my 8 year old

I was giving my 8 year old a ride home on the back of my bike.
I told her that next year she would be old enough to take the bus or bike home on her own.
She said “Boy dad, I bet your gonna really love not having to give me rides home anymore.”
It's close to the end of the year, the kid is super smart and healthy.
I remembered the last 5 years of her school career, it was great.
Since the beginning I have brought her to or from school tucked in my bike somewhere.
I was a stay at home dad for a lot of it, she is my project and the love of my life.
I realized that this was going to be one of the last times I gave my baby a ride on my bike.
The ritual is almost over, her babyhood long gone, my kid is well on her way to flying on her own.
I started crying as I drove the giant bike across the city getting back home before a gig.
She went on telling me about her day, not noticing that I had so many tears in my eyes I could hardly see.
When she got home, she threw her back pack in the yard, left a trail of shoes, socks, papers and other flotsom through the house and plopped herself in front of a television.
I still have some work to do on this “project”.