I keep encountering the same kid on my Sunday night ride home...I get the feeling that he waits for me to come by. I can't help wondering why he's out after dark in this neighborhood with no helmet or lights; he's maybe 9 or 10 years old at the most, riding a BMX. Still, this has become my favorite part of the ride home. He rides as fast as he can with me, from the sidewalk on the other side of the street, for about 15 blocks. I stop at reds, he doesn't, and my downhills on the fixed gear bike give him another chance to catch up and even pull in front of me from time to time. Still, we hit the same hill the last 5 blocks of my commute and I leave him behind on my climb. One of these days, though, he's going to pass me, and that will make my evening.