08 April 2002 ~ "They say you never forget..."

Was planning on doing my homework like a good little student, but got caught up in virtually talking with Brenan, the nice boy from the David Lynch Messageboard. (Those kids never fail to amuse me; really they don't...) We were having a really good, lively conversation, as a matter of fact. (I've really come to expect nothing less from Brenan; he's entertaining even when I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean to be...) We began talking about cars, road-trips, and bicycles.

I told Brenan I'd never learned to ride a bike. Or rather, that I HAD learned to ride a bike, but only with training wheels on... The training wheels rusted onto the bike, and we never got them off. I never learned without training wheels. I have vicious memories of borrowing other people's bikes and having to walk alongside the bike, because I couldn't keep my balance without those damned training wheels. By the time you're seven, you're supposed to have learned this, yes? By the time you're.... damned near 22? You're supposed to know how to ride a freaking bicycle. Brenan promised that one day, if ever I am in his town, perhaps he would teach me.

Okay, that was the point at which I realized that, entertained or not, I HAD to do my damned homework. So I bid a virtual farewell to Brenan, the nice David Lynch Messageboard boy, and went to do my homework in the library building. Fuck it -- it's quiet in there at least, right?

I got outside and was busily lighting a cigarette when a girl came riding up on her bike, out of breath and deliriously happy. She stuck her hand in my face: "I'm Etna!"

"Uh... I'm Helena."

We began chatting. And sure as hell, not more than five minutes after bitching to Brenan that I'd never learned to ride a bike, this perfect stranger dragged me over to the long straight sidewalk beside the soccer field, and said: "the brakes are on the handlebars... Go for it."

Well I'll be damned... I don't know HOW, but I RODE a BIKE. I could NEVER do it before! I couldn't ride ones without training wheels! I NEVER LEARNED to ride a bike... but there I was, riding a bike! I didn't even tip over! Whew! Holy shit, kids, I learned to ride a bike!

Etna is an extraordinary person. She never stops moving. She's very excited, and very animated, and probably more than a little nuts. I like her a lot.

And just when I was thinking, "boy, I wish I had a friend to hang out with just now, and I wish I knew how to ride a bike..."

I'm so pleased, I've written on the dry-erase board on my door: "Helena can ride a bike!" I bet the kids on my floor aren't going to understand how impressive that is. But have you ever met a 22-year-old kid who'd never learned to ride a bike? And who was spontaneously taught in a soccer field at 11PM? It's exciting, dammit!

Okay, so I learned to ride a bike, and it appears that I've made a new friend... But I still haven't done my damned homework. It's due tomorrow. I'm going to go be a good little student now...

~Helena*

"I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike..." --Queen