Dodged a Bullet

Damn it was hot again today- temperature in the 90s this late in the season? Isn't today the end of summer? Anyway, I rode home from work- in a bit of a hurry, since I had class, quickly showered and scarfed down a sandwich, then headed off to class. Owning two helmets is a must in this heat- leaving me with my sweat-free Limar, which is a bit extravagant to commute with. I wore cotton civilian clothing, forgetting quickly how hot it was, and pedaled away to my Norwegian class. I should mention that this semester is free for me, since I'll be moving before term ends, and I get bonus points for actually moving to Norway.

Speaking of Norway, we are contemplating an apartment- a specific leilighet (or is that leiligheten)- which is actually an entire house that we can likely afford to rent, despite having no foreseeable income. Whether we end up with this or not, it matters not, because it gives me something to look forward to- to visualize- rather than to focus on what I am leaving behind. And speaking of leaving behind, tomorrow I train in my replacement. My days truly are numbered. Ironically, we were just notified today that we are being awarded another huge contract- that the new program I developed for the county has been so successful that they are pulling the contract from the competition, and giving us the entire pie. It is a wonderful high note to end on- considering how much sweat and blood I've poured into the existing contract conversion over the years.

Also, I notified the contract manager at the county that I'd been dealing with over the last few years, to let him know I was leaving. For years I thought he hated me. OK, perhaps that is too strong a word, but it felt like every interaction with him was an argument. He actually said many kind words of appreciation for how I had run things over the past several years. He also mentioned he was traveling to Norway next year. I suddenly took a genuine liking to the guy. Anyway, the bottom line is that I'll be working my ass off until the day I leave- but that is fine with me. Oddly, I feel like I'm squeezing this job harder than ever, for fear of letting go. The company has been very good to me, and I've brought them millions of dollars in new business- new contracts that self-renew each year. What more could I ask for? Maybe an international job in Norway? I've already covered that base, and we have discussed my development of new training materials by email until I get settled in. Things are looking up. I have a safety net.

So I rode to class after my commute home. I was a mile from home when I realized I forgot my yellow sunglass lenses that I use for night riding. I generally like some eye protection, and I've become addicted to using my mirror. I was drenched in sweat when I arrived, and chose to sit next to Wayne, still wearing a subdued Pearl Izumi jersey and his mountain bike shoes. Us stinky bike commuters could stick together... until Jim, the pediatrician arrived late and sat between us. Little did he know we kept our distance for a reason. Class went quickly. Everyone seemed interested as I attempted to explain my work details in Norwegian- although it appeared only Wayne and the teacher actually understood what I was saying, since they laughed at my subtle jokes.

During break, I noticed it was raining. Perhaps rain was an understatement, given this account, but what did I know? Wayne and I agreed we'd go to the bar after class no matter what- come hell or high water. I IMed my wife after class that we were hitting the bar- which is the main reason I even go to class. For some reason, despite speaking little Norwegian at home, I seem to have absorbed a huge amount, and the class picked up on that during our conversational episode. Then again, Wayne and I are the reluctant students- both of us actually married to Norwegians, rather than being typical midwesterners trying to feel their roots. I doubt I have any ethnic Scandinavian ancestry or any type- not that there is anything wrong with that. But I seem to be a rare individual in class that lacks a specific fetish for the nationality.

After class, we reassembled our lights, having stripped them to lock them up in a questionable neighborhood. We rode to the Black Forest. It was too dark to wear sunglasses at night, so I went lens-less, using the frames to support the mirror. It was the epitome of geekdom- since they are Rudy Project Kerosenes, which are basically half-frames. As we rode, I kept forgetting I had no lenses, and was amazed at the clarity of my vision. I kept following Wayne too closely, and being fenderless, I received a rooster tail of water in my face as he blew through puddles. When we arrived, I noticed a fixed conversion already locked up. Wayne was on his fixed, and I on my frankenbike (it had the lights). Just three of us showed up tonight. I ordered my usual Hacker-Schorr Hefeweizen. It truly is the nectar of the gods. There is no beer like it on the planet. I could drink it infinitely.

We had a few, and then took off. I have never seen such lightening in my life. We were literally surrounded by a light show. I knew a storm was approaching, as I smelled the rain- not that the ground wasn't thoroughly saturated already. I think I set a new night land speed record on my ride home. The closer to home, the larger the rain drops. For the most part, I stealthily avoided the rain. It truly could have been worse. All in all, it was a fun ride. Driving should be half as enjoyable.