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.
He put his leg over. He set the fuel petcock. He set the choke. He kicked once. The shovelhead started on the first kick.
It settled into an idle state. Not a rough idle, a perfect idle. The idle the bike had had for 41 years under Cormac Halverson's hand, Reed Halverson did not throttle up. He sat on the bike and he listened to it idle for 11 seconds. Then he shut it off.
He got off. He walked in three steps over to Bricks Deodato, who was still standing next to the ground strap holding a shop rag. Reed said, "Kid, where do you live?" Bricks Deodato hesitated. Reed said, "Kid, it is not a trap. Where do you live?" Bricks said quietly, "Sir, behind the diner.
Behind Wanda's." Reed said, "Since when?" Bricks said, "Since April, sir." Reed said, "Bricks, sit down." Bricks sat on a work stool. He put his canvas bag on his lap. Reed Halverson walked to his office. He picked up his phone. He dialed a number he had dialed twice a day for 4 months.
He was calling the current chapter president of the Wind River Riders. A man named Odom Kestrel, 62, retired sheriff's deputy. Reed said, "Odom, it is Reed." Odom said, "Reed, please tell me." Reed said, "Odom, the shovelhead started. First kick. Somebody solved it.
It is a long story. But before I tell you the long story, I want to tell you the short story. I have a 15-year-old kid sitting on a stool in my shop who fixed in 4 minutes a bike that three specialist mechanics gave up on. And this kid is sleeping behind Wanda's Diner. And this kid has a bruise on his face that did not get there from falling down.