Timmy’s Tale: The Protected Bicyclist

Like a scene from the movie Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, I saw a man riding his bike. He was having fun, out and about, not a care in the world. Well, maybe one care, CORONAVIRUS! I say this because he was wearing a mask. Now, let me state, I wear a mask when I'm in a public place next to people like at a grocery store. But if I'm outside, and am by myself, I do not wear a mask. If I go to a park where I know I'll be around many people, sure I'll mask up. If I'm in my car, nope. If I walk my dog around the block, nope I don't see the need and no one should be around me. If you do get that close, then obviously you're not following the 6 foot rule. Now, why this guy on a bike amused me so, is he was riding his bike, with protection... against COVID-19 and no other forms of protection. Not protection from other cars or gravity. He was not wearing a helmet or any other pads. Now honestly, he can live his life and if he's not hurting anyone, I don't care what he wears or doesn't wear, have fun, do what you do. I just found it very interesting how he's worried about catching the virus while he's on his bike, riding all by himself, on Washington Ave. between 40th & 16th with the flow of traffic, but not worried about a car hitting him, or him hitting a little rock and wiping out.

I posted this interesting observation I had to my Facebook page, just to see if I was the weird one. Since a lot of my friends are comical in a way, I got many responses that were silly. Including from my friend Lilly Walker-Honsinger, who suggested that maybe the man was Jesus. I countered with the fact that I saw "No sideburns." Another friend (yes I do have multiple) William Smith offered the thought that "He's more confident in his bicycle riding capabilities than in the health of Yakima's citizens." I can see this, but I will say that it's pretty scary if someone is more confident in Yakima's driving skills than their health practices.

What would you think if you saw what I saw? Or try to imagine the clip below, only Paul Reubens's character Pee-Wee Herman is wearing a mask and no helmet.