Two wheels can take you around the world. Cycling is not just a sport, it is also an amazing way to keep your body active. The joy that comes with cycling cannot be overemphasized. The smile it brings as the wind blows on your face as you pedal. Your hands are on the wheels, your legs on the pedals, but your mind and soul are in another world. This is the magic of cycling. Bicycles are the best tool for adventurers. Not only are they machines, they are magical tools that help transform your imagination.
Although cycling is not my favorite hobby, I love it because of the amazing feeling it brings. In my opinion, there's something tricky about bicycles. Sometimes, I wonder how they work. How do they manage to function on just two wheels? Well, I guess a part about science has a perfect explanation for this. Back to the tricky thing about bicycles- they can be quite difficult and tricky to master. It takes quite a lot of things to get a hang of them. It takes agility, balance, and control before you can master the art (or science) of cycling. You've got to fall a few times before you can really get a hang of it. That's just how it works. Well, unless you're cycling on a four-wheeled bicycle, you've got to fall before you can learn it well. It's part of the learning process.
My cycling journey started at a local man’s shop. The shop wasn't big or fancy, but it was a place where kids transformed their imaginations. A place where dreams were ignited. It was indeed a dreamland for kids. This small, lovely, and not-too-fancy shop was run by an old and experienced man. The old man was a master. A cycling boss. At that time, his story was on the lips of every kid in the neighborhood. There was a rumor or a conspiracy theory about him that he could ride two bicycles at once. Of course, every kid believed this and would always talk about his mastery skills.
Every day, kids would always go to the man’s shop to rent bicycles. You could rent a bicycle for 30 minutes and pay a certain amount of money. Some kids would rent bicycles for a whole day. These kids were trusted by the old man and they would always return the bicycle back in good condition. I grew up in a strict home where I was not allowed to go out and play with other kids. I would not say my parents were too strict, they only wanted the best for their kids. In their defense, the street was filled with uncultured kids and they did not want us to get mixed with them. I was a smart kid. I always had my way of sneaking into the old man’s shop.
After school(I was in elementary school at that time), I would always stop at the old man’s shop to rent a bicycle for about 30 minutes before I would go to my parents' house. I remember the day the old man taught me how to ride a bicycle. As I mentioned earlier, you have to fall a few times before you can get a hang of it. After several falls, I soon learnt how to ride like a pro. It soon became a habit to visit the old man every day after school. On Saturdays when my parents are not at home, I sneak to the old man’s shop, rent a bicycle for about 30 minutes, and return before my parents’ arrival.
Every day is for the thief, one day is for the owner. I always thought my parents would never discover my secrets. I thought I would always get away with my plans. Everything was going so well until my mum caught me at the old man’s shop. I saw my world crumble before my eyes that day. To my greatest surprise, my mom did not lay a finger on me, instead, she bought me my own bicycle. I was warned not to ever go to the old man’s shop again. I stopped sneaking into the old man’s shop and started riding my new bicycle in my compound.
Today, I decided to pay the old man a visit. I was surprised to see that his shop was still in the same old condition. His face didn’t change. He was really happy to see me. He was wearing a shirt, so I clicked just one photo of him.
Here is an image of the old man. I covered it with a sticker because he wasn't wearing a shirt.
NOTE: ALL IMAGES IN THIS POST ARE MINE.
Thanks for reading.
