Seattle Story of the Week
@enigma731 and I are enjoying lunch on the patio of a Mexican restaurant in Capitol Hill. We are sharing said patio with, among others, a family of 4--mother, father, daughter (around 12), and son (around 8). They're wearing a lot of Seattle merchandise and have the look of the tourist about them. This will be relevant later. It is a gorgeous summer afternoon. Suddenly, I hear a bike bell. Several bike bells, in fact. And then a voice shouts: "Naked bike ride!" From down the street, a swarm of 15 men and women on bicycles appear--all completely naked. They ride past the restaurant in a flurry of shouts and...other things. "But, why?" @enigma731 asks me when they're gone. "I mean, that has to hurt." "Yeah," I agree, "especially considering the piercings some of them had in...places." Just then, a police siren. A cruiser has pulled out of the traffic stopped at a light on the street, and is tearing, lights and sirens on, in the direction of our impromptu parade. "Well, gee," @enigma731 jokes dryly, "I wonder who he's going after." I chuckle and turn her way to respond. But as I do, I notice our nearly forgotten family of four over her shoulder. The parents are trading looks with each other as they glance back and forth at the children, who both seem very interested by what has just transpired. Finally, the mother laughs, the slightly hysterical laugh of one who doesn't quite know what else to do. "Well," she says pragmatically, "I guess now they've seen everything." The father huffs a snort of agreement, then wryly adds, "Welcome to Seattle."
