John's bike

I spent several hours this morning trolling the streets, and back alleys, of Evanston, looking for John's bike.

It was stolen yesterday. 

Someone cut the lock and took it from the bike rack at school, in broad daylight.  John went out after class and it was gone.  Just like that. 

He thought for sure that he just was looking in the wrong place, that maybe he had forgotten where he had chained it.  But after going over all of the bikes in the various racks, he remembered that he had chained it next to a similar bike.  When he found that bike, there were others parked and chained in the very place his had been. 

My heart is so sad for him.  He loved biking to school.  He loved taking the kids to soccer on his bike.  And when he was really stressed, he would go ride on the trail, to think, and ponder, and clear his head.  He would always come back with a new outlook on things.  And right now we cannot replace his bike.  Maybe someday.  But that someday will be long after we are moved from here.

So now he is back to riding the bus. 

I am grateful that it is not something worse.  A stolen bicycle is a trial that I can handle.  It is not a sick or lost child, or something even worse.  So for now, I will just be thankful.

And I will keep my eyes peeled when I am roaming the streets of Evanston.