HEALTH HAZARD
By Kat

Kat thought Linda’s idea, to buy new bikes to get back into shape, was great! Even though she hadn’t ridden one for years she hoped exercise would help. The passing of time and old age, had taken its toll on Kat’s once pencil slim shape, but as she looked at lean Linda she wondered why she needed it.

When they arrived back at Linda’s house, they hauled the bikes out from the car’s trunk to take their first spin around town. They decided to start out with short jaunts, slowly working up to longer trips.

“This shouldn’t be too bad,” Kat said. “When I was a kid I rode on the highway to my aunts and back ... 14 miles round trip, up and down lots of hills. So riding around town should be a breeze.”

“Let’s get going!” Linda replied enthusiastically as she leaped effortlessly onto her bike. Riding like a pro, she was at the end of the alley and heading around the corner while Kat was still trying to balance her bike.

Kat wavering back and forth was moving at a snails pace. She was glad, when she finally picked up a little speed... but not for long. Shockingly she found herself eating dirt, with the bike on top of her, like a perching rooster, yodeling his morning wake up call. Linda who had already gone around the block, came back to see what the problem was, just in time to see Kat fall and sprawl in the alley. Her chuckle quickly turned into boisterous laughter, adding insult to injury.

Forcing herself to stop laughing, Linda asked. “Are you okay? You aren’t hurt are you? Need help getting up?”

Kat’s gravel scrapped elbows and knees burned like fire, but embarrassment and hurt feelings ran a close second to her pain. Laughing, to keep from crying, she pushed the bike aside snootily saying, “No thanks. I’m fine. Then, struggling painfully to her feet she bent for the bike to try again, although her interest in riding to get in shape, was quickly taking a back seat to thoughts of who cares?

On her bike again, Kat moved little more than a few feet, and soon she was huffing and puffing, trying to keep up with limber Linda, her younger and more agile friend. We sure make a strange team, Kat thought, as each turn of the pedals caused another part of her out of shape, overweight, body to groan in protest. Watching Linda, seeming to have the time of her life, didn’t help a bit. What a picture we must be to anyone watching us ride by. I guess I shouldn’t have volunteered for this type of exercise regimen when I’m pushing 60 and haven’t done anything for years, except to get fluffy! She was ashamed that she’d let herself go after vowing she never would again.

They had ridden several blocks from Linda’s house when the sprinkling rain turned into a heavy downpour.

“Let’s wait out the worst of the storm under the shelter of this big old tree,” Linda suggested, seeing how exhausted Kat was, and realizing riding on slippery streets would be more difficult for her.

“I’m guessing it’s just a summer storm which will stop as quick as it started.” Nonetheless, before the sun peeked out they were both soaked to the skin.

Cramming the bike into the trunk Kat headed home. Thinking back on today’s events she wondered what possessed her to buy a bicycle she couldn’t afford and couldn’t ride. She felt foolish for falling. Her painful elbows and knees were a reminder of how silly she must have looked; an old lady covered with dirt sprawled under a bike in an alley. Muscles moaned in complaint while her body shivered from the soaking.

It’s good the bike isn’t wrecked she thought, smiling. When I take it to the store tomorrow I’ll say I’m returning it because it’s a hazard to my health!