When I took this photo last week, my sons were here repairing Taraz's bike. I thought there wasn't a story there. But, really there is..... When my kids were growing up, they saw me ride a bike everywhere - to the dentist, to work at Park Rose Care Center where I worked in the kitchen, to the Community Garden District where I gardened in the mornings to raise food in the summertime. I used a bike as my transportation - we were a one car family for many years, and George used it for a long commute.
Over the years, our family has not had good luck with bikes - first, we buy them second hand, sometimes from Pawn-X at low cost, or often from a neighbor around the corner who salvages them and repairs them as a hobby throughout the winter. Every spring he has a sale, selling the bikes cheap so everyone will enjoy biking.
I acquired a wonderful 3-speed British bike from this neighbor that was my favorite for many years. It had 3 trusty gears and a wide cushiony seat with springs that absorbed every shock and bump. I'd ride it to work, and George would pick me up in the van at 8:00 p.m. when my shift ended. He'd put my bike in the back of the van. One night he forgot to remove the bike and put it in the garage. So, when someone stole our van that night, they also made off with my bike. Someone threw it out of the back while they were heading up to Seattle. We got the car back, but my little British bike was gone forever.
My sons all have bikes that they share with one another, depending on various stages of repair and breakdown. That means that if one of them needs a good bike for the day the other brother will loan his out.Rahmat has had two of his bikes stolen, even though he uses a cable to secure them. (Kids now-a-days know how to pick locks and snatch a bike in a minute.) About two months ago his bike was stolen while he was at work. Since then he's been walking to work, even doing split shifts. Midway between his home and work is my house, where he makes a stop to visit the cats and pick up his mail.
Taraz has had two or three of his bikes stolen too, but there is never a lesson learned. He will park a bike at a park, leave it unattended, and decide to come back the next day to see if it is still there. It isn't. His problem is his detachment. He figures the bike isn't worth worrying over - and he is probably right. Those that got stolen are probably hours away from falling apart. I bet they are picked up by our neighbor, who then proceeds to repair them!
But now with the rainy season setting in, with some horrific wind, Taraz has given some consideration to reclaiming his bike - and worrying over Rahmat as well. So, Megan and Taraz did some shopping on the weekend, and bought Rahmat a bike! When Rahmat stopped by to show us the bike, he reassured me that this one will be parked INSIDE his workplace, where it will not get stolen. I've got my fingers crossed. (When I rode mine to work, I locked it to a steel shelving unit inside a locked storeroom! I wasn't going to take any chances with people coming and going and failing to secure the door.)
I have to laugh, though - looking up from my computer here, I just noticed Rahmat whizzing by, grinning and waving. He sure loves his new bike! I'm hoping this bike will last a long, long time, and with very little need to haul out the tool box.
