ToRRanSk8ers

The title is my pathetic attempt to be cool. Anywhooo...

I've noticed our street corner has become a popular hangout for the local skateboard kids - the business on the corner is friendly (or at least tolerant) of the skate boarders who come around to use their driveway ramp for jumps and tricks. They're a disheveled crew of skinny pant wearing, shaggy mopped boys, defying gravity and scraping the ragged edge of the concrete incline. I imagine there's a lot of scraped elbows and knees in the group.

I watch them out of the corner of my eye, but I'm afraid they'll think I'm scrutinizing their activities, and they scatter if they attract too much attention.

We were exiting the Crossroads Vons this evening and watched a group of kids skating the parking lot near the Office Depot where there weren't many cars. I wondered where else there is to skate, as I suspect it would be a matter of time before they would be chased away.

In my old neighborhood we kids did lot of roller skating - I'm sure we made a heck of a lot of noise, as our wheels were metal or clay, and there was anywhere from 2 to 8 of us at any one time - KRITCH SCRITCH KRITCH SCRITCH all summer long. No one ever complained, even when we rolled over the dichondra, which was about the worse thing we did. I don't remember anyone leaping on a wall, although I do recall empty swimming pools being used for skating.

I never skateboarded - the one time I did I ran over my fingers.

Lately, I've noticed little metal tabs being bolted to every handrail, cement bench, planter box, picnic table, ledge or stair in an effort to thwart grinding. Is it a liability issue, or property destruction prevention? I'm not sure. I do suspect those intrepid little skaters will find someway to overcome.

Or, at least start a business.

And promote it, right here in Torrance: