Running RepairsAn Anecdote about Mike from Sue Walmesley |
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Anyone who uses a wheelchair will know what an important part it plays in their life -- they will also know that anything electrical or mechanical will always let you down at the wrong moment. Mike's chair's favourite trick was to wait until the Wednesday before Conference, then blow its mind, cause a quick dash to Coventry for me to get it back to our workshop, repaired and back to Mike before Conference started. About 5 years ago, Mike's chair did one better and waited 'till the middle of Saturday to suddenly start losing speed. By teatime, Mike and his chair were crawling around at about ½ mph. With no workshop to hand there was only one place to carry out running repairs — the bar. Dan Everard and myself got out our tool-kits, and before long had the rear wheel off, and found the problem was that the braking system was jammed on. While we beavered away at Mike's "rear end" he sat there holding forth with a pint of Guinness in one hand and a fag (cigarette, ed.) in the other. After 15 minutes or so, Dan had done a temporary repair to get Mike through the weekend. Mike then paid us with two very large scotches. This was the nicest and quickest payment we had ever received, it was waiting on the bar before we had put our tools away! By the way, that temporary repair lasted two years — cheap at twice the price. Love you, Mike, we will miss you and that chair of yours. |
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