I bake and deliver – on wheels!

The other day in a tragic incident my bike’s back wheel went completely flat. Back wheels are always a wee bit tricky and unfortunately I don’t have the appropriate tools at the moment either. So I walked my bike to the bike shop and then ventured on to take care of various errands and classes and lab and stuff.

Those of you who have known me for a long time probably remember my apprehension of walking places. It’s gotten much better of the past years and I love long walks – when I’m on a walk. Not when I’m trying to get places.

So I replaced my two wheels with eight wheels. Clever me had brought my rollerblades to town, i.e. to campus (I have my moments of clarity and brilliance). I kinda like rolling around campus. Especially in the buildings. Last semester the students from the lecture I TA-ed were very impressed by my skills. In this country there is signs for everything – ok actually it’s against everything. So I figure as long as there is no sign “Don’t rollerblade in here” it’s okay.

One of the rugby girls had a birthday that day (the big 2-1) and as I wasn’t going to be able to join in the festivities, my inner friendly person deemed it necessary to bake (this is when I invented the Neckarwelle – for those of you who are German and know what a Donauwelle is, this is the new and improved version, a banana-chocolate marble cake with custard and a chocolate layer, yummy-yum-yum) an amazing birthday cake.  I then figured out where she would be between classes so I could drop it by.

Turns out I had a bit of time between researching in the library (I’m mentioning this in particular, to solidify my reputations as a student/scientist) and delivering my cake, so I decided to roll my way to the banks, which is in the bottom of the SAC (the student activity center). Turns out the three bank-ladies were having a very sloooooooooooow day and me rolling in there was the highlight of their day. I also found out that even people who don’t actually “know” me, know me as the “person with the bike”.

As rolled up to the counter they laughed, and asked what had happened to my bike (yes, apparently I show up to their frequently enough that they know who I am), rolling around buildings (they have linoleum floors, so it’s like being on a roller-skate rink) makes me happy so I channeled my inner chatty person and actually made small-talk with them (like I said, I provided that mornings entertainment), among other things we had a quick chat about hair styles and “going short” for the summer (yes, apparently I show up frequently enough that one of them noticed my hair was getting fairly long).

As I signed the last pieced of paper and tucked it in my backpack, the bank-lady said, don’t forget your lasagna (my cake was in a glass dish) or what that is, and I replied, oh it’s my cake. A friend of mine has a birthday and I not only bake – I deliver!  She laughed and said, yeah – you even deliver on wheels!