Wednesday 18 May 2011

The Western Flyer

These people are so nice.

As all my stuff is currently enjoying the hospitality of New York Port Authority, possibly for another 8 weeks and $3000 charge for the pleasure, I am camping in my lovely yellow house by the sea. Within a whisper of the realis(z)ation that I literally did not have a pot to my name, my lovely neighbo(u)rs M'n'G arrived with an airbed & duvets. We can see each others' front doors from our own. Later, when the extent of the delay became apparent, L and A, (from a massive 3 streets away) arrived on the back of Peter the Painter's trailer with more duvets & a proper mattress.

However, the thing I had been really looking forward to that I was most disappointed about, was the arrival of the Pashers, my beloved bicycle. I am trying to live in America without owning a car, have I mentioned that? No? Well, let's talk about that another time. So you can see how I was relying on the Pashers' arrival. It's a glorious Pashley Sonnet, and for a fantastic blog entirely devoted to the joys of Pashley riding, see http://tillieandcoco.blogspot.com

Anyway, as soon as I had muttered about this, M offered me "some old bike in the basement I got from the old geezer over the road but can't ride as the seat's too high". As I'm about a foot taller than M, this filled me with anticipation. But never in a million years did I think I'd be picking up this beyoooooteeee when I strolled over in 30 seconds from my front door. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Western Flyer:


Can I draw your attention to the two tone leather seat? So comfortable.

I took it into the local cycle shop where the lycra boyz exclaimed in joy, had a little scoot round on it & then raised the seat for me. I then realis(z)ed it had a flat tyre. Not to worry, the lovely D at work who cycles in 10 miles everyday & used to be a very famous TV presenter in America (still gets stopped for autographs) took a little detour across the common to come to the yellow house with his bicycle pump. Sounds a bit Carry On I know but luckily that particular strand of British humour doesn't seem to have permeated yank culture the way that the pythons have.

But the upshot now is that I am much more mobile! More about life without a car in the gas guzzling States later, probably when I attempt to explain soliciting mackerel from Randy The Fish Guy.

1 comment:

  1. Is it definitely not a rocket? Do you get to work in 0.3 seconds?! I am so looking forward to hearing more about life in the US sans car, with the Western Flyer and the Pashers (eventually)!

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