HOLLY NADLER
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There’s a new kid in town and he’s riding a Singaporean kind of tricycle upon which he can pedal at least two adults plus a kid or two and maybe even some lightly-packed luggage. Actually there are four of these cycling chauffeurs with their canary-yellow vehicles. They’re calling the big trikes pedicabs which makes it sound as if, while you’re being wheeled along the harbor, your feet will be submerged in sudsy water after which a pretty shade of toenail polish will be applied, but this apparently does not come with the service.
What you do get is a strapping young man or woman eager to haul you soundlessly and fuel-lessly to your destination, just as long as it’s somewhere in the environs of Oak Bluffs. A request to visit the cliffs of Aquinnah might elicit some serious negotiation, such as the riders offering to share the pedaling (something a canny driver could exploit in the neighborhood of Abel’s Hill).
Last week, as I waited to pick up a friend at the ferry, in the meantime chatting idly with Marty Nadler, the Artist Formerly Known as My Husband, a pedi-cabbie wheeled up, conveniently situated ahead of the “real” taxis packed along both sides of the street. The young man’s name is Matt, he has a mop of brown curls springing loose from a baseball cap, and this marked his second day on the job.
The private company that sprang for the pedicabs pays its cyclists no salaries, so Matt and his cohorts have to depend exclusively on tips. Looking on the bright side, Matt told us that, while the rides were few (at least in this pre-season warmup), the tips were great. One woman who traveled all of seven blocks, at the end of the trip palmed Matt a ten and a twenty.
Well, think about it: There you are sitting pretty, a fragrant breeze on your face, the sights and sounds and Victoriana of Oak Bluffs gliding past you — or you past them — and this young man’s calves are straining to the rhythm of the Seven Dwarfs’ “Heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work we go.” Unless you have the heart of a House Republican, you would want to throw a stimulus package at this pedi-worker as if the new green economy depended on it, which, in a small way, it does.
Matt told us that he and his girlfriend traveled down from Worcester this May, found a rental in Falmouth, then looked around for summer jobs. An ad to propel the pedicabs on the Vineyard caught their eye, and they now make the daily trip across the water to take their seats on the yellow trikes.
Marty sputtered, “What? Your girlfriend’s doing this too? Tell her to get a real job!”
In any event, these cheery vehicles seem like a wonderful addition to our summer community. I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed that the 21st century will be all about restructuring our culture along the lines of 18th century living (with indoor plumbing and ice cream cake), and this pedicab venture seems to be a move in the right direction. So if you see any of these buffed-out, leg-muscle-ripped cyclists on the street, remember they’ll only be able to keep on keeping on provided they receive enough tips. So even if you’re not riding with them, throw bills at them anyway; bills and tickets to Red Sox games and sub sandwiches and rare coins — anything to keep those pedals turning.
In other news, the next movie night at the Oak Bluffs Public Library will take place on Thursday, June 4, at 6 p.m. Readers of this newspaper are aware that the library is beholden to give out all information except the movie’s title. So here are the major clues: It is a romantic comedy starring Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman, and the story is set in London.
At the Oak Bluffs School, last week saw a curtailment of the Homework Club due to a cut-off in funding. Happily, the PTO stepped in under the guidance of Tiffany Belain, and the program has been resurrected through the remainder of the school year.
The girls’ softball season ended last week as the Blazers fell to Edgartown (darn!) in the championship game. To be congratulated for their outstanding season are Avery Hazell, Kat deBettencourt, Heidi White, Diamond Arujo, Emily deBettencourt, Cheyenne Tilton, Nyssa Duarte, Skylah Forend, Hayley Maciel, Emelia Cappelli, Emily Cimeno, Texeira Craig and Shavanae Anderson.
Eighth grade graduation takes place on June 17 at 5:30 p.m. This commencement exercise will be held at the Tabernacle. The awards day ceremony will begin that morning at 9 a.m. in the gym.
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