Big Wheel Keep On Turning

I have very few memories of my childhood and that is probably a good thing. What I remember most is riding my big wheel around Mema’s (I could not say grandma) house. I have tried to remember more of my fragmented past, but with little luck. Those summer days are the best memories that I have of my youth.

I had a Knight Rider big wheel, which looked similar to the car from the hit television series of the same name. “Kitt” was the name of the car on the show. “Kitt” was also a robot that could talk and function on its own accord. The car also had a distinctive red light just below the hood that would light up when the car spoke. My big wheel shared this red light, though mine did not light up. The light was one of my favorite things about my big wheel, because it reminded me of “Kitt”. My other favorite component was the emergency brake lever on the right side next the rear wheels, which made for some exhilarating fun.

Mema lived on a corner lot and the only real neighbor she had was the house to the right. The owners name was Mr. Lesch. Every summer day, I would be outside riding back-and-forth from Mema’s driveway to Mr. Lesch’s driveway. I would build up as much speed as possible as I approached the concrete pad of the driveway and then I yanked on my brake lever. This sent my big wheel into a full one hundred and eighty degree spin. Each time I skidded to a stop, I would feverishly peddle to build my speed back up for the next driveway. One could always hear the crackle of those plastic wheels against the grit and pebbles on the sidewalk and then a plastic scrap as I spun around with glee.

Everyday Mr. Lesch would see me riding around and stop to ask me if I wanted a snack. It would have been rude to turn down his generosity. That and at my young age, I could always eat. Sometimes it was a pickle and other times a fresh baked cookie that Mrs. Lesch made. It is amazing how much easier it was to entertain myself as a child. It was so much simpler then.

Sometimes I think back and remember the innocence and simplicity of my youth and I miss it. Back then, I did not worry about bills or a mortgage. The complexity of marriage was alien to me. It was just my big wheel, the cool summer air, and me.