
Yesterday was Biker Bob Memorial Day.
“Who the heck is Biker Bob and why are we supposed to remember him?” I hear you ask.
Well, Biker Bob was a rowdy, drunken, belligerent, and often smelly old bike messenger who used to work in the downtown core here in Toronto. He also had a huge heart, which gave out on him one day at work, after a particularly nasty heat wave brought the smog and humidity to ridiculous levels.
Bob was, for all his faults, a kind and generous man, and an inspiration to many of us who worked out on the road with him. He knew a thing or two about people, the way they tick, and he was a soft touch with the ladies and the young fresh faced kids just learning the ropes. He didn’t care where you came from, who your folks were or what kind of a bike you rode; if you were good people, he was your buddy, and if you weren’t, well, he’d buy you a beer just the same. He died doing what he loved, and he’s going to be missed down here for a long time.
Whether you knew him or not, tip a beer to him and all the ornery old buggers out there who bring a little honest good humour to the world.
