08/09/2025
THESE BIKERS MADE MY DAUGHTER SMILE—BUT ONE OF THEM KNEW HER NAME WITHOUT ASKING We were just walking home from the library, same route we take every Saturday. My daughter Leni had a stack of picture books in her backpack and a balloon animal the librarian gave her for being quiet during story time. That’s when we saw them—three men in full leather gear crouched on the sidewalk, a motorcycle parked nearby, tattoos and metal everywhere. Not exactly the kind of scene you stroll into with a six-year-old. But Leni didn’t flinch. In fact, she ran toward them. At first I panicked. Then I saw what they were doing. They had a tiny wooden skateboard on the ground, covered in balloons and glittery ribbon. One of them was showing her how to balance her toy bear on it, like a parade float or something. She giggled like they were old friends. I walked closer, still cautious. That’s when one of them—big guy, heavy beard—looked up and said, “You must be Leni’s mom.” I froze. I never told them her name. And Leni sure didn’t. Before I could ask how he knew, the other guy distracted her with a balloon shaped like a unicorn. She shrieked with joy. I smiled back, confused as hell. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the first time one of them had seen her.⬇ (continue reading in the first comment below) See less
