The inspiration

Today one of my neighbors asked me if I was the girl he always sees on her bike. I said, probably. He chatted with me and asked me how far I ride. He said he'd seen me bike around the neighborhood, as well as on our street. He told me that I was an inspiration -- which was kind of great. He was older, so I'd like to believe he wasn't actually hitting on me. I prefer to believe it was just a pure compliment. It's kind of nice to be an inspiration to someone, sometimes. I was feeling very grouchy because I've destroyed one of my feet, from running more frequently, was having trouble walking normally, and feeling achy in ways that just make me feel like I'm getting old. But in a city where neighbors rarely speak to one another, not only is it cool that my biking has inspired him (whatever the hell that actually means -- I doubt he'll drive less, for example), but also that my biking prompted a form of social interaction. Sometimes it's good to be an oddity.