When Mark and Pat renovated the family home, they discovered an old bicycle hidden under the porch.
It wasn’t any sort of bike to write home about but Mark and Pat wondered about its history.
In the attic they found an old diary in which the bike featured. It seems the onetime owner, Cyrus McGurk, had once ridden the bike across the state in an effort to raise funds for returned solders from World War One.
They then found old newspaper clippings in a box that highlighted the fact the Cyrus had served on the Western Front and been badly injured but luckily for him had fully recovered. Appalled at the state of many veterans upon their return and the lack of care for them, he set out to raise funds to provide better care in his home state at least.
His ten-day ride raised a mere fifty dollars and Cyrus disappointed by his efforts hid the bike under the porch.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2017/01/06/finish-off-fridays-5-bicycle-06-01-17/
An interesting interpretation of the image/sentence. Poor Cyrus — his ride was certainly for a worthy cause.
Thanks for participating! Where do you get the inspiration for your characters’ names, by the way? Been meaning to ask.
They come to me like thieves in the night..
Quite the naming experience, then . . .
Great take on the prompt, Michael. That $50 was quite a large amount when you consider when he rode across the state, and what it would be worth today – probably about $600-700 today.
Thanks Lyn, I think he was hoping for more though..
Oh of course, we always want to raise more money than we do.
We do don’t we, thanks for stopping by Lyn..
I love that name,Michael – Cyrus McGurk! And what a feat!
Thanks Kim, yes indeed it was a feat…
I’ve been meaning to ask about the names too! They are uniquely interesting 🙂
Thank you Raili, the names are all part of the fun i have..
Very creative 🙂
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Enjoyed this story Michael but find it so sad, it’s Years after WWI and WWII and many other wars, but countries do not look after their veterans, it’s a terrible thing they go through to protect us, yet they are pushed to the sidelines. Poor guy hiding his bicycle ashamed at what he raised.