Monday Blues: Kickstand

Laying there in the middle of the road, forlorn, bereft of purpose now. Separated by space, if not also time, and likely never again to be connected. Kickstand is an interesting study of functionality on a bicycle. Some people find them invaluable, maybe even necessary. I haven't owned a bike with a kickstand since the old beater I took with me as I left for university. That was back in 1984. Before that, the AMF, a gift from mom and dad when in my youth. Neither of those kickstands lasted very long - they come right off with a few quick turns of a wrench. So, off they came. They don't work very well on lawn, or other soft surfaces. They sink in and the bike topples over with a "ooofff", or a "kabang". If it is going to end up lying prone on the ground, just lay it down gently to begin with. Better yet, just lean the bike upright against a wall, a tree, a post, there is always something suitable around. 

Often, there are those annoying kickstands. The ones that work themselves loose, to bang against crank arm, maybe even ankle bone. An easy fix? Sure, but for some reason it is just one of those things you never get to. It wears on you until you finally take if off in a fit of anger and frustration. Or, maybe one day it simply falls off in the middle of the street. You hear the clatter of metal, look back over your shoulder, maybe you even stop off to the side. You notice kickstand laying there. It looks so small and insignificant. Perhaps you give it a moments thought. In the end, though, you shrug, maybe make one of those sounds of indifference, something that sounds like "meh". The realization of its insignificance dawns. You push off and continue on your way, leaving kickstand where it lays, for others to see and wonder at.

Blue: A color, a mood or emotion, a genre of music. Tune in each Monday for another installment of the Blues, with a cycling twist.