Try, Try Again

Try, Try Again

The turquoise Schwinn beach cruiser lay on its side on the pavement. A few feet away, Sally sprawled on the grass, rubbing her bruised knees. It was her third attempt this morning.
"I'll never learn to ride this bike", she moaned, "never!"
Groaning in pain, she sighed, "I need more than elbow pads and a helmet. I need a pillow for my butt."
Laughing, Kyler extended his hand to help her up and then went to pick-up the Schwinn. Sally frowned and sputtered, "I'm not a fool, I am not getting back on that bicycle. I cannot learn to ride and that's that."
Kyler grinned at her, "Sure you can. You almost had it. It's as easy as rain. Just get back on and try."
Sally steadied herself , flung one leg over the cruiser, and prepared to launch. The Schwinn was the only thing she had wanted for her birthday. It was blue, it was glittery, and it didn't come with training wheels. She wasn't a baby, it was long past time that she learned to do this.
Tentatively she pushed off----100 feet, 200 feet, wobbly at first, heart pounding, Sally found she had circled the block. The exhilaration she felt banished the pain from her bumps and bruises.
Coming back to where she had begun she found Kyler whooping and cheering. "See Grandma, he yelled, "I knew you could to it! What are you always saying to me? If at first you don't succeed...".
She completed his sentence, "try, try again."
"Thank you, Kyler," she added, "this has been the best birthday ever."