Woman's Work

I love me some BMX racing.

Getting their pull on!

I've raced and ridden since I was 15 years old.  Which explains my scarred carcass of a body.

And I've been announcing races since I was 18 years old.

Totally not me

I'm a much better announcer than I ever was a racer.

I have the gift of gab, I suppose.

Some people get impressed when they find out I get to announce national races. That I get paid and get to travel around the country to run my mouth.


But you see...what most folks don't understand is that BMX is, at its heart, a red neck sport. Go to any local track below the Mason Dixon Line and you'll see some good white trash.


And love being white trash. I can't lie.

(And don't forget about the story about the kids with the shit filled diapers who used my Honda Civic as a slide at this same track!)

A while ago, I was at a race at my home track here in Georgia on a Saturday night.

I didn't race, but rode in practice and announced the first race of the two scheduled for that night.

I was packing up my stuff in the announcing tower for my exit.

When this kid who was a new BMX grommet came up there to talk to me.

BMX Grommet!

 He asked, "Why are you leaving?"

"Well, I have to get home...I got stuff to do!" I retorted.

"What's more fun than BMX?" he asked.

I thought this was a really good point, because there isn't much that's more fun than BMX.  "Well...I have to go grocery shopping tonight," I stated in all honesty.

Without missing a beat, the 8 year old BMX grommet shot back with full conviction and knowledge, as if he were stating a universal truth only I didn't know, "Grocery shopping's woman's work!"

I laughed my ass off.

Here I was being called a pussy by a kid because I was leaving to be domestic. 

And I loved it. Being called out by a spunky kid is pretty awesome in my book!

Because I couldn't deny it. I love grocery shopping. Especially when there's no one there. Like on Saturday night.


But as I drove home...my mind got to thinking. This kid was VERY local. This BMX track is out there in the country. And lots of the folks who live out there, although as nice as the day is long, are country bumpkins.

My BMX brothas and...(I suppose) sisters!

And here was this kid...at age 8, who knew, was SURE that shopping for groceries was something that a woman was supposed to do.  He knew that this was a task that was somehow below a "real" man to do.

And it got me thinking that this kid had been crippled by his dad (I know his mom didn't teach him that shit!). He's been taught that women have a place...that certain things are beneath the man.

I got bummed because this likable, funny kid was likely going to spend his whole life in rural America fulfilling his role his daddy had set up for him. And he'd likely pass this ignorant bullshit on to his spawn.

So...if you see me at a BMX race announcing, having the time of my life...and you think I'm the bee's knees...thanks! Don't be too impressed, though. Because BMX is a relatively small pond.

And I'm just that guy who revels in doing the woman's work.