‘Mike the Bike’

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful teal bike whose name was Mike. He lived in the courtyard underneath a big grey silver shade. Mike loved to go on the long bike rides with his owner. He always watched other bikes around him. Still, Mike feared that one day his owner would not feel safe in his saddle. And as it happened, one day Mike noticed that his owner walked past him without acknowledging him. She did not say hello or touch his handlebars. Mike did not think much about it at first. However, a whole week passed, and his owner refused to take him out for a bike ride. No longer did she sit beside him and dream of new adventures. Instead, she went for walks and avoided him. Heartbroken, Mike spent hours thinking about the reason why she avoided him but could not find a single reason. Then, at night, he shivered and said:

She no longer wants to ride her

Mike – Mike – Mike – Mike

Because she thinks I am a bad

Bike – bike – bike – bike

What is it about me that she doesn’t

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Weeks turned into months. Months turned into a year. Mike did not recognize himself any longer. In his loneliness, spiders spun webs on his wheels and made home underneath his saddle. Dust gathered on his handlebars, making him sneeze and cough. Bull ants crawled over his body, their stings pricking his skin. Venom spread through his teal veins but he endured it all. Every time he saw his owner, he begged her to end her cruelty. Still, she did not hear him. As a result, during the day, he listened to the spinning sounds of the wheels. In his despair, he imagined different bikes. Some ugly. Some bad. Some that cared not for safety as he did. Moreover, his loneliness fuelled his imagination and helped him slowly untangle the web of his blame. Perhaps his owner had met a dangerous bike. A bad rider. The thought that his owner feared bikes made his handlebars shiver and he said:

I will face apocalypse to again be her favorite

Bike – bike – bike – bike

My cobwebs and this red dust I don’t

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If only I could be shiny and clean

Mike – Mike – Mike – Mike

In that moment, the biggest gust of wind blew. It tore through every cobweb wrapped around his body. Mike yelled out, feeling freed from the spidery chains. As the cobwebs fell to the pavement stones, the sky above the courtyard darkened. Then the rain came. Big raindrops hit him like wet hailstones, but they did not harm him. Instead, the rain washed all the dust and dirt away from his body. Filled with joy, Mike waited for the sunshine. The sun warmed him and when his owner returned, she saw him bathed in golden sunlight. With tears in her eyes, she sat beside him and told him of the scary low seat bike haunting her on the roads. Mike’s heart grieved for the evil of another bike. However, as she climbed into his saddle, he promised to always keep her safe. And so the two went on a big, long ride and when they met that scary bike, Mike said:

The scary city hike could not make her forget her

Mike – Mike – Mike – Mike

Again, she feels safe and free on her

Bike – bike – bike – bike

And together on the road freedom we both

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