Objects in the Rear View Mirror...

Today I went to the dentist. I lost my denture in a drunken stupor following one of the many Xmas drinking binges I went on. I imagine it's now residing in someones rose bush between where I got dropped off and home. So it's going to cost me £158 to replace. What a waste!

Anyway, my trip to and from the dentist takes me through some of North East Wales' nicer scenary and villages. Whilst travelling through Halkyn you get a great view of the surrounding area, the estuary and across to Merseyside. You really get the feeling of height above sea level when you can actually see the sea.

As usual I had to stop for Halkyn's most common species of resident, the sheep. They care little for the laws of the highway and even less for the green-cross code. Whilst waiting patiently for them to amble across the road, it dawned on me that there is no difference in the English language between the singular form of this creature and the plural. In Welsh we have dafad for the singular and defaid for the plural. Why it has taken me this long to realise this who knows?

Eventually I journeyed on and pretty soon I was grateful for the delay. For in my rear view mirror I spotted a piece of my past. An old friend.

I had to look twice but there was no mistaking the unique shape of a Landrover One Tonne. This one still bearing its military colours - army green with random black 'blobbage'. During my service days these were the most fun vehicles to drive. A massive V8 engine gave them heaps of power and a mean sound. The drivers position, being slightly ahead of the front wheels, gave a very different, entertaining perspective to a journey.

Used mainly by the Artillery, our paths crossed all too seldomly, but I took every opportunity that came my way to take one for a spin. As the engine was housed between the drivers' and passenger seat, repairs were always conducted under cover, out of the rain and cold. This fact also endeared them to me. The One Tonne remains my favourite wheeled vehicle of all-time.

I was tempted to race ahead in my car, pull over, jump out and try to flag the driver down. I know that the type of people who seek out, purchase and, more often than not, renovate military vehicles like this are, invariably, very willing to discuss their prized possession. Self-preservation stopped me taking this course of action though as I thought that the driver may decide to mow me down, thinking I was some sort of deranged, toothless lunatic attempting a car-jacking.

So I let him go. I return to the dentist for my denture dress rehearsal on Tuesday, so I'll keep my eyes peeled for him. Who knows I may even get to take it for a spin...