Never Gonna Let It Go

I was the tender age of four when I was presented with my first set of wheels. Forest green, metal seat, little plastic streamers dancing from the inside of the handle bars. Oh, did I mention the three wheels! My little tricycle transported me up and down the sidewalk. Once in a while, Collette would stand on the step and jubilantly shout, "Home James!" and I would whisk her away, to the corner of our street.

Once I learned to maneuver a two wheeler without training wheels, I had another bike. I only remember that it was very basic and it was blue. When I was 8 years old, I received a beautiful Huffy dragster. The banana shaped seat was white and trimmed with a black racing stripe. The frame was a fiery metallic magenta that glistened in the sunshine as I rode through the neighborhood. Attached to the dipped handle bars was a basket in case I needed to carry an item on my many journeys.

Then, it was spring. 1977. The big day arrived - it was a Friday, my dad's day off from work. I was 13 years old and I was now mature enough to have a 10 speed. Wow, ten gears!!! My dad bought me a bicycle that day. The popular and reliable brand was Schwinn. But NOOO, I wanted to be different. My choice was a FUJI brand. Since my cousin was a bicycle salesman, he assisted us in the decision. I loved that bike. I traveled all over on that bike, even to my girlfriend Maria's house. She lived about one and a half miles away - that was a big trek for a young girl, usually riding solo. The times were different then(seems like those words are used quite often) - it wasn't unsafe to ride alone but one had to be cautious. That bike was my salvation. My mom adored the bike too. My 5'10" stature required the seat to be at a higher setting therefore, my mom found it difficult to get on the bike without lowering the seat. She did not use the bike very often. That was fine with me because that bike was mine! I utilized my FUJI for many years after that summer of '77. The design was great for me, it rarely needed any type of repairs and it was such a pretty shade of turquoise....

Over the past eight years or so, I have received verbal eviction threats. My FUJI hangs in the corner, out of the way from other numerous items that fill the garage. Alas!, I always seem to convince the repo man that it is my little antique - part of my teenage years, an integral source of transportation when my mom could not provide me with personal taxi service (she did 98% of the time!).

Thirty one years later and I continue to have custody of this precious possession. The tires need to be replaced, the frame has a slight dent in it but one day soon, I will travel with her just like the good ol' days and we will ride off into the sunset...