You Know You're Going Slow When....

In all honesty I don’t intend this to be demeaning – in all actuality I was quite amazed.

Will and I were riding our bikes back from Siem Reap this weekend and I wanted to take it slow as I wasn’t feeling 100% and I’ve been battling a cold for the last week or so. He was fine with that, plus it was the later part of the day, so on the ride we got to enjoy dusk and a setting sun over the rice fields, water buffalo and coconut trees.

Peace Corps gave us pretty decent little bikes to cruise around on. They are 24 speed mountain bikes and in comparison to what most locals ride (usually a 1-speed) our choice of many speeds usually puts us in control and in the lead of most riding situations. For the most part we are always passing people on the streets with quite ease. And if we’re ever in a situation where a student keeps asking questions while we’re riding and we’ve had enough, we can switch into high gear and leave them in the dust. (Not that we ever do that or anything….)

But on this easy going ride home, we were passed by many Khmer people. As we were peddling along, I noticed a gentleman passing us that stuck out a little. He was making a little extra noise and movement as he went along, and he turned around to adjust a few things that were on his basket in the back when……I noticed this guy only had one leg.

First, I felt pity – immediately flashing to imagery in my head as to what it was like during the Khmer Rouge time, assuming that’s when he lost it. Then – I immediately was amazed. Here he was riding along – with one leg peddling along just fine on a regular bike. There were no extra handicap devices and it wasn’t a special bike or anything and yet he was passing me and Will who were on our 24speed nice mountain bikes going on business as usual.

We said hello, and Will asked him how he was (in Khmer) and he said he was doing well and asked us how we were. Then I asked him where he was going and he said, to the place over there. That’s when he sped up, crossed the road and cruised to his final destination and we waved goodbye as we travelled on.