WE WERE PUTTIN DOWN A NEIGHBORHOOD IN TENNESSEE NOT LOND AGO WHEN ONE OF MY BUDS I WAS WITH BLEW THE FRONT TIRE ON HIS HAWG.WE HELPED PUSH THE BIKE DOWN THE ROAD HOPING TO FIND A PLACE THAT CARRIED TIRES FOR THE BIKE.THE NEIBORHOOD LOOKED LIKE IT WAS STRAIGHT OUT OF LEAVE IT TO BEAVER.EVERYONES GRASS WAS CUT THE SAME DURECTION,FRESH PAINT ADORED EACH HOUSE AND TREES LINED THE STREET IN SUCH A MANNER THEY RESEMBLED SOLDIERS AT ATTENTION.DEFINATLY NOT THE PLACE TO FIND A REPAIR SHOP AND DEFINATLY NOT THE NEIBORHOOD FOR SIX LONGHAIRED BIKERS AND FOUR OL LADIES.
FIGURING SWAT WOULD SOON SURROUND US FOR OUR TERRORISTIC OUTLOOKS ON LIFE,FIVE OF US SPLIT TO FIND A SHOP.I STAYED WITH MY BROS BIKE SINCE HE HAD HIS OL LADY WITH HIM.I CONTINUED DOWN MAY LANE WAITING FOR THE BEAVER TO RIDE BY WHEN I HEARD A CRACKLY VOICE RING OUT'OL'SHOVEL NEEDIN A 28 INCHER?'
WELL FIGURING THE MARINES HAD SNUCK UP ON ME,I PUT THE KICK STAND DOWN,RAISED MY HANDS AND TURNED AROUND TO FACE WHAT I SURLY BELIEVED TO BE THE 86 MARINE SPECIAL FORCES UNIT.INSTEAD,COMMING AT ME FULL THROTTLE WAS A MAN,IN AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR WITH A POLE THAT HAD THE CONFEDERATE FLAG PROUDLY RUFFLING IN THE WIND.
WELL NOW I WAS SURE I HAD MISSED THE WARNING SIGNS FOR THE TENNESSEE STATE MENTAL WARD.THE OL MAN PULLED UP TO ME,LOOKED AT MY FRIENDS BIKE AND STARTED MUMBLING,'RUNNING VALVES TO TIGHT,EXCESSIVE FUEL MIX,DAMN ROADIES NOW DAYS DONT KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A GEM LIKE THIS'.WELL I FIGURED ID KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT AND LISTEN AS HE CONTINUED TO TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE BIKE,AND HERE I FIGURED IT HAD A FLAT,DUHHH.WELL NEXT THING I KNOW THE OLD MAN REACHED INTO AN OL SADDLE BAG ON THE SIDE OF HIS CHAIRAND WHIPS OUT A .45,WHEW,NOPE JUST HIS CELL PHONE.ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER,A YOUNG KID IN A LOWRIDER TOYOTA PU PULL BEHIND US.HE GETS OUT AND A BIG SMILE CROSSED HIS FACE.'SEE YA MET GRANPA'HE CHUCKLED'POPS HERE USED TO RUN BIKES TILL A SPILL TOOK HIS LEGS.'THEN THE BOY GOT A TIRE OUT OF THE TRUCK AND PROCEEDED TO DISMANTLE THE FORK BOLTS.'ESCUSE ME SIR'I STARTED'NOW YOU JUST SET BACK THAR SONN
,WELL HAVE ER READY TO BE PUTTIN IN NO TIME.'WELL FEELING BESTED AND NOT HAVING MUCH CHOICE SINCE NO ONE HAD RETURNED,I SAT DOWN BY A TREE AND I WATCHED.I SHOULD SAY I LEARNED.THAT OL BOY HAD TOOLS AND PARTS ALL OVER THE GROUND.I FIGURED ID JUST TELL THE GUYS THE LOCALS ROUSTED ME AND TORE THE BIKE UP.WELL IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES THE OL MAN AND BOYLOOKED AT ME AND SAID,'FIXED THE FUEL MIXTURE,TIRE AND VALVE ADJUSTMENT.'THEN THE BOY SAID'POPS WANTS HIS JUST DUES NOW'.
AHHH,HIWAY ROBBERY WAS THEIR GAMEI THOUGHT.'WELL I NEVER SAID YOU COULD',I WAS CUT OFF BY THE BOY'POPS HAS A HOUSE BACK A FEW HUNDRED FEET,HE SAYS FOR PAYMENT,GET THE OTHERS AND STOP BY FOR A VISIT.'THE BOY GRINNED AND SAID'TRY THE BIKE,GET YOUR FRIENDS AND COME BACK,I GOTTA RUN TO THE STORE'
WELL,TO CUT DOWN TO THE POINT,THE BIKE NEVER RAN BETTER,ME AND MY BUDS STAYED THE NIGHT,ATE A GREAT COOK OUT,AND EACH ONE OF US TOOK A TURN LIFTING THE OL MAN ONTO OUR BIKES FOR A SHORT SPIN.THE NEXT MORNING WE SAID OUR GOOD-BYES AND THE OL MAN,WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES,SAID 3 WORDS THAT SUMMED UP HIS LIFE.HE LOOKED AT ME AND THESE WORDS HE SPOKE,'I LIVED,YESTERDAY,'AT THAT HE ROAD HIS CHAIR UP THE DRIVE.EACH ONE OF US LEFT ONE AT A TIME AND AS WED LEAVE WED LOOK AT THAT OL MAN AND RELIZED,'NOW WE TO HAD LIVED,YESTERDAY,TODAY ,FOR TOMARROW.
dedicated to ol man rivers
july 4,1920//july 4,2001
