I like to take long bike rides
Usually 30-40 miles on the Eastern Shore of MD
I ride with a local group 3 times a week
We usually pick a route into the wind outbound
Giving us a tailwind on the way home
We ride along deserted minor roads
Through farmlands and woodlands
Watching the cornfields grow daily
From knee high at the fourth of July
To towering fields of dreams
We see a lot of wildlife
White tailed deer leaping through fields
Ospreys feeding in the shallow bays
Eagles soaring above our heads
We usually have a rest stop half way
At a park or a public boat ramp
15 minutes of relaxation and banter
A time to rehydrate and eat a snack
To get fuel back into those leg muscles
A time to use the restroom
Most parks have a welcoming porta potty
While partaking of one yesterday
Something strange caught my eye
Although in a very remote rural setting
These port potties are usually clean and well stocked
Hand sanitizer dispensers and toilet paper available
A welcome relief for customers in need
So what was the unusual thing I saw
Nothing grotesque or disturbing
No graphic graffiti or vandalism
It was a small padlock on the toilet roll dispenser
To stop people from removing an entire intact roll
I laughed at the irony of it all
In a rural area with very low crime rates
People leave their homes and cars unlocked
Kids toys and bikes are left outside in front yards
Expensive boats sit in open marinas
Its a very civilized existence
Yet somebody decided to lock up the toilet roll dispenser
A truly desperate thief could simply empty the roll
Thankfully no such thief had passed by before my visit