Toy Run with my daughter - Mike Felder Insurance

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CYCLING THROUGH THE UNIVERSE by Mike Felder YES SWEETHEART, SANTA DID TRADE THE SHOVEL FOR AN EVOLUTION For those of you who don't have kids, take my word on the following...kids will definitely keep you on your toes! To those of you who have kids, no doubt you already know this. They work the same way a video game does. As soon as you master and complete the first screen, screen number two pops up. It looks the same, but it is a little faster and a little harder. After a few trial and errors, you master that one and complete it. And then, all of a sudden, up pops screen number three, and so on. The relationship between my daughter and I is no different. One of the great joys of being in the motorcycle business is attending all the charitable events each year. It is not unusual to ride to several events at Christmas time which are designed to collect toys and food for underprivledge children. Being able to ride the cycle, see old friends, and do a good deed make for an enjoyable afternoon. Ever sine my daughter turned seven, she has always enjoyed attending these "toy runs" with me. A couple of weeks ago she decided to show me a new way of pulling her sleeves into her gloves so her hands won't get cold on the back of my motorcycle at the Toy Run. (HINT HINT) I decided to play along and said that the Toy Run in Sacramento is more than 75 miles away and that might be to long of a ride for her. She promptly informed me that there is a local Toy Run just 5 miles away. (She what I mean about a new, more difficult screen popping up on the video game? All of sudden, screen number two has just arrived.) "Gee sweetheart," I said, "Daddy didn't have time to get a toy for that run." (Get ready for screen number 3) "That's okay Daddy. I'll give some of my stuff animals because I have to many of them anyways. Besides, there are people who need them more than me." Now...this has my jaw on the floor for several reasons. One, I can never get her out of a toy store without going into hock. Two, this is the type of maturity that makes you wish you would have listened to all those Kodak commercials and filmed everything that happened in her life because SHE IS growing up rather quickly. And three, she's getting to be a better negotiator than her old man and that is scary!! So, the next day, we're off to the Toy Run for the second year. She's got this placed wired from last year's run. Makes a bee line to the doughnuts, latches onto a couple of newer kids and shows them the ropes, and then finds me to let me know that Santa finally showed and we (again, dig the negotiating skills) WE should get a couple of pictures with him. Now, most kids are pretty preoccupied with the merits of Santa's existence. Not Jennifer. No sir! To her, there are definitely more pressing issues. Things that need to be clarified, explained, and resolved. Things like, why is Santa on a new Harley Davidson Springer this year? What happened to his old Shovelhead he had last year? Does Santa get a new cycle each year? You know, the usual things that keep most eight year olds awake at night. Well, I pull back deep into my mind and begin to look for guidance in explaining this delicate manner. I wonder how Ozzie would have explained this to David and Ricky. Or how Ward would have explained this to the Beaver. Is Santa a profit making business that spends 15 grand on cycles each year? Bad choice. Or maybe Santa hit the Lottery? Again, bad choice. Then it hits me. "Gee sweetheart, much in the same way that we are donating gifts to those who don't have any, someone donated the use of their cycle to Santa because he doesn't have one." As Jennifer ponders my words I start to feel a sense of relief that she might actually buy that story. All of sudden her eyes light up. A smile comes to her face. "Daddy, maybe we should get to be friends with the guy who donated the cycle to Santa. Because after Santa leaves, maybe he'll donate it to us!" Oh boy...the video game just went to screen number 4!

Information in this article is probably correct as of the date it was written. Please check with your insurance agent or call Mike at 800-729-2537 before you make any life changing decisions based on what you read here. Comments are always welcome.