Redheaded Scott Bolter is allowed to ride his bike farther than we are. Raised by his grandmother, he is an almost forgotten and yet especially lucky child, for he is allowed to do almost everything we neighborhood kids are forbidden by our parents to do.
Scott Bolter wants to become a stunt man. He vaults the 4′ fence in my yard with a swiftness we envy. He even front flips over it. He’s got us all throwing ourselves at fences. We come home with bruises not having mastered stunting like he has. He runs, face first, into walls, or so it seems. In fact, he stops just centimeters short of the wall and smacks it, waist-level, in order to seal the illusion that the smack had resounded when his face hit concrete. He is really very gifted.
Scott Bolter is in love with me, though sometimes he’s in love with my next-door neighbor Sarah, who is also my best friend.
My father tells me not to requite the love of any boy who doesn’t bring me flowers every day. I tell Scott as much. He brings me flowers. He leaves them on my doorstep. When he can’t find flowers, he leaves a pink and red, heart-shaped pillow on my doorstep, with a note that says, “I love you Natalia. — S.B.”
Today Mom is laughing and filming the scene out our split-level’s second-floor window. Scott has been riding his bicycle in circles on our little street, Grundy Avenue. He has been riding for hours. His method is to tilt the handlebars severely left, never to straighten. His circles are impressively tight. Occasionally he lets go of the handlebars. He wobbles and steadies, but he does not break the circle. He does not put his feet down.
The camera is shaking. I begin to feel bad for Scott. He does not know that his image will soon be mocked, will issue hearty laughter from my father and my brothers after dinner as we watch him on our 22” screen. I yell to him: “Scott. What are you doing out there?”
He looks up from his freckled point of view, but he does not stop his bicycle. “I’m riding in circles for your love!”
I wonder what my father thinks of riding in circles for love. The camera shakes more furiously. Mom does not contain herself, but I know that she too empathizes with Scott. This latest demonstration is gallant, bold, and perhaps most of all, it proves his commitment.
“Aren’t you due back for dinner, honey?” Mom yells to him.
“Don’t need dinner. Not hungry.” He guides his ten-speed sharply left. He rides within inches of the curb but steers clear just in time. “I’m riding in circles for love.”
Scott has his priorities.
I think about running out there to accept this bid for my love, though I did not know what it will take to consummate our passion. Then I reconsider. I think I might like to see just how much my love is worth. Was he counting these circles? Should I be? Would he continue riding into the night?
One thing is certain. I won’t be telling Sarah about the circles for my love. The circles are mine.
Sadly, I will never know just how many circles my love was worth.
Scott’s coat is unseasonably thick, with a denim body, a cotton-carpeted lining, and cream leather sleeves. He has been riding for quite some time, and he is over-warm. Steering with his right hand, Scott shakes his shoulder wildly to rid himself of the left sleeve. Just when the maneuver looks like it will succeed, the spokes swallow the dangling sleeve and the stunt man is sent over his handlebars.
Now the camera captures Scott kneeling on the curb to untangle his coat. There is no use helping him. Scott has a knack for troubleshooting ten-speed issues of all varieties, and we know he will not accept our assistance. Scott is capable. Scott is committed.
Still, it grows dark.
Late in the evening, after Mom has grown tired of filming, we hear drizzling. We peer between the vertical blinds. Scott has finally given up his efforts. He is dragging the bicycle along with the coat it has swallowed. Mom grabs her keys, goes outside and throws Scott’s bike into the trunk of the Jeep and brings him home.
The next afternoon I walk home from the bus stop with my best friend Sarah. When we get close to her doorstep, we see evidence that Scott’s commitment is not unwavering after all. There is a heart-shaped pillow on her doorstep. But the circles… The circles will always be mine.
Leigha Butler writes in New York State.
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30 Responses to “RIDING IN CIRCLES FOR LOVE • by Leigha Butler”
Comments
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April 1st, 2009 at 12:10 am
Awwww! That was nice!
April 1st, 2009 at 2:14 am
A five from me! The narration is excellant and the story is intriguing. Thanks Leigha!
April 1st, 2009 at 4:23 am
Story of early pubescent love, the enthusiastic boy, Scott, trying to impress one of his girlfriends, Natalia with his bike riding. She is too immature and unready to accept men’s attentions responsibly, and childishly and in an unfriendly way, secretively mocks him instead of honestly turning such interests of his away to leave him free to pursue other girls in marriage.
Good story, written from the point of view of the girl’s immature pre-pubescent lack of understanding.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:38 am
Such a sweet story! My favorite part is when he yells, “I’m riding in circles for your love!” That’s one of the best lines ever.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:33 am
I was charmed. At first I thought the narrative was a bit awkward, but then I realized it was just the “voice” of the young girl. Skillyfully done. One of the better stories I’ve seen since becoming a regular here. Thank you.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:35 am
Loved it!
April 1st, 2009 at 6:30 am
Very sweet story. Well written from the point of view of a young girl. Enjoyed it.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:37 am
Love this story and want more here from Leigha Butler at EDF. A five from me.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:08 am
Lovely story! The characters were perfect, dialogue just right. The only reason I gave it a five is because there’s not a six.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:43 am
Love the voice, and the way story unfolds. Well done! Can’t wait to see more from Leigha.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:57 am
I really enjoyed this story. It was sweet and innocent, and yet passionate, as well. You really captured the voice of a main character that age.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:33 am
Lovely story! Ut brought me right back to my childhood. Absolutly worth a five.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:05 am
Fantastic. Best story of the year thus far.
April 1st, 2009 at 10:29 am
Wonderful!
April 1st, 2009 at 10:31 am
Terrific! You captured all the wonder and humor of childhood with a good dose of the mystery of love. Nicely done.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Very sweet story, got me nostalgic for my own childhood bike rides through the neighborhood – though I never had the gall of RB to pull off front flips or such tight circles. Well paced, solid writing, I really like this one.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Nicely done Leigha! I remember watching this video.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Loved it! It really sounded like the early teenage girl was speaking directly to me, at an early teenage time of my life-the 60’s!
April 1st, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Well told with great voice and flow–excellent.
–dj
April 1st, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I cant stop smirking. The sweetest story ever. Reminds me of how innocent the roots of ones heart could be. Ive never been more proud of silliness…. ps. i wanna see the video
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:16 am
Well done. As I read it, I began to think it sounded familiar. Then the sleeve getting tangled in the spokes confirmed it. Wasn’t I there that summer?
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:02 am
Beautifully written with style.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:14 am
You took me right there peeking through the blinds of the window. What a precious little boy, I wonder what he’s doing now? The writing was pure and flowing
I hope you continue to submit your pieces, I’m looking forward to reading more of your work. 5 stars for sure!!!
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:22 am
I loved it! Several years ago, a young teenage boy courted our next door neighbor (young teenage girl) in a similar fashion. He would circle his bike for hours, while she jumped on the trampoline and ignored him. Ah, young love. This is a terrific story and the writing is gorgeous. 5 stars.
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:36 pm
What an incredibly sweet and heartwarming story. This perfect nugget distills the magic of childhood. It feels just like one of those special memories you want to cling to forever. What skill to make a neighborhood block come alive in so few words. I hope there is a lot more to come from Leigha.
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:13 am
loved it! there is nothing like young, innocent love. the story was told beautifully, i felt like i was there peeking through the blinds. 5 stars!
April 5th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
5/5! Beautiful! MORE, MORE, MORE!!!!!!!
April 26th, 2009 at 10:25 am
I loved this story; one of the best narrative ‘voices’ I’ve read here and I really felt like I knew the characters which is amazing in such a short piece.
There were a couple of snags that kept me from giving a 5: I had a hard time placing their ages (8?, 13?); I had trouble placing the historical setting beyond some time since the 50’s (though this could be a strength too) and finally I found this sentence awkward:
“I think about running out there to accept this bid for my love, though I did not know what it will take to consummate our passion.”
Specifically, the tense switches present-past-future starting with ‘I think’ then going to ‘did’ and then to ‘will take’ in the second clause. ‘would take’ or even ‘meant’ work better for me though the latter changes the character’s understanding of the situation, which might not be what you wanted and still leaves the switch from the overall present tense of the piece unresolved. Maybe lose the the second clause altogether?
Still a really solid 4+ from me, thanks Leigha!
May 11th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I prefer this version to the one in Mslexia. It’s more complete and now I understand why the circles are always hers.
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:06 am
[...] Leigha writes from New York and can be read at the infamous EverydayFiction. [...]