WHEN I WAS A KID

WHEN I WAS A KID

When I was a kid, about 10 years old, I got what was known as an "English Bike". It was the latest thing on the market. I think I was the first in our neighborhood to have one.

An English Bike was one with hand brakes and gears and very thin rails. American bicycles were one speed with coaster brakes and were very heavily made.

My bike was black with gold lettering. It was beautiful. One of the first days I had it, I was riding in the big paved playground in the schoolyard across the street from where I lived. A girl in my class, Carol Sheryl, was there riding her old beaten up Schwinn with a basket in front that she called 'Nellie'. For some reason, we decided to play chicken. I thought for sure a girl would move aside. My new bike ended up with lots of scratches and so did I.