Day 323: The Moon is Pulled by My Bike

The Moon is Pulled by My Bike
by
Matt Zurbo

 

(Moon in night sky. Suburban rooftop or two, maybe a street light.)

Not many people know the moon is pulled by my bike.
(Same view, but moon is being pulled across by a thin rope.)

That’s why I only ever ride the one way.
(Kid riding, with headlight on, and rope pulling moon.)

As I pull it I can hear the legends and stories it provides.
(Moon on rope, letting off steam as it goes, that shapes into Aztec worshippers, and various moon gods…)

The songs sung to it,
and about it.
The people who sing them…
(Double page spread of moon on a rope, passing top story of apartments, with various people playing guitar to it on roof, couples dancing, someone singing from window, etc… One window has punk band playing.)

all around the world.
(World, with moon orbiting. Talk balloons with various typeface music notes coming from around the world.)

It’s hard sometimes.
(Kid out of his seat, peddling hard, sweating.)

As I pull the moon, it pulls the tides.
Octopi, whales, hermit crabs, mermaids.
(Double page. Kid on bike, behind him, massive wave, full of sea creatures and sea gods and sailor skeleton, and small boat. Moon in background.)

That’s a lot.
(Kid riding through night, rope rising to edge of page behind him.)

Dingos know how important it is to do what I do – pulling the moon.
(Pack of dingos running with kid on bike, howling.)

So do dragons.
(Same image, but with dragons instead.)

Of course I believe in dragons! I’m just too busy watching for potholes to see them, is all.
(Close-up of kid’s face as he rides, concentrating. Dragon face big in his background, watching him.)

I must have caused a thousand romances.
Ick.
(Kid riding, pulling moon through park. One couple siting, holding hands, watching it. Other couple walking, arms around shoulders/waist, watching it. Two owls leaning into each other as they fly.)

Geez, the amount of animals it brings out!
(Kid riding, but surrounded by nocturnal animals, kangaroos, wombats, possums, etc… just as the sky is full of bats and owls.)

It’s amazing to think the moon above me is the same moon that watched the oceans first form, mountains rise.
Dinosaurs.
(Moon on rope above heads of roaring dinosaurs.)
It’s seen a lot.

Sometimes, I stop for a break.  
(Kid sitting outside taxi café, eating sandwich, drinking milkshake. Bike beside him, moon above on loose rope. Dog behind him, chasing cat.)

But not too long.
(Kid holding onto seat as cabbies and random person and dog and cat all a little stunned as they drift into the night sky.)
If the Earth had no moon, it would really mess with gravity, I think…

I like it – pulling the moon on my bike.
(Kid back to pulling moon.)

Hey, here comes Sally…
(Boy on right of page, in night, heading left. Moon in tow. Younger girl on tricycle on left of page, in daylight, heading right. She is pulling the sun.)

Eclipse!
(Eclipse. Everybody is shielding their eyes, except boy, who is wearing sunglasses, still riding.)

Oops. I got a flat.
(Kid fixing flat tire. Moon on loose rope above him. Several possums are floating away now the moon has stopped again.)

Did you know the moon has no light? It just reflects the sun.
True.
Amazing fact.
(Kid back to riding bike, pulling moon on thin rope.)

 

The End.