Friday, November 9
Teachable moments
Commuting not only provides me daily inspiration, cleansing, and sultry sensual workouts it can provide much more. Last night my commute home after work provided me a teachable moment. Largely feeling like a failure from my former days as a 5th grade teacher I had my sails filled on last night's ride (after almost dying on the previous night's ride home). The moment: cruising down the keystone (my recording studio) with freshly bolstered double flashing lights (almost died night before, 4 real) I noticed up ahead a roller-blader off to the side of the trail, probably an 8th or 9th grade girl looking somewhat meek and unsure of herself, wanting to be considerate I took a hand off the bar and covered my flashing lights so as not to temporarily fragment her retinas. Upon passing her something didn't look quite right in her face, and at that realization I discovered she had an accomplice hiding behind a close by tree, but I realized it too late, her girl friend let out a scream as someone only of that age can do. Her creativity pierced the night sky and also scared the crap out of me. Did I almost crash? Maybe, Maverick rarely does, but none the less two bad scares back to back nights, what is going on!? As we all know, the immediate trailing emotion behind fear is anger. Yup sure is. I yelled at her friend, "FUNNY! REAL F#%*ING FUNNY!" My F-15 continued down the trail, heart rate quickly settled back down, and then I realized I am not OK with what just happend. I turned my bird around and quickly gave chase, assessing the situation and my opponents (two 9th grade girls on roller blades). With no wing man this would be a delicate situation. Rounding the corner (scene of the crime) I could make out two MIGs running behind a big tree, hiding close to a house/base with lights on and garage door open. They had obviously picked up on my flashing beams and had a head start run. I darted across the street and swung in on the side walk knowing they were trapped. Did parents lurk close by? No worries I was in the right and this was a teachable moment. Maverick is on the scene. "GIRLS COME HERE! (rustling) COME HERE PLEASE! I AM NOT GOING TO YELL (yelling)! I just have something I need to talk to you about." Low and behold out come the two MIGs (9th grade girls) obviously shaken and wondering what would ensue. They kept a safe distance and I quickly diffused the situation. Lowered voice I let them know I can certainly appreciate humor and their efforts at creativity. Humor is good I told them, I laugh my a#% off most of the day. But girls, you need to think about humor at other people's expense. While I was considering your friend and trying to block the strobe light from her eyes you lay in wait and almost caused an accident! Hey I said, it's a beautiful night, you guys are out having fun and being creative, I can appreciate that, but you've got to give a little thought when your laughs are at other people's expense. They looked at me with eyes wide open and ears even more so. In closing I said "have a great night!" And my assailant with her new found sense of sisterhood replied the same, and I was off, feeling like I had made a difference in two lives. Death is always close by my friends and poor decisions help it find our doorstep all the quicker. I got back on the trail and felt thankful I didn't take the easy way out. Sure I could have just kept on down the trail, carrying my rage with me, but I will tell you riding with love in your heart is a better source. More to come my friends. I am so happy to be alive and alert and able to share in this community we are all part of.
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2 comments:
Thanks for taking the time to teach and not just retaliate. I've had a couple "young adult prank" situations on the tail lately as well. My first instinct is to yell something rude, but I typically keep my mouth shut because my wit is seldom that quick or appropriate.
However, after thinking the situation over, I usually whish that I would have gone back and just talked to the person to explain why their prank might have had consequences they might not have expected.
We all do those stupid things that make you think "oh crap, that could have gone very badly" but we don't think of the consequences until after. Everyone makes mistakes. It's good to know that some people out there are willing to use those moments to teach instead of just getting angry.
Taking the time to talk to someone while getting to another destination, great job! We get so goal or task oriented that we often choose not to talk in order to save time to do what? Stay inside our daily routines?
Biking removes the transportation armor for random chances to encourage or just talk with others.
On the way to work Friday, I was a little late, yet looking down a neighborhood street, I say a guy looking at his bike that was leaning against the back of his car in the driveway. After going about 100', I decided to turn around and talk to him. Just chit chat about biking. Mentioned TP and he was familiar with the trails, though he hadn't been there since the expansion. He wished the widening of Fort would have included a bike lane. I shared a neighborhood route to TP that kept him off Fort or using his car to take the bike there.
Getting people to not reflexively grab the car keys but ride to destinations is one of my great commissions. It's amazing how hard it is to get current bikers to have this mindset, let alone convince non bikers. Bikes as transportation and not just recreation is a mindset we need to live by example.
It comes back to getting out of our car centric routines and hectic pace in order to slow down and enjoy the ride as much or more than accomplishing the task or goal.
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