This is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while. The Unicycle Diaries.
Today, I’m running it as a comic strip, but it might have to get shunted to a Sidebar item, since it’s essentially the same setup over and over with lots of punchlines. That sort of thing looks weird, popping up in the main comic every so often. I’ll try to vary the backgrounds and title color so that you know you’re not looking at the same thing repeating.
So here’s the deal: When you ride a unicycle, whether on the streets, in the parks, on the trails, or anywhere else you can imagine, you get some comments. Not a lot of comments as far as numbers go, but LOTS of comments as far as people go. What I mean is this- ALMOST EVERY PERSON WHO SPEAKS TO SOMEONE ON A UNICYCLE SAYS, “WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF YOUR BIKE?” Then there are a few people that say a few other things.
I’m not saying that everyone’s being unoriginal. You’re faced with a person on a unicycle. He or she is moving pretty quick and will be gone in a moment. You’d like to say something to them. “Hi” seems sort of dull, given the circumstances. Most people are not dull, and would like to say something better than “Hi.” Most people have a solid sense of humor. So… you very, very quickly scan your mind for something clever to say. What comes out, since you’ve never had previous opportunity to say something to a unicyclist, is “What happened to the rest of your bike.” Perfectly natural.
Now look at it from the point of view of the unicyclist. He’s been here before. Not with you, but with a few dozen other people who went through the same mental gymnastics you have just done. They, too, wanting to say something fun and clever, said, “What happened to the rest of your bike.” But the unicyclist has had time to prepare responses. The unicyclist also does not wish to be dull (no dullard is going to be cruising around on a one-wheeled contraption, anyhow, right?) and so he or she eventually has a long list and needn’t repeat himself or herself. Some responses are quick and silly, some are fun, some are for when you’re three hours into the ride and you can’t stand people any more.
Today’s featured response is a good one. It’s self-deprecating, it’s clever, it’s… not mine. I didn’t make up many responses that other people hadn’t used in some form or another. So I’m not claiming to have written this gag. I’ve lived it, just like most folks who have ridden unicycles.
So from time to time, I will drop in a new Unicycle Diaries page- showcasing various and sundry comments and various and sundry responses. Hope you like that sort of thing.
