------------------------------------NOBBY-----------------------------------------

How to describe Nobby is difficult , he was a gentleman of the first class order in my book, he was not only my mechanic but a real dear friend and another of my watering hole companions.
He was in his late 60s, retired when I met him, had a garage-workshop behind his house, just describing the garage would take a page. he had cupboards full of bits and pieces of cars going back to the model Ford T stashed away , you ask him for something and he knew exactly where it was.
He had served his apprenticeship and worked for the same firm all his working days, becoming head mechanic for the last 15 years, just by listening to an engine going he could tell you what was wrong .
Going around for a natter was always a good idea as there was usually some one there having a car serviced or if not he would put the billy on for a cuppa in his little office as he called it which was added on as an afterthought, even had bed in it to get way from the missus he would joke.
You put your life in his hands if you went with him to get parts, not only me but everyone said he was the worst driver ever, how he survived beat us all. No parking signs meant reserved parking to him, you would tell him, “Nobby you can't park here”and he'd say watch me and get away with it.
His wife!. you hardly ever saw her as she never attended any club functions in all the time I knew him, you would see her in the garden or sweeping the yard and again if you were there at 5 to 12 coming down to call him for lunch,
They had a dog, a Shelti -(small Lassie type)- which was a real pampered pooch, had its own special mat in the garage where it would lie keeping an eye on its boss, when Nobby went out in the car with his wife the dog would be in the front seat and his wife always sitting in the rear, we all said it was for her self preservation.
At the hotel, he had been a regular for years, he even had a seat with his name engraved on it by the bar, woe betide anyone who sat in it when Nob came in at 5pm, he stayed till 5.55pm, had to be home by 6-- or else.
At lodge he was the treasurer and had been for a long time, and a very good one indeed, raised plenty of dollars for whenever he was nominated to sing, he was absolutely shocking, everyone paid in money to keep him seated.
Once upon a time the subject came up about funerals he told me he had been to so many of his old friends ones none would be around to see him off, never mind Nobby I can remember saying I promise will be there, thats one promise I will always regret breaking, much later owing to my late wifes illness we had to move to a more cleaner air environment many miles away so I only got to see him periodically, the last time was when he was 80, the next time I went for a visit no one was at home, I called in again a few weeks later, knocked on the door , his wife answered , I asked to see Nobby and she told me he had died. Was absolutely shocked, I was out of things a lot but still can't believe someone had not contacted me.
The other thing is that the previous time I was there was the day of his funeral







NOW AFTER THIS I RAISED ME GLASS