Rosey Matu – Figaro Steals The Show

Raj and I have been married for 28 years and have 2 grown up daughters. One day, I happened to casually mention my love of Figaro cars in a passing comment. Unbeknown to me, my husband must have logged that memory (surprisingly he never remembers anything I say!).

Sometime last year, I was listening to George Ezra (Shot gun, with the lyrics ‘I got two in the front, and two in the back’). ‘This is the song I would love to play in my dream car, one day’, I jokingly said.

A month later, I woke up on my birthday to find that my husband had gone off to work without wishing me a happy birthday. I found this strange but didn’t think much of it until he returned back half an hour later. I was led out, blindfolded to find an Emerald Green Figgy sitting on my drive, wrapped up in a huge red bow.

Wow!! Serviced, road taxed, Insured and ready to drive! Bonus- George Ezra CD too!!

Did I mention, how much I love my hubby?

I was beaming with pride as I drove into my local lower school, where I work. The look on everyone’s faces as I drove into the carpark was amazing! The teachers didn’t do much

teaching that day! We took it in turns to sit in my dream car and eat birthday cake all day! 😊

That evening we had all the family over and I christened my little Figgy as ‘Belle’ and cruised around in her till Midnight, still beaming with pride!

The front seat will always belong to Leila, whilst Shotgun by George Ezra will always be my song in my Figaro

My darling Cocker Spaniel ‘Leila’ sat in the front, whilst Raj had a tight squeeze in the back with my daughter. I also found out the lengths, my husband went to, attempting to find my dream car for me!

Rewind back, to one week before my birthday. Raj and our girls had found a Figgy for sale, in Staffordshire. They rang and were told that they could come and view the car, however some other lady called Sophie was also interested and was coming for a viewing too.

My youngest daughter ‘Sophia’, made an appointment to visit the next day too.

Sophie or Sophia?? The seller was confused

My husband (bless him), left really early and made it before Sophie could make an offer!!

He didn’t have a clue what to look for, but luckily, we have a very good car mechanic friend called Gary, who video called and was able to talk him through all the ‘car spiel’.

The lovely lady who sold the car, mistakenly thought that my husband was related to Sophie!! (The lady who was first to ring up about the car)! Anyhow, Raj promptly paid up and drove back at a tediously slow tortoise rate whilst his work mate sped by in my husband’s state of the arts Audi!

Several hours later, the equally fabulous Gary the Mechanic, and his wonderful team, spruced, oiled and checked the car all over and delivered it back to Raj’s warehouse at his work, where it was admired but not touched by anyone for the next few days!!

This is the reason why my husband went off to work early on my birthday!!

Back to the present- My head teacher asked if I was going to enter it into the School Car Fest. A Car Fest??? Me, a little Asian lady, amongst a whole bunch of dudes?!!

No, no, no, I couldn’t possibly do that!!!

Encouraged by my family, I paid and entered my car. I had two weeks to gather my wits together. Retail therapy always helps, so I went shopping! I bought a picnic basket, a rug and some pretty remnants of material. Oh, and a pretty frock too! I used the remnants of material and made pretty bunting for my car.

On the morning of the Car Fest, I polished ‘Belle’ and hung the bunting across her gleaming body. I baked some dainty fairy cakes and filled the picnic basket with a bottle of bubbly and tempting nibbles.

Alone, I drove to school and nervously queued up to park on the school playing field. (My Family we’re going to join me later). Very soon, I was drowned amongst rows and rows of vintage and incredibly expensive cars, we even had a couple of ancient tractors!

It was very intimidating and I kept my head down as I laid out the rug and placed the picnic basket and goodies near my car. People walked passed and whilst some were polite, others were not too keen on ‘Belle’. ‘It’s a girl’s car’, they grunted. Where was everyone, who had encouraged me to enter??

Bless the two dear gentlemen who left their tractors and came over to keep me company! We tucked into fairy cakes and enjoyed a wonderful natter as I told them everything about how I got ‘Belle’! As the morning wore on, the local pupils from my School, came along to cheer me on and place a vote for Belle. (Maybe I bribed them slightly with cake and photo opportunities in Belle)!

‘You’ve got 52 votes, Miss!’ Replied one child. ‘You’re 12th on the list, Miss’, said another.

I got closer and closer until finally I heard that I was now a contender for third place. Could this be true?? Hurry up kids! I need more of you to vote for me, I thought in my head!

My family arrived and I felt so proud as I introduced them to my friends and pupils.

‘Hurry’, I said. ‘You’re just in time to place a vote for Belle!

Within minutes, we were all waiting to hear the news! In third place……In second place…… and in first place, the Winner of Wootton Car Fest 2018 is Mrs Matu with Belle!

I was blown away!! Over 2,000 petrol heads, and it was my little Figgy who stole the show!!

We raised over £2500 for the School that day. With my doggie Leila by my side, I got to drive Belle up front in a rally of cars all around the village, waving to everyone as they stood at the kerbside to cheer us on.

Despite her age, and many illnesses, Leila enjoyed every opportunity to ride in Belle that summer. A week before Christmas, as I was preparing to cover up the car for the Winter, Leila climbed into the front seat and had a photo taken, sitting in Belle. Sadly, she passed away two days later.

Our other dog Zahra, continues to enjoy a ride on the back seat of the

Figgy. The front seat will always belong to Leila, whilst Shotgun by George Ezra will always be my song in my Figaro