Sunday, September 24, 2023

September 24th, 2023

   

      I was laying in bed around 3:30 in the morning of Saturday May 1st, 2022. It was a weekend when I didn’t have the kids and I was volunteering for Riverside Rocks later that morning.

Suddenly I hear someone walking down the hall to my bedroom,
“Dad? It’s me George!”
George jumped on his mother’s bike and road about eight miles starting at 2:30 in the morning. His mom bought that bike when she was in college so it has to be thirty years old. Balding tires low on air and no lights, but George’s determination got him home.
George ran away… he had enough of the emotional roller coaster and set off to Riverside. He hasn’t left from under my roof since.
Neither has that bicycle!
I’ve offered to get him a new one, but he insists to keep his mom’s bike.
Earlier in the year he took it to the guy over in the Riverside train station that repairs bikes. Peter, the owner of the shop tuned the bike up and has become buddies with George.
George, like his Oldman has the Shepley bootie. So he has become a recognizable character in Riverside.
He rides that bike all over. He rides it to his job at the Farmer’s Market. He rides it to take pictures of trains and the river.
And lately I’ve let him ride it over to school which is about three miles away. The school told George he must wear a helmet if he plans to continue to ride it to the school.
So George took it upon himself to get a new helmet.
Just like a year and a half ago, I was laying in bed, but this time it was three thirty in the afternoon.
From down the hallway,
“Dad? I need to tell you that I got a new helmet.
You need to pay Peter at the bike shop.”
Well not only did George get a new helmet… he also got a headlamp, a taillight and a new tire.
Now I’m into Peter for more than just a helmet. I went over to his shop “Gears 2 You” and paid George’s tab.
Peter told me how much he enjoys when George stops by the shop. Just another example how George and I are lucky we found a supportive home in Riverside.
Back to George’s bike that was actually still his mom’s bike.
I thought to myself, “why does George have such a strong feeling towards this bike”
I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the one thing that keeps him tied to his mommy. I can count on both hands the amount of times George and his mom have met since May 1st of 2022. My mom is in heaven and I see her more often.
If that fucking bike gives George a piece of maternal warmth…. We will let Peter fix it up until the day George rides it into the ground.
Today’s Chalkboard quote is by Carl Jung. His idea was if we invest our energy into avoiding or denying our feelings, we prevent ourselves from moving forward.
So George is using his mom’s old bike to move forward. My son on the Spectrum is giving me a lesson on letting go and moving forward.
It’s been a gift to have him under my roof since May 1st, 2022. I just hope someday he and his mom can find a common ground.
Sunday Funday!
Enjoy your time between the Sunrise and Sunset. Last week of the month, last week of the third quarter and the Harvest full moon is this coming Friday.
Sixty days until my favorite holiday and about ninety days until I put on my red suit.
Have a fantastic week all you Chalkheads!
Don’t forget to put the smile on the sun!