Soon after, my friend Nathan and I headed out on a Saturday morning to find bikes. I quickly found a used bike at Sonny's Pawnshop on Broad River. Going that day to a local bike shop, I had the tires replaced and got a full tune-up. All told, the whole thing cost less than $100. It was a burgundy Brittany Free Spirit with original aluminum fenders and rack over the rear tire. That bike was fun to ride; it made me feel like I was riding through the set of a 1950's black and white movie as it creaked and groaned whenever I pedaled. I was in love with my bike. I looked forward to a long and meaningful relationship with my new Brittany! The places we would go......but then the unthinkable happened. Disaster was lurking just around the corner.
After about a week of use I had yet to purchase a lock. Waking up on a Saturday morning I set aside some time to run up to the bike shop to grab a lock. There, I made the fatal, split-second decision. One could likely not fully explain WHY I decided to leave the bike OUTSIDE the bike shop. It was, after all a bike shop; they generally welcome people bringing their bikes inside. But, the rack with the locks was visible from the front window. There was time to simply grab the lock, pay, and be on my way home with Brittany and her new, state-of-the-art security system. I grabbed the lock and walked to the cash register, glancing lovingly at my Brittany glistening in the sunlight. Turning to the register I handed over my debit card, entered my pin, grabbed my receipt and turned to leave, a span of maybe 30 seconds. I was looking down to place my debit card back in my wallet as I headed for the door. Upon reaching the door I came upon a horrifying sight. The spot where my Brittany had just been was empty. She was gone. Horrified, I scanned the large parking lot. Nothing. People were calmly walking to their cars with their purchases or walking unthinkingly down the sidewalk glancing through store windows. Why were they not panicked? Why were they not alarmed? My Brittany was gone! Did these ignorant people not realize the tragedy that was unfolding right before their eyes?
Then the folly of the situation slowly dawned on the horizon of my slow-moving mind. I had left my bike unlocked in the center of downtown Columbia. Not only that, I left my bike unlocked in front of a bike shop.....while buying a lock.. a lock with which I would lock said bike....to prevent the very thing that had just happened. With great shame and humiliation I re-entered the shop and reported to the clerk that my bike had just been stolen. "You didn't lock it?" was his response. Naturally. After leaving my number 'just in case' it showed up in the shop I turned to leave. I know the employees of the bike shop were incredibly gracious with me. I also know that as soon as I walked out, they all had a good laugh. This is the kind of story that employees tell around tables at happy hour. It's the kind of story that one ups any other bike theft story when people sit around sharing stories. With that in mind I turned, with bike lock in-hand, and headed home. How nice to have a bike lock......but no bike.