Sunday, April 19, 2009

Kicking Serious Butt on My Bike

It was a perfect day for a  bike ride.  I was all by myself and pedaling at what I thought was a pretty good clip up a monstrous hill.  Okay, it was a slight incline, but I was the only one around, so who's to know? ...Until this little kid comes out of nowhere.  He's about ten, and he's on a shiny blue bike.  

He doesn't look directly at me, but I know he's got me in his peripheral vision.  I've got the lead, but he's gaining on me.  I'm on my twenty-one speed and he's on his minus three speed, and I know I can take him.  Then something starts to snap inside of me, and I realize I want to kick his butt.  

 I know it's in the bag.  All I have to do is switch gears.  I'm mid-shift and something washes over me... guilt...shame ...I don't know--maybe just the realization that he's ten and I'm...well...over thirty.  

So I let up, ever so slightly, and he coasts by me--still only looking straight ahead ...but with a small victory smile on his face.  Maybe I imagined it, but I think I heard, Sucker...

2 comments:

Penny said...

You let him win? You're a WAY nicer person than I am.

My 60-something dad kicked my butt in a bike ride yesterday. He was doing those loops around and around so I could catch up. Sigh.

Annie said...

My dad has been know to do that to me with running!