BIKEMAN LOY

Chapter Three

When Loy was approaching his sixth birthday one of his most important wishes was to get a bicycle. His best friend Ricky had one and he had already turned six. Of course his big brother Bud had one, but he was getting old. He was going into high school next year. Loy was always telling Mom how much he wanted a bicycle. A big 26 inch, fire engine red, boys bicycle, with a basket on the front and a carrier on the back. A loud bell or horn on the handle bars, and colored streamers on the handle grips. But she always seemed too busy and never appeared to be listening, Loy thought. "We will see Loy." Mom would say. "Maybe some day you can have a bicycle."

Finally, on the eve of Loy's birthday, he was mighty unhappy. There seemed to be no bicycle hidden in the house anywhere. No new bicycle outside. Not in the basement, not across the street at Uncle Burris' and Aunt Hazel's, not over by the lumber yard. Not anywhere Loy knew to look for one. Loy was really sad.

When he went to bed that night it took Loy a long time to go to sleep. Not only was he not getting a bike for his birthday, but Bud was snoring and keeping him awake. He would be awake all night dreaming of the bike he was not going to get. Dreaming of the fun he would miss riding a new bike.

Well the next morning when Loy awoke, after staggering out of the bathroom into the living room, he saw a blue girls bike with streamers on the handles. Wow! Someone else was getting a new bike. It must be Janes. It was a 20 inch, girls, blue, obviously a stripped down model for a girl. No matter Loy was extremely disappointed he had not gotten a new bike for his birthday. Loy slumped against the hallway wall, sliding his shoulder against the wall as he slowly walked toward the kitchen. Suddenly, as he half fell around the end of the wall, Mom, Bud, Sis and Jane all yelled "Happy Birthday Loy!"

"Look at your brand new bike Loy!" Jane exclaimed. "Isn't it shiny and pretty?" "There's a basket that Bud will put on for you too." Mom added. "I have a horn for it too from my own money." Bud proclaimed. "Bud and I will help you learn to ride it." Sis offered.

Loy had two thoughts on his mind. It's not red...and IT'S A GIRL'S BIKE. He slowly walked over to examine the shiny new bike. Twirled the plastic strips of streamers coming off the soft blue handle grips. Squeezed the hard black tire and knelt down to run his fingers down the shiny spokes of the front wheel. Then he stood up, looked at Mom and Bud and Sis and Jane all standing near the kitchen table with big smiles on their faces as they looked back at him.

"I LOVE IT!!" Loy beamed at them. He ran over and jumped up into Mom's arms hugging her around the neck. Kissing her cheek. She had to croak out, "Don't squeeze my neck so tight Loy!"

Loy kicked out his legs letting go of Moms neck dropping to the floor all in one movement. He grabbed the horn from Bud's hand and was squeezing the rubber bulb making it honk as he quickly dashed back to his beautiful brand new shiny blue bicycle. "Thank you! Oh! Thank you this much!" he excitedly demonstrated by holding his arms straight out to the sides.

"I'll get the tools and put the horn and basket on for you now." Bud offered. "No, I want to ride it now." Loy replied as he started rolling it toward the front door. What a wonderful birthday he was thinking to himself. He was the happiest he could ever be.

INTRODUCTION | RUNAWAY LOY | COWBOY LOY

Loy's Follies
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