it was spring, perfect biking weather, more and more cycle paths throughout the city. i'd searched, visited, looked, but, as life shows over and again, little money goes a short way. anyway. at long last, i found LOWERY, a cafe/art gallery/used bicycle shop in a pretty old part of town with a slightly bohemian feel. on that first visit, i met dominik, the hippy-looking proprietor, who made sure to show me every single bicycle and bicycle frame in the building. i even saw a fantastic century-old dutch city-bike, which was beyond the budget of my wildest dreams. then came an interview: style? purpose? color? riding position? extras? never expecting such a range of possibilities, my answers were, let's say, vague. the only thing i was certain of were the tight limits of my budget. no matter. we hopped into his rickety van with a pile of bicycles rattling in the back. a small garage two blocks away, then another, two blocks away from that one. i learned how to select a bicycle, heard bicycle stories, and was generally mesmerized by the guy's passion for those simple vehicles. we also went over the river, to a workshop where dominik's mechanic was zealously putting together, servicing, and adjusting bikes. plenty of frames there, too. finally it was agreed i'd decide which frame suited me best and call in to have it prepped for a test-ride. i chose an inconspicuous gray batavus, and soon was to meet my first wheeled dutchman. on the day of our appointment, the cafe was closed and deserted. well, i thought, maybe i'm just early, pulled out a book and made myself comfortable in an old living-room chair by the door. a biker rode past, a car lazily cruised by, some guy's golden retriever came to sniff my pants. "cute dog," i said. "funny she didn't bark at you. always barks at strangers at first. freaks people out." an hour later, the dog owner and i were near best friends, the cafe was still closed, and it was beginning to drizzle. "you guys waiting for judyta?" um, no, i'm waiting for dominik. and i'm just out with my dog. "oh, because she's showing me how to work the espresso machine." now three of us, an artsy-looking skinny girl, the dog owner, and i, in front of the closed cafe, in the drizzling rain, talking casually, another hour. a jim jarmush moment, you'd think. finally, judyta shows up, we go in. as nice a time as i'm having, i should really be going. daniel takes his dog home, comes back on his cool red bicycle, makes coffee for all of us. i try once more to contact dominik. he's been waiting for me at the workshop across the river. great. let's try again. trade phone numbers with my new friends, gotta go.
the following week, i finally visit the workshop, and for the first time try my bike. just a basic fit at this time, no gears, but rides like the wind. it's a love at first ride. i will pick it up in two weeks, from the cafe.
two weeks later, at the cafe. lots of people, the place buzzing with activity. artists, french-school students from across the street, random first-time visitors, regulars. they've run out of coffee, dominik's bringing more in a few minutes. half an hour and a chapter later, dominik pulls in on a rusty tandem with a bag of coffee, runs in with it, comes out with a cup of espresso resting on a glass of water, chats with everyone, discusses a new art show with an eccentric-looking old man, finally i get my turn. the bike's not ready yet, too much stuff going on. come back on tuesday.
on tuesday i get to enjoy the slow, small-town atmosphere at the cafe, dominik's got some extremely important errand, can't even make it. but we have a block party on saturday, you should come, it'll be great fun! wish i could, but i'll be out of town. i'm thinking, it's may, spring's passing me by and my phantom bicycle chase seems to be going nowhere... i call dominik. you know, it's a ton of work with the party, but call me monday.
weekend out in the country, come monday, i call dominik. so can i come get my bike today? oh, the hopeful excitement! can't really do much right now, he says, i'm running from the police, read the news. i read the news. on saturday night, the police had cracked down on lowery for disturbing public peace by playing live music and eating food outside at 11pm. my bicycle mechanic was violently arrested, but escaped from the police car, and is now on a wanted list. i'm thinking, great. maybe i should start looking for a bike elsewhere. craigslist, where are you? my problem with things like craigslist is that i don't know enough about bicycles to tell what i'm buying. so it takes me a couple of days. suddenly, on wednesday, dominik calls. he's been exonerated and is now suing the police, needs money to pay the best lawyer in warsaw. six weeks, five new friends and a clash with police later, i get my bicycle. it's the coolest one in town, taylor-made for me, fits like a glove. it sure was worth the wait, i just wish people hadn't had to get hurt for me to finally get it...
