Chapter 189

• When I was six, I asked my Mom for a new bike. I believed with all my heart that this bike could change my little world. It was silver, with sky-blue streaks and bright streamers fluttering from the handles. I
• dreamed of the large wicker basket in front, perfect for my grand adventures. I begged and bargained, even cried until I was hoarse.
• Mom had just gotten me a bike three months earlier for my birthday and didn’t understand why I needed a new one. To her, it seemed silly, but to me, it was everything. Another month passed, my pleading grew desperate. My Dad, always understanding, began to soften. He asked Mom if we could get the bike, recognizing how important it was to me. He always knew, even if my reasons were childish. But Mom held firm, though she offered a compromise: chores for a month.