Two Wheeler

 

Ah, 12 years old.
In Philadelphia at 60th Street and Market Street there was the Cross Keys movie theater.  When the theater announced that they were to have a yoyo contest, I began to save my pennies toward  the 20 cent admission price. My usual method of going to the movies was to join with a coupla other kids who, together, would accumulate enough money for one ticket.  We took turns on who would buy the ticket and then after going in, would open an exit door (just enough so it could be opened from the outside) for the rest of us. But I wasn't going to take a chance on our usual scheme because I wanted to win that bicycle.  The thought of owning my own bicycle, wow.  I can still remember the excitement.    The contest was over a 9 week period. Each week, for 8 weeks one winner would be selected to compete in the 9th week for the prize. The 2nd place prize was roller skates.  Roller skates?  I had roller skates.  Ohhhh man, I kept dreaming of that bicycle.
Each weekly contest had 8 yoyo tricks. The names of the tricks were;
1. Vertical half loop.  2. Vertical full loop. 3. Sleep.  4. Round the world.
I don't remember 2 of them but they were just as easy as the first four and the last two were, Walk the dog and Rock the cradle which I had no trouble with.  When you missed a trick, after any try, you were out, and the contest continued until only one contestant was left.  And this week, I won.  I don't remember much else of that first contest.
Since it was only the third week I had to wait for five more weekly contests. My head was so full of me going all over the place on my new bicycle, I don't know how I got through the wait.  Talk about forever.  But finally the big day came and I did not have to buy a ticket to get in.

My own two wheeler??

All 8 of us contestants were on stage, the rules were explained, and the contest started.  There was only one change and it excited me greatly. When we got to 4 contestants, the tie breaker was loop the loops. But as it  happened, after the 4th run-through of  the tricks, only 2 were left, me and a kid I knew.  Oh man oh man.  I could do 4 times as many loop the loops as him. My best was 50 or more, but this guy, he had to struggle to reach 15.  The secret was to unwind the string before starting because each loop the loop would make one tighter wind in the string.  But you didn't want to unwind too much because it would make the string too loose..
The theater guy was talking and talking, to build the suspense when I realized he was saying my name, saying I was to go first.  It crashed through my reverie of bicycle riding and I walked to within three feet of the edge of stage to begin.  I took one unwind the string practice toss, to warm up, and then zipped my yoyo toward the audience.  It traveled horizontally until it reached the end of the string, . . . . . and then. . . . .
the string broke..

Please 'CLICK' here;hgknews then ceck in the box for your reaction
You can make a comment too , if u know how.