Here is my first non-fiction story for my Creative Writing Class. This happened this past Sunday. Let me know what you think. This is the first time anyone has seen it.........

As the Wheel Turns

I saw the bike, looking to see if the owner was out. It was 6pm and their garbage was at their driveway end. The bike was there. I looked at the bike, then at the house. Would they mind? I looked again. I looked a third time. Then...

I took it!

I pushed the bike to my house. The tires looked new, and the bike relatively new overall. It just needed a seat!

After having my parents over for dinner of roast beef, potatoes, veggies, and bread, I took my mom to my Target. She wanted to buy something for her bed. She was able to get it without having to make an additional stop on the way home.

So, mom drove.

On the way back, mom took a different road to get to my house. There is any number of different ways to get to my house from the main road. Instead of taking Bell Avenue to Penfield Avenue, we took Courtland Street to Penfield Avenue.

After turning onto Courtland, I saw the bike on the right in someone's garbage. We got home, and I immediately ran into the house, looking for Rob. I shouted for him, asking him where he was.

He replied he was in the bathroom. I insisted he hurry up because someone had a bike in their garbage.

I couldn't wait for him. Because the bike was right around the corner, I walked to it. I was so excited at the prospect of a new bike for us. Now that Cassi can ride her bike without training wheels, we both need bikes to ride with her. As I got to the end of my street, here comes Cassi and my dad, who had been taking a walk. They follow me. I tell them what I am doing. Then, dad says he has to turn back to use the bathroom. I tell Cassi she has to go with him. After a little stubbornness on Cassi's part, she unwillingly goes with her Pa.

I was on a reconnaissance mission. I didn't want to have to watch her too. Plus, I didn't want anyone to yell at me as I took the bike from someone's garbage. This was the first time taking something from someone's garbage. I know other people do it, but I didn't want to get yelled at.

Anyway, across the street from the bike, I stood there, looking at the bike. From that distance, I wanted to make sure the bike was worth taking. It appeared to be in excellent shape, minus the seat. Hesitating to make sure no one was out; I walked across the street, put my hands on the handlebars, and rolled it home.

Back at the corner of my street, Rob finally comes out and asks me why I didn't take the car to get the bike. Well, it was just easier to walk. It was so close. Plus, I didn't want to gain added attention with the car, which is RED. We got the bike home, looking it over. It was a little dusty, and the tires were flat. Rob inflated the tires and took it out on a quick test ride. Some of the screws needed tightening, but otherwise, the bike was in excellent condition.

After mom and dad left to go home, we went out driving, looking to find anything else that might look good. Nothing.

We went over to the local Wal-Mart, to get a new bike seat and price the bike against others there. The bike seat, being the top of the line model with gel inserts, was $21 with sales tax. Similar bikes there were priced as much as $160. Since we need two bikes, it appears, short of the $21 bike seat, we have saved $160 plus sales tax on one bike. Now, we have to find one more. With the high prices of stuff these days, anything that can be gotten for almost free is a good deal. We'll roll the wheels again this weekend to see if we can find another bike to make it three.