He had a bruise the color of a plum along his jaw. His hair was long and greasy. He had a canvas bag with everything he owned in it, which was a photograph of his mother, a Ford factory shop manual, half a peanut butter sandwich, and a coil of copper wire he had scavenged from a construction dumpster 2 nights earlier. He said, "Sir, I am sorry to ask. Is there a bathroom I could use? " Reed Halvorsen turned around.
He had been his knees in front of the shovelhead. His hands were black to the elbow. He had grease on his eyebrows. He said sharply, "Kid, go across the street. Go to the Sinclair.
Not here. " "Bricks, sir? I asked at Sinclair. They said no. " Reed Halvorson looked at the boy for the first time. He took in the bruise. He took in the too big hoodie.
He took in the canvas bag. He said, more gently, "Back through that door. Turn left. Do not touch anything. " Bricks Deodato said, "Thank you, sir. " He walked quietly past Reed Halvorson, past the shovelhead on the lift, toward the back door. He stopped just past the shovelhead.
He looked at it. He looked at the ignition module Reed had just installed for the third time. He looked at the plug wires. He looked at the ground strap where it bolted to the frame. He said quietly, "Sir, is that your ground strap? " Reed Halvorson said, "Kid, bathroom. " Bricks Deodato said, "Sir, I am sorry.
It is just the strap is not seated on bare metal. There is a powder coat under it. It looks like a new powder coat. The bike will spin, but it will not catch because the ground is not really a ground. It is a ground through a coat of paint. " Reed Halvorson turned around.
He looked at the boy. He said, "Kid, what is your name? " Bricks Deodato said, "Bricks Deodato, sir. " Reed said, "Bricks, how old are you? " Bricks said, "15, sir. " Reed said, "Bricks, come look at this ground strap. " He handed the kid a wrench. He said, "Bricks, here. Take this. Try it. " Bricks Diodato took the wrench.
He walked to the shovelhead. He knelt down. He put the wrench on the bolt of the ground strap. He said, "Sir, you are going to need to loosen this. Then take a Scotch-Brite and clean the frame where it meets the strap down to bare metal.
It will be one small circle about the size of a dime. Then re-talk. That will fix it. " Reed Halvorson said, "Kid, do it. " Bricks Diodato loosened the bolt. He took the ground strap off. He looked at the frame.
Underneath the strap was the same fresh silver powder coat paint Reed Halvorson had done himself in June, sanded and shot and cured perfectly, exactly to the tolerances the frame builder had asked for, and totally 100% electrically insulating. Bricks said, "May I have a Scotch-Brite pad, sir, and some brake cleaner? " Reed handed him both. Bricks scrubbed the powder coat off the mounting pad. One small circle about the size of a dime. He sprayed it with brake cleaner.
He wiped it with a shop rag. He put the strap back on. He re-torqued the bolt. He stood up. He said, "Sir, try it. " Reed Halverson walked without saying a word to the tail of the shovelhead.