Monday Pogue,

And here’s another note from me popping through your letter box. Makes you smile, I know.

So Tuesday, last week, the sun was shining and the world was good. In fact so good that I donned my gear and wheeled my 1200GS out of the garage, mounted, placed my helmet on my head and set off, just to ride.

What could be better?

Now I knew I ought to get some air for the tyres and planned my route out into the country where I would reach a service station.

The ride was the best. Sunshine, little traffic, no worries. So I reached the service station, pulled in and drove to the air pump. Dismounted, took my helmet and gloves off and set about putting air into the tyres. Money in the machine and…nothing happened. I tried again and…nothing happened. OK, so I made my way to the shop and spoke to the attendant who assure me it was broken, as the notice said. “The notice?” I inquired and we both peered through the window. “Yes, the notice” he again assured me pointing to the grass verge, “It appears to have blown off”. I left the shop not so happy.

I climbed on my machine, did up my helmet, and press the ignition and…nothing happened. I tried again and a message appeared telling me, long story short, my engine management system was knackered. I sat on the bike and thought. Then I wept internally. I mean, here I was, 6 feet tall, bad biker on my beautiful bike. There would be no tears on the outside.

I had Recovery Insurance so, ‘No Worries’, I guess. 1 phone call, 2 hours to wait.

The attendant seeing me sitting o the forecourt, going nowhere, came out, rather sheepishly as he thought I was still upset over the air pump. I was now amused as you know me, total whimp. He was so relieved when the big bad biker assured him he was sitting here because the bike had broken down that he told me to come in and get a coffee.

So I spent the next two hours drinking coffee, eating a Kit Kat, enjoying the sunshine and musing.

And the musing?

Well, as my martial art teacher used to say, just after I’d been knocked onto my butt, “Shit happens, get over it. Get back up and deal with it”. And here’s the lesson. You set off on a perfect morning on a nearly new machine, not a worry in the world and…shit happens! That’s life. Always has been, always will be and even the best made plans come apart and you can collapse in a heap of defeat or self pity, or… you can deal with it. Look for the positives, learn the lesson because there’s always a lesson. And I had coffee and sunshine and Recovery Insurance. I sat and smiled and conversed with God about the day. Anger would have served no purpose and only disabled one person.

Count the blessings. Coffee, Kit Kat, Sunshine, Conversation. Move on.

Have a great week,

Wic.