Greetings Readers
"What does she mean? Dreams are complicated Doug." The Riches
There are days, perhaps every day that I may be tested by god, the biking gods or something/someone else about my reactions to kindness.
And I have to say that I pulled off a test last night - with flying colors I might add.
The back-story – it was about 8:00 PM last night and I was riding home from work. The sun had gone down and there was just barely a dark blue color visible in the sky amongst the black night. Though, not enough light to through any light on the road to see where I was riding.
I was basically riding the dark. When I apparently ran over something and had a blowout. I cannot even guess what it was nor could I guess how it happened. I found no thorn, nor did my bike feel like I ran over a rock. It felt and made a sound like that I ran over some broken glass, but when I pulled the tube out of the tire the tube showed an indication of me running over a rock and the tube being forced into the inner rim of the rim.
I know that sentence may not make sense, but whenever I run over something, such as a rock, the tube gets two slits in the tube that was made against the inner rim. I don’t know why, but when I see those two slits I know that I either ran over a rock or some object, which forced the tire/tube against the inner rim and that in turn causes the immediate blow out of my bike tube.
I was cruising. I was feeling the rush of night riding and not knowing what is on the road before me. I was riding in one of the many suburban communities in Arapahoe County, when I ran over something then I heard the familiar blow out and the rush of air leaving my tire. Man. I was about ¾ of a mile home and I had this blow out. Fuck me.
I did not cuss out loud at all. I was not mad (as usually as I am when I get a flat tire). I was indifferent. I was hoping that the bike tube would hold after I heard the familiar blow out, but 10 yards later my tire was flat as a young girl’s chest.
I pulled over immediately and shook my head in an “I can not believe this” attitude. I actually smiled and knew that this flat tire was due. I immediately thought that I could either walk my bike home or repair the flat tire.
Well, I pulled out the bike pump, bike kit and bike levers and proceeded to change the tire.
Meanwhile, a few vehicles did pass by me while I was fixing my flat tire. I was not mad. I was fixing and changing the flat tire without any thought what so ever. The only thing going on in my head was to change the tire or walk the bike ¾ of a mile home.
Anyway, I heard some footsteps across the street coming toward my direction. I looked up at the person’s direction to acknowledge that I saw him/her. Then, I immediately look from him/her to indicate, I hope, that I do not want to talk to him/her nor need any sort of help.
I could still hear his/her footsteps coming while I was fixing my flat tire. Then, I heard the footsteps coming towards me. I did not look up since I do not want to engage in any conversation with anyone.
Now. I am not being rude from my standpoint. If this person was a walker and he/she was out walking I am sure that he/she would not want to be bothered by me or anyone else that evening.
I hear a lady’s voice - “Excuse me?”
Oh by the way readers, this was one of the times that I did not want to listen to my Ipod nor did I have my earphones in my ears. I was just enjoying the bike ride home listening to the world around me. I did not look up since I did not think she was talking to me.
“Excuse me?”
I looked up and said “Yes?”
“Are you okay?”
“Uh yes.”
“My son just said that he saw a bike rider and said that person looked like that he needed some help.”
“Oh. No, I am okay, though I have no light to work from in the dark.”
“Do you need some help?”
“No. I am fine. Thank you.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Thank you. At least it is not cold.”
“Yes. Well… if you are okay then I will be going.”
“Thank you. And thank your son for being so kind to mention to you that I might need help.”
“That’s okay,” she said.
“Again. Thank you” and I added “I just hope that your son did not hear me cuss” Which of course was a lie, but I wanted to make sure that she was okay with talking to a stranger in the dark. Getting a laugh or smile sometimes makes people feel more comfortable.
I felt that I had to add that since she had no clue who she was going to help out with her son telling her a biker, me, might need help down the street. I had to make sure that I was not my typical self in the dark. Especially, with my sarcastic side, low tolerance level for “ignorance” and me being a man. Also, I wanted to make sure that I was giving the impression that I was just a neighborhood neighbor and not a man looking to take advantage of a woman.
Perhaps I was being tested by someone. Perhaps not. Yet, I am proud to write to you readers that I was on my best, best behavior and said thank you so many times that I almost felt fake. Hell. I was being fake within my character and that is the truth. But in the scenario last night I was very honest on giving the Thank you’s to her. I wanted her to leave ASAP, but I wanted her to feel that she could leave me ASAP without any help or guilt for not helping.
Readers – I am not asking for praise or a “fuck you” remark, but I want to tell you and the rest of the world that I am capable of being nice when I need to. Being nice is not an effort for me, but most of the time it is hard for me to be nice and not sarcastic at the same time. I am a smart ass by nature, but only when asked questions which are “dumb” in my personal view.
Oh, I guess I better add that this picture is the first picture of the year in my Southpark bike Jersey I decided today a day to wear this bike jersey. I have to admit I feel like Cartman looks today.
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
"What does she mean? Dreams are complicated Doug." The Riches
There are days, perhaps every day that I may be tested by god, the biking gods or something/someone else about my reactions to kindness.
And I have to say that I pulled off a test last night - with flying colors I might add.
The back-story – it was about 8:00 PM last night and I was riding home from work. The sun had gone down and there was just barely a dark blue color visible in the sky amongst the black night. Though, not enough light to through any light on the road to see where I was riding.
I was basically riding the dark. When I apparently ran over something and had a blowout. I cannot even guess what it was nor could I guess how it happened. I found no thorn, nor did my bike feel like I ran over a rock. It felt and made a sound like that I ran over some broken glass, but when I pulled the tube out of the tire the tube showed an indication of me running over a rock and the tube being forced into the inner rim of the rim.
I know that sentence may not make sense, but whenever I run over something, such as a rock, the tube gets two slits in the tube that was made against the inner rim. I don’t know why, but when I see those two slits I know that I either ran over a rock or some object, which forced the tire/tube against the inner rim and that in turn causes the immediate blow out of my bike tube.
I was cruising. I was feeling the rush of night riding and not knowing what is on the road before me. I was riding in one of the many suburban communities in Arapahoe County, when I ran over something then I heard the familiar blow out and the rush of air leaving my tire. Man. I was about ¾ of a mile home and I had this blow out. Fuck me.
I did not cuss out loud at all. I was not mad (as usually as I am when I get a flat tire). I was indifferent. I was hoping that the bike tube would hold after I heard the familiar blow out, but 10 yards later my tire was flat as a young girl’s chest.
I pulled over immediately and shook my head in an “I can not believe this” attitude. I actually smiled and knew that this flat tire was due. I immediately thought that I could either walk my bike home or repair the flat tire.
Well, I pulled out the bike pump, bike kit and bike levers and proceeded to change the tire.
Meanwhile, a few vehicles did pass by me while I was fixing my flat tire. I was not mad. I was fixing and changing the flat tire without any thought what so ever. The only thing going on in my head was to change the tire or walk the bike ¾ of a mile home.
Anyway, I heard some footsteps across the street coming toward my direction. I looked up at the person’s direction to acknowledge that I saw him/her. Then, I immediately look from him/her to indicate, I hope, that I do not want to talk to him/her nor need any sort of help.
I could still hear his/her footsteps coming while I was fixing my flat tire. Then, I heard the footsteps coming towards me. I did not look up since I do not want to engage in any conversation with anyone.
Now. I am not being rude from my standpoint. If this person was a walker and he/she was out walking I am sure that he/she would not want to be bothered by me or anyone else that evening.
I hear a lady’s voice - “Excuse me?”
Oh by the way readers, this was one of the times that I did not want to listen to my Ipod nor did I have my earphones in my ears. I was just enjoying the bike ride home listening to the world around me. I did not look up since I did not think she was talking to me.
“Excuse me?”
I looked up and said “Yes?”
“Are you okay?”
“Uh yes.”
“My son just said that he saw a bike rider and said that person looked like that he needed some help.”
“Oh. No, I am okay, though I have no light to work from in the dark.”
“Do you need some help?”
“No. I am fine. Thank you.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Thank you. At least it is not cold.”
“Yes. Well… if you are okay then I will be going.”
“Thank you. And thank your son for being so kind to mention to you that I might need help.”
“That’s okay,” she said.
“Again. Thank you” and I added “I just hope that your son did not hear me cuss” Which of course was a lie, but I wanted to make sure that she was okay with talking to a stranger in the dark. Getting a laugh or smile sometimes makes people feel more comfortable.
I felt that I had to add that since she had no clue who she was going to help out with her son telling her a biker, me, might need help down the street. I had to make sure that I was not my typical self in the dark. Especially, with my sarcastic side, low tolerance level for “ignorance” and me being a man. Also, I wanted to make sure that I was giving the impression that I was just a neighborhood neighbor and not a man looking to take advantage of a woman.
Perhaps I was being tested by someone. Perhaps not. Yet, I am proud to write to you readers that I was on my best, best behavior and said thank you so many times that I almost felt fake. Hell. I was being fake within my character and that is the truth. But in the scenario last night I was very honest on giving the Thank you’s to her. I wanted her to leave ASAP, but I wanted her to feel that she could leave me ASAP without any help or guilt for not helping.
Readers – I am not asking for praise or a “fuck you” remark, but I want to tell you and the rest of the world that I am capable of being nice when I need to. Being nice is not an effort for me, but most of the time it is hard for me to be nice and not sarcastic at the same time. I am a smart ass by nature, but only when asked questions which are “dumb” in my personal view.
Oh, I guess I better add that this picture is the first picture of the year in my Southpark bike Jersey I decided today a day to wear this bike jersey. I have to admit I feel like Cartman looks today.
Until the next time
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
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