Home > Haute Mamas > Archives > 2008 > April > 15 > Entry
The other woman …
When I left for work Monday morning there was an oil stain on my front walk, a tarp on my front lawn and the windows had been left down on my car … all night long (thank goodness the tweakers skipped our street last night).
The windows on my car are my issue, the rest are Bill’s.
Since coming back from a short trip to my mom’s house, Bill’s been distant and distracted. He’s left me for another woman … OK he hasn’t left me, he’s still at home. And it isn’t another woman … it’s worse. It’s a motorcycle.
In an attempt to divest herself of some of my dad’s stuff, my mom gave Bill her old car, my dad’s 1969 Triumph Tiger motorcycle and a bag of socks.
Yes, a bag of socks … oh and a car — but both those things pale in comparison to the motorcycle.
Bill’s a mechanical guy and he knows how to work on cars ‘n’ stuff, but he doesn’t like to and I’ve never seen him spend any amount of time enjoying working on any of his cars. But this bike is a whole new thing.
He loves this bike. No, that’s not right, he LOOOOOOVES this bike in a way that just isn’t natural.
On his 800 mile drive back from my mom’s I’d call him every couple of hours to make sure he wasn’t sleeping. One conversation went like this:
Bill: Man, I’m making great time.
Me: Are you speeding?
Bill: No way, I’m too afraid I’ll get pulled over and something will happen to the bike.
Another conversation that same day:
Me: How’s the new car riding?
Bill: Fine and the bike’s doing great, too.
(I wish I were kidding or exaggerating.)
He pulled into our driveway around 7 p.m. Saturday night and after tumbling out the passenger-side door (the driver’s side door is protesting the move to western Colorado), he proceeded to stand in our driveway for several hours until we had enough neighbors and friends to help him extricate his beloved bike from the back of his new car.
Oh yeah, he had to remove the bike’s tins and mufflers and stuff the motorcycle into the cargo area of the SUV because U-Haul won’t rent trailers to anyone driving a Ford Explorer (Crazy, I know. Click here to read more about that).
After it was safely out of the car, he stood around for a while longer generally fawning over it.
Sunday was all bike day all day long. But now he’s got lights and spark and the bike threatens to turn over, so it was a productive day.
And how do I feel about this? Fine actually.
While this bike is Bill’s dream motorcycle (the bike he’s always wanted to have his whole, entire life — I swear he turns into a 15-year-old whenever he’s around the thing), to me it’s more than that.
It’s my dad’s bike.
My dad and I were early risers and I remember weekend mornings he would sometimes take me for rides around the neighborhood and to visit friends. I like those memories.
I like having the bike around. So Bill’s other woman can stay.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Robin
Comments
By Richie Ann
April 15, 2008 8:44 AM | Link to this
Looks like it is going to be a lonely summer or perhaps a great summer if you can still fit yourself on the back of that bike!
By Lynn
April 15, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
Great story! I thought he was banned from motorcycles because he crashed on one? Best to keep it locked up in case the tweakers get wind of it!
By Robin
April 15, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
He was totally banned from motorcycles. He’s been in two motorcycle accidents, one left him in a coma for 4 days. But this bike is more to have than to ride. He wants to restore it and show it.
And yes, it’s safely being stored at an undisclosed location.
By chris
April 15, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
i got a brand new 10 speed for Christmas one year and then won a college football bowl game bet with my Mom that i could keep my new wheels in my room for an entire year.
Nebraska 40 Notre Dame 6….Irish football just hasn’t had the same over-blown, out-of-control luster since that beat-down. too bad she picked the domers again the next year, too.
just make sure that he doesn’t get too attached to the bike and want to bring it into the house, or worse yet, to bed with the two of you AND Margaret! and you thought it was crowded now….
U-Haul has been blinded by logic for a long time. only one remaining question….where do the socks fit in?
enjoy the bike and the memories of your Dad that will no doubt go with its re-newed presence in your life. great story, Robin and thanks for sharing. :)
By Robin
April 15, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Thanks Chris, I’ll make sure that Bill keeps the bike in its undisclosed location and not our house. (Oh and Margaret is still sleeping in her own bed … yea!)
As for the socks, they were part of my mom’s effort to start getting rid of some of my dad’s stuff. And Bill’s happy to have them. He was all, “Your dad’s sock are all nice and new and thick and fluffy.” They’re going to good use.
By chris
April 15, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this
Yea, Margaret! and for both you and Bill! (insert three cheers here) too many extra things in one’s bed can make sleeping difficult and leave you more tired than when you went to sleep.
as for the socks, i thought it was funny and that they kinda seemed out of place in the story….automobile, motorcycle, bag of socks….”which one doesn’t fit?” but, if your Mom has a welcome recipient for them, so much the better. it must be a guy thing with the socks, ‘cause I’m the same way. nothing better than nice, new, thick and fluffy socks, ‘cept maybe a motorcycle. have fun, Bill!
some pics of the restoration process could be kinda neat, woven into another posting, or periodic updates. and with all the contests of late, why not a contest to guess how long it will take to restore to original 1969 showroom shine?
or, is that a touchy subject, as A-Lick, Margaret, Soren and Jonas will probably have taken over the posting duties by then? we all know that guys and their hobbies can be a bit….drawn out, right?
By Dory
April 28, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this
Found you via FSF…
Hawsum story! I can relate; we have, um… trying to count… 3 1/2 motorcycles in our garage and lemme just tell ya, it’s a good thing I’m a secure woman!
Dory
By Dory
April 28, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this
Found you via FSF…
Hawsum story! I can relate; we have, um… trying to count… 3 1/2 motorcycles in our garage and lemme just tell ya, it’s a good thing I’m a secure woman!
By Robin
April 28, 2008 8:18 PM | Link to this
Thanks Dory. I need to learn how to be more secure, lately I’ve been doing more than my share of foot stomping over the attention the bike is getting.
Oh and I LOVE Five Star Friday.