Nobody knows exactly who invented the skateboard, or when. We know it came from California, America’s surfing mecca. The surfers wanted a way to chase the same thrills on land as on the water, on days when the weather was against them. In the Golden State they boarded along the asphalt on the endless sidewalks of its wide avenues. Skateboarding wasn’t just a rush, it was also a way to get around from one neighbourhood to another with the feeling of the wind in your hair. It was a lifestyle. The skateboard also drew inspiration from roller skates, which had been all the rage in the 1950s, when people skated in the streets, in clubs and in diners, inspiring all kinds of tricks and acrobatics.
The skateboard quickly took off in America, and in Chicago it went hand in hand with other parts of street life such as graffiti, rap and hip hop. Kids with beat boxes played their music loud, wearing their baseball caps, baggy pants and t-shirts, and wide-soled sneakers to help them keep their balance. To complete the look they’d add a gold chain, an earring, a coloured bandana or a tough-looking tattoo. They’d show off their skills in skate parks, doing ollies, shove-its and other tricks. They balanced, jumped, reeled and swayed along the asphalt, hurtling up the ramps and balancing on the board at the top, before gliding effortlessly back down. It was a dangerous balancing act, but the rush was unbeatable. Mike and Josh preferred to practice outside their building, where they had the space to try out their flips and felt free to fall as often as needed. It also meant Mike could choose the music. Music was life; you couldn’t listen to just anything.
Josh was on his bike today. Michael Jackson was on the box; Mike had chosen the tunes, as he always did. Josh came back up the road, pedalling furiously. He ran over coke cans, let go of the handlebars, and stood up on the pedals, trying to feel more and more alive. When Billie Jean came on he sang along at the top of his lungs.
Mike danced around with his skateboard, his partner for life. He never left home without his board, always at his feet or in his hand, sometimes even slung around his back with a string. When he got out of class he headed straight for the main alley on his skateboard. When his momma sent him to the store he slipped on his backpack and zig-zagged through the streets. When he wanted to pick up chicks he rolled past their windows doing tricks. And if he ever needed new friends, there was always the skate park.
She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don't mind, but what do you mean,
I am the oneWho will dance on the floor in the round?
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round
She told me her name was Billie Jean,
as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
Alan Alfredo Geday