FREE FLYING HEARTS -- A collection of short stories from Tonig73

..... 1 .....

LARRY

"Oh, my GOD, what a glorious day !"  The sound of his skateboard echoed off the low walls of the skate park.  g-dunk g-dunk ...... g-dunk g-dunk ..... g-dunk g-dunk ..... like an old train on old tracks back in the day.  At 24 years old, Larry Addison was fast approaching the apex of his sport, his game.  He was in San Diego to compete in the annual X-Games, as he had every year since he was 18, and he still loved it as much as he ever did, even more if that were possible.  He was a little tall for a skate boarder, but his natural athleticism and agility made up for what sometimes looked like ungainliness.  Having no significant other in his life, meant he could travel, and compete, and just .... skate ..... 'till his heart's content.  All day and all night, if he wanted to.

He was amazed at the brand new skate park, newly constructed just for these X-Games on the main boardwalk on San Diego bay.  It was State of the Art, with new ramps, angles, hand rails, and degrees of difficulty he had never encountered before.  But he would, encounter them, and he would beat them like they stole somethin'.  He was the best among his contemporaries, the best at what he did, and he would take more than a little pleasure in proving it. 

There was very little animosity in skating, or the X-Games world.  Everyone, participants, organisers, and fans alike, were all joined together by the same common thread, the love and excitement of the sport.  One that many didn't consider a "real" sport at all.  They considered it frivolous, dangerous, even.  But certainly, not a real sport.  Tell that to Tony Hawk, or Rodney Mullen, now multimillionaires, inspirations to millions of young skateboarders around the globe, with established empires and an iconic status that would be the envy of those in any sports discipline.  

Larry stood on the edge, high above the concrete bowl watching the people that would, on any other day, be considered his competition.  He stood, his back foot steadying his board, his front foot ready to push his body into the abyss.  He took a minute to inhale a huge lungful of sea air, as he looked across the six miles of the dark blue ocean, the pale blue sky, to the horizon beyond.  As his foot landed gently on the front of his board, for a split second, he was completely level and completely still, just waiting.  Waiting for that adrenaline to kick in, for his heart to gather pace, for his mind to free itself, of anything else but this.  As his acid drop pulled him over the edge, and he plunged vertically down the 18 foot drop to the concrete below, he flew.  He felt free as a bird.  Maybe that's why he did this, he thought.  It was as close to flying as he could get.

He finished his run with high fives all round.  See, even on a practice day, having fun, he and his teammates, his competition, were one and the same.  Free flying hearts in a concrete jungle.

And he fucking loved it. 

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LAURENT

"Tammy, come and get your tray of drinks, please."  Laurent held one of the cups up high, so she would get a clue.  She was new, and probably wouldn't be back tomorrow.  It was the height of the summer season, and San Diego was more that usually crammed with people.  Not just vacationers either, the X-Games was in town, so it was twice as busy in Laurent's own little slice of heaven.  He needed competent, efficient but friendly staff he could rely on.  Tammy had come recommended by a "friend", who may not be a friend after today.  Just needed to palm her off onto someone else, more like. 

Laurent owned and managed Blue Mountain, the hippest, quirkiest, most frequented, and considered the best coffee shop on the San Diego city coastline.  It was large and spacious, yet was cozy and welcoming.  Every multi-coloured table and chair, both inside and out, was occupied.  The coffee was, of course, fabulous, roasted and ground in house, so the smell hit you sideways as soon as you walked in the door.  It wafted it's way outside too, the french doors to the sidewalk and the street never being closed.  The food, all kinds of moreish, snacky grilled sandwiches, amazing colourful salads as befitted the hot weather, and yummy cakes, were all homemade, and were mostly either vegetarian or vegan.  Blue Mountain was THE place to eat, and be seen in San Diego.  

"Tammy !"  Laurent had to yell this time.  "Jaz, can you give this to her please."  He was always behind the long counter, working his little heart out.  And therein lay the problem.  He more often than not worked too hard, and for too long, and his body would tell him as much, only he was apt to ignore it.  But Jaz, his right hand woman, always looked out for him. 

"Go take a few, I can deal"  she told him sternly.  He opened his mouth to object, but closed it again sharpish, thinking better of it.  He hadn't had a break yet today, so, yeah.  "Go !  Go watch the skaters.  You like the sound, it'll make you feel better.  Go watch, go listen."  she smiled.  It was late afternoon, and the crowds were thinning out a bit.  Going home, or back to a hotel.  Take a shower, grab something to eat, then head out again, all dolled up.  A night of excitement, adventure, and debauchery, if they were lucky.  Or not, as the case may be.  

As he crossed the road to the skate park, Laurent gazed across to the horizon on an amazing hot, sunny and cloudless day.  Another one.  Every day was the same.  When it rained, he danced in it, it was euphoric.  But it happened so rarely.  As he watched the skaters, drink in hand, he could make out a small, but familiar approaching figure.  Only he wasn't so small anymore.  He clocked the voluminous fro before anything else.  He was on his board too.  Laurent loved, LOVED, the noise a skate board made on the concrete slab paving.  A double beat, heavy thud, a rhythmic melody, two beats, two notes, one gloriously satisfying sound.  His son stopped abruptly in front of him. 

g-dunk g-dunk ..... g-dunk g-dunk ..... g-dunk g-dunk.

"Hey, dad"

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Hey, guys !  Well, hope you like it so far.  Again, a little different.  There's a lot of me and my son in this one.  We lived in San Diego, so I am very familiar.  My son is an avid skateboarder too, and together we went to many X-Games there.  Hope you like the characters I give our guys in this one.  Tell me, tell me ....... x