Last week we were riding tallbikes with our 14 Y.O. son.

Last week we were riding tallbikes with our 14 Y.O. son. He got to see something unusual. He grew up on my tallbike but only recently started bike riding long distance with us on his own tallbike. For the most part he had to get used to folks cheering at us a lot. Well on this evening my bike light fell off the handlebars. 
I blame the butterfingers who installed it (myself). Our kid pulled over to pick it up for me but had to wait for a passing car. To his horror the car deliberately swerved a tire to the center of the road and atomized my light. 
Then it sped off leaving my light shattered into a million pieces . He was freaked out. "Dad that car went out of it's way to kill your light. What are you gonna do?"  
I was smiling the whole time. "I'm gonna do what I always do." and I pulled out an identical light with a sturdier strap, attached it without dismounting and clicked it on "Always plan for assholes son." 
He just rode for a while silently smiling.

Fred was my pay today

Career councilor.
 I was standing around outside a gig. I saw a young man, sharply dressed in white collar biz attire. He was looking a bit confused, peering around. He was looking for something but he clearly wasn't lost. 
I started drinking my coffee like a carrot and asked him. "What's up Doc.?" 
He said he was job hunting. He had a great job in the field of sumpin called tec-nologee but he got laid off after many years. 
He had been to some interviews but they hadn't gone well. He was standing there trying to determine what his next move was. 
I introed myself , he said he was Fred. 
He asked me whats my deal. I said. "
I'm just a clown in town, lets talk about Fred, Fred. How many interviews did ya do today?" 
He said 5. Fred said he never got a chance to show em what he could do. I was busy but decided to hook Fred up with some career coaching. 
The following fell out of my face with me also listening because I don't know where it came from.
 I sed "Fred, don't be defined by your problems and challenges." 
(Him:"I'm not.") 
me: Yes you are, I just met you and that's all I know about you. I want you to reinvent Fred. 
New Fred hooks up 20 interviews a day. Got a script? Got samples of your work?" 
("No but I should")
 "New Fred has a script to get through interviews and I can't stress this enough New Fred. YOU ARE INTERVIEWING THEM TOO! Ask them questions prodding if they are good enough for your time. If you get any answer that doesn't meet yer musterd throw them a fish and move on. 
New Fred's time is valuable."
 Mr. New Fred was grinning and tapping in my ideas into his phone. He asked if I had been to a lot of job interviews. 
I told him EVERYDAY is a job interview for me. He thanked me and said
"You got a good thing going on."
 Just about then Olive appeared in the window calling me in. 
He said "Who is that?" 
"That's my wife and partner New Fred. Her name is Olive Rootbeer."
 "She's fine! How do you..." 
"OK OK time to move along New Fred. Go be Fred Fred. Good luck."
 After the show Olive asked about him. 
When I told her I was giving career counseling she asked "Did you tell him this is our second gig and we still haven't made a penny?" LOL Nope. 
Fred was my pay today. :)