Episode 45: Tune Up Day

Original air date: April 11th, 2026.

The morning Sun is strong and bright in the sky as you head to your backyard shed to bring out your bike for Tune Up Day, which is taking place today at the bike repair clinic at the Main Library. As you come down your back steps into the yard, you notice that the red buds on the maple trees are starting to form tiny leaves. The mourning doves have returned to Neighborful Station in force, calling to each other through the cool springtime air, and you smell the hyacinths blooming around the edges of your yard. As you reach the front of the shed, feeling the rough texture of the rusty handle as you open the door, you take a slow breath.

When you open the shed, you discover that your bike has a flat tire, so you walk it down your street to the library, which is at the corner of College Avenue and Curtin Street. The bike repair shop is on the Curtin Street side of the building, with glass garage doors that are fully open to the street today. A jazz band is playing on the sidewalk in front of the shop space, which is full of bicycles and their owners. You spot Mason and Olivia in the shop, and they both give you a friendly wave.

“Hello, You!” Olivia calls out. “Can we help you with that flat tire?”

You say, “Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you.” As you start toward the open garage door, Moose appears at your side, wearing a Tune Up Day T-shirt covered in grease. He says, “Here, let me get that for you.”

You hand over your bike and tell him, “Thanks, Moose. I didn’t realize you worked here.”

Moose grins at you and says, “I’m apprenticing with Mason and Olivia. They like to train middle schoolers who can help with repairs during the Bike Bus.”

You nod at him and say, “Ah, yes, of course. Are you enjoying this work?”

Moose tells you, “I love it. I want to have my own bike shop when I’m older.”

Someone standing nearby chimes in, “I’m glad to hear that, Moose. I’m gonna be ready to retire before too long.” She turns to you and says, “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Lou. I own Derailed, the bike shop down the way.” Looking down at her own hands, she adds, “We’ll have to pass on a handshake for now. I’m just about as greasy as Moose at the moment.”

You say, “Lou, it’s nice to meet you. Is this part of your shop?”

She replies, “Yes and no. We team up for events like this, and a lot of the folks who work here at the library’s repair shop will end up working with me at some point. We donate a lot of supplies to the library, like tires and brake pads.”

You give her a quizzical look and ask, “But isn’t this competition for you?”

Lou shakes her head and says, “Not at all. In fact, the library’s repair shop is a big help to me. They can take care of the simpler stuff, which lets us focus on getting the more difficult repairs done quickly for folks. Besides, the more people we have riding bikes in town, the more work there is for everybody.”

You ponder this for a moment, and then you tell her, “That makes sense to me.”

Lou excuses herself to answer a question from Mason, and you take in the scene around you. At several stations around the shop, volunteers from the library are working on neighbors’ bikes, explaining their work as they go. Olivia is talking Moose through how to remove the rear wheel of your bike so they can replace the inner tube. You let the sights and sounds of Tune Up Day wash over you as you take a gathering breath.

Out on the front sidewalk, George from Johann’s Pizza is setting up a table of pies for the volunteers and cyclists to enjoy. He looks up from his work and says, “Hello, You! Good to see you again. Are you ready for a slice?”

You say, “Yes, always.” He holds open a box of Sicilian pizza in front of you, and you grab a corner slice, savoring the scent of oregano and garlic as you lift it toward your mouth. When you take a bite, the pillowy dough collapses under your teeth, and you revel in the smoky flavor of the tomato sauce beneath the mozzarella cheese. George sets down the box and smoothly offers you a napkin as you dab sauce away from the corners of your mouth.

Joshua from the Festival Committee beckons you over to the small crowd that is gathered in front of the band. He says, “Hello, You! We love to attend an event we didn’t even organize.”

You reply, “Truly we do.”

Joshua says, “I’m glad to run into you, actually. My birthday is coming up next weekend, and per my usual custom, I’m inviting a handful of friends to afternoon tea. Are you free next Saturday afternoon to join us?”

You tell him, “Yes, I am. That sounds lovely.”

He beams and says, “I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. We hadn’t met last year when I had my birthday, and I’m so glad that you will be with us this time.”

You say, “Thanks so much for including me.”

Joshua bobs his head along with the music as he replies, “Of course.”

Looking around the crowd, you see Edwin and his group of old guys sitting together on camp chairs and clapping as one of the players in the jazz group finishes a solo. Edwin catches your eye and tips his cap to you, and you nod to him with a smile in return. You feel the Sun warming your face, and your stomach rumbling contentedly, as you take a wistful breath.

Moose comes up to you, wiping his hands on a shop rag, as he says, “Your bike is ready whenever you are. We fixed the flat, checked the brakes, and adjusted the derailleur. You’re all set to ride for the season.”

You say, “Thank you so much, Moose. That’s awesome.”

Moose touches his right hand to his chest, leaving a smidge of grease on his shirt, and says, “Always happy to help a neighbor.” With that, he makes a beeline for the pizza table, where you see him negotiating with George about how many slices he can take at one time.