Bicycles

Before Michael left for Okinawa back in July, he helped me clean out the garage. I wouldn't let him haul it all off because I could make some good money off it in a garage sale. Well, yesterday, we hauled all that good money making junk to the thrift store. It was quite hard for me. I had no problem getting it out of my garage, but losing all that potential $ was killing me. ;)

One of the things to go was the first table and chair set that Michael and I bought as a married couple. It lived and traveled with us for 20 years. Kevin was bummed to see it go. I had to chuckle about my guys and their need to hang on to some things. The mind wandered back to the bicycles.

We have in our garage a little orange bike that Michael refuses to get rid of. Believe me I tried. Then Michael told me why he wanted to keep Kevin's little orange bike.

First, I have to take a brief trip back to the trike. When Kevin was 2 yrs. old he was riding his trike when Michael called every one in for supper. Kevin got off his trike, left it where it was, and came inside. He was told to bring his trike home or it would be pitched in the trash. That was fine with him and when it went in the dumpster he never missed a beat. I, however, had a fit; behind his back. After he went to bed we fished out the trike and hid it away for a while. Kevin never missed it.

Then, in kindergarten Kevin rode his bike with training wheels. I could hear him riding out in the street; he would either be singing or whistling at the top of his lungs. He was the happiest kid on the block. One day my wonderful, drill instructor husband decided that Kevin needed to ride without the training wheels. This day was horrible. I won't go into details; I'll just say there were many tears that day and years later apologies. Kevin never touched that bike again.

Finally, when Kevin was 10 years old we moved to Pensacola, Florida. Michael and I reversed roles; he stayed home to school Kevin and I went to full time work. I don't remember when the orange bike was bought, but this is the time in which it earned it's permanent home in our garage. Michael would run during the day and have Kevin ride this bike beside him. So, when I wouldn't let up on getting rid of the thing Michael shared with me that that bike represented a good thing in a very bad time of our lives.

So, if you're in my garage 40 years from now and see a little orange bike, that's why.