Fixing Things

Fixing Things

Riding my bicycle down the street on my daily exercise ride. I’m retired, living by myself, living in a close-knit community I’ve lived in for years. Everybody knows me.

I used to run the small grocery in the center of town. I was pretty good at names so it was easy to know all my customers. Plus, being in the center of town I got involved in many, if not all, town activities just by being in the middle of them. Everybody knows me.

That was great then, but now that I’m retired, a bit of privacy would be nice. I’m in pretty good shape, not my best weight, but pretty good. But somehow, I seem to be the grandmother of our town. Everybody wants to take care of me.

I tried going to the gym, everybody wanted to chat, to help me, to reminisce about the store. I even tried setting up a gym in my house. It got very dusty...

So, I got myself a bike, and I ride. Nobody stops me, I’m riding a bike! I zoom by, wind blowing through the gray string I call hair now, they wave, I wave! I’m free! I go through the downtown blocks, and then I ride directly home. It takes fifteen minutes tops.

I may not be in my best physical condition, but I am in a good place. I can still be that well-known woman everybody loves, for fifteen minutes a day, and then I can go home and enjoy my retirement in peace. I don’t need to know everybody anymore. I’m not in the middle of every town activity, I don’t have to even go to them all.

I do still love my town, I just need a little more space now to enjoy some quiet time.