GO YOUR OWN WAY

GO YOUR OWN WAY                                                            

         "Dream on," I retorted to my oldest friend when she suggested that we participate in a bicycle marathon. She'd been so persistent and persuasive. "One way or another we're doing this. Think of the money we'll raise for a good cause while we shed a few unwanted pounds. C'mon, you're my best friend!"                                                                                                                                  

         She had me and she knew it. We always did everything together. First, we had to shop for new bikes. I hadn't been on one since I started to drive at the age of sixteen. Actually, my Dad had dismantled my bike at that same time. Apparently, a series of accidents had caused him to fear for my safety and his sanity. Go your own way required less physical co-ordination in a vehicle equipped with a seat belt.                                                                                                                        

         I struggled mightily to stay in or on my uncomfortably hard saddle during our first training rides. That old adage was true, you don't forget how to ride a bicycle. You do, however, forget how much effort it takes to pedal. My trembling fatigued legs screamed at my drill sergeant brain. "This is more than a feeling! This is fiery pain, this is war! One of these nights, we're going to crash and burn."                    

         For a long month before the marathon, my girlfriend pumped us up for each of the grueling grumble sessions. Our muscles weren't always happy, but they did respond to upbeat music like Michael Jackson's Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. I did wonder about the 'enough': enough Charlie horses, enough gasping and wheezing, enough sweating?                                                                      

         Finally, the morning of the marathon dawned bright and cool. We two had dubbed ourselves Bennie and the Jets; we were fueled by bravado and willpower, plus we loved Elton John. We didn't expect a strong finish, but we thought we could muster a respectable take-off. In a rainbow sea of bikes, we were able to blend. I wanted to blurt in a moment of solidarity, "I'm stuck in the middle with you."          

         Under a bright yellow banner, a race official greeted us with, "That's the way I like it. I like to see so many good people willing to sacrifice their Saturday for a great cause. The Dream On Foundation will benefit from the money you've raised, and on their behalf, I thank you. This is about so much more than takin' care of business. This is a wonderful start and you ain't seen nothin' yet. It's a lovely day for a bike ride and I can see clearly now that you are raring to go. Isn't it perfect that no one has to worry about who'll stop the rain?"                                                                                                              

         At the blaring of a horn, the cyclists surged forward. At first, I had to struggle and concentrate on my balance. It was as if I was tangled up in blue; blue helmets, blue sneakers, blue t-shirts. I think my friend was trying to lean on me or was it the other way around? Definitely, we were too close. Perhaps I looked stricken because my pal managed to mouth the words, "What's going on?"                              

         I think I muttered, "I'm stayin' alive and I will survive." She laughed and replied, "That's good to know. Do you want to slow down and hang back a bit? Why don't we take our time and just let it be."          

         Gratefully, I accepted her solution. It wasn't just my imagination; the too eager herd of bikers had seemed intent on trampling me. I needed to find my own steady rhythm. As I pedalled and perspired, I shouted, "Let's get it on!"                                                                                          

         From my new perspective, I couldn't help but notice that many of the motivated marathoners were fat-bottomed girls like me. Well, if they could do this, so could I. I wasn't setting any speed records and I most certainly wasn't dust in the wind. At my own pace, I really thought I could go all the way.          

         What a fool believes is so delusional, especially if I'm the fool. I was never meant to be a cyclist. Had I actually said, "Don't stop me now?" What was I thinking? Imagine me the proven bike klutz attempting to complete a marathon. A marathon requires endurance and here I was, once again, enduring an accident. I wasn't born to run or ride.                                                                      

         I ran into trouble on a bridge, my bridge over troubled water. I remember wobbling and a sudden jarring stop. Of course, I didn't land on my fat bottom of considerable padding. I seemed to dive over my handle bars in slow motion and the pavement didn't part for my left arm. My shocked riding companion could only think to haul me to my unsteady feet. "Get up, stand up!"                                        

         Some very friendly and solicitous paramedics escorted me to the nearest emergency room. As he examined me, and discovered a fractured left arm, abrasions, contusions, and an angry-red road rash, the doctor-on-call could only say, "Mercy, mercy me." I was able to convey, "I wanna be sedated." I'd known the pain of a broken bone before and I was hoping to be comfortably numb. ( 855 words)

Dream On-Aerosmith, One Way Or Another-Blondie, You're My Best Friend-Queen, Go Your Own Way-Fleetwood Mac, More Than A Feeling-Boston, One Of These Nights-The Eagles, Don't Stop 'Til you Get Enough-Michael Jackson, War-Edwin Starr, Bennie And The Jets- Elton John, Stuck In The Middle With You-Stealers Wheel, That's The Way I Like It-KC& The Sunshine Band, Dream On-Aerosmith, Takin' Care Of Business and You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet-BTO, I Can See Clearly Now-Johnny Nash, Who'll Stop The Rain?-Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tangled Up In Blue-Bob Dylan, Lean On Me-Bill Withers, What's Going On?-Marvin Gaye, Stayin' Alive-BeeGees, I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor, Let It Be-The Beatles,Just My Imagination- The Temptations, Let's Get It On-Marvin Gaye, Fat-Bottomed Girls-Queen, Dust In The Wind-Kansas, Go All The Way-The Raspberries, What A Fool Believes-The Doobie Brothers, Don't Stop Me Now-Queen, Bridge Over Troubled Waters-Simon and Garfunkel, Get Up, Stand Up-The Wailers, Mercy, Mercy Me-Marvin Gaye, I Wanna Be Sedated-The Ramones, Comfortably Numb-Pink Floyd