I can be petty... I enjoy a thank you... be that thank you for holding a door open for someone or doing something somewhat larger...

 

this year I hosted a number of Alleycats

a few in the spring and then a couple in the fall

these races were filled with prizes

in my mind... I would like to think that I gave proper thanks to the sponsors

sure... I have some prize bags that I meant to pass off to some sponsors

still want to make that happen

but...

messages were sent voicing my thanks

and then... 

after thanking the many sponsors

I took a good bit of race table swag and gifted items to a local cycling program

when passing off the bag of SWAG there was a quick exchange with the program director

the exchange was less than a handshake

not sure if I even heard the word "thanks"

later that week I fished for a compliment and a thanks

thinking... maybe after opening the boxes and bags they might be more appreciative

so... I sent a link for a Grant through Park Tools

that got a thumbs up... but still no thanks for the goods

then this week while out and about doing my BikeShare mechanic thing I saw this bike program in action

so... I took a second to say hello

introduced myself... made mention of the bag\boxes of swag

still fishing... still not getting the thanks I was looking for

so I got petty

the instructor in the program had the kids gathered on bikes

a few kids did not have their chin straps on

a child rolled up without a helmet

and

and this is a big and

AND

the instructor was not wearing a helmet

so... I called out the kids with the chin straps

made mention of the helmet less rider

when actuality

I was being passive aggressive about the helmet less instructor

by example seems like a good place to lead

and 

I took into account all the various hair styles that this all African American group of cyclists had and I thought about the difficulties of wearing a helmet with these various hair styles

but quickly reflected on the notion of helmets and hair

it seems that people in the NFL have all sorts of hair styles

and

somehow they still manage to wear a helmet

with that moment behind me and this post here

this program is behind me

I reached out

I gave

and 

I am done

no more bitterness on the topic

no emotion

no concern

it is as if I held the door open for someone... they walked through without a thank you...

that person is gone and so is that moment

no reason to carry it with me any longer

my efforts and actions will go elsewhere

and

I will keep my mouth to myself if I see this group our riding again