A dent in my reputation

I've just been away for a couple of days, starting a coach-mentoring course. I figure that if I can't get Bert to change his ways, I can at least do my bit to help others change theirs.

The workshop was amazing: very intensive (and exhausting), a fantastic learning experience, and an unexpectedly enjoyable social event. My fellow learners are open, friendly, relaxed and very interesting to talk with - just as you might expect from coaches and coaches-to-be. I left on a really high note.

It didn't last long. As I was leaving the hotel car park, I reversed into another car.

I was just about to turn right to get on to the main road, when I noticed a sign to the left with the name of the place I wanted to go - the 'country lane' route. Without looking or thinking (the car may have been in gear but my brain obviously wasn't), I reversed just a little teensy bit so I could change direction. CRUNCH. F*ck! B*llocks! Sh*t! etc. I got out of my car and realised that the driver was one of the women off the course.

Thankfully she was very decent about it, not aggressive or unpleasant (well, it was pretty clear-cut that it was my fault). She did say a little plaintively, "I've only just got the car." Then while I was falling over myself apologising and feeling absolutely mortified she said, "Of course it had to be a Porsche, didn't it?". I drew a sharp breath. I'd vaguely noticed that it was a nice silver sporty type of car. And new, and shiny. But why did it have to be a Porsche?

As I eventually drove off (in the wrong direction as it happens), I felt sick. How was I going to tell Bert? I realised I was actually quite shaken, so after a few miles I pulled into a service station. I knew that I had to tell Bert before I could start to feel better, so I took my courage into my hands and ... texted him: 'I'm afraid I just reversed into a Porsche'.

My phone rang instantly. "That's a joke, right?" (Sadly that is the sort of thing I do. There's probably a moral there somewhere.) I assured him it wasn't a joke but Bert surprised me by being more like this than this. Even though - I forgot to mention this little detail - I was driving his car at the time. Well, mine is in a bit of a state after being off the road so long. (Maybe there's a moral in that too.)

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Later in the evening I got a text from my pal H congratulating me on my bump. I texted back saying I was surprised she'd heard so quickly, and how amazed I was at Bert's (lack of) reaction. She responded: 'Yep. Think he quite proud actually. Be diff if you'd pranged a mini'. Then she sent me another text: 'He mentioned had thirty years no claims but he impressed no damage to his car'. Ah. I gave him a story.