The Mystery of the Missing Bike

A NEW MOMMY DREW STORY, by Kate.

The rash of stolen goods started to go missing on a rainy night about a month ago. The neighbor across the street from our little family left his garage unlocked and his cars were broken into. A suspious person had been seen wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood. Yet another neighbor spoke a few days later of loosing things from a car parked on the street.

We spoke to Elleory of the need for caution in these dangerous times, and asked her to put her bike into the garage at night. Sadly, she ignored us. The crimes in the neighborhood continued. Late one afternoon, I noticed that Elleory's bike was not on the front porch, I congratulated her for finally putting it away. "No Mom, I didn't put it in the garage like you asked and now, I am distraught, (sniffle)and saddened (sob) by my disobedience because my bike has been stolen. " (this is how the conversation should have gone, but no...not nearly that much remorse, mostly just shoulder shrugging and a lot of "I dunno"s) Her bike was well, and truely gone.

"Did you ride your bike to school? Or to the park, and forgot it?" I asked later that night.
"Don't be silly Mom, I'd totally remember if it was at school. It's been stolen. I guess you'll just have to take me to get my new bike. Now we don't have to worry about what to do with my old bike."
"AS IF" I mock. I'd like for her to be just a little more repentant, and down trodden. At least for a couple of days. I'm just trying to decide at this point if I should call the police and make a report or not. Because truth be told, we DON'T have to worry about what to do with her old bike now.

Time goes by (about a month) and the neighborhood gang of children start to ride their scooters, so Elleory can join in with the playing. Elleory seems less distraught every day (if she could be LESS distraught), and is still planning on spending her hard earned money on the new bike of her dreams.

Wednesday mornings bring the business of the day early. First the gym at 5 am for my 9 mile run (only on Wednesdays, Mom). Next band carpool at 7:40am. ( the band meets at the Junior High School) Then get ready as fast as I can to drop off the boys across the street and race to Elleory's classroom where I help with MATH GROUPS (ironic, huh?). This morning was more tight than normal and I was running about 5 minutes late. I ran up the hill to the school in my new very flat mary-jane Keds, (which are not made for running I might add) I race past the bike racks and skid to a halt. There in the bike racks is a bike that is identical to Elleory's. I walk past the bike rack every Wednesday morning, just when I'm on-time it's swarming with kids, and I hadn't noticed the bike sitting there. I make a mental note to talk to her teacher about stealing Ellie for 5 minutes after math groups to check it out.

Elleory gets to school one half hour late on Band days and therefore misses most of math groups. So today as she wanders in I flag her down and say:

"Hey! I think your bike is in the bike racks."
"No Mom," she replies very curtly "someone else has the same bike as me, remember?"
I of course remind her that she will not speak to me in that tone of voice... Then she gets this look on her face. The "Holy Crap! I totally remember riding my bike to school and forgetting it" look.

We run down stairs to the bike racks were I hold the door open so she can go out to look at the bike.

Yep, sure enough, her bike, her helmet, her lock, her bike registration number. THE WHOLE NINE YARDS!!!

She sheepishly walks back into the school, goes to the classroom, retrives her bike key, and undoes the bike chain.

"I just don't remember parking it here, I always park it over there." she points to the fence by the walkway behind me.

I just shrug, and say "I Dunno, maybe you parked it over here once and forgot it."

Shrug, grin. (I'm at this point hoping that she a.) feels really stupid so that this will never happen again and b.) hoping that she doesn't. Momory loss is a hard reality of mortality.) She heads back to class and I ride her bike back down the hill to home.
Mystery solved.

I guess the proof that she learned anything from the experience comes when she gets home. If she puts the bike in the garage, or not.