Synchronicity
Synchronicity
it's a beautiful thing.
I was sat on a tram in Prague with a colleague José. It was early evening and frankly I didn't feel like going home, I wanted one of those nights. One of those nights when you roll into a bar, out of a club, straight into bed, roll out the other side, straight into work and sober up around mid afternoon just as someone is inviting you out for another night of debauchery! As it happened José was in a similar mood.
Firstly, I must explain a few things about José. José, as his name suggests is Spanish. Not Manuel Spanish more a sort of American English Spanish. José had not only immersed himself in English but he had taken the trouble to learn colloquial English and also anecdotal English. Safe to say you can have a very decent conversation whatever condition you are in (either of you). José is a rare breed, he is respected and liked by absolutely everyone. José is a cool guy, unfazed by anything, not rushed by anything and anything but a hard man. José is cool because he does his thing and respects your right to do your thing.
We are sat in a bar swapping stories and we mutually decide that it's a fun venue, there's plenty of eye candy and a good vibe, but it's all a bit safe, all a bit easy. We decided to walk into uncharted territory and try to find a good night out. José had studied as a life coach following a messy divorce and a severe life lesson of his own. He began telling me about Synchronicity, essentially if you let things happen, they usually turn out all right. It was theory first touted by Jung and suggests that non‑related events can happen simultaneously with interesting results. It was ironic that as this was being explained to me my eyes wandered and I noticed that we were standing outside a bar with a very discrete doorway. This bar turned out to be a huge pool hall with a gourmet menu and we got absolutely wankered with a barman who sported a huge shark bite on his arm like a tattoo. Needless to say we had found the good night out. I tried to replicate the evening a few weeks later at the same bar with disappointing results.
A couple of years back I had a Diversion 600 Rat; I had systematically destroyed the poor thing. At the time it was covered in a filthy giraffe fur that was held together with algae and salmonella! Jake was running around on a GS550 rat‑fighter with canary‑yellow rims, purple mudguards, matt black tank and a very trick swinging arm. Jake's bike was loud and always drew attention as it screamed round bends as if on rails, the divvy was only louder because the exhausts had fallen off.
Very skint, and daring to beat the weather in early summer, we headed off towards Brighton. It was a whim, it was also a rare treat not to have kids around. It was actually all part of a larger plan to give Jake a birthday surprise and his mob set up the party while we were out. I have to say that ride will be my number one for many years to come. Yeah, I have had good runs but that day as me and Jake cruised down the motorway dodging the very heavy rain showers and then down to the promenade in Brighton on a pair of tatty old shit‑heaps, we felt like we owned the road. I have more scenic rides, I have had more eventful rides but I have yet to have a ride that matches the sheer perfectness of that day. The ride wasn't intentional, I was actually going to take him up town (London) for some food and a few beers on the train. It was synchronicity that interjected and weaved it's magic to give an old man and a young fool a cracking day out.
What I'm saying is that sometimes you don't need a plan, you don't need the map or the GPS. You don't even need a destination. Get a mate or two and just ride, you'll be surprised by what awaits you.
Firstly, I must explain a few things about José. José, as his name suggests is Spanish. Not Manuel Spanish more a sort of American English Spanish. José had not only immersed himself in English but he had taken the trouble to learn colloquial English and also anecdotal English. Safe to say you can have a very decent conversation whatever condition you are in (either of you). José is a rare breed, he is respected and liked by absolutely everyone. José is a cool guy, unfazed by anything, not rushed by anything and anything but a hard man. José is cool because he does his thing and respects your right to do your thing.
We are sat in a bar swapping stories and we mutually decide that it's a fun venue, there's plenty of eye candy and a good vibe, but it's all a bit safe, all a bit easy. We decided to walk into uncharted territory and try to find a good night out. José had studied as a life coach following a messy divorce and a severe life lesson of his own. He began telling me about Synchronicity, essentially if you let things happen, they usually turn out all right. It was theory first touted by Jung and suggests that non‑related events can happen simultaneously with interesting results. It was ironic that as this was being explained to me my eyes wandered and I noticed that we were standing outside a bar with a very discrete doorway. This bar turned out to be a huge pool hall with a gourmet menu and we got absolutely wankered with a barman who sported a huge shark bite on his arm like a tattoo. Needless to say we had found the good night out. I tried to replicate the evening a few weeks later at the same bar with disappointing results.
A couple of years back I had a Diversion 600 Rat; I had systematically destroyed the poor thing. At the time it was covered in a filthy giraffe fur that was held together with algae and salmonella! Jake was running around on a GS550 rat‑fighter with canary‑yellow rims, purple mudguards, matt black tank and a very trick swinging arm. Jake's bike was loud and always drew attention as it screamed round bends as if on rails, the divvy was only louder because the exhausts had fallen off.
Very skint, and daring to beat the weather in early summer, we headed off towards Brighton. It was a whim, it was also a rare treat not to have kids around. It was actually all part of a larger plan to give Jake a birthday surprise and his mob set up the party while we were out. I have to say that ride will be my number one for many years to come. Yeah, I have had good runs but that day as me and Jake cruised down the motorway dodging the very heavy rain showers and then down to the promenade in Brighton on a pair of tatty old shit‑heaps, we felt like we owned the road. I have more scenic rides, I have had more eventful rides but I have yet to have a ride that matches the sheer perfectness of that day. The ride wasn't intentional, I was actually going to take him up town (London) for some food and a few beers on the train. It was synchronicity that interjected and weaved it's magic to give an old man and a young fool a cracking day out.
What I'm saying is that sometimes you don't need a plan, you don't need the map or the GPS. You don't even need a destination. Get a mate or two and just ride, you'll be surprised by what awaits you.
