I saw the magic word today as I was leaving the Chemist on the way back to my bike in the parking lot - SALE - 30% off all items. It was a boutique-type clothing shop in the Carlswald centre that has quite girly clothes, and so I stopped in, helmet in hand, jelly tot bib done up, and laptop back pack on my back.
As I walked in, the lady said sweetly "just let me know if I can help you dearie", and smiled at me. I then took a look at hte clothes.
The other lady behind the counter said "Oh! You are a biker. What kind of bike do you ride?"
10 points for getting "ride" right, and antoher 10 for being so polite I thought. We had a great chat. She had a BM F650 GS which she sold before she emmigrated to NZ, but has had to come back with her husband. SHe says she misses her bike ilke crazy. I bet she does.
I don't know whether her shop assistant know she used to ride or that she just doesn't have a saak with bikers. I was pleasantly surprised by that.
Also, while standing in the queue at Dischem, an elderly lady saw me cleaning my visor. (It was raining and it got dirty).
"What a beautiful helmet" she said. "A lady one - being pink!"
She then proceeded to tell me all about her grand son and his riding and how she worries about him, and how she almost drove through a red robot and that it can happen and taht is why it is so dangerous cos people in cars day dream, etc.
She went on to tell me all about how she and her husband have retired and bought a plaas in the karoo, and how they are leaving tomorrow morning at 5am.
It is lovely when people treat you as a human even when they can clearly see you are a biker. Not everyone does.
:)
1 comment:
The stigma will stay as long as movies and adverts portray bikers in a negative light.
But that's life.
Nice read...
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