drive a Ferrari

On xmas Eve i met adrian in the Old oak. I asked about his Ferrari and he had told me to call him on the thursday. But being xmas stuff happened. I never made it out to his place and xnas has come and gone and i still havent driven a Ferrari. To be honest there was something odd about it all. I got a strong impression that Adrian thought that this was all very foolish and rather than the opportunity slipping by I kind of let it go. I had this niggling feeling that it would have all turned out to be a bit awkward. Maybe its better to leave this go for now.

Every year since graduating from college we have gathered in the old Oak pub on Oliver Plunkett street in Cork. Me, Paul, Adrian and Anne-Marie. We haven’t all made it ever year, but mostly we do and often it has been the only time that we have seen each other during the year. Last night was the 20th year that we have done this. Anne-Marie didn’t show last night, she has 2 small twins who wanted their mother to be with them this christmas eve. Damned selfish kids.
It was my chance to talk to Adrian about taking a spin in his Ferrari. No bother. He says to call out to him on thursday. Apparently its a ferrari 360; its seven years old and does 180mph when its let go, which isn’t often.
I have no idea whether Adrian will let me take it out on my own, but Paul (who plays football with him on thursdays) says he regularly lets one of the team take it away for an hour. Should i take it out the motorway or to the town where i grew up? Will I burn it up or just tootle along on the speed limits and not draw attention to myself? Is this actually going to happen or will Adrian have some last minute ‘other thing to do’?

..nothing about this since discovering that Adrian has a Ferrari i will have to wait until i see him at x-mas. Hope he still has it.

Met the dodgy guy in the car park and I now own his Peugeot 106. Thrilled with my new purchase. Got to get rid of my old banger now! Taking it for its first proper trip tomorrow when i drive across to Clare to visit my brother for the weekend.

My aim to drive a Ferrari has been cast in a rather pathetic light by the troubles of my actual, real life car. It is a 13 year old Peugeot 106 which my mechanic says needs 900 euro of work doing to it if it to pass its roadwothiness test. It is worth precisely nothing.
So rather than chuck a grand at it i have been trying to buy a car for the past couple of days. Christ on a bike, its a jungle out there. And i have no doubt that they can see me coming. I end up looking at a car, nodding knowledgably and then saying something ridiculous like, “So…its red then”.
However Derek (my mechanic) has been invaluable. He warned me off a sexy looking Alpa Romeo that are apparently horribly unreliable.
“But Derek, its really cool looking”
“Sighmo….step away from the car!”
And I think i may have found a nifty little Ford Fiesta zetec. Its just a little bit pricey. derek says its “a good little car”.
Meeting a dodgy sounding bloke in a car park at seven to see a 1999 peugeot. Havent come across any Batmobiles, which is disapointing.

Just got a text from Paul who says Adrian DOES have a Ferrari. Fantastic. And whats more he said im more than welcome to give it a spin when i get back to Dublin. I cant believe how this is turning out. I thought i’d be chasing this one for years. ME, driving a FERRARI. making driving noises as i write this. NNnnyyeeeaaarroooOOOMMM.

I texted Paul to ask him if Adrian has a Ferrari. He replied that of course Adrian has a Ferrari and that he would be insulted that I had to ask, which, if you knew Adrian, is quite funny. apparently he keeps it in Belfast which isnt a million miles away. Paul wont see him for a couple of weeks but when he does he will ask him if i can have a spin in it. Fantastic, I can hardly beelieve that this seemingly impossible goal may have such a speedy resolution.

Met the cousin of therock star last night. Sat next to him and his wife for 4 hours and it never occurred to me to ask him. An opportunity gone skidding by. But got a text from a college friend who says one of our other college friends is buying a helicopter. ADRIAN! Of course. Became an instant multi-millionaire about 10 years ago when his company floated. Bet he has one. by the way, dont be lured into thinking i’m part of some jet set, I am not. But its crazy who you know if you think about it.

When i wrote this entry it was without any real belief that it would happen. So i expected it to sit quietly hidden among my other goals and perhaps even be forgotten or discarded. But every time I scan my list it pokes out and gives my a sneaky dig in the ribs. At odd times of the day i find myself wondering, in a 6-degrees-of-seperation type way, how far removed I am from somebody who owns one. Phil is a bit rich; does he know someone who has one. i know a guy who is a cousin of a famous rock star; could be a possibility. Its begining to drive me a little bit mad. Damn you prancing horse, my peace of mind is at risk.

I dont have to own one. It wouldn’t last ten minutes outside my house. But I would love to fire one up and give it a burn.
If anyone out there has one that they’re not using…