That spot on the sidewalk

The other day a little boy from down the block was playing with his Big Wheels in front of my house. He was riding up and down the block in one spot- and I knew why.

That's the spot where a tree root has caused the sidewalk to sandwich at a rakish angle. Riding over it makes you go sideways and almost, but not quite, tip over. Fun stuff.

I know this because I use a wheelchair. That spot in the sidewalk tests out my suspension system every time. It was one of the places I went straight away when trying out demo wheelchairs, because it was an acid test to see how they would work on bad sidewalks.

His mother, aunt, friend- not sure who was with him- kept pointing up the block, trying to persuade him to move on. But that little guy screamed until he was allowed to turn back and play on that one spot.

Four times he got his way. He screamed with delight, laughed loudly, and made assorted little boy noises "bang bang oomph crash". And then, suddenly, it was silent. He rolled on down the street, but he was looking back over his shoulder.

Right at that spot on the sidewalk.