Was booked for some Close Up magic at a wedding in Northampton on Sunday for 6pm. Set off in plenty of time (3pm), drove through Clapham and picked up another magician in Battersea and left there at 4pm. We battled our way around Victoria and up via Hyde Park and hit the A5 going towards the M1. Eventually we got through North London and hit the M1 at just before 5 o'clock.
We had then done about 40 miles of a 70 mile journey when suddenly the Temperature Guage needle went shooting up past 100 degrees. It carried on until it reached 120 degrees. We pulled over, let it cool down, added some water (which it didn't really need) and set off again.
Again the needle went higher and higher and tried to put on the heating to take some heat out of the engine. It didn't make any difference and we had to get off the motorway at the next exit.
We called the AA who came and told us it was the fan belt which had broken and we weren't going any further - except to a garage. A tow truck was booked to take us back to London. Called the client who had their mobile switched off and called reception but they didn't answer.
Arrived back home at 9pm on the back of a tow truck with one sick car (that is still off the road) and still unable to get hold of the client. In all my years of doing magic this is the first time I've not fulfilled a booking. Once due to a demonstration in Central London, for a children's party I parked and walked the last two miles but this time I was defeated. Should have waved my magic wand as the AA man told me!!!
