der Fahrradfahrer

I bought a "Pla-Dry" T-shirt to wear to work every day. The shirt was designed for golf but is ideal for cycling. It keeps me dry all the way to work. When I arrive, I put on over the T-shirt the freshly ironed and folded shirt I bring with me, and I'm ready for work. The only inconvenience is that I have to wash the T-Shirt every night. But it's fast drying.

After cycling to work I have been stopping at the playground behind the library to catch my breath. Today I was gingerly approached by two uniformed park district employees. They told me that only adults accompanying children are allowed in the playground, and they escorted me out. To be treated like a suspected pedofile was, to say the least, unnerving.

Parents and guardians, not park district employees, are responsible for protecting the children they bring to the playground from any pedophilia threat, real or imagined. It is a sad state of affairs when private citizens cannot use a public park unless he or she is accompanying a child.

This incident is sad commentary on the state of affairs in this country today. I believe the government, by exploiting the public's fear of terrorist attacks since 9/11 for its own nefarious ends, has brought us to the sad state of affairs. But then again I like to blame everything that's not right with this country on George Bush. Yeah, Goerge did it.

This episode also is sad commentary on the kind of neighborhood Bay Terrace is. It is a neighborhood where riding a bicycle is considered aberrant behaviour and where any behavior considered aberrant is reported to the authorities. I don't feel so welcome here anymore.