My New Bike

        So this Christmas my Grandma Reimer gave each of her grandkids a check "to spend on something fun." I debated, do I want furniture for my room, something awesome for my kitchen...I wasn't sure. But then I remembered just how much I loved riding a bike at Google when I visited my brother there. I seriously rode a Google bike for hours and I had the best time.
         My dad took me to a bike shop to look for a simple bike I could take around my new city of Orange.  The store owner was very helpful and gave me a catalog to look through, dog-earing the pages of the bikes I had seen in the store. When I got home, I found the most beautiful bike called "the Amsterdam." I am a sucker for good marketing and this was a doozy. The adorably vintage looking bike had a caption: "You can almost feel the cobblestones beneath your tires of this charming bike." It might as well have said, "Brenda, we know you love history and Europe and romantic images of you in a skirt on a bike with a basket and a bell as you travel to the library or the farmers' market and this is the bike that will take you there while singing to your heart."

      The only problem was, this bike was twice as expensive as the most expensive bike I had been looking at. I always have this debate in my head: do I purchase the thing I want and will use but don't need when I could spend that money on something less selfish or materialistic? I literally dreamed of owning this bike. I could picture myself on no other bike. They all looked too plain or boring or from the wrong era. So after much debate and seeking of wise counsel, I broke down and bought it.
       The bike shop owner put the bike together for me and his wife bought a cute bow for the front. I am definitely going to add some more little whistles and bells, so to speak (it has an adorable bell, but I really would like to get a cute basket), but I adore this bike.

      I now try to ride it every day. I have ridden to the book store, the library, the post office, the farmers' market, a cute little waffle and shake place called Bruxie (many times), Angel stadium, the Honda Ponda, and even to my brother Paul's work. Even though I am a sucker for good marketing, I think this bike was no disappointment. It speaks to my romantic heart and makes it sing.