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the long story from yesterday...
i decided to get a bike, since moving back to Guild House and going to work at the factory from GH was HELL. the bus is very infrequent and the inconvenient transfer between buses makes the journey intolerably long.
at K mart and Target, the cheapest bike was $79 for the display one. the Cash Convertor ones are more than $110.
i went to Gum Tree. saw some bikes that were $60 and looked suitably crappy (to deter thieves).
so i texted this person about his bike and he responded really fast.
went to Thornlie to go to his house. then he called, and sounded Indian. from his call, i thought he was going to pick me up from the station in his car, but actually he arrived on the bike itself. his guy was from Lebanon. seemed friendly.
he intended to sell the bicycle like that but the bike stand was missing. and i already said i wanted to buy helmet and lock, which he didn't bring.
so we had to go to his place. i was quite wary of course.
i think he lives in govt housing. and the white van is filled with bike parts and tools.
he took his time to get stuff from his flat while i waited on the ground floor. i thought of texting my flatmate to let him know my whereabouts.
that's the crappy bike i bought. he fixed on the bike stand, did some twists on the handlebar and rear spokes, adjusted the seat height, got me a crappy helmet and a new lock.
he wanted to charge $10 for the second-hand beaten up helmet and some money for the bike stand, but i was like how about $5. i wasn't confident about getting my price since he has the upper hand (need the helmet to ride anyway) but somehow he changed his mind in a split second.
so i got the bike, helmet and lock for $80.
the problem of a crappy old bike is exactly that. the rear wheel was slightly off-center, so there was a wheezing sound for every revolution. the rubber on the front tyre is cracking a bit. and the bike stand is very loose.
but the gears and brakes work fine.
feels pretty good to have a bike. i don't have to submit to the whims of the ridiculous buses anymore.
also, there was a power outage in the whole neighbourhood last night from 8 to 10pm.
asked around the next day and heard that it doesn't happen often. but it may be due to the summer spike in power usage.
i was watching anime and suddenly the lights and fan went out. my flatmates didn't gather or talk or anything. it was weird. just one stormed out with handphone light on as i opened my door. later, realised that the office put glow sticks at strategic areas of the flat like the toilets and stuff. pretty helpful.
the common room was illuminated by a car that was blasting irritating techno music. i could have slept but it was so bloody hot without the fan on. and the car music was terrible.
