The most awesome bike ever...

I went to visit my father today. Normally not something that brightens my day given he is "just sitting around waiting to die."
However, today's visit was good. I took lunch to assure he would eat at least once today. The biggest treat though was his latest purchase. He bought himself a vintage Schwinn bicycle. This bike was made in the 1940's and was the most awesome bike I have ever seen. While viewing this awesome bike I got the story of why he bought it.
When he was 9 years old, he wanted a bike just like this.The price was 29.99. His father told him to buy a cheaper one and learn how to ride and then buy the one he wanted later. Well, he bought the cheaper one (with his own money I might add) and then of course the second purchase never happened because I think his dad was an ass. All his life he has wanted that bike. I heard stories of how he used to ride his bike all over Portland as he had two paper routes and on top of that riding his bike was his life.
I heard all the places he rode and what the weather was like etc. My dad was a bike riding fool back in the day.
But yet, he never got that one awesome bike he wanted.
Well, he is 70 some odd years old and now has the bike!(price went up from 29.99 to 1500.00) It is parked in his dining room where it will remain until he dies I'm sure.
My dad cannot ride a bike anymore. But I can! I was allowed to take it out for a spin. I cannot tell you how awesome this bike is. It weighs about 800 lbs to start with and a seat the size of Missouri. It is called a paper carrier as it was made for paper routes and the weight of all the newspapers. It rode like a cadilac. The best thing though was it has this string you pull which causes this thing to rub against the spokes and the output is a "siren" that sounds like a clackety, loud, bell.A very loud, happy sound. As I rode around the neighborhood I pulled that siren and decided it was the best bike ride I had in a long time. The whole time in my head I am giving my father's father the finger. Take that! Whose got the bike now?
I am sad my father cannot actually ride the bike. Age has not been kind to my father. But I have decided at some point my brother and I will go over there and get him on it and somehow help him to take it for a spin. (with our fingers on 911) He deserves not only to have the bike, but to ride it at least once and pull that damn siren for all to hear. A childhood dream that must come true.
Every once in a while I learn something about my father that touches my heart. It's not often because he's normally a pretty grumpy old man. But today I got a glimpse of another side to him.
Today, I rode that bike for him.

jb