Unlike others, unusual things rarely happen to me, but not too long ago, returning home after errands, I noticed a mountain bike leaning against our backyard fence.
Closer examination revealed the bicycle was chained to the fence with a cable combination lock. It bore the brand name “Gary Fisher,” a name I remembered from my bicycling days. Then, Gary Fisher bicycles meant high quality and a high price. That only added more mystery to why any bicycle, much less an expensive one, would be chained to our fence.
With no plausible explanation coming to mind, I called the police non-emergency number for assistance. An officer arrived soon after but could offer no explanation for or theory about the bicycle’s presence and said she had never encountered anything like this. She determined it had not been reported stolen but recommended it be removed. That was easier said than done, as neither of us had bolt cutters large enough to sever the cable. Her plan was to come back with larger bolt cutters and someone from the police garage to operate them.
Sometime later, but before she returned, I noticed someone walking up our driveway. When I went out to talk to him he volunteered he was returning to pick up his bicycle, purchased used for $800. He explained he worked for our refuse service and chained the bicycle to the fence after a co-worker told him chaining the bike to a lamppost made it too inviting, suggesting instead our fence since “we had moved recently.”
The owner was visibly relieved, embarrassed and apologetic when I explained what I had done and told him he was very lucky the bicycle was still here.
Lesson learned, I hope.
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