Eighteen Speeds

When my wife went into the hospital for a while,
I bought myself a bicycle thinking
now I can ride it to visit her.
But I know that my old age
went down one notch and hers went up.

We have been racing
for the last 43 years
and it's not always fair.

I'm not used to strutting;
but with my new classy helmet
and my big back pack and the little velcro piece
I attach around the right leg of my jeans,
I feel like a football hero.
Perhaps now I am the one
she should have married.