Tandem bikes. They seem so jolly. With painfully perfect posture, two people ride with a person who must be nothing less than their best buddy in the whole wide world. While the rest of us look on with single seated lonely jealousy.
That used to be my view. But today I was witness to something that changed all that.
It was in the 50s today, and sunny, rather beautiful for April in Wisconsin. I drove down to the lakefront to enjoy the weather, and saw many others who obviously had the same idea. This included two guys and a tandem bicycle. In about the two minutes it took me to wait for a red light, then continue past them as the light went green, I experienced their entire friendship.
So with out further ado, I present...
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A Bicycle Built For Two Minutes Of Friendship
The mellow April sun glazes the horizon, while the lakefront community is still abound with people taking advantage of the refreshing Sunday evening weather. Cars file through slowly, leisurely, some windows even rolled down. It's brisk, but the sun deceives the mind when people want to believe that Summer is close.
Barnaby, warmed only by a hooded sweatshirt over a t-shirt and jeans, whips around the corner on his tandem bicycle. At the moment, he is alone, manning the entire bike from the front seat with little trouble. Not a second after making the turn, he spots his friend Julius walking the lakefront, a backpack slung over his shoulder. Barnaby waves excitedly to Julius, and then slows to meet him.
Julius engages Barnaby with a friendly handshake and marvels at the bike. Barnaby, the proud owner of such a contraption, beams humbly. After a few back-and-forths, Barnaby gestures to the back seat. Julius thinks for only second before graciously accepting. He climbs aboard and the two friends begin down the road.
They're moving at a swift pace and cross smoothly through an intersection. But awaiting them on the other side is an incline, and it seems steeper than they thought. They're caught completely off guard. Soon Barnaby and Julius are struggling to maintain forward momentum. They teeter back and forth attempting to propel the bike forward. Teetering, tottering, Barnaby shifts the front wheel left and right to keep balance. They're pulling the handlebars with all their might to drive their feet to the ground, to drive this bike up the hill...
But to no avail. The bike and its occupants fall to one side and Julius and Barnaby each catch themselves with a planted foot on the cement. Julius' backpack shifts and pulls him further toward the ground. Barnaby lifts the bike to begin again, but Julius, frustrated and being somewhat strangled by his backpack, isn't ready. Barnaby can't lift the bike and Julius at the same time, but he won't have to. Julius awkwardly lifts his leg over and away from the bike and the weight of the backpack causes him to stumble slightly as he moves toward the sidewalk.
His friend Barnaby straightens the bike and waits for him to get back on, but Julius continues on the sidewalk. Barnaby raises his hands curiously. Julius doesn't turn around and manages only a small gracious wave back in Barnaby's direction while continuing up the hill.
Barnaby watches for a moment, gives a slight shrug, then twirls the bike around, back the way he came. They came. He pumps the hand brakes a few times until he's ready, then begins the breezy coast down the hill.
Much easier, they both think.
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True story.