1 I never had money but I did have a
2 bike
3 and there was little to do in the
4 summer but ride my bike to the
5 beach and back.
6 it was a bloody-ass haul from L.A. to
7 Venice
8 but there was nothing else.
9 one thing, it really built up my
10 legs.
11 I was 14 years old and I had the
12 most powerful legs in the
13 Southland, maybe.
14 the thing that made the
15 ride more exciting was to
16 attempt to shorten the time
17 it took to make the
18 trip.
19 each time I broke my own
20 record I'd go for a new
21 one.
22 I pedaled faster and
23 faster.
24 and that was all right
25 except one sunny day while
26 I was really pumping
27 along
28 this guy in a
29 red sports car
30 screamed at me,
31 "Hey, kid, watch where
32 the fuck you're going!"
33 I looked over and there
34 was this old guy in a late
35 model car,
36 smoking a cigar
37 and he had a young
38 blonde with him.
39 her long hair was blowing
40 in the wind.
41 "Up your ass!" I yelled
42 back.
43 he slowed his car down
44 as I pumped alongside.
45 he looked over at me
46 and said, "Would you
47 mind repeating
48 that?"
49 I repeated that.
50 the girl with her hair
51 blowing in the wind
52 looked at him and
53 laughed.
54 "I've got a good mind to
55 park
56 and beat the crap
57 out of you!"
58 "Park it!
59 Park it!"
60 I yelled.
61 he roared ahead
62 and parked at the
63 curb.
64 I parked my bike
65 and walked toward
66 him.
67 I had no fear.
68 I felt great.
69 I walked up to the car.
70 he looked at me
71 from the car.
72 he didn't get
73 out.
74 the young girl was
75 saying something
76 to him.
77 suddenly he
78 started the car
79 and pulled
80 away.
81 he took a right at
82 the corner.
83 I walked back to my
84 bike.
85 I got on and started
86 pedaling.
87 then he was back.
88 he'd circled the block.
89 I saw his face as he looked
90 at me.
91 I'd seldom seen such
92 hatred.
93 then he was gone
94 down the boulevard
95 out of sight with his young
96 girl.
97 I pedaled along.
98 I was no longer in a hurry.
99 to hell with the record.
100 I had called the guy's
101 card and
102 the girl with the long
103 hair was thinking of
104 me.
105 I had become a
106 man.
Do livro "Bone Palace Ballet".
