Never expected his call, but it tickled my soul. I wanted to meet him, and I'm guessing he felt the same. So as menacingly as possible, challenged me to a mini cycle race. I wanted to beat him. But I didn't know how fast he was. So I accepted on the condition that we wouldn't race. The ride was supposed to be to the airport and Vohuman cafe for breakfast. We rode, we talked and clearly I was way faster than him. So I asked him to get his bike seat raised so the posture would help him ride better. I offered to let him ride my bike for a bit. He took it.
At Vohuman, we ate and talked and drank tea. I loved our conversation. Just a matter of a few months and we were together. And both wanted to buy new bikes.
So we decided to go to the bike shop one fine march evening. I arrived to find him already there making conversation effortlessly with someone. We hung out there with one of the owners who showed us bikes and his new tattoo. We test rode our cycles. I knew which one I wanted. He was undecided.
It was getting dark and the streetlights were on and the conversation was flowing when the shop owner just said 'It's great that you both want to get bikes together...'
'...Like brother sister bikes...'
And we both looked at each other and then him. He realised he made a faux pas, and tried some damage control
'Oh... Friend bikes then...?
'
'Yes...' We were both fine with that.
Two weeks later I bought my bike.
A year and a half later we broke up.
He never bought his bike.
It's been more than four years since we were called siblings. And although I don't care for him as I used to, I think of him sometimes. And the brother and sister bikes that we never had.
It usually makes me smile.
And usually makes me listen to melancholic songs. Like this one:
