Lost and Found

I found this piece of paper folded up and nestled next to my rear tire
when I came out of school the other day. Of course I eagerly opened it,
wondering which sly friend had left me a secret message. But, no, it
turned out to be another one of those fascinating things that finds its
way into your path when you choose to ramble the city on two wheels. A
random person's hand-written budget. This sudden and unsolicited intimacy
with a passing stranger is interesting enough all alone. But as I read
it, it turned out that in fact it was a message! And it was loud and
clear! It was saying to me, "Remember that huge piece of metal that used
to cage you in? Remember the financial burden? Remember how traffic used
to be not fun? That aweful stress of trying to stay legal and maintained?"
and on and on... and I said to myself, "Yes! Yes, self, I do! Thank the
bicycle gods that THAT is long gone!" And so it is. This budget could
have been mine a year ago. At least half of it is car-related. But last
February I took the leap that seems so unfathomable to most in this city:
I got rid of my car. It was the best decision I've made in quite awhile.
It may still be this poor person's plight, but for me priorities #1 and 3
and 4 and 7 now only have four wheels when a friend is next to me, and are
fed by oil only when the tacos are especially yummy.....and I couldn't be
happier about it.

-Emily