Great news! I’ve got a lock-up garage. What could be better than that as we head into winter squalls?

I applied to Oxford City Council several months ago, and despaired. A very friendly, helpful employee listened patiently to my plight: no off road parking, limited residents’ spaces available, busy roads and my car having been pranged a couple of times by over-zealous turning in narrow, restricted spaces.

But, I was told, no, no garage available now, or any time soon.

My car got reversed into and its rear light shattered. It got scraped and dented. Its tyres were crunched against high kerbs, in an attempt to park tightly, to avoid a scrape.

At one point, its wing mirror was crushed. All this I took to be part of the penalty for keeping a car in Oxford, without an off-road facility.

Although I was a keen cyclist as a student, there were many less cars on the road, and I was less fearful of being involved in an accident.

Cycling Proficiency seemed more of a safeguard – less of an irrelevance when faced with aggressive mavericks, on two wheels and four.

Walking is my favourite way of exploring the city, and there’s always the bus (although it seems so very expensive).

Imagine my joy, therefore, when, as I walked the dog through glorious late autumn colours in University Parks, my phone rang. Success!

A garage had been located and, as the man above me in the queue already had one, I got it.

“We said in the office: he’s got one already. Don’t give him two. Who’s next on the list?,” the kind woman from the garage office said. “That was you.”

“Thank you, thank you,” I replied.

“You were lucky. It wasn’t going to be easy at all. The man…” and she told me again of my chance good fortune, and I told her again of my great satisfaction at the outcome.

The next day the papers arrived. The envelope was beautifully addressed. There were some startling passages in red, in capital letters for emphasis, which exhorted me to get my forms back quickly, or my garage would disappear into the ether.

No chance. It’s mine while I pay my £65.30 per month, and I’ll enjoy it, thank you very much.

I haven’t looked inside yet and I’ll have to be a master of meticulous manoeuvring to get my car in and out.

It would be ironic if future injuries were self - inflicted because I couldn’t keep my car straight as I navigated a tight space.

Still, from now on if damages occur, they’re self-inflicted. I am responsible for my own bodywork.

I’ve noted the address of the nearest garage, though, just in case.

I may need a mechanic, even so.

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