June 3, 1982

Editor's Note: Sgt. Harry Ekiss of the Tulsa Police Department's detective division occasionally puts out the TPD's unofficial newspaper, the Cemetery Times. He's planning to come on FreeWheel '82, the Tulsa World's fourth annual bicycle ramble across Oklahoma, which begins at 7 a.m. Sunday in downtown Guthrie and ends Saturday, June 13, at Broken Arrow's Summer Festival.

By HARRY T EKISS

"A seven-day bicycle tour covering 500 miles of adventure winding through the Old Cherokee Nation, with interesting and historic points of interest around every bend in the road and over every hill."

My 14-year-old "dummy" read the brochure and exclaimed, "Neat-O, Dad! Let's go do it!"

I gave the lout one of my best "scowl-glare-don't-bother-me" looks and turned my attention back to the television.

My thoughts lingered on the prospect of riding a bicycle for 500 miles over Oklahoma roads, That kid looks like me, but he's got the mentality of a ping pong ball!

A 49-year-old cop has absolutely no business riding a bike for six to eight hours a day for seven days straight. Ridiculous!

Well, I suppose a father should give his son some kind of explanation whenever he has to say "no".

"Boy, 500 miles is a long way and it will be very hot on the road and the fatigue factor would be tremendous. I hope you understand."

"Gosh, Dad, I didn't mean for you to ride a bike too. I know you're too old and gray for that but I thought you could drive the car and ..."

"Too old!" I roared. "Listen, you little whippersnapper, I KNOW I could handle it! You're the one who would have a problem!"

"Sure, Dad," was his smug, patronizing reply.

"ARRRRRH!" I roared. "Get your self in gear, boy! I'm gonna teach you a lesson!"

Suddenly I realized I had taken bait, line and sinker and that this "dummy" had set the hook through both of my flapping lips.

Now, how did the "dummy" to that? I'll tell you how. He looks like me but thinks like his mother!

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