Would You Steal This Bike?

           

            It was much cooler than lately on Tuesday, June 28th, but not unpleasant for a bike ride.

            I walked across to the north west corner of Yonge and Bloor and was waiting to get over to the east side so I could ride north, when a guy sitting on the sidewalk asked me for spare change. I shook my head and told him, “Sorry.” Then he said, “That’s a good bike!” “Thanks!” “And it looks fast too!” It’s not true, but I nodded. “Only lock it!” he warned, “You don’t want anybody to steal it!” Nobody wants this bike.” I argued. “No one is gonna try to steal this bike!”

            I went to Bayview and McRae and then headed east. The houses are older, bigger and more middle class in that neighbourhood than just a few streets south where everything is an ironic mix of the new and the falling apart. I went south on Bessborough and then east to curve north on Rumsey all the way to Eglinton. I went south on Laird and stopped to pee again at the Golden Griddle. I didn’t notice a single customer in the place. Just a guy in kitchen whites leaning on a partition and daydreaming. The way to the washroom passed the kitchen and there was a sour odour that permeated the hallway.