tired
worn out
thread bare but
only on one shoulder
lower than the other
forever and ever and
single strap bags never the same
holding 4 beers and 14 King Superior filings
two binders to C-203 and an Ex Parte'
radio holsters held real radios
top tube pads protected top tubes
so like years ago bro
sweat stains dried engrained
history stratigraphy
part of the landscape
the background the setting set
muscle memory neural pathways habit trails
1111 Third Avenue repeating
bad dreams bad tastes receding
phantom nostalgia syndrome sets in again
keep feeling for the ass-pocket U lock
and the key hold the button down
wait for the beep
1001 (ten oh one) bikes in situ one afternoon yesteryear, Jeff Kidder's on the left
On September 13, 2010 I turned in my Nextel and made a clean break from the messenger world. After quitting six times or so before, that time, this time it was for real.
51 weeks later I’ve gained some perspective on it. But I think it’s something that will never be completely finished and like 87 says:- “it’s hard to put a finger on it”
I believe Jeff Kidder gets a pretty good grasp on that bike messenger thing, that justwhatisitaboutbeingabikemessenger thing with his book Urban Flow The finger Kidder carefully and thoughtfully places on it, has a whole lot of social science fist behind it. His book is not just a romantic fluffy Travis Hugh Culley put me on Oprah kind of book. Kidder’s book is academic and substantial. I recommend it to bike messengers as well as their parents, friends and significant others. I recommend it to city dwellers and cubicle workers that ride elevators with messengers all day. I’d also recommend it to teachers looking to liven up their worn out classroom discussions of outdated vanilla anthropology, sociology, economics and psychology.
Look ma, no hands.
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