When your wife doesn't cycle, you'll be very discreet about your purchase of bike and parts. When your wife starts cycling (and becomes obsessed)too, a visit to a LBS would be a blissful experience.
One fine evening after work, we went to a bike shop to buy helmets for the kids. e new stock just arrived and there, on the display rack, was a matte black GTS frame. I took a closer look. Touched, felt, groped and molested the frame. Matte black really had a soft spot in me. I held it up, waved it to my wife. She also took a look and before we knew it, we decided to purchase it...For RM280.00, it's a good buy. At least enough for my kid's requirement. It would replace the frame of Kelolo 3, which was a bit short for my eldest son who is growing and growing and growing...Now, he is taller than me...
So we concluded the other purchases, and left. It was already close to 2030hrs. when we got home. I hung the frame, complete in wrap on my makeshift bike hanger. At first, I decided to hold the installation till weekend. But my wife looked very enthusiastic about it. And...I too became restless and impatient to wait till weekend because of that. But...post dinner laziness got the best of me and I decided to just be a couch potato instead. 2130 hrs...
What's under the cover???
I shouldn't have hung the frame there. It was within view beckoning me to look at it again and again. Once I had eye contact, like a sultry seductress, she would whisper to me...
"Don't you you wanna see what's under the wrap?" "Come here handsome...rip this cover off me, touch me, caress me..."
That seducing whispers felt so close to my ears...The sound was so familiar...I could almost feel soft gentle warm wind blowing at my ear, carrying the whispers...
Taaa daaaaa....GTS Alfa 2 unveiled.
Lazily, I heaved my stuffed self off the sofa. Like a phyton after gulping down a whole cow, I slithered across the hall, slowly and sticking my tongue out occasionally. After taking about forever to reach the bike hanger, I finally managed to touch the wrapped frame. Slowly, the pop wrapper was removed until the frame was stark raving naked.
Kelolo 3 before going under
This is the donor. Kelolo 3. 14.5" ayam brand frame. Its head badge says MERITA. Yes! No typo here. Lame huh....trying to imitate Merida. Too short for my boy. Trembles as it await in fear. Its limbs will be torn apart and transplanted to another skeleton. It's parts will be transplanted to the awaiting GTS Alfa 2. Procedure will be performed by Dr Kelolo.
Dr Kelolo surgical tools.
In view of the impending critical condition of the donor and the donee (don't try to wiki this, you won't find it), the transplant must be performed that very night. The surgeon prepped himself. Got all his surgical tools ready. Note the fluid in the 2 bottles? Those are drinking water to quench his thirst while performing the operation. What were you thinking?
Skinned Kelolo3
It was almost midnight. The surgeon was still hard at work. All the limbs and organs from Kelolo 3 were amputated and harvested. Process was painstakingly done. Fortunately, there was no complication. It was a bloody and gory affair. Limbs strewn all over the operation theater. It was messy, really messy. The surgeon labored on thru the night. Once in a while he would pause. All the stooping made his back sore with awful burning sensation. At that time he felt a great urge of getting a proper operating table...Later perhaps. A sip of the thirst quenching fluid, then he was back on his patients...
Recipient beginning to take shape
The clock kept ticking past midnight. Completion of surgery was far from finish. All the severed limbs need to be attached to the awaiting recipient. And job should be done with refinement, with finesse. The skinned Kelolo 3 hung helplessly like a slaughtered lamb. 0200 hrs.
My helpful young intern
This complete transplant was no small matter. Definitely not a one man's job. For that, I got my young intern to assist me. He was a great help in making the mess, messier. Also a great help in keeping the doctor awake with his antics. Several incidences of tool tug-of-war because he insisted that his need for the tool was far more important than the doctor'S. Often resulting in his scattering away with tools in his grab. Hmmmm...
Partially complete
After hours of painstaking effort, the recipient began to take shape. Major limbs and organs were safely attached to the recipient. The doctor took a momentary pause. Heaving a big sigh of relief. Only few bits and pieces more to go.
...almost complete
More hours passed by. The doctor was adamant in completing the procedures. The head nurse tried to console the doctor to just stitch up and continue in another operation. At that stage, it was sufficient and safe to abort the operation without jeopardising the recipient. Doctor won't give up easily. Snag encountered because of the nerve and veins harvested from the donor were insufficient in length for the recipient. A common problem when performing a transplant. Doctor knew that could happen, based on his previous experience. Normally he would come prepared with spare nerves and veins but because of the emergency nature of that operations, that matter was neglected.
Doctor tried getting the nerves and veins from his personal stash or parts and organs but to no avail. In the end, at almost 0400hrs, doctor threw in his surgical mask.
GTS Alfa 2 later, much later...
