A DIRTBIKING RESCUE

Have you ever had something you wanted more than anything else in the world? Well, if you have, then you know exactly how Dane felt. More than anything in the world he wanted to ride dirt bikes. His Dad had a big General Store called Mac’s and Dane was expected to work there every day after school. Dane saved up every penny he earned to buy parts so that one day he could have a dirt bike built for him exactly like the one he always dreams about.
Little by little he bought the parts until one day he had them all crossed off his list. His Dad loaded up the supply truck and took all of the pieces over to Travis’ Garage. Travis said that he could work on it but that it would take at least 3 weeks for him to put the whole bike together. Three weeks seemed like a long time, but Dane knew it was worth the wait.
At the end of the appointed time, the bike was ready. It was even better than he dreamed. He couldn’t wait to take it out back in the field and try it out. Every day now, after school he would help in the store until it closed at five and then race the bike until dinner at six. He started out taking it slow, getting a feel for the bike. Then once he got the hang of it, he started going over small jumps, and building ramps until he could go over the biggest ramp without losing control of the bike.
One afternoon when Dane was in the store Mrs. Emma came rushing in. “Help! You have to help me! Little Joy was playing in our rowboat when it drifted off the shore. The waves carried her over to the other side. Joy got out, but can’t get back over. The waves are so violent right now that they smashed the boat into the shore and broke it into pieces. Scott has been trying to row out to get her, but the wind has picked up and the current is so strong that he can’t make it across.”
Dane’s Dad jumped up and started talking to the other men in the store trying to think of a way to get across to Joy. But none of their ideas seemed like they were going to work.
Dane walked over to his Dad. “I can help her,” he said.
“How can you help, Son?” his Dad asked.
“Well, if you guys can quick build me a ramp on the shore, I know I could jump across the river on my bike. I know it is far, but Dad I’ve jumped farther than that out in the field.”
“I don’t know, Dane. It seems kind of dangerous to me.”
“Trust me Dad. I know I can do it,” pleaded Dane.
The other men started talking right away saying things like ‘I have a bunch of scrap wood in my garage,’ and ‘I have my toolbox in my trunk’ and so on. It was finally decided that they would let Dane try.
Working together they had a ramp built in less than 15 minutes. Dane watched them so that he would be able to build one on the other side to get back. Jeffrey Wyatt had a lumber yard along the shore and he told Dane to use any of the wood he had for a ramp. When they finished, Dane fastened his helmet and climbed on his bike. He could hear Joy crying on the other side of the river and knew he had to do this right, the first time. He’d only have one chance. His Dad walked over and squeezed his shoulder.
“Please be careful, Son. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I will Dad. I know I can do this. Honest I can!”
Dane rode over to the end of the ramp, and counted to ten to calm his nerves. Most of the town was outside watching. Mrs. Emma and a bunch of the other Moms were standing in a circle holding hands. Dane could tell they were praying.
“Well, here goes,” thought Dane. He started off in second gear and quickly had to shift up so that he could go fast enough to hit the ramp in just the right way. At the top, he felt himself floating through the air. He tried to look down to see if he was going to land on land or water but he couldn’t tell. Then all of a sudden he felt the bike hit the ground. He had to hold on tight to the handlebars to keep from bouncing off. Immediately he slowed the bike down and went over to comfort Joy.
“It’s ok, Joy. I am here to help you. Don’t worry. I will get you back to your Mommy.”
Joy stopped crying and held on tight to Dane’s shirt. “Right now I need you to help me, o.k.? We need to make a ramp that we can ride over to get us to your Mommy and Daddy. I need you to be my little helper.”
“O.k.,” said Joy softly.
Together with the wood from the lumberyard and pieces of wood from the boat, they lined up the boards one after the other. It took a lot longer building it on this side, but they did a mighty fine job. Dane walked on it checking to make sure they didn’t forget anything. Giving it his final approval, he got on the bike. He gave Joy the helmet and told her how to grab both sides of his shirt into tiny fists and to hold on no matter what.
He drove to the end of the ramp and told Joy they were going to count to ten and then go. Together they counted.
“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.”
And they were off. Dane hit the ramp the exact same way he had hit it the first time and felt Joy’s little arms get tighter around him.
Finally, they hit solid ground. Dane let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Mrs. Emma came running over, crying. “You saved my baby! You saved my baby!”
Dane’s Dad walked over and gave him a big hug. “I am mighty proud of you, Son. You did a very brave thing back there. Good job.”
“Thank you, Dad.”
Dane looked around and saw all of the townspeople clapping and cheering. “That’s my boy!” his Dad shouted.
“Uh, Dad. I am glad that you are so proud of me because I have been meaning to talk to you about something. How would you feel about your son having a career in motorcross?”
“Well, as long as you aren’t jumping over rivers, it sounds just fine to me, Son. Just fine indeed.”