https://www.racv.com.au/membership/member-benefits/royalauto/competitions/make-your-last-line-a-winner-in-RACV-writing-competition.html

Make your last line a winner: RACV writing competition
RACV RoyalAuto magazine

Write a story ending with: "That's why I'll always be with RACV". Here is Danny Katz's example.

She was an old car, we’d had her for years, but she had all the motoring mod-cons we needed – seats, a radio, sun visors that went up AND down, very fancy. But she was probably not really fit for a family road trip from Melbourne to Merimbula; there were four of us in the car, loads of luggage in the back, and the engine seemed to be really struggling on the highway – any time we went up any kind of hill, we had to switch the radio from FM to AM because stereo drained the power.

Around 180 kilometres out of Melbourne the car started making a weird grinding noise, and because I’m quite an automotive expert, I knew exactly what to do – I pushed harder on the accelerator, which fixed the problem by drowning out the grinding noise. About 223 kilometres out of Melbourne, the engine started sputtering, and because I understand engine systems, I knew how to handle this – I patted the dashboard and said, “Good girl, c’mon girl, you keep going, girl”, which seemed to do the trick. Exactly 312 kilometres out of Melbourne, we heard a loud clunk, smelled a burny smell, saw smoke coming out of the bonnet ... and that’s when we started to suspect that something might be wrong with the car, we probably needed to get it checked, maybe when we got to Merimbula.

Three-hundred-and-thirteen kilometres out of Melbourne, the car died and rolled to a stop on the side of the road – I knew things were serious because it wouldn’t start up, not even when I patted the dashboard and yelled “Come on, girl! Start up! Please, girl ... PLEEEEEASE!!!” So we called RACV Emergency Roadside Assistance and they sent round a guy with a tow-truck – an old bloke with a tough Aussie leatheriness about him, part Kokoda Trail war-hero, part Wolf Creek spine-slasher. His name was Jack and he took one look at the engine, cleaned his oily hands on his face, then said, “Mumble-mumble blown-gasket mumble-mumble”, which we took to mean: “Bad news I’m afraid, chaps. The engine of your vehicle has burnt out, rendering the car permanently undrivable. Basically, your car is deceased. So sorry for your loss.”

Jack hoisted the car onto the back of his tow-truck then the four of us squished into his truck beside him, the seats stylishly upholstered in Valvoline-soaked rags, highlighted with chic Castrol-spatters. He drove us to his auto-repairs place in a nearby town, then said, “Mumble-mumble car-wreckers mumble-mumble”, which we took to mean: “Unless you want to pay the obscenely overpriced towing costs back to Melbourne, I suggest you say goodbye to your car now and I’ll make sure she has a dignified and respectful funeral.” Then he handed us the car’s personal effects – a pair of licence plates and $35.75 in five-cent pieces that he found under the seats.

Jack drove us to a car-hire place, we hired a car for a week, then he waved us off, saying, “Mumble mumble maaaaate mumble mumble!” which we took to mean: “Farewell, dear friends! Enjoy the remainder of your journey! I shall miss you deeply! Such fond memories!” 

After our holiday we bought another car: a second-hand one, but slightly better, with an actual working clock and a little tray to keep my Fruit Mentos. So fancy.

You see, I love driving old, crappy, cheap, unreliable second-hand cars. And that’s why I’ll always be with RACV.

WRITE TO WIN

To enter, submit a story with the final line “and that’s why I’ll always be with RACV”. The story can be on any topic, in any style. The story can be new, written specifically for the competition, or one you wrote earlier (but not previously published) with the final line added. It should be 500-800 words.

PRIZES

The winner will receive a $500 RACV voucher and the winning story may be published in a future edition of RoyalAuto magazine and/or on the RACV website. The runner-up will receive a $300 RACV voucher. The second runner-up will receive a $150 RACV voucher. Both runner-up stories may be published in RoyalAuto magazine and on the RACV RoyalAuto website, at the discretion of the editor.

HOW TO ENTER

Submit your story, of 500-800 words, in a single doc, docx, txt, rtf or pdf file to royalautofeedback@racv.com.au, with “RACV Short Story Competition” in the subject field of your email. Include your RACV member number with your entry.

COMPETITION CLOSING DATE

The competition is open for entries from 9am on 23 January 2017. Closing date is 11.59pm on 12 March 2017. Entries submitted after this date cannot be accepted.

*Terms and conditions apply. The competition opens at 9am on 23 January 2017. Competition closes at 11.59pm on 12 March 2017. Final judging will take place at 501 Bourke Street, Melbourne, on 20 March 2017. Winners’ details will be published online at racv.com.au and in RoyalAuto magazine and notified by email and/or telephone. For full terms and conditions, please refer to racv.com.au/competitions.