True Stories of the Bicycle Repairman

The other day the son and the mrs had some errands to do. I had the vehicle that the mrs usually drives because the one I usually drive was in the shop. Again. Another part, another leak. But that is another story. Anyway, the two had convinced a kindly neighbor to give them a ride so that they could accomplish some errands. The drive, for all that it was not a ride, had gone well enough until, nearing home, they spotted a kid standing with his bike on the ground beside him, frantically waving his arms, attempting to attract someone's attention. "Stop, stop" they say to the kindly neighbor-driver. The three pile out to uncover the source of the kids' apparent distress. The kids' bicycle chain had come off and wedged itself against the frame; not as serious as all the frantic arm waving might have led someone to believe, but still, enough to make the bike unrideable. 

Being now close enough to home to walk, the son and mrs thank their driver whose kindly neighbor duties now completed, continue on her way home. The son and the mrs, the kid and his newly arrived friend, through all their tugging and pulling, are unable to dislodge the chain. At this point the son emphatically states that he knows what needs to be done, telling the others he will be back in a minute. With that, and thinking all the while of Monty Python, Bicycle Repairman springs into action. Up the street he jogs, around the bend in the road, around corner one, around corner two, to home. Taking a couple tools from the garage was the expected part of this story as it was related to me, but then Bicycle Repairman hefts the pretty big Park workstand up on his shoulder and returns to the scene of the bicycle break-down. A few minutes later the kid can continue on his journey home from school, bike repaired, thanks to Bicycle Repairman. I know there are many mobile bike repair operations around, but this is the first pedestrian-oriented one I am aware of.

Two more days and this particular Bicycle Repairman heads off to university - I don't know that I can claim any credit, but the son's willingness to help, compassion when he sees someone in need, and his ingenuity in solving a problem, suggests he has grown up alright.