My palms were white-knuckled oceans of sweat. The back of my legs were a population of gashes and scrapes. And my fanny was, and still is, sorer than a freshly raped anus. But in spite of my battle scars i'm finding it hard not to smile. You would too if you had just learned how to ride a bike...except you wouldn't because you do know how. Everyone does. But until yesterday i was still a two-wheeled virgin veering off into gutters and parked cars.
The moment I got on the bike i figured it would be the same though. I would hoist my awkward mass onto the unsuspecting seat, wobble for four seconds, curse, and then quit. But Anaoshak wouldn't let me quit. The only thing he would let me do is peddle. "Just peddle, you can't fall if you just keep peddling," haha...if only someone had forced me to just keep peddling when I was growing up. (The transition from trike to bike is a liminal journey, one that affects how a child views setbacks. Recovering from my biking wounds has taken much longer than the average human.)
There are few things still left in the world that make me giddy with child glee, and bike riding is one of them. I wanted to take a faded Polaroid with my helmet on, smiling an innocently wide-eyed grin...like a tiny hand print in clay. I've been saying goodbye alot these days...it feels comforting to say goodbye to something i'm glad is gone. Thanks anaoshak, the fanny was for you.
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4 comments:
i posted earlier but there was a spelling error and it bothered me a lot. so here it is, fixed haha.
learning how to ride a bike seriously is the best feeling, especially when you're a little older than the norm haha...i was 13? 14? which still felt embarrassingly old...it's like swimming...the longer you wait to learn, the harder it is to just suck it up and learn to do it. when my grandpa pushed me down a hill on the bike as a kid, i freaked and my parents didn't feel much like pushing the issue anymore. i hated how people didn't understand why i couldn't do such a simple task...i had to be forced to just do it as well. thanks, dad :)
wow i just told you the whole story of my life...oh well haha
you've removed your training wheels, in a lot more ways than one. keep pedaling ;)
haha I learned how to ride a bike like 5-6 years ago. it was so satisfying :)
oh vincent
i knew fanny was for me right from the start
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