This came about when Mum and Dad were painting the house and as a young 4-year-old I spotted what I thought was a bottle of L&P and took a big swallow. Soon after the ambulance took me to Tauranga hospital.
Hence my nick name as a young fulla - Turpentine Tom
The good luck was coming back out of hospital alive and Dad taking me next door to get a brand-new red bike from Koops cycles. I had no idea how Dad paid for it, more than likely on tick, but get a brand new-bike I did and ever since the shop on the corner next to the hospital called Koops, has held a special place in my hard drive of early childhood memories.
I don't remember what happened to that fire-red first bike, but with 11 kids in the family and only one bike it would have been ridden to an early death.
However, Koops Cycles has carried on, and this last week it was great to return and purchase a trailer-load of brand-new bikes for homeless kids, courtesy of random acts of kindness by community kingpins.
To everyone who put their hands in their pockets for this very cool kaupapa and made a lot of kids' Christmas a lot happier, may you share in the blessing of knowing "a merry heart does good like a medicine" according to age old scriptures, and tonight all across Tauranga, heaps of needy kids are smiling right now with their brand-new bikes tucked up next to them.
Another on his bike is John Key, peddling back to playing with big piles of other people's money, not unlike what he has been doing for the past eight years.
They say that politics is like a peloton in a bike race, they are both a game of chess where one is played on wheels, and the strongest rider emerges from the pack to win, and the other is played doing deals to achieve the same result.
Last week, as quick as you can say cycle lane only, Bill English has peddled past John Key and into Parliament as our new prime minister. Riding shotgun like Jurassic Parker after 12 rounds in the ring - with much needed trainer wheels, is Paula Bennett.
With 40 per cent of all Kiwis having a whakapapa (Maori lineage) in 20 years' time, the time is right to be gearing up now with the likes of the B Team: Bennett and Bridges.
Another party which has picked up on the new pedal power biking toward the Beehive is Labour. Quietly emerging from the peloton, it is no longer riding on flat tyres after the country has said ka kite to Key, and if the nomination of Kiritapu Allen yesterday in Whakatane to contest East Coast's general seat up against Anne Tolley is an indication of its pedal power, the 2017 election has just kicked up a couple of gears.
Kiritapu is a fresh-faced lawyer practising in Rotorua, spending most of her time on the East Coast, and is clearly reflective of the future voice of Aotearoa.
She is young, culturally cool, environmentally aware, and ready to ride for the why-not-now Y-Generation.
Winston will need to kick start his old Raleigh 20 if he is to keep up with these young guns and the options facing Tuku and his yet-to-be announced Dream Team will give the Maori Party an easier ride, with Labour looming in its rear vision mirror as possible partners, and John Key taking an early exit.
It all makes for interesting times and takes the yawn out of political posturing.
Sure there will be a few speed wobbles and, yes, a couple will fall off their bikes and not be around come election time, but just like a peloton, the masters of manoeuvring will emerge as winners.
So we ride off into the Christmas break with hope and happiness, like a homeless tamariki with a brand-new bike, and we give thanks for the random acts of kindness from community kingpins and those who are emerging as future leaders.
broblack@xtra.co.nz
Tommy Kapai is a best-selling author and writer
