The bicycle distribution took place in front of Howard Middle School which is on Robinson just East of North Summerlin Avenue. Coming from another appointment, I arrived late. I wasn’t in the best of moods. I was honestly annoyed and impatient. I didn’t waste a moment. I just leaned against a tree with the full sun warming me as I worked. The wind kept blowing the sketchbook closed till I finally clipped one of my pens on the flapping page to keep it in place. I couldn’t see the Mounted Police horses though I knew they must be around. Children’s names were being called over a megaphone and I heard Santa chuckling in good will. A policeman kept signaling passing cars to slow down. He had to shout at times in annoyance at SUV drivers who were in a mad rush.
Patricia Charpentier walked up to me and said, “I knew I would find you on the periphery here.” I showed her my sketch which only had a light blue sky washed in. She picked up several prints I had done for the LifeSketch project. This particular LifeSketch was going to be about how her parents met. Two young boys were yelling with joy behind me as they tested their new bikes on the school’s running track. Patricia pointed out a little girl who was riding her tiny pink bike with training wheels and a mini child seat for a doll. She was adorable as she tried to keep up with her mothers long strides. My foul mood melted. How could I remain angry when faced with so much goodwill? Firemen posed for a group photo in front of the “Wheels 4 Kids” banner. They shouted out “Merry Christmas!” and the photographer pressed the shutter button. The Mounted Police Horses clomped in front of me. Kelly one of the volunteers riding tapped her butt and asked me if I had sketched her. I was being jokingly reminded that I had let those proportions get a bit wide in a previous sketch. Last year 94 bikes were given away and this year around 64 bikes were distributed. Perhaps people can give less but they still give. I was still sketching as the truck pulled away and people scattered.