Today’s plans deviated even farther from usual date hotspots as Amy and I headed out (after picking up letters from school for Amy and a doctor’s appointment for myself) for the IKEA near Leslie subway station. I don’t remember who suggested it first (though I suspect it was probably me), but we ended up actually browsing through the showrooms at IKEA and having a fun time trying out different pieces of furniture and using any pairs of anything as make-shift bras for me. We also started doodling little animals, including an elephant, a hippo, a pelican, a pidgeon, a giraffe, and a Pacman, all over random pieces of paper (and even the wooden floor, in the case of the giraffe) throughout the store. Of course, we didn’t buy any things (apart from replacement lightbulbs for Amy’s lamp) but it was a decent couple hours spent in IKEA fooling around.
After a quick lunch of hot-dogs, we boarded the shuttle bus back to Leslie station and made our ways home. When I got off the bus near home, I decided since I was already out and it was still early to hit up my grandparents’ place to see what they were up to. On the way there, my grandparents actually got off a bus (returning from a haircut and shopping) at a stop just a bit ahead and on the way. I ran up beside them and helped carry their stuff home. After some chilling, I grabbed the bike and pumped its tires up. Amy had suggested a couple days ago that she would bike from her place to mine eventually. I thought this was a little dubious since she does live many city blocks away and although she does bike a lot, she’s no Olympian. Can you see where I went with this? I grabbed my bike and kicked it into gear, pedaling my way all the way (talk about cutting a long story short) to her front door before turning around and heading right back to my grandma’s. I traveled at a decent but not breakneck pace and the round-trip took about an hour and ten minutes, not bad for my first biking session of the summer.
[before I decided to bike today]
Carl: “I don’t know, it’s a pretty long trip. I’m not sure it’s even possible!”
Amy: “I am thinking it will take maybe… what, 45 minutes?”
“What if you collapse halfway through and can’t get to my place?”
*pretends to look at watch
“‘Man, it’s three. Where are you Amy?!’ Haha, that would suck.”
“Haha, well my pride and ego will prevent that from happening.”
“Very well, whatever pleases you.”
Needless to say, it is indeed possible and not nearly as grueling as I had thought. If I can do it on a smoggy day such as today in jeans without water or even a decent lunch and facing into the gusty wind, I’m more than certain Amy can do it when she attempts it. Yes, I do feel a little bit like a hero for having tested it out so I’m gonna revel in this moment of honourable exhaustion for a bit. Actually, it wasn’t even that tiring but I was sweating pretty bad and getting stiff neck and elbows from the long trip. I know I will sleep well tonight.
