To The Dark Side

A funny thing happened a few weeks ago to my buddy Dean, a.k.a. "The Froot Booter". First of all, let me clarify, he's no lame-ass in-line skater. He skates for real Carrera Speed Skates, two wheels on a side. He's hell-on-wheels at the roller-rink. His dad used to run the one here locally for many years and Deano kind of grew up on his roller skates.

I introduced him to bowl and vert skating at the really crappy skatepark in Clarksville a couple years ago. He kind of dug it and took to it pretty quick, and got so he could get pretty wild and was mucho fun to watch, especially when the little head would get to out-thinking the big head and he'd talk himself into trying something that just might be a bit over his head. He'd crash like a semi-truck. And then he'd try it twenty more times. Like I said, he's kinda' fun to watch.

A few weeks ago we were skating the park in Nash-Vegas on a Thursday night and he had an equipment malfunction. Nope, his right breast didn't pop out, but he lost a wheel on one of his skates. I had an extra stick in the car (surprise!), and we couldn't repair his roller skates, so he put his shoes on and thought he'd give the board a try.

After a while he rolls up to me and declares that the stick is way more fun than those roller skates. Well, DUH!

Next thing I know he's on-line and has got him some Deathbox wheels and some Indy 215 trucks and a sweet Santa Monica Airlines chunk of wood, a roll of clear grip tape, and next Friday evening he's beating on my back door ready to build it up!

Welcome to the Dark Side Dean. Where if we have to explain the skate thing to you, you ain't gonna' get it any damn way.

Skate hard man, skate very hard.

L8R
PWA