Catching up on 2011 #7: Selling Ha-Li (now with photos!)
Until May 6th I was the not-very-proud owner of a 1984 kick-start Red Honda CG 125 known as Ha-Li who died an inexplicable rainey death back in August 2009, only 4 months after I'd started riding her. She was an eBay purchase from a rather interesting lady living on the edge of County Durham who had insisted on introducing me and Hawkes to her two dogs, three parrots and pet cornsnake when we went to pick up. The bike had been rotting in her back yard for a few years and for an extra £5 she threw in a whole second bike, a little green Suzuki we dubbed Ai-Vee that was even more decrepit.
I don't know what happened to Ai-Vee in the end, Bear was keeping her in the same garage he fixed Ha-Li in as a pet project, then when he went out of business I forgot to check up... I've been driving Vader, the black and white Suzuki VanVan since October 2009 and poor Ha-Li was reduced to a lawn ornament. The local tweenage hoodie gang tried to make off with her on a few occasions, dropping her onto the concrete path as I chased them; the neighbors' little kids used her as a climbing frame or a speed racer fantasy prop. She suffered motionless and silent through two god-awful rust-educing winters without cover (because there was no way to stop the covers getting nicked)... I'd been mulling over the possibility of just scrapping her.
Reaper randomly texted me on the 4th to ask how much I wanted for her. I said £100 as I'd been on the verging of selling to Elmo's dad for that much before he found out he had no money. Turns out some bike friend of his called Chappie wanted to fix up something for his wife. Chappie turned up on my back door step the next day. The first thing he asked was why I didn't get the sack for having pink hair, so I found myself having to explain that if The Company sack me for anything it'll be the substandard number of accounts I get through daily or the massive data protection breach that is my shitlist of 'business partners' who's names and addresses have been retained for hate mail once I leave the place. My next-door neighbor looked a bit taken aback by the big beardy biker hanging about (the back doors of the two houses are only a few feet apart), but I find it impossible to be intimidated by any guy who's nickname is synonymous with the wee little Scottie terrier who advertises dog food (although it's actually because his surname is Chaplin, or so I'm told)
He eventually counted out the cash, struggled to get Ha-Li's wheels moving, dragged her into a van and whisked her off. "God speed you grumpy little crone!" I thought. I can't help but give all my vehicles personalities for some reason. Ha-Li was a tiny but fierce elderly Chinese school teacher. Vader is my beloved obese Dutch-Samoan coffee barista. I have no idea why.
The other day, out of the blue, Chappie turned up on the back driveway, perched precariously atop the tiny Ha-Li with a can of petrol, having followed me home from the BP. My poor abused 27 year old Honda looked newer than the Suzuki that's yet to see it's third year!!! I was so happy for her I nearly cried.
Chappie is clearly a god among spanner-monkeys!
I don't know what happened to Ai-Vee in the end, Bear was keeping her in the same garage he fixed Ha-Li in as a pet project, then when he went out of business I forgot to check up... I've been driving Vader, the black and white Suzuki VanVan since October 2009 and poor Ha-Li was reduced to a lawn ornament. The local tweenage hoodie gang tried to make off with her on a few occasions, dropping her onto the concrete path as I chased them; the neighbors' little kids used her as a climbing frame or a speed racer fantasy prop. She suffered motionless and silent through two god-awful rust-educing winters without cover (because there was no way to stop the covers getting nicked)... I'd been mulling over the possibility of just scrapping her.
Reaper randomly texted me on the 4th to ask how much I wanted for her. I said £100 as I'd been on the verging of selling to Elmo's dad for that much before he found out he had no money. Turns out some bike friend of his called Chappie wanted to fix up something for his wife. Chappie turned up on my back door step the next day. The first thing he asked was why I didn't get the sack for having pink hair, so I found myself having to explain that if The Company sack me for anything it'll be the substandard number of accounts I get through daily or the massive data protection breach that is my shitlist of 'business partners' who's names and addresses have been retained for hate mail once I leave the place. My next-door neighbor looked a bit taken aback by the big beardy biker hanging about (the back doors of the two houses are only a few feet apart), but I find it impossible to be intimidated by any guy who's nickname is synonymous with the wee little Scottie terrier who advertises dog food (although it's actually because his surname is Chaplin, or so I'm told)
He eventually counted out the cash, struggled to get Ha-Li's wheels moving, dragged her into a van and whisked her off. "God speed you grumpy little crone!" I thought. I can't help but give all my vehicles personalities for some reason. Ha-Li was a tiny but fierce elderly Chinese school teacher. Vader is my beloved obese Dutch-Samoan coffee barista. I have no idea why.
The other day, out of the blue, Chappie turned up on the back driveway, perched precariously atop the tiny Ha-Li with a can of petrol, having followed me home from the BP. My poor abused 27 year old Honda looked newer than the Suzuki that's yet to see it's third year!!! I was so happy for her I nearly cried.
Chappie is clearly a god among spanner-monkeys!