2 Day Bike Rental

So the bike.   Funny story.   Yesterday Stephan  found me and said,
"Emily, I made a mistake and sold you that bike. The person who owns
it is here to pick it up.  You have to give it back."  Here at the
hopsital people often don't have cash on hand to pay for their
surgeries or medicines.  The hospital has a program where people can
bring a bike, a cart, or a big metal pot and put it on hold until
they can bring the money.  Then, they can reclaim their item.  Well,
after 2 months of something sitting there, the hospital is able to
sell it and pay off the debt of the patient.  Stephan thought that
the bike was already 2 months old and so I bought the bike for 8000
francs which is about 16 dollars.   Not a bad deal (granted it was a
fairly low end bike).  Except there were alot of problems it.   As I
wrote in an earlier email, I took the bike and got all the things
fixed on it.  I invested another 10000 francs...another 20
dollars.  The bike was wonderful!  Even my family loved my pink
bike.   So when Steffan said I had to take it back, that it turns out
that the bike was NOT 2 months old....all I could do was laugh.   It
had been a wonderful two day rental of the bike.   I took the bike to
the family as they waited outside the office of the hospital.   I
watched their faces brighten up as they realized their old junk bike
had had a complete makeover.  They didn't know what to say.  I knew
they had no money to give me but they obviously were so
grateful.   We took a picture together with the bike and as they were
leaving they thanked me so  much.   I wish I knew how to say, "pass
it on" in French.   Maybe they'll pass the favor on
anyway.  Meanwhile, I will miss my bike.   I can't tell you how
excited I was.   Good thing I didn't have any longer to get even more
attached to it.