Wicked Witch of the West

I've got that awful burning feeling in my chest that I'm sure almost anyone living in the city has had at one time or another when they've felt attacked or someone tried to get a way with stealing something of their's. I was having a wonderful stay at the Common Ground where I met a whole bunch of people and got almost no reading done (I wrote a little. I really like my new journal. It's one of those moleskeine reporter's books that flips open.) Just as I was thinking about packing up I looked out the front window and noticed a kid is checking out my folding bike. But he wasn't looking in the "oh, what a pretty bike" way. He was roughly putting his foot on the pedal, ringing the bell, playing with the front light. The anger rose in me, but I didn't want an unnecessary confrontation and I noticed a couple of other young guys nearby who looked like they might have been his friends. Then I realized he's non-chalantly unscrewing the light from the front of my bike, which unfortunately is easy to do by hand. I bolted out the front door and asked, "Do you have to look with your hands?" He seemed thrown off a little and took his hands off and said, "Oh, I'm just looking." His friends took it as a challenge though: "I can take your bike any time I want." "Sure you can. Whatever," I answered. So I managed to hold my ground, but I felt shaken and mad. I've had a lot of kids notice my bike. It's orange, it has small wheels becuase it's designed to fold so it looks like a BMX. Apparently a very tricked out BMX with all the gears and commuting equipment. That's funny, becuase I think of it as being kind of geeky.
So as much as I hate to give in, I think it's time for me to get a beater bike for riding and parking on the street. A real old upright bike like the ones the Wicked Witch of the West, Maria Von Trapp or Mr. McFeely rode. Actually I love these kind of bbikes, so the unfortunate inspiration provides me with an exciting oportunity to do my favorite thing - buy another bike. My dream bike has moustache handlebars and a creamy yellow frame, so it'll look classic but have all the speedy, techie fixins. This opportunity will get me part of the way. It might even be nice to get a Flying Pigeon. These are the Chinese bikes that at least a billion people and most of Cuba get around on. They're simple, hence easy to fix but you can drive a truck over them. I'll finally have a bike that befits the museum professional I am. Keep an eye out for me and my flying bowtie.