Silas loved the chrome on his motorcycle. Maybe that’s why, when he fell asleep after reading about the knights in shining armor in Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court he saw himself in brilliantly polished armor. He was hurrying home to his castle one night, riding his valiant steed through the countryside, when the horse collapsed and died. Silas dreamed he walked down the road, which seemed endless, still wearing his armor, which seemed to weigh a ton.
Finally he saw the glimmer of a candle in a window. When he knocked on the farmhouse door, a lovely young girl answered.
“A horse. I need a horse,” said Silas.
“My father and brothers used our horses to take wheat to the mill. They will be home late tomorrow.”
In his dream, Silas didn’t know why, but he was desperate to get home. “What can I do? I need some kind of alternative transportation.”
The girl disappeared into a back room, saying, “Sometimes my brother rides this beast, but I think you would have to take off your armor or you'd be too heavy.”
Out she came, leading an ancient Great Dane with matted coat and shaking legs. The poor animal wheezed with every breath Silas exclaimed, “Surely you wouldn’t send a knight out on a dog like this!”
Yet, there’s no denying it: Unless you plan to ride exclusively around the Southern United States, you’ll face some chilly winters. And even before it...
