I was reading something earlier today and it reminded me of a memory that happened in my late teens. Oddly, I can't remember what it was that I was reading that reminded of the story. Regardless of that fact, I’ve told this story numerous times and people seem to very much enjoy it. In turn, I hope you do too.
I had dropped out of high school and had been working awhile still living at home of course. As such, i had evenings free while friends had homework to do. I hadn't drifted from my friends despite the less time spent together with them, however, working different jobs and talking with numerous people of all ages had given me a more profound and different outlook on life. I certain wisdom not barricaded and bound by the rules of a secluded high school lifestyle.
A friend of mine at the time, Mark, I’ll call him, was indeed a smart guy. He got straight A's and had a part time job. He was stingy with his money as he was smart with it also. Thus if he really wanted something he could afford easily but he would always look for reasons to not get it or do it.
One particular day we had a fairly lengthy conversation on the phone talking about all sorts of things. Nearing the end of our conversation Mark asked me. "What would you think of a motorcycle?" I told him my honest opinion. That I though it was dangerous not very practical. He said he had just been sort of toying with the idea and with that we ended our conversation and said goodbye.
It was about a week and half later and I received a call from Mark. As we updated each other with what was going on in our lives it was apparent he didn't sound all that enthusiastic. I knew this cause Mark’s usual way of joking comments weren’t there so I knew something was up, nor did I directly ask him so. I did ask him though cause he had picked my curiosity from our previous phone call, "So you still thinking about a motorbike?"
"Yeah..." he answered solemnly with a "whatever" sound in his voice.
"What gives?" I asked.
"Well, everyone I’ve talked about it all said the same thing you did. It was dangerous and blah blah. I actually thought everyone would be like, 'Yeah! Cool! Sweet!' but no, everyone just talks about why they wouldn't do it and stuff."
Yeah this was classic Mark. Get everyone's opinion before making the final decision despite what he really thought about something. In this case I could hear how negatively it was affecting him. Unheard of at my age, I bought a $3300 synthesizer because I refused to listen to the negative things people said about. So this was nothing new to me. (and perhaps I’ll share the synthesizer story another day)
"Mark, let me ask you a question." I inquired.
"What." he replied
"Can you picture yourself riding a motorcycle?" I asked.
"Well yeah... I think it would a lot of fun..." he answered.
"Now let me ask this;" I said in a "matter of factly" tone, "If you were out there, riding your motorcycle, with not a care in the world, the wind rushing through your hair and hum of the bike vibrating underneath you; you'd be having fun?"
"Well DUH! Yeah I'd probably he having a fucking blast!" exclaimed Mark.
"Ok." I acknowledged. "Now while you're out there having that much fun; are you going to care anything about what people have either said, or going to say?"
There was a small silence after. I just knew for that 30 seconds it was working the gears in his mind until finally he said "...no...."
"Well there's your answer" I said. "So go shopping for motorbikes. Maybe we can hook up this weekend and snoop around."
"Hmmm..." I heard from Mark. "Alright. Actually let's go to that one on 3 Road. I've always wanted to stop by that one and scope it out."
That Saturday we went out and poked around a couple shops. Sitting on bikes of various types and sizes. I have to admit that after sitting one I could see the attraction. But i was car guy and much preferred their comforts. A few days later Mark got his learner's motorcycle license and signed up at the government registered motorcycle school. On top of that he purchased a helmet and riding gear. As he snooped around more shops he'd call me and tell me of the escapades of students at the motorcycle school. You could here the joy and fun in his voice again as he laughed about other students accidentally driving down stairs or crashing into walls.
A while later Mark called me and said that he found the Motorcycle he wanted. Even better was that since he was being trained by a register professional cycling school it allotted him 15% off on bike. He wanted me to take him to the shop so he could close the deal and ride the bike home. I agreed.
Late morning that Saturday I picked up Mark and he was all giddy like a school girl as he put his riding gear in the back seat. He said the bike was sport bike. A Kawasaki Ninja. Black and red themed with a dent in the gas tank. He said the shop told him a bike beside it had fallen over the handle bar put the dent in the tank. There wasn't a scratch in the paint though and other then that it was mint.
As he was signing the paperwork they wheeled the bike outside. It was indeed a nice machine. As Mark came outside I don't think anything in the world could have stopped him from grinning ear to ear. Riding to his house he messed around a little seeing what the bike could do, giving it a bit of gas here and there. We even had a small race at the stop light and yeah, he kicked my 79 Nova's ass.
Mark passed his drivers test for motorcycles with flying colors. I swear for a whole month he drove that motorcycle any chance he had. Even if he had to make up an excuse to head out. Mark never thanked me for steering him in the right direction. He didn't have to. I could see the joy in his eyes every time he got on that back.
We're no longer in each other's life and i had only talked to him once a few years ago by chance. Mark still had the bike and i could still hear the joy he had in it.
So every time you think you really want to do something cause of the shear joy it would bring you and people are getting you down about it. Let Mark and his motorcycle remind you that listening to your true feelings, can take you down a happy road.
I had dropped out of high school and had been working awhile still living at home of course. As such, i had evenings free while friends had homework to do. I hadn't drifted from my friends despite the less time spent together with them, however, working different jobs and talking with numerous people of all ages had given me a more profound and different outlook on life. I certain wisdom not barricaded and bound by the rules of a secluded high school lifestyle.
A friend of mine at the time, Mark, I’ll call him, was indeed a smart guy. He got straight A's and had a part time job. He was stingy with his money as he was smart with it also. Thus if he really wanted something he could afford easily but he would always look for reasons to not get it or do it.
One particular day we had a fairly lengthy conversation on the phone talking about all sorts of things. Nearing the end of our conversation Mark asked me. "What would you think of a motorcycle?" I told him my honest opinion. That I though it was dangerous not very practical. He said he had just been sort of toying with the idea and with that we ended our conversation and said goodbye.
It was about a week and half later and I received a call from Mark. As we updated each other with what was going on in our lives it was apparent he didn't sound all that enthusiastic. I knew this cause Mark’s usual way of joking comments weren’t there so I knew something was up, nor did I directly ask him so. I did ask him though cause he had picked my curiosity from our previous phone call, "So you still thinking about a motorbike?"
"Yeah..." he answered solemnly with a "whatever" sound in his voice.
"What gives?" I asked.
"Well, everyone I’ve talked about it all said the same thing you did. It was dangerous and blah blah. I actually thought everyone would be like, 'Yeah! Cool! Sweet!' but no, everyone just talks about why they wouldn't do it and stuff."
Yeah this was classic Mark. Get everyone's opinion before making the final decision despite what he really thought about something. In this case I could hear how negatively it was affecting him. Unheard of at my age, I bought a $3300 synthesizer because I refused to listen to the negative things people said about. So this was nothing new to me. (and perhaps I’ll share the synthesizer story another day)
"Mark, let me ask you a question." I inquired.
"What." he replied
"Can you picture yourself riding a motorcycle?" I asked.
"Well yeah... I think it would a lot of fun..." he answered.
"Now let me ask this;" I said in a "matter of factly" tone, "If you were out there, riding your motorcycle, with not a care in the world, the wind rushing through your hair and hum of the bike vibrating underneath you; you'd be having fun?"
"Well DUH! Yeah I'd probably he having a fucking blast!" exclaimed Mark.
"Ok." I acknowledged. "Now while you're out there having that much fun; are you going to care anything about what people have either said, or going to say?"
There was a small silence after. I just knew for that 30 seconds it was working the gears in his mind until finally he said "...no...."
"Well there's your answer" I said. "So go shopping for motorbikes. Maybe we can hook up this weekend and snoop around."
"Hmmm..." I heard from Mark. "Alright. Actually let's go to that one on 3 Road. I've always wanted to stop by that one and scope it out."
That Saturday we went out and poked around a couple shops. Sitting on bikes of various types and sizes. I have to admit that after sitting one I could see the attraction. But i was car guy and much preferred their comforts. A few days later Mark got his learner's motorcycle license and signed up at the government registered motorcycle school. On top of that he purchased a helmet and riding gear. As he snooped around more shops he'd call me and tell me of the escapades of students at the motorcycle school. You could here the joy and fun in his voice again as he laughed about other students accidentally driving down stairs or crashing into walls.
A while later Mark called me and said that he found the Motorcycle he wanted. Even better was that since he was being trained by a register professional cycling school it allotted him 15% off on bike. He wanted me to take him to the shop so he could close the deal and ride the bike home. I agreed.
Late morning that Saturday I picked up Mark and he was all giddy like a school girl as he put his riding gear in the back seat. He said the bike was sport bike. A Kawasaki Ninja. Black and red themed with a dent in the gas tank. He said the shop told him a bike beside it had fallen over the handle bar put the dent in the tank. There wasn't a scratch in the paint though and other then that it was mint.
As he was signing the paperwork they wheeled the bike outside. It was indeed a nice machine. As Mark came outside I don't think anything in the world could have stopped him from grinning ear to ear. Riding to his house he messed around a little seeing what the bike could do, giving it a bit of gas here and there. We even had a small race at the stop light and yeah, he kicked my 79 Nova's ass.
Mark passed his drivers test for motorcycles with flying colors. I swear for a whole month he drove that motorcycle any chance he had. Even if he had to make up an excuse to head out. Mark never thanked me for steering him in the right direction. He didn't have to. I could see the joy in his eyes every time he got on that back.
We're no longer in each other's life and i had only talked to him once a few years ago by chance. Mark still had the bike and i could still hear the joy he had in it.
So every time you think you really want to do something cause of the shear joy it would bring you and people are getting you down about it. Let Mark and his motorcycle remind you that listening to your true feelings, can take you down a happy road.
