Comprehension: The Bicycle Repairer

Once more, Jeri turned the bicycle upside down, spun the wheels expertly, and listened with his palm over the back of his ear, absorbing every little sound that was out of tune. “That noise! it is still there”, he muttered. “The crank wheel needs lubrication.”

          “Is Lu there?” he called, still listening. When the boy came he sent him for the oil-can. But a few moments later, Frank ran out with the can while Fred followed with a rag.

          “Eyiii!” Frank exclaimed pointing to the rotating wheels. “Fred, see, see! The bicycle is dancing in the air. “Not dancing, it’s doing its own type of magic”, his brother corrected. They both moved forward to have a closer look. But he barred their approach with his hands. About a few years ago, one of the children – Lu it was! – had inserted a stick into the spokes as the wheel spun exactly like that, and he was forced to replace six spokes in a single day.

          “Go back”.

          Frank proposed a deal: “Give us something if you want us to”.

          “Like”.

          The child laughed in anticipation. “Meat. Give us the joint over the fireplace”.

          “That is not to be touched”, he said and went on dropping oil into the recesses of the wheel. “I shall cook it for you if you happen to be sick”.

          “I am now”, Fred said, then coughed, “see?”

          He laughed “Go and tell your mama, perhaps she will give you some of it”.

          In that way, he got rid of them. He spun the back wheel once more, turning the pedal rod energetically. And then, it was launched into a continuous, fluid whirl, and the outlines disappeared completely. He brought his ear closer again, nodded with contentment and began to sing: “Guard, kindly guard”.

Adapted from NOSEC Book Five