Pipe Dreams
Am I demented, a little crazy, irrational, or just plain normal?
First of all, I haven't gone and done anything stupid. I haven't drained a bank account, or run up a credit card balance. Nothing like that. And I'm wondering if recent thoughts will flee over time, or if it's something that, through information gathering, will only get more intense.
They say that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. (I can see ALL of you.....Figuratively scratching your head, waiting for the first little clue, thinking to yourself, "Where in the *&^$#!? is he going with this?!). For the most part, I really don't have any vices, in my opinion, when it comes to stuff like spending money or hobbies or stuff like that. I don't spend insane amounts of money on a 1950's baseball card that I've been wanting. I don't go out and shop for $200 rims or other shiny accessories for my TrailBlazer. And even though I do play golf occasionally, the extent of my golf-related purchases is usually a $15 pack of balls at Wal-Mart and not the $350 latest and greatest driver at Double Eagle.
A guy that I work with at Kroger, Ben, is a lot like me. Young. Wants a successful future. He's 25, and single, but that's the not parallel I'm trying to draw. He's worked at a bank, as a head teller. He considered going into Kroger management, but will probably end up finishing school. Anyway (I promise I'm going somewhere with this), Ben recently inherited some money that was set aside by his grandmother several years ago. Aside from plans to advance his education, you wanna know what Ben bought for himself? A motorcycle. Not the annoying "crotch rocket" types that you see weaving in traffic, almost wishing it'd slide off into the ditch (ooohh, did I say that out loud?). He treated himself to a Honda "cruising" bike similar one of these.
I must admit, when he told me that he was buying it, I was a bit surprised--he didn't really strike me as the motorcycle type. But then again, what exactly IS the "motorcycle type?" I'm not talking Harley-Davidson-driving, 300-lb dude with the beard, and the sticker on the half-helmet that says, "If you can read this, the bitch fell off." Are they people who've been around them? Their dad have one? Or does hanging out with people who have them kind of create the 'buzz'? Did God hard-code it into every male's DNA, waiting to be discovered or forever repressed?
Here's a synopsis of my experiences with motorized cycles in general. When I was in junior high, a classmate (of whose house, yard, etc I was usually envious--we all had them) got a Honda Elite scooter (Carter Jennings, for those from R.E.). He took me for a ride, and I was hooked. Starving for the independence of self-provided transportation, I was 14 and on a mission. I told myself I'd save up my money and buy myself a scooter (which never happened).
My mom had a guy-friend that had a Goldwing, which Ben describes as a the Cadillac of bikes ("There is no better ride than on a Goldwing"). One time he was at the house, and mom let him take me out on a ride. Helmet in place, we jumped on the interstate and before I know it, it seemed like we were going 55 MPH (we were actually doing 70, I think). What a rush!. A lot like riding in/driving a convertible--it was a cool summer night, and the weather was perfect. Wind blowing every ounce of hair and clothes, but you just don't care.
Then, out of the blue, several years ago my very own brother buys a bike. A Kawasaki Vulcan. He had never really been "into" motorcycles (that I was aware of), and he seemed to really, really enjoy the heck out of it. He recently sold his bike (or exchanged it for crack cocaine or a Volkswagen Golf, I'm not sure), but Erik still has his (but it's a bit under the weather, I hear). Brad said the other day that Dad recently said, "Erik needs to get his bike fixed so I can take it to work." Uhhhh, OK. My 60-year old Dad (wait, sorry...59 'til September) cruising up on 2-wheeler. I've seen Dad drive a ski-boat, a pontoon boat, a riding lawn mower, and classic Mustang. But never motorcycle.
So....What do you think? You guys: Is it in all of us? Is all we need a little extra dough for a new/used/hand-me-down/garage sale bike, and the OK from our spouse to get in touch with our inner self? You women: What if your dude came home and said, I'm not wanting to drag-race down at the industrial park, but I think I'd like a cruising motorcycle to go riding with (insert friends names here)?
It's a little known fact that my maternal grandfather, Harry White (who died when I was in the 3rd grade) was at one time the owner of Harry's Suzuki on Summer Ave. So obviously it's somewhere in my blood. Hopefully I'm about to have a garage, some medical bills paid off, and a little more time once I quit Kroger. Ben's already told me that he'd go riding with me. . .
First of all, I haven't gone and done anything stupid. I haven't drained a bank account, or run up a credit card balance. Nothing like that. And I'm wondering if recent thoughts will flee over time, or if it's something that, through information gathering, will only get more intense.
They say that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. (I can see ALL of you.....Figuratively scratching your head, waiting for the first little clue, thinking to yourself, "Where in the *&^$#!? is he going with this?!). For the most part, I really don't have any vices, in my opinion, when it comes to stuff like spending money or hobbies or stuff like that. I don't spend insane amounts of money on a 1950's baseball card that I've been wanting. I don't go out and shop for $200 rims or other shiny accessories for my TrailBlazer. And even though I do play golf occasionally, the extent of my golf-related purchases is usually a $15 pack of balls at Wal-Mart and not the $350 latest and greatest driver at Double Eagle.
A guy that I work with at Kroger, Ben, is a lot like me. Young. Wants a successful future. He's 25, and single, but that's the not parallel I'm trying to draw. He's worked at a bank, as a head teller. He considered going into Kroger management, but will probably end up finishing school. Anyway (I promise I'm going somewhere with this), Ben recently inherited some money that was set aside by his grandmother several years ago. Aside from plans to advance his education, you wanna know what Ben bought for himself? A motorcycle. Not the annoying "crotch rocket" types that you see weaving in traffic, almost wishing it'd slide off into the ditch (ooohh, did I say that out loud?). He treated himself to a Honda "cruising" bike similar one of these.
I must admit, when he told me that he was buying it, I was a bit surprised--he didn't really strike me as the motorcycle type. But then again, what exactly IS the "motorcycle type?" I'm not talking Harley-Davidson-driving, 300-lb dude with the beard, and the sticker on the half-helmet that says, "If you can read this, the bitch fell off." Are they people who've been around them? Their dad have one? Or does hanging out with people who have them kind of create the 'buzz'? Did God hard-code it into every male's DNA, waiting to be discovered or forever repressed?
Here's a synopsis of my experiences with motorized cycles in general. When I was in junior high, a classmate (of whose house, yard, etc I was usually envious--we all had them) got a Honda Elite scooter (Carter Jennings, for those from R.E.). He took me for a ride, and I was hooked. Starving for the independence of self-provided transportation, I was 14 and on a mission. I told myself I'd save up my money and buy myself a scooter (which never happened).
My mom had a guy-friend that had a Goldwing, which Ben describes as a the Cadillac of bikes ("There is no better ride than on a Goldwing"). One time he was at the house, and mom let him take me out on a ride. Helmet in place, we jumped on the interstate and before I know it, it seemed like we were going 55 MPH (we were actually doing 70, I think). What a rush!. A lot like riding in/driving a convertible--it was a cool summer night, and the weather was perfect. Wind blowing every ounce of hair and clothes, but you just don't care.
Then, out of the blue, several years ago my very own brother buys a bike. A Kawasaki Vulcan. He had never really been "into" motorcycles (that I was aware of), and he seemed to really, really enjoy the heck out of it. He recently sold his bike (or exchanged it for crack cocaine or a Volkswagen Golf, I'm not sure), but Erik still has his (but it's a bit under the weather, I hear). Brad said the other day that Dad recently said, "Erik needs to get his bike fixed so I can take it to work." Uhhhh, OK. My 60-year old Dad (wait, sorry...59 'til September) cruising up on 2-wheeler. I've seen Dad drive a ski-boat, a pontoon boat, a riding lawn mower, and classic Mustang. But never motorcycle.
So....What do you think? You guys: Is it in all of us? Is all we need a little extra dough for a new/used/hand-me-down/garage sale bike, and the OK from our spouse to get in touch with our inner self? You women: What if your dude came home and said, I'm not wanting to drag-race down at the industrial park, but I think I'd like a cruising motorcycle to go riding with (insert friends names here)?
It's a little known fact that my maternal grandfather, Harry White (who died when I was in the 3rd grade) was at one time the owner of Harry's Suzuki on Summer Ave. So obviously it's somewhere in my blood. Hopefully I'm about to have a garage, some medical bills paid off, and a little more time once I quit Kroger. Ben's already told me that he'd go riding with me. . .
posted by Eric C at 1:13 PM
6 Comments:
ok, my opnion is that I think all men want one AND a 4 wheeler.
Not sure ahout the 4-wheeler thing--although I can honestly say I've never been on one or really had a place to ride it if I did have one. I'm sure if you live out in the 'country' or on significant acreage, it'd be a no-brainer. But as a city-slicker, I've never really oooh'ed and aaahhh'ed over 3- or 4-wheelers. But that's just my opinion.
PS I'm waiting for Brad to chime in on this...
If this bike thing is hard-wired into men's DNA, then that makes Jenn the man of the family.
In my defense, I was hard-wired from birth not to want a bike...plus, I've never taken a ride on one.
Yes. I think it is in all of us.
Because I would love one.
One day.
I can see it now: "But honey, listen to me. Steve and Anonymous and Jennifer Rushing all agree with me how cool this is. So shut up and deal with it." Oh wait, scratch that last part.
Never in my life have I or will I want a motorcycle. Far too unsafe in my opinion. It's the same part of me that has no intention of ever getting a tattoo.
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