Happy Endings

I had an angry post sitting in the on-deck circle thanks to this recent bike (er, trike) theft story from local CBS affiliate KCCI about a man with multiple sclerosis whose recumbent trike was stolen off his porch.

Then I watched the news last night and had to delete that pissed-off post, because Joe already has his replacement trike. 

Now, it's easy to play the old "we Midwesterners are just so gosh darn nice" card. I'm not going to do that. I know we have jerks here who rival the jerkiness of any jerk from anywhere -- if we didn't, Joe's trike never would have been stolen in the first place. But sometimes we live up to our stereotypes in the best possible way.

Thank you, Iowa folks, for the donations that put Joe's wife on a new trike. Thank you, Barr Bike, for serving as the conduit between the community and someone who needed a hand. And special thanks to you, Connie Hewitt. Having lost my father (an avid cyclist) at a too-young age, I understand the strength and kindness it took to give up a cherished reminder of your loved one. If I see Joe and his new red trike out on the trails -- and I hope I do -- I'll think of you, of your husband, and of my Dad. And I'll smile.