Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Christmas Bicycle

Hey all,   Christmas is  special time of the year. As Christains we celebrate the greatest gift ever given.  We have family get togethers with great food and laughter, sharing our lives with each other ......and yes there's gifts too.
      When we were young, around 12 or so, Tom and I had paper routes delivering the Daily Intelligencer,  It was how we paid for the things we wanted such as fishing gear and Christmas gifts.  We were only allowed to have 20 dollars spent on each of us for Christmas.  That was it.  We had to choose what we wanted very carefully.  On this particular Christmas I learned of a bicycle that Bobby who lived down the street was selling.  It was a 3 speed metallic brown stingray with a white banana seat and it was in like new condition.  They wanted 40 dollars for it so I made a deal with my folks that if I paid for half of it,  then I could get it for Christmas.   We brought the bike home a couple of weeks before Christmas and kept it in the cellar. The deal was that I couldn't ride it until Christmas Day.   I was excited!  I would go down to the cellar and admire it and imagine what is was going to be like to finally  get to ride it.
     Christmas Day  arrived warm and sunny.  There was a slight shower the night before and the roads were a little wet but that didn't stop me from taking the bike out.  I rode it up and down the street and once around the block. Everybody in our house was getting ready for church and Mom asked me to take my new bike and go downtown to Wawa and get a gallon of milk. When I got to the store I realized that I didn't have a lock and chain to secure my new bike so I parked it in front of the doors in the parking lot where I could see it from inside.  I was only inside a short time and rushed back to find my bike laying on the ground.  I picked it up went to sit on when I noticed that it was bent and then realized that somebody had run it it over.  Whoever it was had to have known what happened but left anyway.  I cried most of the way home as I dragged my bike because the back wheel was bent with frame.  When I got home, Mom said how bad of a thing it was to have happen.............. that wrapped up Christmas for that year.
      Christmas for a kid is different than an adult.  That Christmas was a sad one for me.  I've learned that material gifts are nice but, not nearly as important as the family and friends that I share laughter, food and funny stories with.  I'm looking forward to seeing all of you again.
                                     Until next time.............God Bless.
    
      
    

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