The story related by REELTHING was very good reading and brought back lots of memories for me.  The details are completely different but the central character is still the Savage.
About 15 years ago, during extremely hard economic times for us, I sold my BSA Goldstar to make house payments and avoid forclosure.  In the years following I frequently lamented having to do it but when you gotta you gotta.  My son saw this as he grew up and we talked about some of the things that are required when you have a family.  I did not realize how much this touched him until years later.  There were times when he and I would stop at a bike shop and look at the new stuff, comparing our preferences...he liked the bullet bikes and I liked the cruisers and older styles.  That was when we found the Savage, during one of the window shopping trips.  It is quite different from a Goldstar, but it is a big single none-the-less.  He obviously recognized the way I reacted to it.  In 1999, after he had graduated from college and was GAINFULLY EMPLOYED,  we were driving into town and he started asking me what I wanted for FATHER'S DAY, which was only a few weeks away.  I mentioned some tools or something but he kept going back to the days when we used to talk about the Goldstar.  I was really enjoying the time with him, was not sure why he kept talking of the BSA when I was trying to tell him about the I wanted tools, but hey...we were having fun just being together.  After about 20 minutes or so he said that he had already bought my Father's Day gift....I am thinking, then why are you asking me what I want?  I'm clueless...am I stupid or what?  So then he says that it was supposed to be a suprise but he REALLY WANTS  tell me what the gift is, and wants to know if I want to know now or wait until when everyone is  together?  With the look that is on his face and the way he has said it I am totally curious and have a real need to know.  I mean, after this build up, you want me to wait 2  weeks until Father's Day gets here?  I DON'T THINK SO!  You should not have told me anything  until then.  So I tell him he needs to tell me now what is going on...if you have it already, then  what is it?   Now he says that his wife and his mother will kill him if he tells me early...they want to be part of the surprise too...well, too late for that boy.  He hesitates for a few seconds, and then tells me that he and his wife bought  me a motorcycle for Father's Day.  
I was dumbfounded.  I was so excited, but at the same time I kept asking him if this was a joke...are you sure?  You really bought a bike for me?  After about   five minutes my mind finally started working again and I began asking ....what kind?  what color?  what size?  Then he said  "Do you remember when we were looking in the bike shop, and you found the big single, and the look you had on your face when you sat on it?"  He had remembered that moment from several years before.   He wanted to do something for me as a thankyou for when I had given up something important for the family.   I've got to tell you, I got a lump in my throat and my eyes got a little wet.  It is a special thing when your child does something for you from their heart.  
So, that is how I got my Savage...it is very special to me, and will never be sold.

Wow. I think my eyes got a little misty from reading that.

It takes more than that to make me cry.  









Cool story, though.

My eyes are watering too, and I don't think it is because of my allergies.   A very moving story,  Lancer - thanks for sharing it with us.

Now, I'm going to forward this thread to my college-senior son (hint, hint).  

Lancer,
your kid's is worth what he weighs in gold!!!!! That's what you call a great story....
I just hope I can raise my boy to become half what you have yours.... BTW, is your kid a rider? do you ride together? If not, an extra helmet is a good birthday gift  
keep riding

RW

LANCER wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:02:


Say it loud, say it often, say it to any youth that will listen.  If you love what you are doing it is not WORK.

As if you didn't already know -- you did good raising 'em.

I salute him.  If this country had more kids like yours, I'd feel a lot better.Tell him to be careful.  Those people in Iraq are crazy.

Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:02:

Now we know......... Gitarzan is not human.