All It Takes Is An Expensive Red Car And Grown Men Turn Into Drooling Lads.

The red engine that stopped traffic.

The feeling of excitement and also disappointment was palpable for weeks and weeks. A new red engine had been ordered and as with anything expensive, it took its time and delays were drooping many a man's shoulders. A flurry of texting had been taking place and finally, yesterday was the day.

Our village got a brand spanking new, jolly expensive red fire truck. The real McCoy so to speak and fetching it yesterday, I am pretty sure that the fetching contingent ( comprising of many more than necessary who even took time off work and school for it ) didn't sleep a wink the night before.

When the Sms came through late in the afternoon that The New Red Engine was only ten minutes away, a whole lot of men turned into little boys, boys who couldn't wait to run to the fire station in order to witness this occasion. I must say, for a village of 300 odd souls to get a fire truck that costs close to 300 000 euros, it is a big deal.

Yours truly got home late from work and was too tired to do an inspection, but Bob, despite sounding very casual about it, couldn't wait to see it. I bet, if I had gone with him, I would have seen him look at ever angle and attachment of this new fire truck.

As it is a big vehicle, only a few men have the licence to drive it and Bob is already planning how to get his. Of course, as the newest member of our fire brigade, the closest he will come to sitting in the driver's seat, will be while he is cleaning this red engine...

I don't need to be an oracle to know that in the next few weeks, Bob will be more at the fire station than at home. Oh, and he won't be alone either and it wouldn't have surprised me to learn that a few men set up camp for the night next to their new red truck last night!

Biggi