Met an old friend today.

I met an old friend on my bike ride to work this morning. Actually, I have no idea what his name is. For the last 2 or 3 years, we have passed each other, off and on, while riding to work. He traveling westbound and I traveling east. For a long time we passed and did not acknowledge one another. I don't know if he even recognized me as the same fellow riding each morning. Then I would occasionally give a small wave, and sometimes get a shout back from him "hey" or "mornin'". For the last several months I have not seen much of him. I think our timing has been off...since my kids started school I have been a little later departing than before. We met this morning with a wave and "hey".
I must admit that he seems to be a more diligent commuter than me. I have also seen him riding on several occasions while I, for one reason or another, chose to drive in to work that day. Seeing him out there pedaling while I am driving this bohemoth cage of steel and puffing out all sorts of polluting gases never failed to make me a bit ashamed of driving that day, and a bit jealous. Some days I had no real choice in the matter, family or work obligations that would have made a bike commute nearly impossible. But, there have been a few days where I was simply too tired, or too lazy, to ride in. Seeing my old friend out there always puts me back on course.