Today, I got all the bike parts for my upcoming Sculptcycle except for the tricycle.
The coordinators arranged a series of recycle your bike drives and the artists are welcome to take what they need from the depots for free. The one here in Burlington is at Queen City Steel, down in the Intervale - go figure! (Could there be a more heavenly place?)
Anyhoo, while I was down there, I also grabbed an old bike to make my own that I admired again today after having noticed it during the first reconnaissance visit.
The bike I have at present was a generous gift by an amazing co-worker at Shitty Markup - she overheard a phone call at work about how my bike had just been stolen on my way to work as I stopped at a yard sale. As my back was turned, a brazen little monkey turd walked right up and rode away. He was half way down the street before I noticed and I had clogs on. Aack!
Plus, I was five minutes away from my shift.
I went to work and made phone calls on break while the co-worker, Christina - from another department and who I barely knew - overheard my story. As soon as I got off the phone she offered me a bike she had on her porch that she said she'd, "been meaning to do something with, but since she hadn't and I needed it, she'd like me to have it." Then she brought it in a week later and left the key in my mailbox.
Love that girl.
Anyway, it's a working bike, but it has failed to become my bike - because I need something special. Even more special than this karmicly blessed one. One in which it seems to know me as well as I know it (it happens, just ask a cyclist).
So today, down at Queen City Steel while Robert and I were digging in the icy snow to find twelve matching tires for the sculpture, there she was again, sticking out (admirably) like a sore thumb and calling me to take her.
She's a classic girls Huffy touring bike with an ancient teal base paint that has faded to a lovely blue/yellow patina. She sports bright yellow handlebar grips and there is more sunny yellow in her name stickers. She has some rust and will need all new tires, brakes and probably a spare part here or there, but other than that she's downright spiffy!
I was bragging her up to my friend Jess on the phone tonight and she wondered if the bike had a banana seat. I told her no, but it recalled my first two-wheeler that had that and of course those high handlebars with long, multi-colored, plastic tassels.
One otherwise ordinary day, while proudly cruising the neighborhood like a big girl on my new yellow two wheeler with it's many colored tassels, I completely bit it, and in the process bruised the hell out of not only my crotch, but also gained a fat, black shiner from those high, chrome handlebars.
Raped by a banana seat and bitch handlebar slapped on the way down - no helmet was gonna save me that day.
My friend Johnny wondered how many young girls lost their virginities to bike accidents. I told him it was most likely horseback riding before that - that is myself, as well as girls historically.
All I can say is my mother should be thankful that it was summer and there was no school. By today's standards she'd probably have served time for the implications alone if any authority had caught on.
Say, I just noticed I'm working some themes here. Post on 3/24: "Bad Things That Happened To My Crotch When I Was a Young Girl;" Post 3/25: "Bike Safety Story;" Post 3/26: "Bike Safety Story" and "Bad Things That Happened To My Crotch When I Was a Young Girl"
All this reminiscing,* has caused me to consider starting yet another blog:
"Don't Get Me Started - The Bizarre Story of My Life So Far"
Despite my best intentions, PYtB's fairly well become that anyway,
XXKHT
The birthday list is as long as my arm ending in Robert Frost (137). If you wanna see for yourself go here: MARCH FAMOUS B'DAYS and skip down to 3/26 (duh) and don't forget to add four years.
*about my crotch
The title quote is taken from this bulletin board thread: http://www.schwinnbike.com/heritage/showthread.php?t=54199
Quite nicely written actually, i like it. :)
Posted by: bildekor | 05 September 2008 at 07:13 PM