21 February 2013 Sydney Tourist Park, Miranda, NSW

The night had not passed in any better manner than the previous for my husband, who woke unrested and no happier with life. He was now convinced that Maurie was a fraudster and that there was some sort of conspiracy going on. I will not bother with the detail of that theory here and anyway matters have since taken a different turn, not necessarily for the better.

We set off soon after breakfast for the garage, myself reluctantly in tow; reluctant to be party to any confrontation. I don’t do confrontation well. By the time we arrived, my husband was in a rational state of mind and refrained from any attack, verbal or otherwise.

Maurie went to great lengths to explain that he was still waiting for the subcontracting garage to get back to him. When we reminded him that he had advised us that this process would be completed in two days and it was now over a week, he assured us that this was a firm he had dealt with for eighteen years and that they were reputable and obviously overloaded with work. He also lamented that our vehicle was taking up valuable space in his garage so he was keen to see the end of the business himself. We asked that he chase the reconditioner man again and tell him that there was mad women threatening all sorts of crazy action if there was no immediate resolution. Maurie confessed that he had already used that story but would try more embellishment.

We left him to it; I still convinced that Maurie was genuine and Chris having adjusted his conspiracy theory to something that was more believable, but still unlikely. We walked onto Southgate at Sylvania, purchased Vietnamese rolls again although I no longer had faith in their cheering power, and the day’s newspaper which turned out to have lots of interesting and distracting articles.

After lunch we headed up to Miranda and watched Silver Linings Playbook, a comedy about mental illness; an excellent movie which has received eight Oscar nominations. On our return we found the cellphone, left on and under the bedcover, had a message. We were to ring Maurie. We did and were advised that the overdue report had now been sent through to National Insurance. Even imagining swift action by all concerned we could not imagine how the vehicle would be ready before Monday and so Chris went to see the ever efficient Brigitte, paid for the last week and booked for another.

While attending to payment, the phone rang again, this time the warranty company to advise the claim had been denied! This was merely wear and tear and thus not covered. Given that the diesel pump is specifically listed in the warranty booklet, apart from a car crash, when it would all be covered under the normal motor vehicle insurance, how else would work on the diesel pump be required?

When Maurie rang soon after this happy news, Chris conveyed this and many more thoughts as well, and instructed him to proceed with the work. I, in the meantime, have emailed a request to the warranty company for copies of all reports and correspondence. We may have a legal battle on our hands. Just what we need!!