Colleague in the Box

Where's a camera when you need one?

Each month, my school has a faculty meeting in the evening. The meetings start at 5:30PM and the school provides dinner. It is a big discussion each month what we should order for a meal and it is a lot of pressure on the Assistant to the Director (AD) who is ultimately responsible for the menu planning. Tonight, taking advantage of the warm weather and the brighter evenings, we enjoyed a cook-out with a special addition of a certain light malted beverage and fresh lime. The music teacher walked into the meeting space, took one look at the drink selection, and commented, "Boy, I love teaching at this school!"

After the meeting was over, I stayed to help clean-up the last bit. AD also stayed and asked if I had brought the car because she needed a ride home. We have always carpooled to this evening meetings so I was quick to invite her to join me in/on the bakfiets. At first, she balked and thought of asking another colleague. I must admit that I bullied her a bit (in a kind way, of course), explaining that there was plenty of room in the cargo box, that all three boys and their stuff weigh more than she, and that recently a pregnant friend rode in the box for a couple of blocks. And so-- I flipped the seat up, put the seat pad on the bottom of the box, and gamely, AD stepped aboard.

It took only a block of riding for her to exhale and soon, she admitted that "Wow, this is fun! I can see what kids would being in the cargo bike." Folks sitting on their front porches got a kick out the site of a blond attractive woman, sitting with her knees up, cruising by in this curious contraption. AD got into the spirit of things, waving to interested passersby just as my sons do. Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up in front of her apartment building, true door-to-door service. Unfortunately, we didn't call ahead to her husband to greet us outside with a camera. I suspect it would have made a good shot.