Closed - Plot: New starts
Alex had finally agreed to give lessons to the kid who was always hanging around the bike shop. His father had handed over a wad of cash and the boy, and Alex -- being Alex -- just had to make sure the guy wasn't selling his son to him outright.
They headed down to an empty parking lot, and the boy asked Alex if he could borrow his phone. Alex let him and fifteen minutes later, three other kids on bikes seemed to magically appear.
"Uh, what's up guys?"
"Well, see, it's like this ..." The first boy, whose name was Jacob, explained that he and his friends couldn't afford lessons at the big skate and bike complex in town. They couldn't even pay to get in, added the one girl of the group. Which, they said, totally sucked because that place rocked.
Alex had to agree -- both with the suckage and the rocking.
"Anyway," Jacob continued. "I've seen you ride, and dude, you've got all the moves, and so I started on dad to ask you to teach me, and then I was gonna teach these dorks but then I thought, well, maybe you'd teach all of us."
"We've got money!" chimed in the oldest boy. They all dug into pockets and bags and offered him the grand sum of $36.42.
Alex looked at the kids, at their bikes -- worn down but obviously loved -- at the little pile of money.
"All right, I'm gonna make you a deal. I've never really taught, not seriously. You guys have no idea if I'm gonna be good or suck at it. Keep your money for today. We'll work for a couple of hours and if we get along and you guys don't suck too bad and I don't totally screw things up, then we'll talk money. OK?"
The kids shot looks at each other, shrugged and nodded. Even Jacob, who looked like he was about to say something before Alex held up a hand.
"The money your dad gave me was his, not yours right?" Alex asked and Jacob nodded. "Right. So we'll hit the burger stand after. Sound cool?"
The kids cheered. Alex took that as a yes.
They headed down to an empty parking lot, and the boy asked Alex if he could borrow his phone. Alex let him and fifteen minutes later, three other kids on bikes seemed to magically appear.
"Uh, what's up guys?"
"Well, see, it's like this ..." The first boy, whose name was Jacob, explained that he and his friends couldn't afford lessons at the big skate and bike complex in town. They couldn't even pay to get in, added the one girl of the group. Which, they said, totally sucked because that place rocked.
Alex had to agree -- both with the suckage and the rocking.
"Anyway," Jacob continued. "I've seen you ride, and dude, you've got all the moves, and so I started on dad to ask you to teach me, and then I was gonna teach these dorks but then I thought, well, maybe you'd teach all of us."
"We've got money!" chimed in the oldest boy. They all dug into pockets and bags and offered him the grand sum of $36.42.
Alex looked at the kids, at their bikes -- worn down but obviously loved -- at the little pile of money.
"All right, I'm gonna make you a deal. I've never really taught, not seriously. You guys have no idea if I'm gonna be good or suck at it. Keep your money for today. We'll work for a couple of hours and if we get along and you guys don't suck too bad and I don't totally screw things up, then we'll talk money. OK?"
The kids shot looks at each other, shrugged and nodded. Even Jacob, who looked like he was about to say something before Alex held up a hand.
"The money your dad gave me was his, not yours right?" Alex asked and Jacob nodded. "Right. So we'll hit the burger stand after. Sound cool?"
The kids cheered. Alex took that as a yes.