Alan, Mum and the Roller

I was really doing well at the time, and I decided to buy a car that I had always dreamed of — a Rolls-Royce. I found this beautiful Shadow, black over silver with whitewall tires, and it was in immaculate condition. I was so proud of it. I still remember the day I first showed it to my mum.

I had offered to pick Mum up for a funeral, (one of my aunties had passed away), and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take her out in my gorgeous new car. I was excited as I pulled up, hoping to impress her with the elegance and prestige of the Rolls-Royce.

I couldn’t help but beam with pride when I said, “Look, Mum, I’ve got a new car!”

But in her classic, down-to-earth manner, she quickly brought me back to reality. She looked at the car and simply said, “Well, it’s not new, is it? It’s second-hand, isn’t it? You always buy second-hand cars.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, realizing she was right. Here I was, feeling on top of the world with my stunning Rolls-Royce, and Mum managed to cut right through my pride with her sharp honesty. It was just like her to remind me, in her own loving way, to stay grounded. After all, even a Rolls-Royce is still just a car — and in my case, a second-hand one at that!