LAURIE'S GOT PEDAL POWER - BUT ONLY ONE WHEEL
414 words
7 October 2005
Lincolnshire Echo
default
3
English
(c) 2005 Lincolnshire Echo.
Talented Laurie Ley can entertain his friends just by riding to school
- on his unicycle.
The seven-year-old's one-wheeled steed gets him to Cherry Willingham
Primary School every morning.
His dad Adrian Ley follows close behind for safety.
"At first I had to follow him really closely, because he was still a
bit wobbly," said Mr Ley.
"But now I can walk beside him and he is off.
"His friends are always saying to him, 'that is so cool'.
"He's been very eager to learn how to ride it.
"One or two of the teachers are also really impressed, and his form
teacher, Mr Walker, is particularly encouraging."
Mr Ley and his wife Sarah bought the unicycle for Laurie last year, but
it was left in the garage because it was initially too big for him.
As soon as he could, Laurie took the bike out and practiced incessantly
throughout the summer.
By the time the new term had arrived he was ready to show off his newly
acquired talent to all his friends.
"It is really good fun," said Laurie.
"My friends ride their bikes to school as well, but when I go past them
on my cycle they all go 'wow'."
Headmaster Andrew Vasey was similarly enthusiastic.
"I think it's wonderful," he said.
"It is healthy and extremely individualistic. I think we've got an
entertainer for the future here.
"Every time he stops on the unicycle everyone thinks he is going to
fall off but he always somehow manages to land safely back on the
ground."
Even in lessons the young entertainer cannot bear to be parted from his
beloved unicycle.
It's too big for the bike-sheds so the cycle is usually parked in his
classroom.
And this is not the first time that Laurie has enjoyed the limelight.
Adrian Ley works as a children's entertainer and Laurie and his sister
often find themselves on stage, helping their father with his show.
Now it looks like Laurie is hoping to follow in his father's footsteps.
"I think he wants to join his dad when he is older," said Mrs Ley.
"He can already juggle and he is now trying to learn to skip on his
unicycle - which annoys his dad because even he hasn't managed to do
that yet. Now he has set his sights on learning how to tight-rope
walk."
--
JJuggle
Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ
I could be happy the rest of my life with a cinnamon girl.
(Do-do-do-dooo)
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