Tom and the Bicycle

Saturday morning. A blue bicycle stands on the grass. Its front wheel is flat. Tom looks at it. Tom looks at his helmet. He wants to ride today.

"Dad, my wheel is flat," Tom says. "It has no air."

"We need a pump," Dad says. He brings a long, silver pump. "A pump puts air in the wheel. Do you want to try?"

"Let's try!" Tom says.

Dad puts the pump on the wheel. Tom holds the handle. He pushes it down. Then he pulls it up. Down, up. Down, up. The wheel gets a little bigger. Tom's arms are tired.

"Let's try again!" Tom says. He pumps and pumps. Dad counts with him. "Ten, eleven, twelve!" The wheel is round now. It is hard and strong.

Tom puts on his helmet. Dad closes it under his chin. Tom sits on the bicycle. His feet touch the ground.

"Put one foot on a pedal," Dad says. "Then push."

"Let's try!" Tom says. He pushes. The bicycle moves. It goes left. It goes right. Tom stops and puts his feet on the ground.

"It is hard," Tom says.

"Look far, not down," Dad says. "Look at the path."

Tom looks at the long path next to the river. "Let's try again!" he says. He pushes. He puts his feet on the pedals. The bicycle goes straight. The wheels go round and round. Dad walks next to him. Then Dad stops. Tom is riding alone!

"I am riding!" Tom says. "Look, Dad!"

Tom rides past the trees. He rides past the river. The wind is cool on his face. He rides up to the bridge and stops. He is very happy and his face is red.

Then he sees something on the low wall. It is an orange cat. She sits and watches him. Her paws are white.

"Hello!" Tom says. He waves.

The cat looks at the bicycle. Then she waves her tail.

Tom laughs. "Tomorrow, let's ride to the hill," he says. He turns the bicycle around and rides back to Dad.

See you next time, Tom!