Feminism

I had just moved to Arizona from the Bay Area around the age of six, and was beginning many new things in this desert location I was to call home. It was towards the end of the month of July, as my parents left one day to run a few errands, they left my brother Ben and I in our newly built home in North Scottsdale. Ben, who is five years older than I, was bored of playing video games, and I of drawing in my endless supply of coloring books. A near expert bike mechanic by the age of ten, Ben confronted me why I had not yet learned how to ride a bike, and quickly followed him to the front yard where he sat me up top on his rocket red mountain bike. I was so excited, but nervous, and above all- extremely hot!

It began with him walking alongside me, and finally letting go every ten seconds or so for about two seconds. I bit the big one many a times, but I finally felt as though I was getting the hang of it. Keeping in mind, Ben and I never had the best relationship as siblings. My two other older brothers were always picking on him, and he felt as though that was leeway for him to double pick on his little sister. So, this one on one bike riding time was a once in a year moment where brother and sister complied with one another- something I am sure my parents now wished they could have witnessed. A brother teaching a sister how to ride a bike without hitting or kicking, spitting or tackling, was a moment no parent should be absent for. It was near glorious.
Finally grasping the ropes of the pedals and which hand was brake, when to speed up, and when to slow down, I became that much more adventurous and no longer needed big brothers help. After an hour of falling, braking, pedaling, and even a few tears, Ben gave me my final push off from behind. I tackled the bike riding adventure for the day, and as soon as mother and father came home, it turned into, “Mom look! Dad watch this!”… Something I am sure they were thrilled about hearing for half an hour. During my thirty minutes of show and tell, Ben kept trying to step in and grab the back of the seat to steady me, but I had made it clear at the end of that sunny 108 degree summer day, “Back off, I got it Benny!” I was free.