On the first day of my son Zach's spring break from school, I decided it would be fun for us to go for a bike ride. Now mind you, I had not been on a bike in 15 years. I had recently purchased an old bicycle at a yard sale and was anxious to "get some exercise".
After telling Zach, "you never forget how to ride a bicycle", I took off with dogged determination.
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At the end of the street is a path you can take to get to a lovely park. As you leave the street, you have to maneuver up a higher than normal curb and onto a dirt path. Well here is where the story takes a tragic turn. Forgetting the aforementioned rule of balance, I rolled up onto the curb.......and stopped . Gravity said "Lisa Farmer, come on down" and as Zach described it, in slow motion, I complied. And then Gravity said......"gottcha"! Within 5 minutes from the house, I had shattered my right (of course it HAD to be that one) elbow and lay there a crumpled mess with elbow and dignity destroyed.
I knew I was not going to be riding anymore so started thinking of how I would teach my bike a lesson. I would either put it up never to be ridden again.....
or use it in some sort of demeaning way. Bicycles are meant to be free after all.
Maybe I would make a gate out of it. That would teach it a lesson!!
Or donate it to be melted down and used to create the worlds largest bicycle.
But after months of healing, I began to see the beauty ....
and usefulness of bicycles again.
And remembered how much fun it was to ride double with a friend.
I remembered that bicycles can be so romantic.
A great way to go on a picnic!
And how much fun you can have just riding along with the wind in your hair.
So I decided to forgive my bicycle and maybe give it an honored place in my garden,
lean it up somewhere for all to admire,
or make it a part of my interior design.
I could even bake it a cookie to show just how sorry I was for the neglect.
After all it could have been worse.
Sadly, before I had the chance to make amends, someone stole it from my porch. I can only hope they saw it's vintage beauty and gave it a place of prominence in THEIR flower garden. If not ..... I hope Gravity decides to come calling again!
I hope you had a good time!!
