Norton Hat

Got on the bike tired from a busy night shift, still have more work to do. Gotta move a chick's big Blazer and put the fiberglass roof on on it. I have been hustlin' and scratchin' lately to get some money in pocket. Winter was slow and being totally broke and cold was no fun.

Car headlights flashing to warn me of the DMV inspector parked at the old Burger King on Buckland. Shit. Modulate throttle and use traffic as a screen so he doesn't see the repair plate on the bike.

Get onto the interstate and give it the juice, get away from the man.

In my peripheral vision is see a fluttering. I look down to see the ball cap in my halfway zipped tankbag jumping around and trying to make its escape. 90 mph and gloves made it hard to grab onto. Whoosh! There it goes.

"FUUUUCK!" I yell with no-one to hear me. I had won the hat as a door prize at the British Iron party and really liked it. It is hard to find a good hat for daily use. I have a couple expensive Vanson and Ducati hats, but you can't trash a $30 hat working on your bike or winching wrecked cars out of swamps. This hat was my daily hat. I became very depressed.

I had to make my 10 am Blazer appointment and I also risked DMV interaction if I went back to Buckland Street. Oh, well. Another day I should have just went home.

I posted my emotional loss on Facebook with a note of a possible rescue mission later in the day. Butch said he would check one side of the Interstate on his way home and I should check the other side of the lanes. A good plan.

Then, out of the blue. Kellie texted me and said her man, Michael Taylor, had read the post, saw the hat, and retrieved it from the swale between the HOV lane and high speed passing lane. A risky move requiring much bravery. He dropped the Norton hat off at my workplace.

Michael really made my day. I was genuinely happy and also surprised.
Never underestimate the power of Facebook.