Poor Auld Transit Van

by Michael Dowds
(Ireland)

After 23 years of UN service done I was heading home at last and I got to thinking about my poor auld Transit Van and the good times of the past the big taxi stopped and I got off as through the mist I saw a light and mother in her chair so I looked round to see the auld van but it wasn’t there,

I’m glad to see you mum sure you are looking well then I asked so where is my auld transit van mum so she said it's sad to tell you son but sure you got to know after you left a big storm came and blew our shed away so we had to make a henhouse out of your poor auld transit van.

I’m glad you kept it mum all these years I used to dream about her parked up by the shed lying there just rusting away and couldn’t help my tears
So I smiled and said everything will be OK tomorrow it will be a great new day and I will arise to restore and cry on more my poor auld transit van.

In the morning in my head the alarm clock rang as I looked in shock to see the poor auld transit van bent with age and red with rust was my poor auld transit van it was recovery time and yes we can for the poor auld transit van no doe no tax on can just me I’m free in my poor auld transit van.

So our neighbour next door John an honest man came to lend a hand with pressure washers and whitewash we concreted the floras and plastered the doors as the hens ran wild we shouted hurry for the great north west and the poor auld transit van,

So I lit a fire under the sump and she started up in a cloud of smoke and a mighty thump the poor auld transit van then I put a life jacket under my seat and I went in alone to drive the poor auld transit van as she smelt like a tractor and drove like a tram the poor auld transit van while up on the ditches the neighbours ran when they saw me coming in the transit van no doe on tax on can just me I’m free and my poor auld transit van

With my shoe to the floor you could hear the roar going through Barnes more of the poor auld transit van as the steering took a staggers I missed a gear went off the road and into Lough ask went the poor auld transit van now she rusts in peace at the bottom of Lough esk the poor auld transit van so I went to the town and bought a cake and went home to arrange a wake for the poor auld transit van.
BY Michael Dowds 10-10-2011