Little Pink Bicycle

There's a pink bicycle that's was abandoned just inside our front door. I've left it there, and have been considering it all week, thinking about it every time I walk by. I keep hoping some little girl will show up and claim it, but that's a pipe dream, for sure. The fact that its abandoned tells me it's stolen - and it's such a tiny, little girl's bicycle. It's pink. It has tassels on the handle grips. It has cute little-girl stickers on the frame. I see teenagers around town, riding on bikes that are ridiculously too small for them. They have to ride standing up, because if they rode sitting down their knees would bang against their chin. You just know that bike is stolen. I keep thinking about the little girl, and their parents, and the pain they've experienced over having the bike stolen, and how that's a little piece of pain that's been added to the world. Now, multiply that little bit of pain by every stolen bike in the city. I remember the first bike my parents bought me - a little red SuperCycle with white handle grips. The thought of it being stolen just never entered into my head. In the grand scheme of things? Well, if it's the worst thing that ever happens to this little girl then she'll have a charmed life. My guess, however, is that there's a lot more where that came from.

How do you connect a bicycle with it's owner? Why don't bikes have I.D. tags like pets do? And you know what else? With all the heartache our residents and guests have lived through - all the abuse and addictions and on and on, I don't know why this bothers me so much, but it does.

Comments

[awareness]

Little pink bikes represent innocence don't they? I can see why it could impact you....not only is it completely out of place, it is linked to a little one who has no idea how harsh life can be.

I know in my city there is an ID program for bikes, but have never pursued it with my children's bikes. Luckily we live on a deadend street off the beaten path where we havent had any problems with theft.

as always, your post has made me think, smile, feel sad.........and wonder.

[Paul W.]

It upsets you because you're in the business of compassion, the solution is potentially so simple, yet there's nothing you can do about it. Nonetheless, I'd see if the police have a report that matches. Though I did this once and by the time we were done playing '20 Questions' they had me convinced that I had stolen the bike. (It's too bad there isn't an agency for this...it shouldn't have to tie up police time in the first place.)

Just be thankful that you can look at the bike, imagine the scenario you've posted, and actually FEEL something. Most people go through life seeing but not observing anything.

[VIkki]

I think when it comes to kids being affected negatively by the world around them, it hurts more. We feel we should be able to protect and shelter children from the harsh realities. They haven't yet had the opportunity to make the good or bad choices in life. But so many are affected by the bad choices or the adults around them.

There are three children that come regularily to our coffee house. As I watch them play with my children, I can't think too much about what must go on in their homes. It just breaks my heart to think about all the horror they must have seen already in their short lives. Horror I can't even imagine. Horror that I pray my children will never have to experience for themselves.

But I am ever so grateful that my family has the opportunity to love them. To show them compassion and grace. To welcome and feed them, hug them and pray with them. For now, that's all we can offer.

[Ed G]

Your post brought back some memories. My bike was stolen when I was a kid. I won a new bike at our church bazaar, but that bike was stolen too, about a month later. What made it worse was that I was riding it at the time. Looking back, I don't think the two kids who took it from me were interesting in having a bike as much as they were interested in the power -- the ability to take what they wanted. Like your pink bike, my blue bananna seat two-wheeler was probably lying in some alley way the next day, discarded. No longer a provide of power. I was 11. I cried. But I got over it pretty soon. Having a loving family certainly helped. I think your girl is loved, too.