A Boy, A Bike and Craigslist

I did not want to go. 

The heat index was over 100 degrees, the air conditioning in my car was not working and I was tired from a full day's work.

Yet I value not breaking my promises to children more than I value how I feel at this moment. I know I can do this despite my tiredness.

I also know that there are some things I can do to minimize delays, false starts and disappointments, so I sent a text message to Tre an hour before I am to pick him up and take him to a private bike seller he found on Craigslist in a town 20 miles away.

"Did you call the seller to confirm our appointment?" I text him.
"Yes," is his text reply.

This was the first time soon-to-be 14-year-old Tre had called a stranger to get something he wanted.  In this case, it was a BMX bike for his birthday later this month.  He asked me if I would split the cost of the bike with his mother.  I said I would and we started his search on Craigslist, a service he had never heard of.  He found several bikes he liked and I told him the next steps were to call the seller to get more information, including whether or not the bike was still for sale.

As he was starting to dial the first number from an ad, he turned to me and said, "Would you do it?"
"No, you can do this," I replied.

And he did a fine job.  He called one seller back several times after remembering things he had forgotten to ask.  For example, "Does the bike come with pegs?"  [He wants to be able to give rides to his brothers and sisters].

I was away for several days at a conference and in the meantime, Tre followed up with the seller of a bike he liked and made arrangements for me to take him there and today was the day.

I have more text questions for Tre to save time and make this venture go as quickly and smoothly as possible.

"Do you have the directions to the seller's house?"

To my surprise he has the directions and texts them to me after I ask him to.

When I arrive at his house, Tre, his cousin, Tariq, and his brother, Tort, pile in the car.  Tort is on crutches and his left leg is in a mini cast  -- the result of a fall.

As we drive, 10 year old Tort asks questions.

"Why are street signs green with white letters?" 

"Kim, how does a car's motor work?"

I give my best answers and point out similar things of interest along the way.  "You see that blue and red sign?" I ask.  "That is a sign for a freeway and those signs are the same color all across the country."

The windows are down and the kids are fascinated by the physics of air.  If they put their hand out the window at a certain height, the wind quickly zooms it to the back of the window.  At another height, there is a strong resistance but no zipping backwards. I am delighted by their delight in discovering things.

We arrive at the seller's house.  Despite numerous talks with the seller, Tre didn't get his name.

He takes all of us to his back yard -- a virtual bike shop as well as a flea market.  Tort notices some empty animal cages piled one on top of the other next to a shed and asks if we can get one because he wants a pet hamster.  "Ask your mom when we get home," I reply.

In the back of the yard up against a fence is the BMX bike Tre is here to examine and test drive.  It has pink stickers on it and this dampens his enthusiasm a little but he takes it for a mini test drive and likes it.  I tell him to take it for a longer ride.  He does and wants to get it.  He asks me if I have the right tool at home to adjust the handle bars and brakes.  The seller offers to adjust them in the back yard and the bike is now custom fit for Tre.  I ask for a cable and lock and the seller throws it in for free.  One of the handle grips is loose and the seller suggests we buy electrical tape and apply it to the handle bar to thicken it so the grip will fit snugly.  A loose grip will cause an accident, of that I am sure.

We put the bike in the trunk with one wheel sticking out the back end and head to Walmart for some electrical tape and a helmet.

"Kim?" Tre asks as we leave the seller's house.  "Is that guy's name Craig?"

Precious! 

I laugh to myself and say to Tre that his name is Jamie (I found this out when were talking) and explain that Craigslist is the name of a service and that sellers all have different names, and this one happens not to be Craig.

In the Walmart parking lot, Tre uses his new cable and lock to secure the bike in the trunk.  This is good practice.  The deal I've struck with him is that I agree to get him the bike if he agrees to keep it locked and to wear a helmet. He agrees.  I ask him to repeat to me the reasons for the lock and helmet.  His answers are consistent with what I tried to impress upon him and parallel my own instructions to them to fasten their seats belts when they get into my car because they are too precious to me to risk being hurt or killed in an accident.

Financially, the new deal is that I am paying for half of the bike and equipment for his birthday present and Tre is working for me at $8/hr to pay for his half.

We get one of those electrical vehicles for Tort to drive around in at Walmart.   The Walmart greeter says to me as we walk past him, "Stay close to him, Mom" and I beam inside.  Not even the same race, the kids and I, and he thinks I am their mom. Tort maneuvers the vehicle so well that afterwards he reports to his mom that he can't wait to drive a car!  Tre picks the least expensive helmet at the store.  They're all good so he can't go wrong.

Tre's nose is covered in beads of sweat and we stop for cold drinks and head for home.  His siblings are excited to see his new bike. Tre asks if he can take off the pink stickers and I say "Sure. It's your bike."

I am glad for our little adventure and don't feel as tired as I did before we headed out.

Two days later I receive a text from Tort:

"Hi, Kim.  This is Tort.  My mom said I can have a guinea pig."

My heart warms.