Displacement [From BA 42-300]

Best of Boneshaker Displacement M. Foster.png

Displacement

by M. Foster

“You can’t ride your bike here.”

8:28 a.m. Man on sidewalk during morning commute.

1. Where am I welcome?

“Not the street! Not the street!” honk the cars

angry that I am taking up 1.5 ft of their precious lane space.

Not the sidewalk, says the man.

Deduction: bicycling embodies completeness with nature,

with one’s environment and surroundings

yet it places the cyclist in utter displacement, not

welcome on street on sidewalk.

O! Where will we ride?

2. This is my route and I don’t care, Mr. Suit-and-tie

(I hope you are not the mayor)

I also hope you pay a lot for parking.

Illustration by M. Foster

Evan P. Schneider