Maybe the most important lesson, Amanda Keenan writes, is that you really can’t judge a book by its cover – no matter how much leather it wears
First Person is a daily personal piece submitted by readers. Have a story to tell? See our guidelines atFor most of my life I knew nothing about motorcycles. Even at 16, when I discovered the independence that comes with driving, I didn’t see the appeal. A car provided the same sense of freedom, I thought, but with the added comforts of a stereo and cup holders.
“There’s one for sale in Quebec, a few hours away. It’s a little old, but looks to be in pretty good shape. Good price, too.” While this was the first time we’d had this conversation, it was clear that he had been longing for a motorcycle for more than a few hours.Story continues below advertisement “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked. Underneath the grime I could see that it was blue. Other than that, I didn’t really understand what I was looking at. The fact that it was a 2009 BMW F800ST didn’t mean much to me. What was beautiful was the smile on his face, which the mud and rain and chills could not diminish.
The evening ride was short. The bike carried us higher and higher into the Gatineau Hills, until we arrived at the Champlain Lookout. He pulled over, away from the other cars that had stopped to watch the sun set over the city below. I swung my leg over to dismount, slightly shaky and full of adrenaline, although I tried not to let it show. I could tell from his expression that he wasn’t buying it.“Have fun?” he asked, though his grin let me know he already knew the answer.
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