He demonstrates "proper form" and all this for me while my ADD brain is looking at a coke tab on the ground and wondering who put it there. Then he feels I am ready to get on, even though the feeling is not mutual.
Dalton pulls it back up the slope in our driveway. We have to ride downhill because we don't have a clue how to accelerate once you've slowed without falling off.
I suck up my wimpiness and have him stand still for me so I can hold onto him for dear life while I put my feet on. It's wobbily and shaky, but that could be because it's a little kid skateboard and a hundred-pound girl like me has no business being on it.
Dalton gives me my first instruction: "Let go of me now."
My fingers don't budge as I wait for him to explain in exact detail what I'm supposed to do. He didn't really know what I was supposed to do, but I had to have some direction if I was going to do this. He launches into this mini-speech about turning and slowing down, but all I can think is: I hope I don't die. Yes, I've always been a bit dramatic (but you already knew that).
Somehow I'm able to unpeel my fingers from his shoulders. As soon as I do, the skateboard lurches out from under me. It's the same experience you get when you ride the Titan at Six Flags for the first time. Next thing you know, I'm on the ground.
"Don't worry about it," Dalton tells me, as if falling down and looking like an idiot is perfectly normal (which I don't believe is true). He lugs the skateboard (and me) back up the driveway. "Next time don't hit the fence. Or dad's car. Or Abigail. When you want to turn, lean your body to the side...." His voice fades off as my fears once again seize me: I hope I don't hit the cat.
We repeat this for about five more times, Dalton patient as ever, me screaming the whole time, and the cat hiding safely out of sight.
Well, I don't need to go into more detail about the rest of my "lesson", but I can tell you with confidence that I will never, ever be a skater girl. This is a bummer, since I was really hoping on becoming as cool as Jillian.
That's weird, this sounds exactly like my story with skateboarding (except it happened about five times with five diferrent people). It's okay Melissa, we can be non-skater girls together ;D
ReplyDeleteHaha yes we can. :)
ReplyDeleteAw, Melissa!!! That's so sweet. I'm really not THAT cool though :P
ReplyDeleteConfession? I've totally been there. I live in a neighborhood with a lot of hills, and there was this guy I sort of like, who skated, and one day he was walking past and my brother shoved his skateboard under my feet and yelled "GO!" Needless to say I fell on my butt.
It just takes time.
:)
ReplyDeleteI HAVE A PICTURE FOR YOU!
ReplyDeleteI found it on the wall of a church's youth group room.
It says: "One Voice" and it's really cool. I took a pic and I'll send it to you when I get the chance.
AWESOME! Of course they dedicated it in my honor.;)
ReplyDeleteI still have to finish editing the song =P we haven't been able to do much on it and my friend is leaving soon so we have to finish either this week or the next. Well, to me my girlfriend is all I can fall back to when the people I love hate me and the people who don't don't care... so it's kinda nice but kinda weird... probably not too healthy =/ Hey, you read minds too! *highfive* actually, I thought that earlier then was thinking about how stupid miley cyrus is. You were close though =D Jesus loves you! =)
ReplyDelete