Stolen Candles
Received a fish formed NASH board in 1990 once I was 5.
The board was simply as flat because the South Florida streets I skated. No concave. I assume my dad purchased it for me as a result of we each surfed, and he thought it will assist with my steadiness. I surfed with my dad no less than twice per week, however he by no means put a foot on a skateboard.
I had no one to show me, I rode alone.
I by no means noticed anybody else skateboarding. We had a TV with bunny ears on it, however even when we had cable skateboarding wasn’t on TV on the time. The X-Video games had been almost a decade away. No native skate outlets, so no magazines or skate movies obtainable.
I didn’t know Thrasher was a factor. So I skated alone, in a vacuum, till I used to be in fifth grade in ‘95. The elementary faculty I attended (which my mother additionally work at as a instructor) was inside shut strolling distance from our home. Someday I skated there and probably the most superb factor occurred. I noticed different individuals skateboarding.
Not solely that, however that they had these humorous trying concave boards & had been grinding curbs and doing flip methods. Shit that I by no means even imagined was doable.
I discovered my individuals.
After introducing myself and skating a bit we went to certainly one of my new buddy’s home and watched skate movies on VHS. My head virtually exploded. In order that was it. That was the second. After that, I had my mother drive me an hour north to Melbourne to get a legit Anti-Hero board, and began skating on a regular basis on the faculty.
Like per week in, nicely earlier than I ever tried a grind, the blokes had been like: fuck, these ledges want extra wax. Popping right into a skate store & shopping for skate wax wasn’t an choice… however fortunately since my household was extraordinarily low-cost (cuz we didn’t have a lot) we by no means threw candles away. My mother would maintain used birthday cake candles within the fridge for future use. I do not know why the fridge, except possibly the south Florida warmth might need melted them?
…However anyway, I snagged the used candles we had for the arrival wreath (which had been used for no less than 2 seasons) & waxed the fuck out of the ledges on the faculty. That shit elevated my standing within the skate crew… when creation season rolled round later that yr & my Mother couldn’t discover the candles I simply shrug my shoulders and mentioned I dunno.
I’m sorry momma, I stole the candles… however kinda additionally not sorry…
It’s from these humble roots Skater Claus was born.
I rode alone, I discovered my tribe, I used to be and can at all times be a weirdo outsider skate rat. One way or the other it simply kinda labored out although. Now I’ve discovered take a skateboard and stab it into the guts of injustice.
I used to be a lonely child, however I had a skateboard, and that made all of the distinction. I’ve given out soo many skateboards to children in want that I’ve misplaced depend. I don’t actually have a selected purpose or endgame, however I hope some child I gave a board to steals his mother’s candles. Makes use of them to wax a curb, & that it makes a optimistic affect on their life.
Cuz stealing these candles was by some means some of the necessary issues I’ve finished in my life.