My god..
what a journey THAT was. Taking Jem to an interview at Meole Brace School. Normally a quick blast up 2 dual carriageways, and a small detour..20 minutes?
Today..up the 2 dual carriageways in the rain-low visibility, 50mph. Go up to the school, the approcah roads are solid with parents too lazy to make offspring walk to school. About 6-8 minutes later I drop Jem off, and head back out into traffic.
Roads solid to the dual carriageway, visibility even worse. I opted to sit behind a petrol tanker at 45mph. About 300 metres from the first roundabout, we stop and crawl. Traffic on the r’bout was mental. Second carriagway, same again…OK, then stop. Took a left to go up past home to work, and I picked up a copper. Thought nothing of it.
Driving through Atcham, copper still following, so I drive like a good boy. Turned off to Wroxeter, copper turned off. Hmm.
Drove up through Leighton/Buildwas - total windy backroads. 3-4 cars on there, plus me, and my battenburg shadow, dropping back, and playing peekabo on the bends. 40mph again. Copper accellerates upto my arse end, then backs off again to go hide a few car lengths back. I swear, it was like a game of Tag with Vauxhall Astras.
No way is this guy “just browsing”..what is so interesting about my car? I mean, I KNOW I’m great, but..well..
I pick a few random “lanes” strewn with mud and pebbles, he follows. I go back on the main road, he follows. I come up to Ironbridge power station and give it some beans and “Sports mode” to go up the hill, and he matches me. I overtake people, then he matches the move.
Straight over the roundabout to Madeley, nicely judged so I could do it non-stop whereas he had to stop, then I see him 2-3 cars back. Take a right for woodside, and he’s still there..!
Take a left, left again into Court Street…down the slope and into the carpark..there he is, turning into the carpark with me. Sigh.
Got out of my car and grabbed my bag, copper watches me walk up to the top car park, turns around, and drives off!
Now what the hell was that all about? My legs don’t half ache from effectively an hour’s straight driving. If Jem gets this Job, I’ll need to bring some painkillers to work with me.