Making an Old Man's Day

[Willow]

A few evenings back my wife, Lori Beth, and I were preparing tee shirts to be shipped.  I had printed the labels and Lori was stuffing the envelopes and the packages.  It was getting to be late and my type II diabetes was beginning to talk to me.  I mentioned a few times that I needed to get something to eat.  She was focused on her task.

"It's almost eight o'clock."

"I don't want to interrupt what I'm doing."

"Did you want me to just go get something by myself?"

"Sure.  You go get something to eat."

It has come as a surprise to me that people don't always mean exactly what they say.  I went out, mounted my machine, and rode away to dinner.  I chose the Spin Neapolitan Pizza. I eat there quite a lot.  I'm more interested in the people around the meal than in the food that is served.  That having been said, I tend to order the exact same meal almost every time.

This evening I ordered a light dinner, a cup of minestrone soup and a Sonoma salad.  Diagonally across from where I was seated were some seven or eight ladies apparently out on a girls' night.  I learned later they were celebrating a birthday for one of the ladies.  I took my time eating a casual meal.  I considered adding a chocolate gelato for dessert but chose not to do so.

As fate would have it, when I got up to go the ladies were also finished and leaving.  When I was walking to the door a few of them were still inside and some were already outside and conversing around the doorway.  My bike was parked just outside and making my way toward it I overheard just a couple of comments.

"Yes.  Yes, it is."

"That's what I thought."

I mounted the bike and one of the girls called out to me, "Hey, could we get a picture with you?"

"Sure."

One of the ladies, the birthday girl as it turned out, came over to stand next to me and a few of the girls prepared their cameras to take a picture.

"We tried to get her to put on the helmet."

"Sure.  That's not a problem."

"Oh!  Could I?"

"Sure."  I picked the helmet off the right mirror and handed it to her.

"Is this right?"

"Yes.  The bill goes in front."

"There's no passenger seat."

"It's a solo bike.  It's the first solo I've owned.  It's not that I carry a passenger very often but I do like to have the option."  The birthday girl leaned into me and we posed for the picture.
 
There were several pictures taken an then I fished out my own pocket computer/phone/camera.  I handed it to the nearest lady that had taken the picture.

"Oh!  He wants a picture of all of us."

Before I knew it there were four of them gathered around me with the rest holding up their phones to record the moment.

"We love your bike.  That's creepy isn't it?"

"No. Not at all."

That exchange actually occurred a few times over the next few minutes as we talked about motorcycles and stuff.  In a short while the group of ladies headed down the sidewalk to a place where they could continue to celebrate and I donned my equipment and rode away.

I have become somewhat accustomed to getting a lot of attention over the custom bike from young men and other motorcycle riders but it was the first time I have been the recipient of such attention from a group of ladies, at least the first time in recent years.

I was part of the way home before I put together a couple of the comments.  Trying on the helmet and noting there was no passenger seat.  She had wanted a picture of herself on the bike and I had not provided that for her.  Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake.

It's good to ride.  It is actually good to get affirmation and acclamation for what I ride.  It's good to feel the wind.

When I got home Lori Beth was a bit upset that I had gone off to eat alone.  Apparently my correct response would have been to turn down the suggestion to do so and wait around until she was ready to depart.  I chose to wait until another time to share my adventure with her.    

(As a matter of possible interest, the picture attached below was posted directly from my computer using the Additional Options.)

[attachment deleted by admin]

[msb]

 I chose to wait until another time to share my adventure with her.    

lol...like now? 

[Danny McMillin]

Better to come clean on yur own, than her pry it out of you with extenuating pain!! Somehow, trust me, she would have known!! You a smart man!

[John Schmidt]

I can tell you're not enjoying that encounter one bit!   

[Moonshot_1]

You and Oss, you be mates doing them secretarial interviews.

I may have to join your firm.

[Rams]

Great story and an excellent pic.      Which of the ladies pictured was the birthday girl?   Thanks for posting the story and pic.   Wish I had been there.   I also ride solo, no back seat.  

Edited:  Oh Yeah, your untold story is safe with me but, I'm not sure about some of the other folks. 

[Savago]

Nice report.

It is quite interesting to think that valkyries are such great bikes that even being 18-20 years old still attract lots of attention (specially yours with the custom paint job!).

[Willow]

...  Which of the ladies pictured was the birthday girl?   ... 

The one holding the helmet.   

[Hook#3287]

Great story, great picture

I think your smile is the biggest

[f6john]

Puts a little extra spring in your step for a while I'm sure!

[Sorcerer]

They were ooh and ahing, we just met Paul Sr from that TV show.

[Oldfishguy]

Nice piece of work; very good story telling.

[JimC]

(As a matter of possible interest, the picture attached below was posted directly from my computer using the Additional Options.)

OK Willow,
We all know you are a lady's man, but when the truth is known, you really wanted to let us know about how you posted the picture directly from your computer...correct? Are you going to share the secret or is that a management only kind of thing?

Jim

[Willow]

OK Willow,
We all know you are a lady's man, but when the truth is known, you really wanted to let us know about how you posted the picture directly from your computer...correct? Are you going to share the secret or is that a management only kind of thing?

Already explained it.  Seems no one wanted to listen.

In the lower left corner when posting is a link titled "Additional Options".  One of those options is "Attach".  That refers to attaching up to three pictures to the bottom of your post.  Pix are limited to 1024KB and they do show small but a view can click on the picture to see it much larger.
"Browse" under the attach link will allow you to look through the pictures on your computer to pick one.

[JimC]

Willow,
It may very well be a management thing because when I open "additional options" I do not have that available to me.

Jim

[f6gal]

Willow,
It may very well be a management thing because when I open "additional options" I do not have that available to me.

Jim

Willow, Jim is correct.  It shows up for me, but not for Psycho.

[Stick]

maybe they thought you were paul Sr...lol

[Hook#3287]

Willow,
It may very well be a management thing because when I open "additional options" I do not have that available to me.

Jim

Yeah, same here, no attach in my options

[gregk]

Hats off to you willow. 

[Willow]

Willow,
It may very well be a management thing because when I open "additional options" I do not have that available to me.

Jim

Willow, Jim is correct.  It shows up for me, but not for Psycho.

My mistake.  Thank you for the correction.  Perhaps our colleague was giving this a try and I reacted too soon.   

[JimC]

Willow,
I use several boards that have that feature, mostly larger boards that make a considerable amount of $$$ through the ads they generate. 

It would be nice to have that feature since photobucket has begun their extortion, but I am willing to bet that this board does not have the size needed, nor the money it would cost to hold all the pics that are generated, so we will just have to deal with it.

Jim

[RainMaker]

We are supposed to read the minds of our wives. I ask questions, get the answer and the answer wasn't the real answer - I should have read her mind.

Lori's reaction sounds pretty normal to me.