A Helmet Or Not

My days have been political philosophy and life changes. I have never spent so much time reading any type of philosophy before, and it’s become addicting. I’m taking vigorous notes on The Social Contract, and I have Locke in view next, to be followed by John Stewart Mill.
I’ve been staying at my father’s since Monday, and I think I’ll be here until I make the move. I get up and take Lady running before I have my morning coffee. Then I pour over my books and notes. It’s slow going because I reread most passages twice or thrice to make sure I get them. It’s shifting my view of things to look at our world through the eyes of what could have been had we only listened, and also what seems to be the progression if we don’t change.
I have so many writing projects asking me to work on them, but I can’t seem to focus on them. Today I brought a book of fiction to the coffee shop thinking maybe I’d read it and do some writing because I had been too distracted for philosophy after a fight with my father over what the hell I’m doing with my life. He thinks joining the army is a way I could change our world, and that is my idea of hell. So after a bike ride I settled into Rousseau with my iced coffee and last cigarette because it seems no places out here carry American Spirits, especially not my kind. I just went online and the closest place is 2.5 miles away.
I got sucked into Rousseau again and had an idea for an article I want to write, but I’ll wait until I’ve read Locke and Mill. I was surprised because I even ignored the conversation of the table next to me which fragments drifted over of strip clubs with midget bands playing kiss, to a large black stripper hired for a party who seemed to have had a recent c-section and a meth pipe hidden in an unusual location, and the last fragment I caught was about going down a water slide naked. Normally I would have just pretended to read while listening to every word, but they couldn’t hold my attention today.
Thinking about the ride home I’m looking down at my arm which has some strange red marks that at first I think are from not being used to riding a bike for so long, but no, it seems it’s from the plums I was eating hours ago. Back to the ride home, it went well except for realizing it takes a different set of muscles than what I normally train, that and the cop who decided to pull me over.
On a bicycle? Really? At first he asked for my license and registration, then corrected himself to just say license. I said I didn’t have one. What’s the problem? He said something about a helmet and lights. Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that. I’m just down here visiting, and I borrowed this bike to get around, and as you can see it’s not quite right for someone as tall as I am. Where are you from? Chicago. You can just ride around and then put your bike on the front of the bus to get around the city. I love it. You don’t have any form of id? No state id? Sorry I left it all back that their house. I just took a few bucks for some coffee. I didn’t think I’d need an id for riding a bike. Never been stopped on one before. What’s that around your neck? A jaguar tooth. What do you do for a living? I take groups of people on trips. Really? What kind of trips? Like to Brazil and such since I speak Portuguese and know all the ins and outs of customs. Wow that must be really helpful. That’s what they pay me for. You don’t have anything with your picture and name on it so I can know who I’m talking to? Because I like to know who I’m talking to. I’ve got this card on my backpack that has my name on it. It’s for my travel insurance. Let me go back to my car and you keep looking for something with your picture on it. He came back. I have this ticket stub with my name on it. Ok. Got anything else? I dig through my bag and find a luggage ticket for Johannesburg. Will this work? Johannesburg, where’s that? South Africa. Cool. Yep, it was winter when I was passing through there. Say, you don’t have a passport on you do you? No, it’s back at their house because that’s something you don’t want to carry around with you because you might lose it. Oh, yeah. I guess so. Well, I’m not going to write you a ticket this time. Just wear a helmet next time, and have some lights. I hope you make it back before it rains. Oh, I’m sure I will, I said hoping I wouldn’t run into him again.
My father asked me how my ride went. Just fine. I need to get a bigger bike though when I get some money.
When I get there I plan on getting rid of my truck and just riding a bike around, so I’m getting my practice in, though tomorrow I will have to decide whether I will try and find a helmet or not.