Ok, my first baby wheels literally was my brother's go
Kart on which I would zoom swiftly around outside (circa 1976) This was a kid's
dream...I loved it.
Hell on Wheels!!!!
My first proper wheels I got when I was 26 and it was my
beloved 3 door Citroen Saxo 2000 in electric blue which I fondly christened
Martha (doesn't everyone name their cars?)
Martha & I
I treasured Martha and her manual sunroof that I had to
wind up like a gramophone just to get a bit airflow inside as the air
conditioning was a system solely dependent on how far down you wound her
windows down in times of abject suffocation.
I studiously manned her stereo cassette system (yes tapes!)
and played endless songs of Shakira (hip shaking was not an activity happily
achieved in her limited space) whilst cruising the A10 with her windows rolled
down.
I was not aware that owning a car that was key operated
was uncool until a friend of mine casually remarked (from the comfort of her
Audi) that she didn't realise they still made cars without a central locking
system! (She is no longer my friend) Her seat adjustment was a dream as I
managed to get my little 5ft 2 self as close to her wheel as I could without
onlookers assuming that Ronnie Corbett was part owner.
I forgave her not so plush interior, her sombre pattern
partially outlined with an electric blue fabric which wouldn't have looked out
of place in an early Duran Duran video. It was acceptable in the 80's...
It looked alot like this..
This was of no matter to myself as my reliable little
Martha served me well around North London with a smile on my face and room
enough for my diminutive self even assisting me when I eventually moved out.
Know this, Martha may not have been expensive or
glamorous. Nor did she possess a complicated technology and her vigorous booty
shaking was more akin to a timid waggle, yet my curious little Martha was the most
trusted friend I had who never let me down....except maybe when 13 years down
the line the winder on her sun roof snapped and her exhaust fell out on the
A303 on my way to Cornwall.
I relegated Martha to the scrap heap in the sky mourning
her passing with a sausage roll and a smile. I then chose a shinier, sexier and
more exotic model.....a Nissan Micra.
My best mate Martha
#Myfirstwheelscomp
