In a message dated 5/5/03 11:25:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
jswan@optonline.net writes:
> Subj: [CR]My 1st Cirque
> Date: 5/5/03 11:25:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time
> From: <A HREF="mailto:jswan@optonline.net">jswan@optonline.net</A>
> To: <A HREF="mailto:classicrendezvous@bikelist.org">classicrendezvous@bikelist.org</A>
> CC: <A HREF="mailto:mghiorsi@grey.com">mghiorsi@grey.com</A>
> Sent from the Internet
>
>
>
> A ton of great stuff happened at Cirque, and I had an outstanding time,
> but I had one experience that was very moving.
>
> At the swap meet Paul Lee and I were browsing a particular booth where
> none of the items were priced. I asked for a price on something. The
> proprietor, a woman who I had not met, said "just pay what ever is
> fair". I found this startling. The woman explained that her husband had
> passed away and she was liquidating his collection. She looked like she
> was about to cry.
>
> I never met Mike Richardson and I was too dim witted to put two and two
> together... My first reaction was " Oh my god, this poor woman is going
> to get raked over the coals!" I suggested that she needed to enlist some
> help with pricing before the sharks smell blood. She said that Dale was
> supposed to do that but he was at the emergency room getting stitches in
> his foot (another story).
>
> I was reluctant to jump in and start telling her what prices to ask. I
> tried to help out with a couple of items and another person was doing
> the same... I relaxed a little and wandered off. In a little while I
> stopped back at her table and someone was just coming back with an item
> that they had taken across the room to get some pricing advise. I kept
> an eye on her and it seemed like she was usually getting some help.
>
> At the end of the show we had the awards ceremony. There were many
> awards for bikes and people of particular merit. It was an emotional
> time; the culmination of a wonderful weekend. The last award presented
> was the first annual Mike Richardson award for outstanding volunteerism,
> presented by Mike's widow. The recipient was Dale... He could barely
> deliver his acceptance speech threw the tears. Everyone was choked up...
>
> This woman threw herself on the mercy of the crowd and something
> miraculous happened. Of course we are only talking about a pile of old
> bike parts, but this stuff is important to us... It was important to
> Mike Richardson too.
>
> You are very fine group of people. I am very happy that you are my
> friends.
>
> Jamie Swan - Northport, New York
>
Jamie, Thanks for relaying that to those that were not there. It was Dale and a few close associates that I believe kept the show alive through the tragic events of '02. Now that you mentioned it, I'm assuming someone discreetly kept the show going while Dale was getting treated. Nex time, maybe a tow truck should be nearby for such emergencies..
I had never met Jamie and the highlight of my trip was the ability to spend time with the group. I'e done nothing but fool around with bikesuff for 35 years day and night one way or another, and do it 14/6, but the experience of rubbing elbows in the fooderies, gymnasiums, and rides is priceless.
The hour I spent in the chase, attacks, and off the back riding and talking to Jamie about 35 years of New Yorkers, was equally rewarding.
There are many things about the past that bring delight and a few that bring sorrow. Employing our memories for the blessings and our forgetteries for the downers is all it takes sometimes.