The Bike Chain
I never thought that knowing something technical would give me an advantage in life.
So, I was going to work. I was a little tight on time and decided to rent a bike to get to the office faster.
When I checked my bike rental app on the iPhone, it told me there were two bikes available nearby my place.
As I was walking through the apartment plaza and towards the bike station, I saw a bigger, stockier, younger man in front me. He was heading in the same direction.
So, it was kind of a race to get a bike. As I got closer to bike station, one was already taken by another guy and headed out.
I actually saw seven bikes there and wondered why are there so many bikes?
I found six of them wouldn’t unlock.
As luck would have it, the bigger guy got to the bike first. I got my mind ready to walk.
Then he walked away from the bike. What great luck!
Why did the guy just walk away from the bike? It was too good to be true.
And it kind was. When I rented the bike and got on, the bike wasn’t moving.
Ok, what’s going on here? This problem seems familiar.
And yes it was. The bike chain was off in the back wheel.
Aw come on. The guy walked away from this bike because the chain was off? Maybe he didn’t want to get his hand dirty I thought.
After a couple of tries, I got the chain back on. I mean, I had this happening all time back in elementary school. Sure, couple of my fingers had oil smeared on them, but I can ride the bike to work and wash them in the washroom.
So, a little luck, that little skill I learned in Canada got me the rented bike. And it was one the better conditioned ones.
Having that skill of putting the bike chain on gave that advantage for the day.
What about you? What skills have you learned when you were younger gave you opportunities to be get something or be ahead?
