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Re: An unusual way to meet the neighbours, a tale of 2 cockups.


AnOther

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There are only about 9 houses in our immediate vicinity and we already know all but 2 of the neighbours. The ones we didn't were the farmer, who is furthest away, and another couple who live in Paris and come down for holidays and long weekends.

The story starts just over 2 weeks ago when I had a very embarrassing mishap. I was driving past the poubelle at the end of the lane and noticed a lady picking something from some nearby bushes. So intent was I on trying to see what she was picking (gooseberries it turns out) that I completely failed to notice her little and very ancient trolley parked by one of the bins and as a consequence I ran over it demolishing it totally. I got out and in my very feeble French apologised profusely and she was very understanding, more than I think I deserved or would have been myself were the circumstances reversed, and in fact she seemed more concerned about any damage to my MG than her trolley - there wasn't any - and we parted on friendly terms. I had to go to UK for work the next day but when I got back set to work making a new one for her as was only right and proper.

This afternoon, having finished the job and noticing that her car was parked outside her house, we decided to pop in and deliver it. Enter cockup No. 2 - wrong neighbour, I'd got them mixed up, so here we are, standing on the doorstep of someone we'd never met offering them this brand new trolley I'd made. Fortunately they knew about the incident, and who we were, and although we were at the wrong house we were invited whilst they called the other lady to let her know. Unfortunately she didn't answer the phone but we were offered drinks and ended up spending the next couple of hours there chatting away as if we were old friends, fortunately both spoke excellent English.

When we finally left there was still no reply from the intended recipient so we left the trolley with this other couple who had kindly offered to pass it on for us.

To our surprise and delight the other lady and her husband have just been to visit and say thank you and we naturally invited them in for an apero and spent 1/2 an hour getting to know them, it turns out that we have some acquaintances in common and have been invited back to their place next week.

So, 4 new French friends in one afternoon as a result of a silly mishap, funny old life init [:D]

And I know where to pick some goosegogs !

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