Is this goodbye?

There is a weird synchronicity that goes on in my funny little world. I was writing in Book 3 about a shaman connecting with the spirit of a machine. OK pick yourselves up off the floor laughing and then tell me when you don’t shout at your computer, thinking it might actually do some good.

For me, objects that “belong” develop (or have anyway) a spirit. Maybe we imbue them with our own memories, fondness or whatever but there IS something there.

Today we may have to say goodbye to my dear old Steve McQueen. He is the eldest of my motorbikes and was cobbled together from two identical and non-functional ones I bought at a military auction.

The fun of taking them both apart and re-using bits of one to make the other work, the joy of hearing Steve fire up again and the almost-audible “Wheeeeeeeeeee” he gave…even if his exhaust pipe is a bit of garden hose because he is so old they aren’t available any more.

He is a despatch rider’s all-terrain bike, only 80cc but go anywhere, do anything fun chum. He carries memories in his ripped saddle and rusty headlight. The time all my Archers-addicts friends came over for my birthday in Brittany and, somewhat the worse for wear, we played the music from “The Great Escape” and staged a “Steve McQueen impression” contest. We had a huge garden, there were loads of us and it didn’t matter if people fell off because it was a soft landing and many hands to pick the bike up again. The gods look after drunks and sailors – well they did that day.

http://youtu.be/Y9lMVDmGth4 – click for the clip from the film.

You see – he is exactly like the one featured in the film, the one that can jump barbed wire fences. My own gave me a withering glare when I suggested it. That’s how he got his name.

Today we fired him up for his regular outing to keep him going and the ear-splitting puttering noise was music to my ears. Unfortunately, half way up the big hill to the Blue and White Lady, he seized up. It could be terminal. I have photos, I have memories but I think his spirit is gone. He is out front, sitting next to Hathaway and I believe Hath has apologised for knocking him over the other week.

Silly, I know, but Buddhist non-attachment is not my forte, not when things actually live for me.