Un-bikeless!

In a happy resolution to the stolen-bike saga, I now have a bike again. A couple of weeks ago, I asked my BOE staff if there was a bike shop in Kumenan or Mitsu (the neighbouring towns, north and south), since I could take a train there, buy a bike, and ride it back. No-one knew, but the jichou (deputy of sorts) said the town library had a mountain I could have. We checked it out, it was completely kaput and unuseable. Back at the BOE, someone asked if I had checked Fukuwatari station again. I had. But had I checked Takebe station? No, I hadn't, since it's a damn long way to walk. One of the ladies immediately said, "I'll drive you there now!" We drove to Takebe station, the bike was not there. BOE lady then told me she had a bike no-one used. We drove to her house, cleaned up the bike (which is in surprisingly good condition, having been left against a house for goodness knows how long), and I rode it back to work. Result!
The moral of the story? Help does come eventually, you just have to leave pretty blunt hints in order to receive it.