TGIF

Not that it means much to a person who works on Saturday, BUT was a hopping good day!  A gentleman from points way South came up and snagged up the sweet Cannondale R600, for little Timmy.  Hope this young man appreciates the quality of the bike gifted to him and takes real good care of it!  She's a classic! Also sold the "Big Boy" cruiser to Jeff about as soon as the doors opened!  Knew that one wouldn't last.  Had two folks in the shop interested in it at the same time, but he got here first.  Twas OK though, She ended up coming back in later and picked up the pair of Dahon folding bikes for her and her hubby.  And I almost got a chance to hear some sweet cursing in French as he tried to fold it up.  But it was cool, having the original directions helped out tremendously!  Also sold the men's DBS, to a young lady looking to supplement her commute!  YAY!  Another convert off the Oil Companies teet!
I have a lament.  It is a very sensitive subject, I addressed earlier this week.  As I have been somewhat watching the unfolding drama of Trayvon Martin I can't help but be a tad bit bewildered.  As a parent of a couple of problem kiddo's, I have had the inequity of having to stand before judges, teachers, administrators and contend with their misdeeds and illegal wrongdoings.  But never in that time did I try and excuse their actions or seek to condemn those doling out the punishment.  Sure, their are societal factors, peer pressures, stresses what have you  that have an impact on the child's decision making, but in the end they made that decision.  THEY have to face the consequences of that decision.  Their social, economic or race has no bearing on this.  I often times warn my 14 year old that the clothes he wears (baggy, pants down around his ankles) the way he speaks, the way he treats authority impacts perception of him.  And initial perception is how you will be judged.  Is it fair?  Not necessarily, but it simply, IS! In this case, not all the evidence is in.  The "Stand Your Ground" law is in effect, but I would have to believe the investigating officers aren't just washing their hands of the case given this law, and will pursue all evidence and eye witnesses to determine the truth behind this unfortunate outcome.  See, the problem I see here is one I have seen all to often with other kids, whether it be in court or in school, when a parent, oblivious to the evidence at hand, steadfastly defends their child "he/she WOULDN'T do that!" It empowers the child.  When they have no fear of repercussions, the behavior continues AND escalates!  If the evidence at hand is accurate, this young man should not have provoked a confrontation, whatever his feeling of being unjustly harassed or singled out.  I'm truly sorry for what has happened to him, but as a father one of my biggest fears is that my child won't accept the boundaries of common sense, and civil decency and my family and I will be mourning his premature death.