farewell to the ape'

driving up to pisticci this morning i really tried to enjoy what would probably be my last trip in my ape'. but it was impossible. it was a lovely morning and way back in time i can vaguely remember going home singing at the top of my voice( ape's are loud) " i am driving my happy sappy ape', i am so happy in my ape' hurray hurry hurray!!!" sometimes i would sing flower of scotland but i dont really know the words, or westering home seemed to be good but again i could only remember the first line. but there i was racketing up the hills, tearing round corners and shouting /singing very loudly with enthusiasm and feeling!

but that was then. i can remember the first time i used my ape to take all my stuff to the market in pisticci and how there was a feste on and i had to drive through literally hundreds of cars in the dark and i was scared stiff that i would stall, or have to reverse, but i did it and i felt like a heroine when i got home. i also remember leaving that market loaded up and doing a very bad start up, jumping forward in gear at least twice and then just belting out of the piazza praying that i would not have to stop on the way home.

i have been embarrassed a lot in italy but never more so than when in my ape.

the last time i got it fixed before the summer ( that was the big fix of 2010) i had been threatening it and being very rude about it and decided that maybe it would go better if i spoke nicely to it. so i would drive up the road and pat it saying "good little ape" or "well done" or " that was a good gear change" ( maybe that was to me that time) and i even washed it. but sadly it was the beginning of the end.

i stopped enjoying driving because i was just waiting for the next thing to go wrong. i realise that old vehicles break down but who out there has had a window just fall out? or their window wipers go on fire? the accelerator sticking was nasty too, then the engine wouldnt turn off and then i got to working out what i would do if all the brakes failed at once, and i was lucky the last time the lights failed that i had my torch as i once had to drive up the main road with no lights as i thought i would be marginally safer on the side road than have something run into me while parked on the hill.

so i tried to enjoy it this morning but it was fixed with a bit of wire, instead of string , and every time it slowed down i wondered if it would stop . i was glad to arrive safely at my studio , i have given the keys to someone who thinks they can sell it AND I NEVER WANT TO GET IN IT AGAIN.

sold this painting in taranto also.