Imagine

Sunriver, OR

Years ago, I was in a major hospital inquiring about this new disease that was scaring everyone. It was a piece I was writing for one of my writing courses at U.C. Berkeley. As I finally sat down with a nurse to pepper her with questions, she simply looked right through me. She thought my questions were a ruse. She kept trying to hand me pamphlets that had instructions on what to do next. Perhaps by not really looking at me, not getting attached in anyway, it would make it easier for her as she had clearly seen enough death already.
The area I was in was surrounded by men walking around the floor in their less than flattering hospital gowns. Dragging their IVs around, I couldn't help but wonder when the last time any of them took a shower. But what really bugged me, was that the staff ignored them. Just walked by them, almost through them as if they were already ghosts in the hallway. Back then I thought to myself, why are these guys treated so poorly? Since when do men have to worry about their rights?

"Don't mind her, she's always like that". I don't remember this patient's name, but a guy (let's call him Steve) walked over and started talking to me. Smiling, with his 5 o'clock shadow from at least two weeks ago..Steve clearly needed to eat something. He looked like a cyclist suffering from malnutrition. As far as I knew, Steve was no cyclist. He was however, sick. Yet, amidst this depressing arena he still managed a smile and pleasant conversation. I found out more from him then anything I could get from the staff.

I was just a college kid back then so what did I know. These guys were confined to the hospital, many of them with death sentences I'm sure. But I knew something else in society was wrong. Something just didn't seem right.

Being full of myself and of course the center of my own universe back then...I did nothing. Wrote my paper, and shoved the information to the back of my mind. It wasn't until many years later when I rode my first aidslifecycle ride that I started to reflect back on my experience at the hospital.

Talk about the upcoming Olympics reminds me of that day in the hospital.  I always thought it wasn't fair to ask athletes to boycott something they've trained all their lives for. For some, it's this moment or it's none at all. But when the new social order of rules came recently overseas, I had some doubts. Boycott? Still not a believer. My apologies. Instead, I'm hoping any and all athletes decide to where rainbow pins for the world to see. The Olympics is about bringing all people together in the spirit of competition. Hopefully it won't be about people being arrested together.

Cycling to work I've had my share of less than friendly slurs thrown my way from various drivers. It's only a taste of the day in the life. But it's enough to remind me to not only share the road, but to share my experiences with others as well. Maybe someone else will stop and think, and then hum John Lenon's song Imagine. The photo of my wife and son above depict that feeling of living hand in hand. And in this way, the world is truly a better place.

Destroyer: 5,194 miles
Mo Miles: 4,504.9