I think I'm in love...

It's today! It's today!

Like cute little George Little in "Stuart Little," so excited for the day his parents are going to the orphanage to adopt his new little brother, I was jubilant Tuesday morning when I checked the tracking number for my new Public M3. The tracking indicated my bike was at the Fed Ex facility in Moline, awaiting the final stage of its journey to Galesburg. Delivery: Oct. 25. Today!

I stopped in the office of my apartment building just before 2 p.m. on my way to work to see if the parcel had arrived. No luck. The Fed Ex man had come and gone, leaving only a small box -- way too small to contain a bike (except for the aforementioned Stuart Little!). So maybe the schedule was off. Told a co-worker about it and he renewed my hope with news that sometimes Fed Ex has two routes, one early and one later in the day. Sure enough my cellphone buzzed about 3:45 and it was the word I'd been awaiting so eagerly. I high-tailed it for the apartment office and hauled the huge box up to my second-floor apartment (via the elevator that is).

Once in the door I cut the tape along the top edge of the box to just peek at the M3. But I had to get back to work. Drat! It was like opening the Christmas present you've been longing for, only to be marched off to annoying Aunt Enid's for the full family festivities having time to play with the new toy. Well, I'm a patient guy. So after work I made the rounds to see who I knew at the watering holes I frequent. When finally I got home I did the usual time wasting on Facebook before I settled down to uncrate the M3 and put her together.

Assembly was a snap with the "Ready to Ride" shipping plan; Public's folks have your bike 99 percent together when they wrap it in cardboard and cushions and pack it in the big box. A really nice video on their website explains the assembly process, and they include the tools you need and a complete manual, too. I watched the video, but it was really easy and I never referred to the written instructions except for mounting the front rack, which I received free along with a Kryptonite lock as part of a promotion. I even got the bike on sale!

Just look at those beautiful details!

And is she gorgeous. I went with the cream mixte frame and added orange racks. Thought about a full orange bike, but I've really liked the white/cream bicycle look for a while now. There was going to be a delay on a white rack for the back so I opted for complementary orange racks to make my ride unique. I think it looks really sharp. Now to keep it looking that way!

Remember how you were with a new pair of sneakers? So proud, so excited to show off your new kicks. But, oh, so scared of those first scuffs on the bright white canvas/leather and rubber. You knew the marks were inevitable, and after several they would give your treads a patina of use and character. But that middle ground, the first black mark, the second, the grass stain, just looked out of place and kind of pissed you off. And there was always the comic buddy who would try, for real or pretend, to inaugurate your shoes into the world of "worn."

Well, that's how I feel about my new M3. Her shiny ivory coat is prone to showing her age, I fear. I know she'll sport some scuffs and scratches in time, And I am anxious now to keep her pristine, free from marring and jarring. But she won't be coddled. This is a bike to ride! In fact, I took her out at 4 a.m. to see how she fit me. Quite nicely, thank you. Style, class, beauty, engineering chic. What a piece of machinery. Dear God, I think I'm in love. Thank you, Public.