The Bicycle Man

12 The Bicycle Man The neighbourhood children all love old man Wang Zu. They always wave and shout to him as he rides his antique bicycle around town-his back straight as an arrow and his legs strong as those of a man 30 years younger than him. Wang is known throughout the town as “ the bicycle man" . He wears his nickname proudly, for there is nothing he loves more than bicycles. His knowledge of the history of bicycles is deep, making him a sort of amateur expert. Throughout his long life, Wang has devoted much of his spare time to learning everything he can about bicycles. He has a good job and a happy family. But he always finds time for his passion for bicycles. On weekends, you can find him at his little garage, where he repairs bicycles for children, the elderly, and anyone else who needs his assistance. Wang never accepts payment for his repair services. When people come with broken chains and flat tires, he tells them that the great pleasure he gets from working on their bicycles is more than enough compensation.

Well into his seventies, Wang has seen many changes. When he was a boy, bicycles were expensive and seemed unobtainable for ordinary people. Wang dreamed of the day when he might own one. " Yes, indeed, " Mr. Wang often says to the children who gather at his shop to listen to his stories. " Everyone wanted a bike. It was a sign of wealth. When I met my wife, the first thing she asked me was whether I owned a bicycle. It was her way of finding out if I was up to the task of raising a family. " When children ride their bicycles today, they have no idea of the history behind the machine. Most of them have never thought about where a bicycle comes from. Did it always look as it does today? What have improvements been made over the years? Will the bike survive? There was one thing the children wanted to do-they would ask their teacher to invite Wang to give a talk about the history and evolution of bicycles.