fall back

i got my first skateboard when i was five years old.  i remember this because i fell and knocked out my front tooth. i still have the bridge with a false tooth on it. my kids think it is pretty cool.

at some point, each has separately put it in her mouth – gross. i found skateboarding again at the age of 11. i remember this because my friend got caught with stolen property. you could call it trespassing and grand thief… we called it hoping a fence and taking rejected decks, trucks and wheels from veriflex’s dumpster. i had been there many times, but i wasn’t there the day of the shopping cart. there was no arrest or fine or anything like that. he just had to return the stuff they found. eventually, all the moms talked and i too had to return my stuff. i remember this because it was humiliating. i skated my first pool when i was thirteen. anthony’s pools went out of business and left behind three empty pools on their lot. i remember this because it was my puddle of blood that left the stain in the plaster right next to the drain. not too long ago, in my dad’s garage, i found one of the fruits of my dumpster diving days. a veriflex ten deck.

i remember this because we used to soak warped decks in water and try to get them to dry flatter (there was no concave or double tail kicks in those days). over twenty years have passed since i’ve skated any pools or ramps. this time i thought i’d be more responsible. i bought pads and helmet and a pass to the cove. i thought i was just a little rusty, until a kid pulls some sort of kick flip fakey in the clover
bowl. i’m ok backside, but on my frontside grinds need a lot of work. and i’ll remember that the next time i sit down. do they make a pad for your ass, or am i ready for depends

bowling saturday and remember - we all fall back sunday night. don’t forget to set your clocks