My Home Town (2)

It was hot, maybe the hottest day of the summer. But my friend and I didn't care. We were on our bikes, riding side by side without an apparent care in the world.

The traditional summer day usually included bike riding, anywhere we wanted to go. It didn't occur to us to be afraid of any rides. All rides were fascinating, and no grownups need worry. All over town the kids who had already worked the harvests ventured out until dinnertime, and - may I say? Freedom is a lovely thing when one is young and there are no video games.

It was normal.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pesis/2887775719/


Susan and I had been up the mountain, and now started back toward the town. The highway was so hot that we saw bubbles of asphalt rising up as we rode past. She and I stopped to get off and 'play' with the bubbles. They were hot! but so much fun to touch and to pop. We probably could have fried an egg on that road, that day.

But we had no time for frying eggs, or anything else. We had to get moving because that very night Susan would appear on a television show, and her mother wanted to get her ready. She was an amazing performer who could, among other things, do tap, ballet, and sing at the same time. Man.



The two of us were approaching the town cemetery when disaster suddenly struck. Sailing swiftly downhill, Susan was ahead of me but all of a sudden my bike was going too fast. Soon, I was approaching her back tire and began to panic, calling out: "Look out, I'M COMIIIINNNNGGGG!!"

I was not only coming, but CRASHING into her back tire with a resounding Thump.

Down went the bike. Down went she, first on the asphalt and then tumbling over and over into the nearby abyss of a ditch. Our two bicycles intertwined in a messy clot of steel and gears, as we sailed down to the bottom. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/12495774@N02/8644730919/

"WHY DID YOU RUN INTO MY BICYCLE???!!" she (loudly) cried. And to this day I have no answer to that question.

Those of you who watch this space may remember that the SconeLady later collided with other unfortunates on her bike. And every time, it is TOO HUMILIATING!

Someone stopped, and put Susan into the back of their car to take her to a doctor, because her knees and elbows were cut and scraped and a hideous sight. She would not be appearing on anyone's television that night.

The news spread like wildfire through the town. The townspeople did not appreciate their pet diva being literally knocked off a television program. There would be no reason to watch, that night.

And it would be a long time before they forgot the Responsible Party. Oh poor, poor SconeLady!

(Poor, poor Susan, more like).


See you along the way!
the SconeLady



photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pesis/2887775719/">Pörrö</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12495774@N02/8644730919/">shaggy359</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>