The Bike Ride

A daughter teaches her mother how to ride a bike. Contest entry.

“Mom!” Sarah said, eyes wide with shock. “How could you not know how to ride a bicycle?”

“I just never learned,” her mother said with a shrug. Sarah, her mother and father were sitting in the living room. Her parents had been trying to come up with a fun family activity they could do with their fourteen-year-old daughter that she would actually enjoy, and Sarah had suggested a family bike ride. That’s when her mother dropped her bombshell.

“But you taught me how to ride!”

“Of course. Those who can’t do, teach.”

Sarah looked at her father, who just shrugged.

“Okay,” Sarah said. “That’s it. We are going outside right now and you’re going to learn. You can use my bike.”

“What, now?” her mother said, aghast.

“Yes, there’s no time like the present. Don’t you always tell me that when you want me to clean my room?”

“She has you there, Janet,” her father said, chuckling. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Frank, Sarah, I really don’t think…”

“Come on, mom!”

Reluctantly, Sarah’s mother got up and followed them outside. Sarah got her bike out of the garage and pushed it down to the sidewalk. She ceremoniously handed her mother her helmet. Her mother buckled it on, all the while looking at the bike as though it was a poisonous reptile.

“Shouldn’t we put training wheels on it?”

“Mom,” Sarah said with infinite patience. “I have a ten speed. You do not put training wheels on a ten speed. Just get on and try.”

Her mother slowly got on the bike. She pushed off, rolled about two feet, and stopped.

“That’s good, mom. Now try pedaling.”

“Come on, dear, it’s not hard. It’s just like riding a bike,” Frank said. They both turned and glared at him, and he grinned and shrugged.

Her mother tried again. She got about half a pedal when the front wheel twisted to the left and she barely kept herself from falling.

“Did you see that? I could have fallen!”

“That’s fine, mom. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Kelly Clarkson said that.”

“Actually, it was Nietzsche who said it”, Frank said. “Kelly stole the line from him.”

“Whatever. Come on mom, try again.”

She got back on the bike and tried again. She wobbled down the sidewalk, stopping every couple of feet. Sarah and Frank trotted beside her shouting encouragement.

“I know what you need,” Frank said. “A little mood music.” He pulled out his cell phone and started playing “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”.

“Not funny, Frank!”

“Oh, come on, it’s kind of funny.”

They were approaching the house of their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Crandel, who was outside watering her begonias. She stopped when she saw the strange procession.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m teaching my mom how to ride a bike.”

“How does she not know how to ride a bike?”

“I just don’t, okay?” Janet yelled in exasperation. Unfortunately, it was just when she was starting to pedal again and she lost control. The bike went careening towards Mrs. Crandel’s yard.

“No, not my begonias!”

It was too late. The front wheel hit the edge of the yard and twisted and Sarah’s mom fell into the begonias, crushing most of them. Frank and Sarah hurried to pick her up.

“Sorry Mrs. Crandel,” Sarah said.

“My begonias! They’re ruined!”

“No, it’s not so bad,” Frank said. “Look, they’re popping back up.”

“Popping back up? They don’t just pop back up!”

“Well, we’ll help you plant some more. Sorry.” They hurried away, leaving Mrs. Crandel staring at what was left of her garden.

“Okay, that’s it,” Janet said, as she started unbuckling her helmet. “This is not going to work.”

“Mom, mom, mom,” Sarah said, holding up her hands. “Do you remember what you told me when I wanted to quit gymnastics?”

“Yes, I said you had to put in the effort to get good. Do not use my own words against me, young lady!”

“Well, it kept me in gymnastics. Now come on, you need to keep trying. How about we try on the road, where you have more room? We do live in a cul-de-sac after all.”

“Fine.”

They went out onto the road. Sarah’s mother tried again. This time she made it about ten feet before her feet came off the pedals.

“See mom, you’re doing better,” Sarah said. “Keep trying.”

She did try again. She fell again but got further.

“You were leaning too far to the right, mom. Try to stay centered.”

She kept trying. She fell but got further each time. After about ten minutes, she was able to ride a wobbly circle around the entire cul-de-sac.

“I did it!” she said as she came to a stop.

“You did,” Sarah said, hugging her. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Nice job, honey,” Frank said with a grin. “That was the hard part. From here on, it just takes practice.”

“This is great,” Janet said. “Next weekend we can get bikes, and all go on a bike ride!”

“Sounds like a plan,” Frank said. "Assuming, of course, we won’t be busy planting begonias!”