Wednesday, September 26, 2007

21st Century Awesome!


I saw something new, today, while waiting to cross the street in the Hollywood neighborhood where I work.

At first I thought it was another skateboarder cruising down the Sunset Blvd. sidewalk, until he quickly got closer. The young guy's movement and stance were skateboard-like, but his feet looked like they were on roller skates. In motion, he was perfectly balanced on two separate platforms, small tile-like squares with wheels attached underneath. Fortunately, he stopped at the same intersection.

"They're freeline skates," he answered when I inquired.

When the light turned green, he dropped one freeline skate to step on with one foot, pushed off with the other foot, and then dropped the second skate to meet his launching foot, in a smooth, well-practiced motion, and glided away.

The sight of this new toy in action delighted the kid in me, and at the same time, it also seemed to emphasize how far past prime my age is.

I can't even balance myself in the Heely skates that have been sitting in the back of my closet since I bought them.

11 comments:

golfwidow said...

I can actual hear, in my imagination, the pumpkinlike sound my head would make, hitting the pavement, were I to attempt that.

Peter Varvel said...

Don't SAY that, not to a freeway-scooter-rider! LOL

quin browne said...

that is why you buy a helmet, people.




sheesh

Peter Varvel said...

Quin, I was one of those idiots who used to ride without a helmet--man, I miss those days!--before the helmet law, here in California.

quin browne said...

1.buy a cantaloupe

2.drop it on the ground

3.this is your head without a helmet.



omg, i so sounded like your mom, didn't i?

Peter Varvel said...

Maybe, but just as important as those "this is your brain on drugs" commercials with the fried eggs!

quin browne said...

when i worked at walmart (dont' tell anyone my dirty little secret)... this woman had her kids standing up in the cart... yelling and screaming.

i took her melon, and did just that.

i said, "m'am, here is your child standing in the cart" dropped the melon "and here is your child's head when they fall out. this is whey we ask you not to let them stand"

heh.

Peter Varvel said...

GAWD, I wish I had had your balls, Quin, in so many of the customer service jobs that I used to have, LOL!

quin browne said...

i worked at at&t for years in customer service.

we won't touch those stories.

you just have to smile really big afterwards.

Unknown said...

I skate those things. They LOOK like you'd crack your head open the first time you step on, but it turns out not to be the case. Your feet just come off the skates as soon as somehting goes wrong, and suddenly you're just on your feet, standing up. Well, maybe walking or running instead of standing, but almost never actually falling. I expected to be on my butt a thousand times learning them, but I've only fallen 5 times in the three weeks I've been skating them so far. Don't be afraid!

Peter Varvel said...

Kremmit, thanks for visiting. I was just explaining this new phenomenon to friends, yesterday.
. . . I can't even master Heely's at my advanced age, LOL.