Alfie's Turbocycle
By Ofelia May
There it sat, half hidden by a scruffy love seat. A turbocycle. And for only two credits! "What a bargain!" Alfie thought to himself. Admittedly, it had seen better days, and it was looking pretty dusty, but how many college freshmen had turbocycles? Besides, this was just the sort of project Alfie liked. "I am an Engineering major, fixing up a bike is not a big deal," he thought, as though justifying the loss of two credits. Alfie couldn't wait see what Jimmy thought of it.
Late
that night, he was still in the garage, but he was a lot greasier
than
before. He wasn't that much closer to getting the bike
fixed, though. The
stupid thing just wouldn't cooperate! It
seemed to have a will of its own,
and a pretty strong one at
that! Alfie muttered," If I can fix an impulse
engine, why
not a turbocycle?" Then he saw what was wrong with it, and
things seemed to be getting better, but the cycle wasn't going to
let that
happen! It seemingly retaliated by spitting oil in his
face as he bent over.
"Oooh, I've had it!" he fumed. He
took the top off the oil can, and was
about to spew oil on the
bike when he started to laugh. " I can't believe I
was about
to engage a turbocycle in an oil war! I need some sleep!" He
started to stumble out of the garage, then he looked back at the
turbocycle. In his sleep blurred mind, it seemed to be sneering.
"I'll fix you in the morning!" he muttered solemnly.
Early next morning, Alfie and Jimmy were out in the garage with the bike again. Optimistically, Alfie turned the ignition, but the turbocycle just shot sparks ominously from its engine. "I don't know what's going on, everything is ready to go, but the thing just hates me or something! It just won't start!" Alfie moaned. Jimmy looked over at Alfie sheepishly. Then he commented, "I know I'm not as into mechanics as you are, but doesn't that wire look a little funny sticking out there?" He pointed to a wire sticking out at a right angle to the bike, right up by the pod engines. Suddenly Alfie smacked his forehead. "Of course it does! The pod ignition connector wire! Now we're going places!" he said gleefully.
A few minutes later, Alfie zipped out of the garage, a big grin on his face, clearly on a success high. Jimmy grinned, a mischievious thought in his head. He said to himself, "I'm not going to let Alfie forget who's the real engineer around here!" "Maybe I should major in Engineering!" he snickered.