"A grownup in a child with layers on." - Woody Harrelson
Peeling back the layers.
I believe Daddy always bought my bikes and things from Western Auto. My first mode of transportation was this three wheeled beauty:
I had wonderful, exciting adventures on this baby! It was at one time , or another, every animal that could be ridden. It had even been every mode of transportation ever invented. I could tie something to the back pole and tow it anywhere. I could pump friends and my niece if they stood on the flat back plate and held on to my shoulders. Probably on of the single best investments Daddy ever made for me. I rode her until I was 7 or 8 and my knees were almost hitting the handle bars!
That's when Daddy decided I needed a beautiful new ride for my birthday. Another trip to Western Auto and I was the proud owner of beautiful girl!
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| That's me in the yellow gingham shorts set Mama had made, Daddy holding a baby Paige Anne, and Kelly standing nearest the steps. |
Daddy taught me to ride on two wheels in a couple of sessions out on our relatively quiet paved road in front of our house. Cooks Road. We were renting the old McWilliams place. I loved the new bike and was proud of her. But I had so many fond memories tied up in my old tricycle and there were things I just couldn't do so well with a bike.
Time went on. A month? Another year? I don't know. One day, the girls were over at the house. I was riding my bike and Kelly was riding my tricycle. All of a sudden the handle bars come off in her hands! Kelly starts in to crying. Mama and Edna rush out to see what's the matter. Everyone is making a big fuss over Kelly, making sure it didn't hurt her in any way. Reassuring her that it wasn't her fault, the thing was getting old and rusty. No one noticed that my heart was broken, just like those handle bars.
Did you use your imagination to make a trike or bike into a horse, a train, a car or a rocket? Ever get so attached to a toy that if broke your heart when it "died"?
Thanks for sharing!
Barbara
Bikes always turned into motorcycles when we clipped a baseball card to the back. One of my earliest memories is riding a tricycle in someone's house. I'm sure a broke a lot of toys that broke my heart when they died.
ReplyDeleteI remember a time when all the boys did that!
DeleteYeah, bikes became motorcycles, although I was never daring enough to try any Evel Knievel stunts.
ReplyDeleteMy son tried the stunts! Luckily he never broke anything, but he did get hung up on barbwire one day and I had to run pull him off of it.
DeleteMy older sister wanted a particular green bicycle she had seen at Western Auto. She never got it, as it turned out.
ReplyDeleteBest of my memory, Daddy just went and selected what he thought was right for me.
DeleteI didn't turn my trike into anything, but I used to pretend that it had a radio in it. I'd "turn" the screw and sing, pretending it was an actual radio.
ReplyDeleteLOL Thanks for sharing a memory!
DeleteI had to share a bike with my sister. When I would ride past Miss Winnie's house (first grade teacher for years at my school) she would come out on her porch, shake her finger at me and say "young lady go home and get your bonnet on". I didn't own a bonnet.
ReplyDeleteBet that caused a fight or two! I suppose that lady thought it was just the right and proper thing.
DeleteI don't know that I ever pretended my bike was anything other than a bike. At this point, I don't remember any of my toys dying, but my little sister ended up with things that meant a lot to me. One thing in particular wasn't a toy, but a pantsuit. It was a beautiful soft, blue pantsuit with a teddy bear embroidered on it. I grew out of it. She got it. And I got mad as I could be every time I saw her wearing it. I think that children should be allowed to keep something that means so much to them. It shouldn't get passed along. Some things are just special enough to get to keep.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
I agree wholeheartedly, Suzanne!
DeleteThanks for sharing your stories about the bikes in your life, Barbara. Brought back memories of when I was learning how to ride. When my mom got me a speed bike instead of a coaster, I had trouble learning how to use the brakes and kept banging into things. She had to take that one back to the store before I killed myself!
ReplyDeleteI rode that same bike in the picture until I was about 12. Then my folks upgraded me to a three speed. I had some trouble adjusting to handbrakes as well. But once I got the hang of it, a geared bike was a lot easier to ride on long rides, which I started to do more and more often.
DeleteA beautiful bicycle and family story. I love reading memories like this!
ReplyDeleteTrisha Faye
www.herbthyme.wordpress.com
Thank you, Trisha! I enjoy personal memories and stories more than anything else.
DeleteI rode my tricycle until my knees hit the handle bars, too :) I would pretend I was driving a car or flying when I rode my bike.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Thank you for admitting it and for keeping me in good company! ;)
DeleteI had a tricycle that was bright lime green. Oh I loved it!!! Then I graduated to a pink huffy that my grandparents bought me and my cousin ( we had matching bikes). I wore both of them out. Now I drive a Harley!!!
ReplyDeleteStill riding bikes, you may never "grow up"! ;)
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