Over the weekend, on our way to Belkin Family Lookout Farm with the kids, we drove by two nice-looking bicycles out by the street with a "free" sign on them. My first instinct was to fling open the door, roll out of the moving car, then dart across traffic on what really isn’t a very busy road at all. Free bikes!!! And they looked new.
In reality, I restrained myself. We were already late to meet our friends, and the back of the car was filled with crap, as usual. Plus Husband doesn’t enjoy these kinds of pit stops and he hadn’t had his morning coffee, yet, which meant we were bound to have a big fight about it. About stupid bikes. I had to ask myself if this was going to ruin the whole tone of the day. I agreed to let it go. If one of the bikes was still there when we got back, I reasoned, then I was meant to have it.
But, the bikes were not there when we got back. Of course, they weren’t. Who’s going to pass up free bikes? I glared at Husband. Without even realizing it, I had spent much of that morning’s drive charting my prospective bike routes around town. How I could get to Russo’s by just taking the bike path along the Charles. Ditto for DePasquale’s on the other side of the river. Then I would hitch a double-wide trailer to the back and head out on 117 to the farmshare and really piss people off on their evening commutes. I could do all my shopping by bike during the month of October, leaving a virtually untraceable carbon footprint, and then I would finally be crowned the winner of the Eat Local Challenge!
Not anymore. I can’t help but think that fate got it wrong this time. One of those bikes was supposed to be mine. Somebody, probably in my very own neighborhood, maybe even right this minute, is riding it. Smiling, no doubt. And I’m mentally thrusting a stick through the spokes of the wheels riiiiiiiight…….now.
that happened to me when I was in college. I lent my bike to my roommate who was sick and needed to bike to the doctors. she forgot to lock it, and had to take a taxi back home. she didn't even apologize about it. And more recently my neighbor, who keeps her bike locked to the fence in her driveway had the wheels stripped from her bike. unless i wanted to keep my bike in my apt. at all times, i guess i won't be owning a bike for a while. Sucks that you lost them. I used to work for a shipping company in nyc and id say about half the employees biked to work, which made me all kinds of jealous.
Posted by: kylie | September 04, 2008 at 01:07 AM
You passed up a free bike? You better tell your husband he owes you a bike now!
And thanks for the video. Great song, and it allowed me to fill my daily quota of psychedelia all in one fell swoop :)
Posted by: What A Card | September 04, 2008 at 07:55 AM
There's nothing like bicycle love. Mine was NOT free, but it sure is pretty: candy apple red antique Raleigh with fenders, a chrome basket and a cheery bell. Don't give up, there's a free bicycle for you out there somewhere.
Posted by: Cornelia | September 04, 2008 at 09:26 AM
For free bikes, we would have been totally cool with you being late. Plus I know how fond of bicycle rides your husband is.
Posted by: Keep hope alive | September 04, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Use my bike for October! It has a basket on the front and a nice comfy seat- perfect for a trip to russo's. only thing is ... that is hill is a bitch!! you know the one. It is yours if you want.
Posted by: sarah | September 04, 2008 at 01:57 PM
You'd bike in Boston? You're far braver than I. From what I can see, the drivers in this city like to menace pedestrians, but when it comes to cyclists, they're out for blood.
Posted by: adele | September 04, 2008 at 02:05 PM
Your husband = bad.
In five years you can have a conversation:
"Remember those two free bikes you wouldn't let me stop for?"
"Yeah."
"I still think you're a putz."
Posted by: cookiecrumb | September 04, 2008 at 03:37 PM
CC: To be fair, it was more a matter of me anticipating a fight rather than actually having one. Although we definitely would have had one. Still, I blame myself for taking the stupid, easy way out. And then I threw something through a plate glass window!
Adele: I wouldn't ride around Boston. I would be killed. Still, the drivers 10 miles west are just as crazy, so that's why I'd like to stick to the bike path, if possible. Until I become hardened and road-rage-ish myself.
Sarah: Seriously? Wow. Guess I better start working out again.
Keep hope alive: Five years ago, we were going to buy bikes for each other for Christmas, but it never happened. Probably because he hates biking. And I suspected that mine might not see much use, either, with a newborn. That's why I like free. Free doesn't judge. Free doesn't scold.
Cornelia: You've painted the perfect picture. A girl has to have dreams.
Whatacard: Who passes up not one, but two free bikes? Who? (sigh)
Kylie: So sorry about your bad luck. You have a right to be mad, unlike me who had no legitimate claim to those bikes.
Posted by: Tammy | September 04, 2008 at 06:20 PM
This just goes to show: it's better to regret something you have done than something you haven't. I'da taken the bike with the fight, but I'm a whore for a good curbscore.
Posted by: Heather | September 04, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Marriage = anticipating a fight, and not actually having it. xoxo
Posted by: cookiecrumb | September 05, 2008 at 02:51 PM