RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30426, 28 April 1964, Page 24

RANDOM REMINDER

REUNION

Fathers who lend their sons their cars often do so with some trepidation. But the incidence of accidents is relatively light. Yet there is at least one Canterbury father who seldom looks at his car, or his son, without a sorrowful shake of the head. The young man had borrowed it on a Saturday night to go to a social and dance at a country hall some miles from town. He had a very pleasant evening, if a rather long one. He came home, locked up the car, and went to bed. It was the following Saturday before the car was needed again. The owner

then went to it to drive to bowls. To his considerable surprise, he found a purse, a comb, a mirror and a hair net in the glove box. To the best of his knowledge, his son used none of them. He inquired from his son about them. But instead of being embarrassed at the discovery, he was horrified. And he told his father it was not their car.

“1 must have driven the wrong one home from the social," he said. “Ours must still be at the hall.” And that was the situation. They drove to ■ the hall, found their car parked at the back, where the young fellow had left it. They looked identical cars, even

to the ignition keys. They made some rapid inquiries, and father drove off to bowls, leaving his son to deliver the other to Mrs X—a division of labour, which, on reflection, seems just and reasonable.

The son was, naturally, a little fearful of the reception he would get, particularly after Mrs X had said the police had been broadcasting descriptions of the car throughout the intervening week. But human nature is seldom predictable. She was not angry or even critical; she was so relieved to have her car back that she invited the borrower in and they had a cosy chat over a nice cup of tea.