Recycling Memories

 

I mentioned yesterday - on two different blogs [Old Man. New Bicycle. and New Bicycle for an Old Man ] that, thanks to money received from the recent stimulus package, I bought a new bicycle. As I said, I've been wanting buy one for several months.

Getting this new bicycle brings back memories of bicycles I've owned in the past. Actually, prior to this new purchase, I've only owned two other bicycles.

The first was given to me by my parents circa 1965/1966. It was a three speed bike, with what we called a banana seat. If I recall properly, this type of bike was called a "spider-bike".

My parents made the mistake of buying identical bikes for me and my younger brother. This was to prove unfortunate. For me, at least.

Not long after receiving the bikes, we rode them to school. At the lower end of the school, far away from our classrooms, there were proper bike racks, where sensible students left their bicycles while in school. Closer to our classrooms were some apartments where a few of us miscreants would park the bikes.

This particular morning, my brother and I parked our identical bikes beside the bikes belonging to one or two of our friends. After school, we returned to fetch our bikes to discover one had been stolen. As my brother and I had identical bikes, it was impossible to know whether it was my bike or my brother's that had been stolen. My brother claimed that it was mine that had been stolen - not his. Sadly, my parents went along with him. I was out a new bike.

Fast forward in time to the early 1980's. I bought myself a 10 speed Schwinn Varsity. It wasn't a bright idea on my part. I was still a heavy cigarette smoker in those days, and riding a bicycle was torture for me. My younger sister wanted to borrow my bike for a few days. My poor lungs told her it was fine. While she was in possession of my bike, my brother - the same one mentioned earlier - stole the bike and sold it for drinking money.

Two earlier bicycles.....both stolen.

I've learned my lesson. This one will be kept inside the house during the night. I've also a bicycle lock for those times when I'm out and about. It's not as if I don't trust my neighbors, it's just being safe rather than sorry.

One thing for certain; this brother is no longer amoung the living, so if it goes missing, he won't be to blame - this time.