Learning To Ride With Angie
I do not remember, exactly, when I acquired this life-changing ability; it is likelythat I was already junior high or late elementary aged. I had recently expressed mylament at not being able to ride to my mom. I could not just hop on a bike that wasnot laden with training wheels and ride down to the baseball park. An additional maladyof needing training wheels is that I was different from my peers in that way.
One afternoon when I was on a break from school for the weekend, however, a changeI am grateful for began. I was at my friend Angie's house, and I wanted to ride bikewith her. Angie was four grades younger than me, and we met when she was "still indiapers," as her mom said.
On the day of this important stay the weather was cooperative for biking, but a bikewith training wheels was not available. This fact did not deaden my desire to ride.The bikes were kept in a garage, and getting them out was not necessarily easy. Still,two were retrieved.
Even though I could not ride a two-wheeler, Angie was willing to go out with me andhelp me. She may have been very skeptical about going without training wheels on thebike I was using. Still, we left for St. Michael's, a nearby church and school.
We somehow arrived at the location; we may both have walked bikes there, since I couldnot ride. We came to St. Mike's. It was not to be just an ordinary afternoon. Angie setabout teaching me to ride a bike without training wheels. She would go behind me as I saton the bike and would hold on. The bike moved forward and I was able to ride with herbehind me! Did Angie struggle to keep me balanced and moving at the same time? What afaithful friend she was!
St. Michael's was not the only place where my endeavors took place; there was a cemeterythat was even closer to Angie's house. Besides being the burial place of many bodies,this site also had smooth, flat surfaces where riding could take place. I am not reallyone to hang out in the graveyards, but this time in one proved very helpful. There wereone or more cemented routes that people visiting the commentary could walk on. I did notuse such a route to arrive at the grave of a deceased family member, however. Rather, Iacquired biking skill on the smooth, hard surface.
There, my skill progressed and Angie began to let go. At first, she did so after forewarningme. I would ride without her helping hand. Later, she may not warn me before letting go;she would remove her hand without letting me know she was going to. Besides my ability,my confidence also increased. I think Angie's letting go without forewarning me was veryimportant or even crucial for this.
Did Angie get tired of following after her eager friend? I think she was also glad that Ihad achieved so much. We spent a good amount of time on my riding, and I was excited,thrilled at my ability. I did not really care to stop.
But, there are only so many hours of daylight; and after sunset, darkness falls. Theexpedition halted. Why does it have to get dark when one can progress, on a bike, withonly two wheels? Morning would come, however, and the work of balancing a bike couldbegin again.
I woke up. Was it still real? Could I still, however shakily, move forward on a bikewithout four wheels? I again sat on the bike seat. My new ability had not escaped me,and I was still able to do the amazing act of going without training wheels. A night'ssleep had not taken this away from me: I am not saying that I was, by any means, anexpert biker, but I still had accomplished a lot.
My biking effort was not limited from city streets; I used the street by Angie's housefor my riding also. There was a hill, though, and that street was not the safest placefor a biker of my shaky caliber. Nevertheless, I showed Angie's dark-haired, blue-eyedmother my skill there. Her mom was not the most comfortable with my riding on that streetthat morning; it did have a hill and traffic.
My time with Angie drew to a close. My mom came by to pick me up, and guess what? I couldride (or though I could)! After this time with Angie, my ability was much better than ithad been before. However, it was imperfect. I would not depend on brakes to impede motion.Why use brakes when you can count on your feet for stopping? A foot was frequently used forthis during my first endeavors around my neighborhood.
I showed my mom my ability. She had not thought that I really could ride before she saw forherself. My reliance on my feet, besides for peddling, decreased, and now I can use a bikewell on my own.
This time spent around Angie's house has impacted me. I later got a bike asa gift and have often gone just for a ride on it, without training wheels of course. I haveused it to go to a nearby park.
Learning to ride with Angie was important to me, and shewas very helpful in this manner. This learning adventure was only one time when Angie showedher friendship. She showed kindness, that weekend, in her persistence and patience.
Author's name withheld upon request