Discovery

When H decided to walk, he knew how and took careful precautions and went for the right incentives. He liked to know what was coming, and was a fan of patterns and routines. We would play on the riding toys in the driveway for hours. So many hours, that he was riding two wheels by the age of three. As a teenager, he's rides with a mountain bike team and gets himself to and from school. Same route everyday. He comes home through a park and then down the greenway a short distance. 

Sara called me. Who's Sara? I don't actually know, because we had never met before this call. I was getting on the bike headed for home to pick up my kids. Except she seem to be talking about my kids... 

[Incoming call] Hi yes, I'm Susan. My son? Which one? Who is this again? What did you say? Is he hurt? Can I talk to him? {frantically grabbing coworker to drive me to my child} What hospital are they taking him to? Can you take a picture of his bike so I can know how severe his injuries might be? Thank you Sara, I love you so much right now. I'm coming. Oh hi, yes, I'm his mom. Are you there? Can you hear me? No, he doesn't have any allergies. His name, diagnosis, current meds, yes. Tell him I love him. Thank you. I'll go to the hospital then. 

[text] It's important. Call me immediately.

[Outgoing call] What are you doing right now? Are you parked? There's been an accident, it's H. He was riding his bike home from school. They don't know the extent of his injuries, they're taking him to the hospital. Can you get there? I'm going to get R&T now and I'll meet you there. Where else would I take them? Once they hear he's in the hospital, they're going to want to get there. Yes, we'll figure out. I'll call your dad.

[Incoming call] Hey baby, are you ok? Yes, get in the ambulance with him. Hold his hand. {screams in the background that make me wince} It's ok, I'm coming as fast as I can. Do you want to wait there or go back to the school? {dropping phone sounds and then a new voice} Yes, I'm his mom. I'm coming there right now, about 10 minutes out. Yes, they're brothers, they're my sons. I'm coming as fast I can. 

[Incoming call] Hey sweet girl. Yes, I'm going to pick you up. Listen, something's happened. As soon as I get to the school, be ready. We have to move quickly.

[Outgoing call] Got a sec? I need a favor. Oh, you're driving. Can you pull over? Yea, I know it makes you nervous. Don't worry, I'll wait. Ok, Holden was in an accident. I'm on my way to the hospital, but I need to get R&T first. Can you meet their dad there? I understand you're upset. We are about to walk into a very tense situation and I need you to have a calm head. Yes, you can vent. You didn't hurt my feelings. Yes, meet me at the hospital and we'll figure it out. 

x

[at the scene] Hi, yes, I'm Susan. Can you give me one second and we can finish? {wrap my arms around my second son and feel the relief of a healthy, strong, breathing boy with a brave face} Ok, so where is the van now? Who is Sara? Were there others? Are there skid marks? How fast was she going? Why wouldn't she have stopped then? {wrestling with the bike rack} Here, it goes like this. Oh you have this rack too? Yea we love it. So he usually comes down this greenway path, and then crosses to the curb relief on the other side.  What van was it? Did she brake at all before she hit my son? So you didn't cite her? I need to get to the hospital, can I have the information on the report? Thank you.

I Can Ride my Bike with No Handlebars

My son wanted a nerf gun for Christmas. That's cool and all, but I don't really do nerf guns. Maybe you notice I ride bikes? I decided that what I wanted to give him was a bike. He grows so fast! This week was a whole makeover - new glasses, new haircut, new bike. He was a whole new man.

At first he didn't love the bike I chose. I thought he could still be satisfied with the simple criteria: two wheels plus pedals. My choice was also in a steel frame, disc brakes, and sora components. It was a deal -- and way too big... and maybe not cool enough? Feeling a little depleted in the value of my choice, I took him back to the bike shop. I was pretty convinced he was going to just return it. I don't even know what we bought.  No idea the type of components, and I would have to go down to the garage to recall the brand. While we were there, his love of bikes revived.

He doesn't know it, and please don't tell him so I can still hold out for some additional chores-in-lieu-of-presents, but this was the perfect gift for Christmas. My child is riding bikes with enthusiasm again! Here's us the next morning getting bagels for breakfast.

Bike to School

The ride to school today has been a long time coming. I thought they would just naturally want to ride their bikes because the freedom is so great. Turns out, getting driven is easier. Traffic as it is, I have been inclined to oblige their whims.

Our new place tho? Totally bike-able. Boy has been asking for an apple watch which I told him (a) he could have if he could keep up with all of his things and (b) he would need to have if he was biking to school all the time.

And so this day happened. Some people look forward to first steps or graduating from kindergarten - this is my proud mama moment. My son biked to school for the first time.

Gifts

For a variety of reasons, I found myself walking to and from the school a lot today. Part of my story is my son. He is wonderful and challenging. He is as hot as the sun. He's mesmerizing with his brains and beauty, but he can't always keep his emotions between the lines. Bit like his mama.

This morning was a hard one, but then on the way home he found a butterfly. It had died where it flew, and he spotted it perfectly in tact. His brother protected it until we got home. His sister kept the dog from eating it.

Did I mention he had poetry homework? Here is what he wrote...

I am a smart boy who like sharks

I wonder what life will be like for our descendants who will live thousands of years from now

I hear my fan at night

I see a good life ahead with lots of mistakes and successes

I want to have an impact on those around me

I am a smart boy who likes sharks

I pretend that I am well known and revered in the world

I feel powerless when I hear about loss

I touch other people’s lives when I do something for charity

I worry that life will pass me by without me doing anything

I cry when I hear about how much poverty there is in the world

I am a smart boy who likes sharks

I understand that I can’t do something for everything that happens in the world

I say that I can do almost anything if I put my mind to it

I dream that there were a decent life for everybody

I try to make an impact on my peers

I hope that life will get better for everybody

I am a smart boy who likes sharks

Wheels

When I first learned to ride my bike, my brother and I rode loops around my dad's condo parking lot. We timed the laps like a crit race, because it was a really short loop. I can remember sliding out in a sandy spot beside a speed bump leaving road rash on the inside of my elbow, all down my hip, and blood dripping from my knee. We kept riding tho.

Last weekend I saw a boy on the street. This is big news because my son has been without street friends since we moved to the new house. Maybe you don't remember how important street friends are? Trust me. They are important, and I celebrated. Every time the dog barked, I hollered to my son that somebody was on the street. Was it his future street friend? Go! Get your bike! Go see who it is!

The week came and went. The elusive boy on bike was not met. Sunday he asked, "Mom, will you take me down to the new people at that house?"

"What if I make cookies?"

"Then he'll definitely be my friend."

Bambi the Buck

The deer in this neighborhood are bizarre. There are so many, they're nearly tame. I find them eating the flowers in the front yard in the morning. Not one, not two, but six or seven or nine. When I drive the street, they look up and then carry about their graze. I have a garden with an 8' fence with no vegetation and hoof prints. There's a nuance to this domestication tho. When I bike up the street, they bolt.

This bizarre thing happened on the way home from school the other day. My son (on bike) makes his way up the street first. Between him and child #2, a car is approaching - and Bambi appears. He's spooked and headed full throttle towards the fence. Nothing is going to stop him! (except the fence) The fence stood its ground, and Bambi flipped back into the street. He's fully panic-stricken. He's in a seizure state of fear. His movements are violent and uncontrolled. He's grunting and growling at himself while somersaulting forwards and back.

We step back and watch, hoping he'll get it together and letting him have his space. It takes 45 seconds? a minute?, but he does catch his feet on the ground. The first grip sends him up the street towards us. The single speed tandem is too heavy to try to manipulate into a shield, and I worried. He flipped and fell again. Another 10 seconds of deer terror, and he finds his way the other direction into the woods.

And this is the day I met my new neighbors! I mention this because this really happened. This weird scene is not a metaphor or a moral story. Only Bambi's name was made up. It's a story about a freaked out buck. Oh deer.

Mental Images

I joke about it... But then it happens. I set out on the commute thinking how light the pedals felt -- how good it felt to take up space and be with me. I'm about a mile down the road of happiness when it dawns on me that I left my bag at home. And my hands are really cold.

Round tripped back to the car. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on my mood, my bizoys don't clean up after themselves. There was one of each of their gloves for the ride to work. They were even  left and right matched.

Easy like Sunday morning