So I came to work early today to get some work done. Danny was already in back working on bikes. As we always do, we put our city trash and recycling bins out back. Danny mentions to me, “Hey, there’s more homeless guys out back going through our garbage.” I mention, “yeah, what do you want me to do?, They’re like rats, you get rid of a couple, then a couple more come right back.” As I mention this I look out at them and say to Danny, “That’s our bike he’s on. Why is he on our bike?” Low and behold he had stolen it from an out of town customer that took it for a demo the night before. By now the dude is aware that I’m aware, and starts pedaling down the street. I run through the shop, grab the first bike accessible, and head out after him. I made sure to get a read on him before I grabbed the bike. I saw his head turn right on Swift Street towards Mission Street. Better then any illegal Belgium sprint cocktail, I had a full dose of adrenaline flowing through me by now. I sprinted down the street in a fit of rage. I took the right on to Swift Street, and scanned left and right. I look over in the 7-11 parking lot and see him walking through the lot with our bike. I yelled like a mad man at him that he better give me our bike. He instantly dropped it and acted like a beat puppy. He said he “bought from his friend the night before on the levy, and please just let me go”. I told him to get the f outta here before something happens. He was so scabbed up on his face and neck, between sores, and the last beating he got, that I didn’t want to get near him. Can you believe it? So let’s see, a customer foolishly locks a $3000 bike up in front of the Red Room, with a little cable lock. He gets it stolen, then the idiot thief is foolish enough to dig through a bike shops trash the next morning on the same bike? And I was lucky enough to be at work at 7:30 to see the fool. I’m a lucky guy.