I was given a brief glimpse of my first job when passing a campus bike rack today

It was just past noon, and I was heading from the communications building over to the Union for lunch.  Passing through the courtyard next to the humanities building, something in the bike rack caught my eye. 

Is that a Schwinn Collegiate?  Why yes it is.  And for what was likely a 40-year-old bicycle, it was in remarkably good shape.  The chrome fenders still shined and the rims were rust-free.  It appeared to have the original reflectors and color-matched seat.  And it had a pair of shiny metal baskets over the back wheel.  Save for being gold instead of green, it was exactly like the one I had when I was ten.

Yes, I was a dork who had a bike with big metal baskets.  The epitome of anti-cool.  And when the bike racks at school were crowded, it was had to fit into a space.  And while all the other kids had Schwinn Varsity bikes, the ten-sped with the drop handlebars, I had my five-speed Collegiate with baskets.  I needed that dorky version because I had a paper route.  On days like Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays when the Chicago Tribune was thinner, I could do my route in one load.  The baskets couldn't handle the bigger days' editions in a solo mission, and forget about Sunday.  But that bike with the dorky baskets was key to me having more spending money than my grade school friends.  

I remember that the bike weighed a ton compared to today's bikes.  Steel construction... solid and built to last (as was evident today).  A tank on two wheels.  That was back when Schwinn bikes were made in the USA and were by far the best known and most popular bicycle on the market. 

Schwinn is still around, sort of.  The company went through a bankruptcy or two and ultimately the brand was tossed into the Pacific Cycle portfolio.  Now made in China, the bikes are but one of many parity brands, and the once-powerful Schwinn dealer network is a shadow of its former self.  But they still make the Collegiate.  It sells for about $500. 

Having a job that paid real money in fifth grade... cool.  Five-speed bike with upright handlebars and big metal baskets... so not cool.  But it's a fun memory nonetheless.