Raheem's New Bike

Raheem came by today to show off his new bike. "Take a picture! Take a picture!" 

Raheem's old bike was a wreck. There were no pedals. He pushed directly on the crank arms. The handle bars were cracked, brakes askew, and he'd burned completely through the rubber of the rear tire (he liked to skid). Raheem asked me to try and fix it with tape.

I felt bad for the kid and started to poke around on craigslist. I hoped I'd see a cheap bike or at least one I could pull a tire off of. Nothing came of it. The bike came from a totally different direction.

On one of our nature hikes, Raheem started to shout. "I see a bike! I see a bike!"

I didn't believe him. I even said so. We were on a trail by a creek. Who'd put a bike there?

Well, Raheem was right. I was wrong. There was an old fashioned, bright red bike in decent condition on the side of the stream, minimal body rust. The horn had seen better days (and fewer cobwebs), but the wheels held air and it looked sound.

I scanned the area. There was an empty 40, but not enough debris to signify a homeless camp. The bike wasn't in the open, but it wasn't hidden either.

Raheem wanted it. He wanted it bad. I didn't. I didn't want to steal someone's bike on accident. I told Raheem that we should wait a while and if no one claimed it I would help him retrieve it.

Eight days later, Shane, Raheem and I hit the trail again. The bike hadn't moved. Shane and I escorted Raheem home to check in with his grandpa, Sherwood. Raheem wanted me to ask for him, but I refused (I did supply a more clear explanation after he broached the subject). Sherwood declared the bike was fair game after two weeks. Raheem could give it back if someone got upset and claimed it.

Cue up one happy boy on Tuesday. I'm sure we'll see him racing up and down the street on it for years to come! (It's a shame the horn works so well, though.....)

EDIT: Turns out the bike was stolen. Someone recognized it and told Sherwood. Sorry, Raheem.