You Can Let Go Now

ANDREW YOUNG

We march like soldiers off to battle towards the bike path of the Blue Park. Actually it’s Riverside County Park. “The Blue Park,” Dylan had dubbed it one day from his car seat as we drove past, and it stuck. Since he was six months old we’d go there most mornings in the spring, summer, fall and winter (if it wasn’t too cold or snowy). As soon as he was able to walk, Dylan played on its jungle gym, which was painted blue and red and yellow, but mostly a rich royal blue. That’s where he learned to climb steps, slide down a slide, hang on monkey bars and swing on swings. I was always nearby to catch him if he fell. Kids don’t know enough to be scared of falling because they don’t think they’ll ever fall until they actually do and even if they do fall, they just get right back up and keep playing. I wish I could be that way again; but when you’re worried about somebody else, things change. Boy, do they change. 
It’s spring on the cusp of summer now. Dylan’s seventh. We’re wearing shorts under a sunny, clear blue sky decorated with cottony puffs of clouds. You couldn’t ask for a better Friday. You couldn’t have asked for a better week. The Blue Park is bright green and smells of summer. It’s Dylan’s spring break and he’s staying with Dad for a week of fun. But Dylan’s all business now. He wears his black bike helmet with yellow trim and marches on the left side of his bike, pushing it by the handlebars. A yellow bike with black trim, Top Gun is printed vertically in bold letters on the pipe that connects the handlebars to the front wheel. I bought it with training wheels last year for Dylan’s sixth birthday, but it’s a two-wheeler now. We removed the training wheels two days ago, right after Dylan had come up to me. 
“Dad,” he said in a trembling voice. “I want to learn how to ride a two-wheeler.”
“Okay,” I answered. “What’s the matter?”  
“Connor and all my friends ride their two-wheelers,” he replied, as he started to cry a little. “I can’t.”
“Then you’ll learn, Big Guy,” I assured. “I’ll teach you.”

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