Off the back

So, I'm commuting home on this fine, 101° afternoon and another cyclist comes up beside me. He was wearing street clothes and was on a pretty nice bike with more than a little bit of carbon on it. But rather than his kit or his ride, what I really couldn't help but notice was that he had a bamboo back scratcher - like you get at Pier 1 Imports - sticking out of his back pocket.

This man is a genius.

I had, not 30 seconds beforehand, nearly dislocated my already permanently separated left shoulder in a futile attempt to snake my arm under my messenger bag to scratch a little itch in the exact center of my back. This is to say nothing of the potential yard sale of a crash I could get into by riding along with one arm nearly inextricably bound behind me. I also happen to experience this particular sort of frustration at least a couple of times each week and, on one occasion, I stopped, removed my frame pump, and got it all up in there to deal with an especially maddening itch.

Anyway, I shared with this guy that I thought carrying a back scratcher was an excellent idea and that I wish I'd thought of it. He casually replied that he sometimes almost forgets to bring it. It's apparently that crucial to him.

I keep back scratchers all over the house so that one is always close at hand. I have one near the couch where BeanSS and I watch TV, one near the bed, and yet another right here by the computer. I even have a metal, telescoping, bear claw shaped back scratcher on my desk at work. I am now giving serious consideration to slipping another one under the strap that secures my frame pump to my bike because, well, a man's gotta' do what a man's gotta' do.