La Bicicleta Vieja

(The Old Bicycle)

A2 154 words 2 min read

Marcos discovers his father's forgotten bicycle in the garage and restores it, retracing a childhood route that keeps his memory alive.

The Old Bicycle
Marcos abrió la puerta del garaje de su casa en Mallorca.
Marcos opened the door of the garage of his house in Mallorca.
Buscaba unas cajas viejas, pero encontró algo mejor: la bicicleta roja de su padre.
He was looking for some old boxes, but he found something better: his father's red bicycle.
Estaba cubierta de polvo.
It was covered in dust.
Las ruedas estaban desinfladas y la cadena tenía óxido.
The wheels were flat and the chain had rust.
Pero Marcos sonrió.
But Marcos smiled.
Recordó los paseos con su padre los domingos por la mañana, cuando era niño.
He remembered the rides with his father on Sunday mornings, when he was a child.
Decidió repararla.
He decided to repair it.
Compró ruedas nuevas y aceite en una tienda del pueblo.
He bought new wheels and oil at a shop in the village.
Limpió la cadena con un trapo viejo.
He cleaned the chain with an old rag.
Pintó el cuadro de rojo otra vez.
He painted the frame red again.
Trabajó toda la tarde en el garaje.
He worked all afternoon in the garage.
Al día siguiente, salió a montar en bicicleta.
The next day, he went out to ride the bicycle.
Pedaleó por un camino cerca del mar.
He pedalled along a path near the sea.
El viento olía a sal y a pino.
The wind smelled of salt and pine.
Era la misma ruta que hacía con su padre hace veinte años.
It was the same route he took with his father twenty years ago.
Paró en un mirador y miró el mar azul.
He stopped at a viewpoint and looked at the blue sea.
Sintió que su padre pedaleaba a su lado.
He felt that his father was pedalling beside him.
Esta bicicleta todavía tiene muchos kilómetros, papá, dijo con una sonrisa, y siguió pedaleando.
This bicycle still has many kilometres, Dad, he said with a smile, and he kept pedalling.

Key Vocabulary

la bicicleta the bicycle
el garaje the garage
reparar to repair, to fix
la rueda the wheel
la cadena the chain
pedalear to pedal
el camino the path, the road
el mirador the viewpoint

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