EPILOGUE
Well, imagine my surprise when while walking to the subway I discovered that our little pal was gone! I had grown rather blase about the whole thing after my extensive month long coverage yielded few results, or insight. I didn’t even bother to take a photo when someone attached a seat to the bicycle a few weeks ago. Inexplicably, the tires still remained deflated. I should have suspected something. The bike’s owners move not with great haste, but with a peculiar purposefulness that defies typical convention. Maybe the bike is headed on a long, arduous journey and all of this has been an intense training regimen. Regardless of the reason, I am going to miss walking by the purple pedaler everyday. Best of luck to her.
DAY 30
It’s come to the end of the line, at least in terms of daily coverage. I survey the scene and admit to myself that not a lot has changed. Still no seat, but at least she hasn’t lost much else, save for a sprinkling of dignity here and self-respect there. Kickstand engaged at a conservative (and perhaps tentative) fifty percent, a poignant commentary on these current state of affairs. The lil’ purple pedaler isn’t ready for enthusiasm just yet. Not all is lost, but there remains much to gain. Primarily her freedom. That story is for another day though. For now, those who care must be content to know that the future could be just around the corner.
DAY 29
This is the result of forgetting to make my entry for the day, right before boarding a flight. I called my friend and asked if he could put a placeholder up for me. Missing the date stamp would have completely blown my 30 days of bike theme. I can just imagine all the confusion and heartache this must have caused amongst my readers. I am sorry friends. There will be bumps along the journey. However, we must remain strong and resolute, rolling with whatever punches come along. This was a biggie, thank you for standing by me.
DAY 27
Just what the neighborhood needed. Another disreputable, exploitative billboard for the Devil’s malted barley. Imagine what that kind of bold, delicious advertising can do to an impressionable aluminum frame. Truthfully, there’s no need to paint pictures in your head. We are seeing firsthand the damage wrought by such a perversely alluring elixir.
DAY 26
Those who manage this trash area are taking their “who gives a shit” attitude to new heights. I wonder, why build a fence when you just spread your rubbish here and there anyway? I can’t stop thinking about how that umbrella came to die right there. Picture the trash guy stepping over it every time he flings some more waste over his shoulder, or between his legs. It is really no surprise that a little purple bike could show up an stay rent free. Apparently for eternity.
DAY 25
Not too much in the way of action these days. I guess it’s the ennui that sets in with the tail end of this grey winter. Let’s hope she turns it around, taking a cue from today’s sunny weather. We are rounding a corner, I just hope that fact isn’t lost on the pedaler.