My First Wheels

1 grain of sand one infinite beach

Wednesday February 15, 2006

The Bicycle




There was an incinerator across from our apartments--when I was a kid and one day I looked over and there was a burned up bicycle on top of the hill--tires burned off-seat burned off and fenders.
I didn't have a bicycle so I went over there-picked it up and straddled it-stood up on the metal things that used to have peddles and down the hill I went on that charred wreck of a bike--I crashed at the bottom but didn't care--wow was that fun--unbeknownst to me my dad had gotten home and was looking out the window at me--riding that burned up bicycle--and told mom--we gotta buy that boy a bike.
They went to Sears and came home with a beautiful red and white bicycle--a 26 incher----I was thrilled to death but I couldn't reach the peddles-they traded for a 24 incher-it had red and white tassles from the red handal bars--a beautiful bike--and to me it was like a fancy sportscar--and gave me the ability to travel---my dad and mom were so good to me---I had that wonderful bike till I was 16 years old-in Florida--and dad bought me another--an English racer--and after that a Lambretta 250 delux scooter-that would do 70 m.p.h-and after that a car he paid 35.00 for which I helped him rebuild and drove till I joined the Navy. Dad knew the importance of transportation to a young boy--I love and miss yall----Eric