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| {Popcorn Fridays} |
| # - Every other Friday is Popcorn Friday at Markus' new school. I helped to serve it. Even with one eye swollen shut. # - It was swollen shut from one heck of a bee sting. Following are some snapshots from a difficult day that was last Thursday. # - The bike ride was delayed. By a total of three and a half hours. As difficult as it was, getting to Kelly's house was the easy part. She only lives about nine miles away, up Wasatch past Big Cottonwood. # - Because the ride was late, I had to miss my PTA meeting. I know there will be others, but I had already committed and had to talk to my friend. You know the feeling when all your well intentioned plans starts to crumble around you? Again, stress I didn't need. # - The ride was nice, and the weather couldn't have been better. Downhill riding from Wasatch toward the south end of the valley, speed exceeding limits, Kelly hit a key of all things. It was a single key attached to a wire and it lodged into her tire which gradually went flat as a result. # - No problem, we thought. We both had spare tire kits attached to our bikes and had seen the whole procedure done several times. Only trouble is - it is ENTIRELY different when doing it yourself. We took her tire off the bike, disconnected the brakes, used the tire levers to remove her tube, reinserted the new one, making sure to keep any kinks out of the tube (or so we thought) and proceeded to inflate it with the CO2 cartridge pump. # - First time, the cartridge went on to the inner tube valve no problem, I pressed the button and two seconds later all CO2 was gone leaving only a frozen valve and still uninflated tube in its place. No problem. We still has two more cartridges, I would try again. This time I made certain the valve was all the way inserted in to the pump. Pulled the lever. Nothing. Untwisted the cap to see if the cartridge had been inserted correctly...all the CO2 rushed out at once leaving the pump frozen. And only one cartridge left. This time was going to have to work, making sure both cartridge and valve were in the right place, I pulled the lever and prayed. # - I heard the CO2 rush in, and then right back out again. The new inner tube had been pinched when we had so painstakingly inserted it into the tire. Three cartridges later and we were right back where we started. # - I flag down a passing car. I have never done that before. A lady in a Cadillac SUV with the back empty. Explaining our situation to her, she willingly agrees to take Kelly, and her bike the half mile that it is to the nearest bike shop. I help her load up her bike and follow behind on mine. # - Less than two minutes down the hill, I encounter the flying black and yellow insect who will meet his death on my eyebrow. Whack. # - I can't believe it! # - I stop my bike so quickly my knuckles are white. I reach up with my hand and swat the bee away. I see him fall into the gutter. His bottom half now pulsating into my eye. I ride the half block to the shop where Kelly has her bike up on the rack and ask her if she knows the best way to get a stinger out. # - Interestingly enough, she does. It so happens that she had been telling me about a bee stinging her last weekend at mile 8 of her marathon. So she helps me slide it out gently with a wet paper towel and I wash my face in the bathroom. The store attendant gives me some ice. # - I ride my bike, breathing deliberately. # - Back up the hill to Kelly's house with a pounding headache. It feels like it was something I saw once in a movie. Distant, curious. # - Kelly bought new tubes and cartridges. We ride and laugh. She looks terrific. We share war stories from races and seperation-pending divorces. # - I ride home - through pain and traffic. Cars annoy me with how close they come to hitting me on narrow shoulders. # - I am home. Put down my bike four messages on my voicemail. One "can you", one "twelfth grade son has one or more unexcused absences", one orthodontist appointment reschedule. Last message is from Nicole. I'm thinking of you, sorry to miss you, have a good day doing the things you can without the boys. I burst into tears, leaning against the wall. Tears are over 5 minutes later. # - I am home. Alone. But my sons will be home soon. I have people pleased I am safely back. I have survived another difficult day.  |
| {One eye closed} |
