re centre stage with them! And they’re just scowling? Oh comical! Thanks for this Helen – it’ll keep me pondering all day. Love to know what the fight was about!
What shoes did you wear btw?
What a blessing to have him in your life. Makes me want to crash my car more often to get in good with someone. Somehow my auto dealer and its cavernous bay of service techs just doesn’t do it for me.
I have to say I really like the guy who’s done my closets over the years. A big gentle giant kinda guy who makes me happy for years at a time after he finishes remodeling for me!
Hahaha! Yes – I get the wanting to crash your car more often. Sadly I lost touch with him when he folded his shop.Your closet man sounds like a gem too. These kind of people really do make a difference don’t they? My plumber is the same.
This story is truly awesome!!! I love that Matthew not only said the same thing every time you left his auto body shop but that he really meant it and followed through on it!!!
And, the fact that he fixed that car, kept the secret and did it for free?! He is a rare kind of guy!!!
Bummer about the wedding album not being accessible!!!
Yes he is a gem. I’ve sadly lost contact with him however I do have the feeling we’ll reconnect at some point. Hopefully not because of a crash though!
Ah, your adventures make my life sound SO boring……
Oh Kathy I don’t mean to! It’s just that quirky and odd things seem to be drawn to both my mother and I. She often comments on it.
No, don’t apologize. I LOVE reading about them.
Thank you Kathy! So nice to hear. There is a wealth of these just bursting to be told …
This is a lovely story Kelly, he must be such a gem ! Would love to see the pictures sometime if you ever dig them out from behind the piano !
For sure Jane. The problem with it is this: when my dad passed away I was gifted the piano as nobody else wanted it. Fine. It arrived with one wonky leg. Movers put it in place and left. It’s not on wheels and if it’s moved I’m afraid the leg will collapse and it’ll come a cropper. Gotta have at least three hefty movers here when we do move it so they can deal with the after effects …
What a great story. A ’38 Rolls! Wow.
That Rolls was as wonderful as you can imagine Linda.
You are an amazing writer, love your humor too! You are one lucky gal that got to ride in a ’38 Rolls Royce…holy cow, I’d be salivating all over it!
Thank you Cindy. Yes, it was such a treat riding in it. I wanted him to take lengthy detours after the wedding but we had to get back to our guests!
The car sounds neat, but I would hate to have to visit the repair shop that often.
True – when you look at it from that point of view!
Hahaha! Thank goodness for your guardian angel, Matthew! And I love, love, love that he actually DID drive you to your wedding in his ’38 Rolls. Great story!
Thanks Mo. Yes it was a magical ride. Brilliant reference to him being my guardian angel. Haven’t thought of him in that light and I should. Thank you!
Your story reminded me of Steve, our family’s mechanic for years and years. He checked out every car I was thinking of buying when I bought my first car, and he was just the most honest and skilled mechanic I’ve ever met. I think my mom had a little crush on him – she joked (but not really) about inviting him to my wedding! I was sad to leave him when we moved; I’ve found no one that can fill his shoes.
Aw – it’s sad to leave someone like that. Makes you appreciate them even more though doesn’t it?
What an awesome story! Do you still keep in touch with Matthew?
No sadly I’ve lost touch with him. He retired from the biz and we moved. I have a feeling our paths will cross again though.
What a great story and a great man….the world needs more like him. I too am a member of the “roll the car…all by myself club”! Manage to do it on my 23rd birthday to boot…and I was completely and totally sober! Car was totaled and it was only 4 mons old. My hubby had ordered the dang thing from the dealer and it had taken 3 mons to get it. Never did like that car! LOL! Oh did I mention I was on my way to the local fairgrounds to deliver a carved Halloween pumpkin….yeah it was totaled too!
Oh Debbie this is really quite something. Can so relate to it – of course it was on your birthday! And you were carting special cargo. Wow. Thanks for sharing this tale. I have to say that it made my day!
What a fun story Kelly! Matthew sounds like a real gem:)
He is Nancy!
Seriously delightful Kelly! And now I want to hear the story of how you access that blocked closet so we can actually see a photo. 🙂
Oh Deborah – it’s on a shelf behind the piano. Piano has wonky legs so if it’s moved it could collapse. Need several mighty strong folk to be on site should I move it! However, I will get it moved one day and I shall post a pic or six! Thanks for reading.
What a lovely story! And funny too… I hit a fence once when I was in college and totally screwed up the alignment. That was my biggest whoopsie back then. I totalled a car though once though too. Fortunately none of us were hurt. And the EMT person kept telling everyone who would listen in the ER, “she ran over 7 guardrails!” Thanks so much for making me feel even more like an idiot, EMT lady.
What was she thinking? Well obviously she wasn’t. Glad all of you were ok even if those 7 guardrails weren’t …
Yeah, the guardrails weren’t in the best of shape. They were those wooden ones. Neither was the bottom of my van.
Ouch.