A Random Ride-by

Now if this little tale does not warm the cockles of your frozen heart, I am not at all sure what will. For those of you who have allowed yourselves to become more jaded than myself (which is hard to do), I should make note that this is indeed a true story.

Around three in the afternoon yesterday, I decided to have Dunch or Linner. I seldom eat both lunch and dinner in any given day. If I can I usually eat a meal early and a small snack later on if I get hungry. I was chilled yesterday, one of those days when you cannot seem to get warm. I decided that vegetable soup would put me right. What’s this? There wasn’t a cracker in sight and I can’t eat soup without crackers. I made half a sandwich of PB & J for some quick energy and then bundled up for a long walk. Even though I was chilled, I also needed some exercise. The now old ankle injury stiffens if it does not get out as much as it should. I set my sights on the grocery store 2 ½ miles away. The trip to the store was uneventful. I was annoyed by the gray skies and landscape. My brain seemed to chant, “Where the heck is Spring?” every step of the way.

At the store I purchased three boxes of crackers; Saltines, Ritz and Graham. As well, I purchased a big arse double box of bran flakes. I bore you with those details only to signify that I made the return trip with a large, over-sized bag in each hand. The bags weren’t at all heavy, just over-sized. About three blocks from the store I could feel someone on a bicycle to my left slowing down. I slowly turned to notice a rather fit gentleman of about 60 years, I’d say. He had a full gray/silver beard and blue eyes. He smiled and asked, “Do you have far to go?” Before my twisted jaded mind could reach the conclusion that, old dude was going to off me, the man followed with, “I ask because if you have far to go you are welcome to take my bike. You can bike your groceries home and then come back. I’ll wait for you on that bench there.” Huh? No, I had never seen this guy before in my life! I was speechless. It seemed sunnier out and that chill I had all day was g one. I thanked the man and smiled broadly as I declined his offer. He smiled back and nodded and was then off. I almost skipped home.

After I got home, I made myself a cup of tea with lemon and dissected the event in my head in my usual attempt to ruin just about everything. I imagined that upwards of 99% of people would not have returned with the man’s bike. I thought further that perhaps he was a perv and that I might have ended up on a milk carton. I came up with all sorts of other stupid explanations and scenarios and finally settled on a truth… We should all slow down and care.