Two Wheeler SMACKDOWN
"Hi," she says, little voice blending in with the shriek of kids on the nearby playground. Sunlight dapples the sleet-gray of uneven sidewalk and the grating black of decaying asphalt.
I smile and wave, slowing to let her know I heard her and acknowledging her friendly greeting.
But then she clears her throat.
I stop.
"I'm on a two wheel bike, too," she says proudly, eyes bright. She leans over to balance on one side of the bicycle and demonstrate this truth more clearly, revealing to all the world the pink-metal frame and plastic covering with rainbows. Tassles dance lightly on the ends of the handle-bars, blown by a light but warm wind.
We size each other up, the 5'6 sixteen year old towering over the five-year old girl who's no taller than three feet.
"It is pretty awesome," I say after a moment.
She beams.
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LITTLE KIDS ARE SOOOO CUTE. I know they're not supposed to talk to people they don't know but, seriously? I really think it's cute when little people randomly walk up to teenagers and start talking. It's kind of refreshing, you know? In a world so paranoid about itself and everything around it, it's nice when someone just treats you without suspicion and just wants to tell you something.
And yes. Her bike was damn awesome. I think my kid-bike might've won, though -- it was purple and had the Disney princesses on it.
I smile and wave, slowing to let her know I heard her and acknowledging her friendly greeting.
But then she clears her throat.
I stop.
"I'm on a two wheel bike, too," she says proudly, eyes bright. She leans over to balance on one side of the bicycle and demonstrate this truth more clearly, revealing to all the world the pink-metal frame and plastic covering with rainbows. Tassles dance lightly on the ends of the handle-bars, blown by a light but warm wind.
We size each other up, the 5'6 sixteen year old towering over the five-year old girl who's no taller than three feet.
"It is pretty awesome," I say after a moment.
She beams.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LITTLE KIDS ARE SOOOO CUTE. I know they're not supposed to talk to people they don't know but, seriously? I really think it's cute when little people randomly walk up to teenagers and start talking. It's kind of refreshing, you know? In a world so paranoid about itself and everything around it, it's nice when someone just treats you without suspicion and just wants to tell you something.
And yes. Her bike was damn awesome. I think my kid-bike might've won, though -- it was purple and had the Disney princesses on it.