Our older son desperately needed a new bike. He was beginning to look like a clown at the circus...the one that rides around the outer edge of the ring on the miniature bicycle. We made excuses for putting off buying a new one, holding out until his birthday. When, finally, the day came, we sent him out to the garage and...there it was. Think Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. The spotlight shining down upon the bike and dramatic music playing in the air. Now hear the record scratching. He couldn't ride it. It was a rainy day....followed by several other rainy days. This poor kid couldn't use the new bike for over a week. Each day I was asked the forecast. Each day I had to tell him the bad news...more rain. I promised him that when the weather got better, we would ride it to school (this being the first time ever he would ride a bike to school.) The excitement built each day. Then the day came. We rode. We rode and rode. After a few spills getting used to the significantly taller height of the bike, not to mention hand breaks, we reached our destination. Then we heard it. Someone yelled out, "Hey, it against school rules. You can't ride a bike to school until 4th grade!" Now I probably should mention here that #1 son is a hard and fast rule follower. #2 son is a much different person and will break every rule he can, but this boy follows all the rules – completely. This kid yelling at him in front of half the school threw him into a must-follow-all-rules-completely frenzy. He freaked out! I tried reassuring him that his was an honest mistake and he need not worry. In fact, I told him this was an okay rule to break. Gasp! He begged me to take it home. He begged me to come back at lunch and load it into the car with me. He decided he no longer wants to attend that school.
As I knew it would, everything worked out in the end. He didn't get in trouble (although he may have given himself an ulcer in the process.) He rode home at the end of the day with no one noticing. He rides all around the neighborhood but never again will he attempt riding back to school. Not for the next two weeks anyway at which time he officially becomes a 4th grader.
3 comments:
they are so cute. i don't know what it is, but the back of their heads are so sweet. just so no one thinks i am a weirdo, these are my children
Take the bike back to the store, trade it in for a cheaper bike, and spend the difference on a Weber Grill with a side burner! The kid will never know the difference. BUY THE WEBER!!!
No bikes to school until 4th grade? Sheesh. What kind of testament is that to today's society? I was riding to school at seven. :-)
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