If I could tell time, I'd throw my watch away. But I can't. All I can do is ride across this great nation of ours while trying to stay where my mommy can see me.

America, man. It's different for everyone, you know? Every kid's got to find his or her own way. Me? I decided I was going to go from the driveway to the back yard with my friend Billy. Figured maybe halfway around the house we'd find something we didn't know we were looking for.

'Course we hadn't even left the front yard when we ran into that baby bird. Billy wanted to pick it up, I told him to be careful. Out of nowhere, the mama came swooping in and Billy ran screaming and hid behind a bush! I laughed and laughed. Eventually, she left, and we kept on pedaling.

After a while we came across the girl next door. She was looking over her fence. We wanted her to ride with us, and she seemed like she would, but then her dad came out of the house and she got all shy. It wasn't worth the hassle with her old man, you know? Especially when the road was calling.

Too bad about what happened at the patio. Billy said we could make the swing set if we pedaled hard, but his ma came out and yelled TIME FOR YOUR HAIRCUT and made him go in. Best friend I ever had.

I can still picture him in his low-slung adjustable seat. Maybe we'll finally reach that swing set some other day. Like, you know, tomorrow.

Back to top