The day after the funeral, the stepmother sold the father’s Harley, a 1994 Road King. It was black and chrome with 140,000 miles and had a crack in the left saddlebag from a deer accident in Montana. The father had rebuilt its engine twice himself. Every summer since the boy, Tyler, was four, the father would put him on that bike in the garage and promise him that it would be his when he turned sixteen. Tyler is now fifteen and eagerly waiting for that moment. The father had been married to Linda for six years, but she never liked the motorcycle or the family much.
After the funeral, the writer took Tyler to collect some of the father’s belongings, including his leather vest and old Zippo lighter. Tyler wanted to sit on the Harley one last time, but when they arrived at the garage, it was empty, with only an oil stain left on the concrete. Linda did not look up from her coffee when she told them she sold the bike the previous night to a man from Craigslist for cash. She said it was her property, and she was not a museum caretaker.
Tyler was silent and went outside to sit on the curb, hiding his face in his hands. The writer had never seen him cry like that. They later found the Craigslist advertisement still displayed on Linda’s phone, showing that the buyer was named Hank, who lived two counties away. That night, the writer drove to Hank’s home without informing anyone, determined to get the bike back.
Hank, a sixty-five-year-old man with a gray ponytail and tattooed arms, opened his garage door as soon as the writer began to explain. Inside, the Road King was there, but the seat was removed and lying on the workbench. Hank revealed that he knew who the writer was and mentioned he had intended to find them. He bought the bike for four thousand dollars but couldn’t keep it after discovering something taped under the seat.
Hank showed the writer a yellowed envelope addressed to Tyler in the father’s handwriting. He explained that Linda sold the bike not to discard it but to cover the costs of the father’s funeral. The writer felt shocked, questioning the information because they believed the funeral had been covered by the father’s insurance.
Hank informed them that the father had allowed the life insurance to lapse during his cancer treatment because he could not afford both the payments and the medical care. Linda had not known until the end. The writer challenged Hank, suggesting that Linda would have shared this news, but Hank remarked that the family and Linda had not been close.
As Hank explained the situation further, he revealed that the funeral home had contacted Linda the day after the service for the final balance of eleven thousand dollars, which she could not cover. She had already spent her savings for the initial deposit and sold her mother’s ring. The motorcycle was all that was left of value.
When asked why the bike was sold for such a low price, Hank said it was because Linda needed a quick sale and could not bear to haggle over it. She felt as if the father was watching her every moment she spent in the garage. Hank shared one last detail: Linda had said she believed Tyler would hate her for selling the bike but thought it was better for her than risking going to the bank.
Hank pointed to the envelope, saying it was taped under the seat and wrapped in a freezer bag. He found it while checking the wiring beneath the seat. The envelope had Tyler’s name written on it in the father’s handwriting, indicating it was meant for him. Hank had not opened it since it was not his to read.
What do you think about this situation?
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Source: bikersbyte.com, by David Hog