All calm

For the past few days I've been coming here, to the University library, and calmly replying to e-mails, creative writing workshop sheets, etc. The connection is good, and I found a nice little table in the basement where I can connect my laptop without having 50 people stare back at me.

There are a LOT more computers at the library here than at Coe. Plus, there's one desk space between each computer, so you're not leaning on the person next to you. If that's your thing, the leaning I mean, you might get some separation anxiety.

Prof. Wagner (our contact and savior on this side) gave us/me a bike. I wrote briefly and lovingly about it before, I think. Earlier Kathy and I had decided that the handle bar of the bike felt kind of strange -- it's angled a bit funny, and judging by the way the paint has been scratched off in one place, my suggestion was that the handle bar had been turned around. But, seeing as it is a "special" bike, I assumed it was normal.

This morning, I had decided to ride the bike into the city center and then back up to the school library, when I discovered something that looked like a bell trigger on one of the handles. And, Oh, shock!, I learned the secret of the twisted bike. Handles aren't backwards, no, no, they're UP-SIDE-DOWN. The bike is supposed to be a speed bike. A two-triggered (one on each handle) X-amount speed bike. The bike has been completely messed with, the speeds can't be used, and the brakes are squeaky, making the thing (and I say 'thing' lovingly) virtually impossible to ride.

I was more disappointed that the trigger wasn't a bell.