Scratch – by Michael Healy

I bought a new car, of which I was most proud
A long wheelbase XJ Jaguar which stood out from the crowd
To be fair it was quite a big car and needed caution around town
Otherwise, if pushing past, it would make some motorists’ frown
I kept it very clean and polished, its black paint did gleam
And even the wheels did glisten and shine
So, when I put a mark on it, I really did pine

I had been going to see my Doctor in his surgery
The car park was very small and very full
Just one space remained adjacent to a wall
Along I drove past all the cars until I reached the end
Then I realised the space was very small.
But in for a penny in for a pound and I swung the steering wheel round.

Oh dear! A crunching noise did follow. I hastely parked
And jumped from the car, going around to see the damage
The wings on the car were quite balloon shaped
And where it bellowed was a sizeable scratch, though no dint.
I took it in to the garage and they said it was too small,
For them to work on, but pointed out I had insurance for small scratches
So, I took the car home and called the number they had given me.

They seemed most helpful and said they would be around to see
I had to wait a few days but then they came as agreed.
The van they came in was full of tins of different coloured paints.
He inspected the scratch and dismissed it as a trivial taint.
Masking off the surrounding area he sanded, mixed the paint to match, then sprayed the scratch

Within an hour the work was done, and the scratch had gone
In future I would be most careful when I parked in the doctor’s carpark.
Indeed, I drive most carefully to ensure I do not again put on a scratch and cause pain
To the magnificent paintwork of this delightful car.