Vigilante

For the past four months, maybe more, this bicycle has been chained to this "no parking" sign. However it arrived there - by ironic joke, social experiment or a hapless rider who forgot where he parked - this bike has been waiting patiently for it's owner's return since the last click of the chain's MasterLock(TM).

Perhaps like many of us whose lives have taken surprising turns into the paths of opportunity, this bicycle has discovered a new purpose. Having lost it's pedals and it's front wheel, it continued to rust so that it's pinstripes and chrome were barely perceptible underneath the city grime of dirt and apathy. Then someone did a simple thing - though perhaps, not so simple - when we consider how often we ourselves think about an action without really considering acting. One cold morning walk, there she was - transformed. Our little urban Christmas tree: dressed in shiny gold and trimmed with garland - her red bow tossing about cheerfully in the brisk wind.

Sometimes hope and indomitable spirit springs from the strangest places.