They Told Me I Had to Write This Read Online Free Page B

Gram
    I was in town again. It was busier than normal for some reason. People everywhere getting in the way. And you know what? I saw the Rev with a passenger on his Aprilia. It has got a seat after all. I thought the cover was for a toolbox or something. So how about that?
    He was riding past with one of the kids on the back. The little boy looked like a koala hanging on real hard, kind of cute with this big helmet way bigger than his head could be coz he was only about ten. This time I waved and the little boy waved back as well as the Rev. That was good.
    I wonder if I should call him Mr Paterson if I ever see him in town like that. This time he saw me and so I’m wondering what might happen in our session this time. How would it be if he said again, ‘Tell me what you were thinking when you saw us ride past.’ But I’m going to get in ahead of him. I’m going to say, ‘Tell me what you were thinking when you saw me in the street on Saturday.’ See what he says to that, eh? Ha ha.
    The good thing is that I was just happy for that boy to have such a mega bike to ride around on and to have a dad like that. But I didn’t choke up over it this time. I was sure glad that a bike like that has a seat for a passenger. Sure would be a waste of space if it didn’t.
    You know what? I can’t figure out if I’d rather have a cool girlfriend or a hot motorbike. That Aprilia sure is a lovely looking lady. It’s got to be a she, no bloke could look that pretty. And could you imagine a bloke with a name like April? That would be fully off.
    Tell you what though, Augustus is a man’s name and there is a motorbike called an Augusta Brutale. That bike is definitely a bloke. Couldn’t have a girl named Brutal.
    Hey, just thought of something. This beautiful girl named April marries a tough bloke named Augustus and they have lots of kids. They could call them names like Honda and Suzuki and Yamaha. Dumb joke there.
    Anyway, I reckon it’ll soon be time – again! – to put the hard word on Dad for a mountain bike with shockers front and back. Long travel, adjustable rebound, remote lockouts. Rock Shocks, that’s what I want, girlfriend or no girlfriend. No passenger stuff for this dude, I’m fully into it when I’m pumping those pedals on that track. There’s nothing like what happens to me out there when I’m racing and fully into it. See me on that road and don’t expect a wave, I’m gone through the next corner as fast as I appear out of the last one. Way to go Gram.
    Clem.
    TUESDAY, MAY 26
OUT FOR THE COUNT
    Dear Gram
    The Rev did it to me again. Or I did it to myself more probably. We had our session and I said what I was going to say. I even practised it so I wouldn’t get it wrong.
    Started out with, ‘I saw you on the motorbike.’ And he said, ‘I saw you too.’ And I said, ‘Tell me what you were thinking when you saw me in the street on Saturday.’ Round one to Clem I reckoned.
    But he said, ‘That sentence sounds like you might have thought it up to say even before you got here today.’
    I was like shocked and didn’t know what to say right off and I said, ‘Yeah.’ It was like round two to the Rev.
    So he said, ‘You might even have practised it a bit so you wouldn’t get it wrong.’
    ‘Yeah,’ again from me. How did he guess that? Round three down.
    Then he said, ‘What else could you have said today if you didn’t say what you’d practised?’ Round four and I was out for the count.
    I really blew up and I said, ‘That bike has got a passenger seat after all and that’s just as well because if it can’t take a passenger it’s taking up too much space.’
    And he said, ‘Some people might think that a statement like that could refer to a person as much as to a motorbike. What do you reckon?’
    And then I lost it fully toxic. Suddenly I was exploding angry and upset all at once and even without thinking if what he said was right or wrong I was like, ‘That’s just like how Dad is!