Boys on bikes in the fog

One scene surprised me while I was driving to work: some pupils went to school by bicycle immersed in the white morning fog, among the cars of commuters

One scene surprised me while I was driving to work: some pupils were going to school by bicycle, immersed in the white fog of the morning, among the cars of commuters.

The young students pedaled at a good pace on their little bikes, covered in thick padded coats and wrapped in the freezing mist of February.

They weren’t alone. Some of the employees who accompanied them traveled on larger bicycles, equipped with reflective yellow phosphorescent jackets that stood out amid the greyness of the sunless countryside.

Among these, I was struck by the last gentleman who pedaled at the end of the line: his vehicle was equipped with a small trailer on which the backpacks and satchels of all the boys had been secured. As I pulled past the wheel, the man stopped to check that everything was okay.

The group, probably left from a nearby town, thus reached the school in a neighboring municipality. Despite the overcast sky and the cold, it also looked quite cheerful.

It appeared to be a metaphor for life. As young adults, we continue to wander trying to advance in the confusion of life, sometimes using some means, often with teachers and more experienced people at our side. But the fog rarely dissipates.