After a game of hide-and-go-seek with my keys that set me a few minutes behind of my normal morning routine, my heart shuttered as I heard something crush undernieth the weight of the rear tire of my car as I peeled out cautiously eased my way out of my driveway.  I tried to corral my imagination as I opened the door to investigate the carnage, and breathed a deep sigh of relief when I saw it was just my kid’s bike, sans the kid.  Until I saw that its front wheel resembled a capital letter “L,” that is.

As the cheapest man I know, rather than look into getting a new bike, or at the very least a new wheel (those things are expensive) I busted out a hammer and a pair of vice grips and beat the living hell out of the thing until it again resembled a circle and was able to rotate completely without rubbing the sides of the frame.

For weeks my son seemed not to notice, and as he wobbled his way around the driveway each night before dinner, I beamed with pride at my frugal nature and craftsmanship- until I saw this tweet from my sister:

“T says he would like a tire for his bike that is not bent for his birthday. Simple, practical, & yet a little sad…”

Sometimes you gotta know when to say when…

Happy 5th Birthday, Buddy!

Sportin' a new bike, with straight wheels even!