Well Done
Eight year old Coraline Jones stood in the garage chewing her fingernails. Her mother was kneeling on the floor, unscrewing the bolts that fastened the training wheels to Coraline's hot pink bicycle. As the first bolt came loose and clinked to the ground, Coraline pictured herself swerving out of control and crashing into a tree. As the second bolt fell, she saw herself falling into an open sewer.
Her mother placed the wrench back in the toolbox and stood up. "Alright, get your helmet."
Coraline obeyed reluctantly. She fastened the straps of her ladybug helmet, pushed the kickstand up with her foot and walked the bicycle to the top of driveway. The short slope looked a lot steeper all of a sudden.
"I changed my mind, Mom. I can't do it."
"It's not that bad, Coraline. You just pedal and I'll hold you steady."
"What happens if I fall?"
"Then we try again. Ready?"
Coraline's mother began to push the bike forward. Her legs began pedaling of their own accord, and her hands tightened around the handlebars. Slowly the bicycle inched forward down the driveway. Then her hands steered to the right and the bike turned onto the sidewalk.
It was summer, and the weather was warm and sunny. Other children in the neighborhood were playing outside, and many of them rode bicycles. Coraline noted that only the little children rode bicycles with more than two wheels.
Her mother followed, still holding the back of the bicycle tightly. It wobbled a bit, but it did not fall. Coraline sat up straighter, feeling a bit more confident. She began to pedal faster. Maybe her mother was right. Maybe she was ready for this. Maybe she could ride with her friends, and not get teased about the squeaky training wheels.
Her mother was jogging behind her. "I'm letting go now! Keep pedaling!" Coraline took a deep breath, pumped her skinny legs harder and continued down the sidewalk. She heard her mother's retreating voice behind her. "You're doing it, Coraline! You're doing it!"
She grinned, wobbling only slightly in her seat. She was doing it. She was riding her bike without training wheels. She was doing it without her mother's help. She was doing it.
Then she saw a large crack in the sidewalk. Coraline turned the handlebars and successfully dodged it, but lost her balance. Before she knew it she and the bike were tumbling onto the neighbors' lawn. Her helmet cushioned the blow to her head, but she was still somewhat dazed when her mother came running up.
"Coraline! Are you okay? Oh, no, you're bleeding!" Coraline looked down and saw the palm of her hand and her knees had been scraped on the rough concrete and were indeed bleeding. Other than that she had no injuries except for some aches and soreness. Her mother helped her stand and picked up the bike. "Come on, let's get you home and cleaned up. Maybe you shouldn't practice anymore today."
Coraline walked stiffly alongside her, trying not to look at her blood. "I was doing it, Mom! Did you see? You saw me, right? I was riding all by myself!"
"Yes, I saw you, Coraline. It was a good first try. But next time maybe I shouldn't let go so soon."
"It wasn't you, Mom. It was that dumb crack in the sidewalk that threw me off. I'll do better next time, I know it!"
They tried again the next day, and the day after that and the day after that. Each day Coraline's collection of scabs increased. Her mother was naturally worried about this and wondered if her daughter was really ready for this. But each day Coraline insisted on practicing, and each day she was able to go a little further without her mother holding on to the back of her seat.
Then, nine days later, it happened. When Coraline's mother released her seat, Coraline kept going until she reached the end of the cul-de-sac. Then she successfully turned the bike around and rode back toward her waiting mother. She did not fall over once.
When Coraline stopped her mother she looked up at her, scrapes and all, and grinned. "We did it, Mom! We did it!"
Her mother smiled back and put her arms around her. "No, honey, you did it. Well done, Coraline!"