I sneak out of my house some nights

I sleep in my own bed, separately from my wife with the exception of our “conjugal” visits. She’s always been accommodating of my solo sleeping, because she likes a warm room that is as silent as a crypt, and I like a room with the windows thrown open and a fan on. This noise drowns out my tinnitus (from shooting in the military) and the cold room is pleasant. What my wife doesn’t know, is that I secretly leave the house 3 nights a week, sometimes 4.

I leave to ride my bicycle around the city at night, sometimes putting in 50-75 miles per ride. I wait until everyone in my house is asleep, usually about 10pm is a safe bet. I sneak into the yard, walk the bike to the street, and start riding. Ive made friends that are only out and about after dark. I’m friends with a striped cat that sleeps on an old broken RV in an alleyway and she lets me pick her up now. I love riding by the bakery, where people are preparing for the next morning and moving ingredients in and out of a big fluorescent room. There are these old black men that sit on the steps of an apartment building, and we talk about our lives, and they know I’m from the middle class part of the city but they still smile at me when I ride up and call out “hey man!”
I stop at this late night pizza shop and get a slice around midnight, drink a pint, and then ride home.
My ride is different on Wednesdays. On Wednesdays I join this group of youngsters that group ride from midnight to 2am. I wear a buff covering my face like a mask so they can’t tell I’m an old fart, and I shred around with these teenage hipsters until they get too tired to keep going, and then I ride 10 or so miles home. I get up at 6am, make my family breakfast, and then we all go to work and school. My wife often comments on my legs being toned. She doesn’t realize I’m riding 200-400 miles a week. I don’t know why I don’t want to tell her about my night riding. It isn’t meant to be a secret, but I think I enjoy the escape. I’m not a good writer and I’m not trying to be one. I think I just wanted to tell someone about my night riding, without the implied drama in “off my chest” subreddits. Thanks for reading.

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Bimql chhetry.

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