Skate Park

It is about 6:30 pm and I sit on a bench in front of the skate park. The skate park is gated all around except one entrance, where they are aloud to leave and walk in with no problem. There are about twenty skaters, all of them males, divided into five sub groups. Each one divided separately through the skate park. One major group containing eight skaters that are located by the entrance, another group of three located by the far left side of the skate park, four are on the half pipe, two are located on the other side of the half pipe, and the last group are in the middle section on the quarter pipe. The biggest group is separated into two, six of them are sitting down on a table having a conversation and two are standing up besides them holding their own conversation. Most of them look around the same age, teens, and one of them looks much older, mid twenties. The other little groups appear to be much younger, early teen age years. I’m not too far from the bigger group, so I could hear some of their conversation. One of them starts the conversation by asking another person if they were at some place at a certain time and the other responds saying he was but he didn’t see him there. Quickly, the conversation tends to switch to a different topic, now I could hear them start talking about someone’s girlfriend. Which comes out to be a little chaotic, because rapidly I would hear them responding with answers like, “Don’t talk about someone if they’re not here!” or “ yea, man!” with an attitude as if they were arguing. The ones who are facing my direction showed mad face expressions but nothing too serious. After some time, another skater wearing a backpack approaches the group, joining the group I am observing. He doesn’t introduce himself and goes straight to the table and takes off his shoes he has on and puts on some worn out shoes. The group splits, everybody leaving the table. Three of them decide to go off to the side and play a game of “skate.” One of them is wearing a blue beanie, a tan t shirt, and black skinny jeans, the other one is wearing black t shirt with a big yellowish number 19 printed on his shirt and some navy blue jeans, and the last one is wearing a blank white t-shirt with some black skinny jeans. They start the game with a game with “rock, paper, scissors,” and the guy with the number 19 wins the match. He then goes of attempting to do his first trick but fails. Slightly after, the guy with the white t-shirt attempts to do his trick but fails too. Last, goes the guy with the beanie and lands his trick with a smooth finish. Now, the other too repeat exactly what his last trick but both of them fail. Beanie tries to go for his second trick but fails to succeed. Beanie then decides to leave the group and sits on the table, while the other two just keep on skating. After a few tricks the other two come back to the table and join beanie. Beanie pulls out a cigarette and starts to smoke. White t-shirt takes out a monster from the backpack and starts to drink while he sits on the table. Number 19 just sits next to white t-shirt and starts having a conversation. Beanie finishes his cigarette and returns to the spot were they were playing skate. The others notice him leave and follow. All three continue their game with their unique routine. After some time they all reunite and cheerfully shake one another’s hand and start heading to the table. Number 19 and white t-shirt head out the gate to the parking lot to their car. They throw their skateboards in the trunk of a yellow Chevy colbat. Number 19 and white t-shirt drive off. Number 19 sticks his hand out and showing the peace sign to beanie. Beanie grabs his backpack and skates his way around the parking lot and heads in the opposite direction.