Sk8rz

So we took a looooong walk to the park so Boylee could spend some quality time scooting around the skateboarding area. And he did, until a bunch of teenagers showed up.

Those guys were skateboarding, scooting and biking like MANIACS all over the concrete ramps, obstacles and half-pipe. They were NUTZ and Boylee was totally, totally enthralled with all of it. The big boys were typical teens, I guess, with piercings and odd clothes. But they were all polite -- each said hi to us as they arrived. We only heard one or two curse words during their entire display, which lasted at least 30 minutes. And it was quite a show -- these guys were flipping and flying like maniacs. Like, the guy on the bike going straight up a ramp then doing a vertical 360 and landing it. None of them had helmets or pads, and though there were a few falls no serious injuries occurred.

I really felt the boyishness of the situation -- Boylee had just barely been making his own tentative exploration of the area when these kids arrived, and he sat right down in the face of their talents. But as the minutes ticked on, he got more and more inspired to join in. And when a few of them left and the area wasn't quite so crowded, he entered the concrete area, and started doing his own small attempts at tricks. That must be exactly how it starts: the little boys emulate the big boys and somehow learn these crazy tricks. My boy wore a helmet, though. Another, littler boy showed up too, with his bike, helmet and full set of pads.

And then he was done and tired. And I was freezing because that park is a crazy wind magnet. And we still had the loooong walk home. And because I didn't think we'd be out so long I had no snack, and nothing to drink. And I didn't have my wallet, so there was no stopping for a snack or a drink along the way. The round trip was about three miles and Boylee let me know just how tired he was with every step back up the Little Mesa.