Carson Carcón was fat and lazy and he didn't care. He was sixteen, not old enough to drive, and too old to learn how to ride a bicycle. At least that's what he told himself, because he was also too poor to afford to buy a bicycle.

Carson lounged over the metal table and watched his friend Jim Williams sip a coke. "Hey," Carson said. "Is that a new bell on your bike."

"Yeah. My Mom got it for me. I think it sucks. It looks like a girl's bell."

"I wouldn't mind having a bell like that."

"You don't even own a bike."

Carson rolled a bit to lean on his other arm. "Oh yeah. I'm supposed to get a bike for Christmas. My Uncle who works in America said he would send me one."

Jim blew bubbles in his coke, then looked up again. "My brother is eighteen and has a motorcycle."

"My Uncle said it would be a mountain bike."

"It's a dirt bike but he can ride it on the streets too."

"What are you going to do with your bike when you get a motorcycle?"

"Give it to Danny, my younger brother."

"If my Uncle doesn't send a bike again can I have yours? You know, when you get a motorcycle."

"I might be able to sell it to you. My folks would never let me just give it away."

Carson rolled back to his other side again. The steel table was hard on his elbows. "My mom says I should write my Uncle. If I write him, she says, its more likely he'll send me a bicycle."

Jim made slurping noises at the bottom of his cup finishing his coke. "So why don't you write him?"

"Don't feel like it. You know. It would sound like begging."

"Don't be stupid. You don't ask him for a bike. You just say hello or something. Greet him, and don't mention the bike."

"What good is that?"

"You want the bike don't you?"

"Yeah."

"So just write him a letter. Or even a postcard."

Carson sat up straight. "You sound like my mom. Say. Do you want to go throw rocks at birds?"

"No. Did that yesterday. You want a coke, I'm getting a refill."

"No money."

"I'll get an extra straw and you can share mine."

"Okay." Carson leaned over on the table again. He just knew. Knew with absolute certainty. he would never get a bicycle. Not ever.