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| - If you ever want to be treated like a completely different species, visit Discount Drug Mart in August wearing a motorcycle jacket, pants and boots - and carrying your helmet in with you.
My mom wanted some paper towels - not knowing the area, I just stopped here and got some very strange looks and questions. First, the usual "Are you on a motorcycle?" No, actually - I'm walking. I wear this for protection crossing Mentor Ave - it's very dangerous.
Second - "Are you a cop or something?" No, are you an idiot or something? Okay, I didn't really say that.
Third reaction was probably the best - especially given a conversation earlier that day with a cousin and her boyfriend about how they physically could NOT wear helmets because - well - helmets cause headaches. Seriously? What do you think a concussion is? That's what you'll get - or worse - and then they started with the whole "it's too hot to wear gear and a helmet" and "helmets don't really save your life if you get hit by a car anyway."
So you can imagine my surprise when, after perusing the somewhat cluttered Drug Mart aisle in search of paper towels, I passed a woman and small girl in the aisle by the magazines. The little girl had two small beanie baby style bunnies in her hands and she stopped and stared at me with her jaw open. "What are you?"
Mom immediately responded, "She's a motorcyclist, honey, and she's wearing the protective gear that everyone should always wear on a motorcycle."
What? I just heard that in OHIO?
The little girl was intrigued and touched my knee - I told her to knock on it - she thought it was cool - she touched my helmet and was fascinated with my bright yellow safety fest. Then, she recovered her composure and held up each hand high and said "These are my bunnies!"
I said "Keep them safe! Make sure they get helmets if they go ride on bicycles or motorcycles!" and she nodded solemnly and promised she would.
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