“We don’t talk about that kind of stuff,” he said to his son.
A family of 5 walking past The Kindness Bike held the interest of the son of about twelve years of age. His teenage sisters were interested as well, but didn’t express themselves verbally. The mother was silent as the father tried his best to usher his family to the car as quickly as he could. The son chose to read aloud, the 2 signs; “Boys should never hit girls” and “Be a man, don’t raise a hand. Stop Domestic Violence! “We don’t talk about that kind of stuff,” the father said, to my amazement. Once in the car, the father sped off, only to get stuck at a long line of traffic in the turning lane just out of the parking lot. I of course rode the couple of hundred feet to be in full view once again as the father had to wait for the light to change as the boy in the car looked my way and continued to express himself. The light changed and I watched as the long line of traffic in the turning lane started moving, but not fast enough, the father was about to get stuck first in line at the light again. He chose to run the fully red light!!
I don’t know if the father was in a hurry or if he just didn’t want to see the signs on The Kindness Bike for a third time, but one thing is for sure, he had better start talking to his family about important issues which can affect his children or there won’t be any room left under the rug for him to sweep everything he chooses not to discuss.
Changing my inner tubes so many times yesterday, I inadvertently took the wrong brake pad apart instead of using the quick release on the opposing side. I rode today’s 40 miles with a dragging brake pad making the ride seem like 100 miles. Needless to say, I will visit a bike shop tomorrow.
