3 posts tagged “brian”

The Bike

The arrival of warm weather brings with it the urge of wanderlust for some. Over the weekend one could hear motorcycles roaring down various streets and soon Brian was in the garage tinkering on his own bike. I have the same ability as the bikers. Except it’s the rev of my weed-eater. Thirty minutes after weeding it begins. People drag out their lawn mowers and weed-whackers and before you know it, it’s a virtual lawn trimming fest. Ok…stop thinking that my ability isn’t as cool as those bikers’. My feelings are officially hurt now.

Motorcycles and motocross bikes have always been a big part of our extracurricular entertainment. Brian’s had bikes for most of his 45 years. He can do things on motocross bikes that would make your hair stand on end.

“Hold on tight, babe, I’m gonna show you something I saw on a cartoon once.”

Usually that’s an indication that he’s going to manage to negotiate a virtually vertical hill or he’s going to ride a wheelie down Union Street and have the local police bring out the dogs. ($2000.00 in legal fees, one year unsupervised probation and 40 hours of community service, thank you very much.)

When Brian and I first moved in with one another, he simply told me, “Cat…either learn how to ride or get left behind.” I was naïve in those early years, so naturally I learned to ride. Now at the “rough around the edges” age of 40, if he’d tell me that, I’d chuck a rock at him and say “Ride THAT, hombre. You’re taking me with you or else.” And he’d give me that look of his and tell me to get my ass on the back of his bike.

Brian brought home my first bike when I was 24. It was a broken down 125 YZ and he had it running within a couple of hours. The first time I rode it, he gave me these brief instructions:

“Cat, pay attention, now. Listen to the motor. When she starts to whine, shift her. Mind the wet grass.”

Then he turned me loose.

I rarely ride these days. It’s not that I’ve really lost interest. I think it’s because I’ve lost a bit of my nerve. Too many drivers out there who are more interested in chatting on their cell phones or adjusting their car stereos instead of paying attention to an approaching biker. Or what about those lunatic deer that are always prancing about in overabundance? One could leap out in front of you while you’re driving 60 mph and you’d be a wet spot on the road. Some raccoon would be wearing your face like a mask because you hit asphalt and basically peeled it completely from your head. These thoughts can suck the joy right out of a perfectly good ride.