(no subject)
Yesterday was a crazy day. I slept in a little and then did some lessons on Duolingo. I bought lunch at Burger Bar and then rode my bicycle over to the Bookcase Store on Guadalupe at 42nd. I've been buying bookcases there from the same guy (John) for at least 20 years. He makes them from real wood and makes them to order.
I pulled up in front of the store and was getting ready to lock up the bike when he came out and started talking to me. He waved me inside the store and I totally forgot to lock up the bike. I was in there for about 10 minutes and then we went back out to go next door to his workshop to look at paint to see what color I want. I noticed my bike was gone and told john that it had been stolen. He had to finish up with another customer, so I call 311 and filed a police report and then he came out and we drove around in his truck for 15 minutes looking for the bike.
John had seen someone pacing back and forth in front of the store while we were talking inside and he had a pretty good idea of what he looked like. We didnt seen him or my bike, but we stopped to talk to a guy selling stuff next to the road abut two blocks from the bookcase store. He was selling all kind of stuff including a couple bicycles that weren't mine. He said that not only had he seen the guy we described, but he had stopped to ask about the bicycles he was selling. I described my bike to him and asked him to let John know if he saw it.
John and I drove around a little more and then gave up. I finished up my order and then caught a bus home. When I got home I John called me and said that the guy selling stuff had seen the guy on my bike, and had maced him and taken the bike back. The cops were on the way and he said I should head back over there. So I jumped back on an express bus. I live two blocks from the express bus bus stop and it dropped me off like 100 feet from the guy selling stuff, so it only took me about 15 minutes to get there.
I talked to the cops for a while and they matched my Texas ID to the number on the bottom bracket of my bike. I had it engraved there by the city of Austin about ten years ago in case it went missing. Then I talked to the guy who got the bike back and offered to buy him some beer, but he said he didn't drink. He did ask me to replace his mace, and the cops took his as evidence. I have already ordered it and will bring it to him sometime next week.
I went over to see John at his store and thanked him for helping. I Wouldn't have gotten it back without him. Halfway on my ride home my hands and face started to burn a little and I realized that my bike was covered in mace. It wasn't too bad, and I washed it off me when I got home. Earlier today I gave my bike a good wash with dish soap to remove the mace.
I'm really happy to have my bike back. I've had it for 25 years and have put tens of thousands of miles on it. I've worn out every major component on it at least twice. I was also not looking forward to paying 600+ for a new bike.
I pulled up in front of the store and was getting ready to lock up the bike when he came out and started talking to me. He waved me inside the store and I totally forgot to lock up the bike. I was in there for about 10 minutes and then we went back out to go next door to his workshop to look at paint to see what color I want. I noticed my bike was gone and told john that it had been stolen. He had to finish up with another customer, so I call 311 and filed a police report and then he came out and we drove around in his truck for 15 minutes looking for the bike.
John had seen someone pacing back and forth in front of the store while we were talking inside and he had a pretty good idea of what he looked like. We didnt seen him or my bike, but we stopped to talk to a guy selling stuff next to the road abut two blocks from the bookcase store. He was selling all kind of stuff including a couple bicycles that weren't mine. He said that not only had he seen the guy we described, but he had stopped to ask about the bicycles he was selling. I described my bike to him and asked him to let John know if he saw it.
John and I drove around a little more and then gave up. I finished up my order and then caught a bus home. When I got home I John called me and said that the guy selling stuff had seen the guy on my bike, and had maced him and taken the bike back. The cops were on the way and he said I should head back over there. So I jumped back on an express bus. I live two blocks from the express bus bus stop and it dropped me off like 100 feet from the guy selling stuff, so it only took me about 15 minutes to get there.
I talked to the cops for a while and they matched my Texas ID to the number on the bottom bracket of my bike. I had it engraved there by the city of Austin about ten years ago in case it went missing. Then I talked to the guy who got the bike back and offered to buy him some beer, but he said he didn't drink. He did ask me to replace his mace, and the cops took his as evidence. I have already ordered it and will bring it to him sometime next week.
I went over to see John at his store and thanked him for helping. I Wouldn't have gotten it back without him. Halfway on my ride home my hands and face started to burn a little and I realized that my bike was covered in mace. It wasn't too bad, and I washed it off me when I got home. Earlier today I gave my bike a good wash with dish soap to remove the mace.
I'm really happy to have my bike back. I've had it for 25 years and have put tens of thousands of miles on it. I've worn out every major component on it at least twice. I was also not looking forward to paying 600+ for a new bike.