LDS

Thrasher Magazine, Nov, 2004 by Johnny Marr

God I love skating. I've been on a stereotypically lame road trip with my family across the most boring states for the last few weeks. In the weeks preceeding, or more accurately the whole summer and every spare moment I've had, I've been skating with friends, pausing only to eat and sleep. I don't tire of the routine. I've been yearning to return to my precious monotony for the whole trip. As I write this, 30,000-feet above the ground on the napkin my peanuts were served with, we are experiencing harsh turbulence. With one hand steadying my Pepsi from tipping and the other racing across this napkin, I pour my soul out in response to the realization I just had.

When the turbulence began. I had been mentally frontside boardsliding the rail at my local park. As the turbulence progressed from drinks spilling to the fat chick across the aisle cascading to the floor, the first thoughts of fear entered my mind. What surprised even myself was that those first thoughts had not been about my family or anyone, but the nightmare that I would never be able to backside lipslide that rail, nosegrind that box, or push down to the liquor store again. Mormonism happens to be the dominate religion in my community. They will say that anything addictive is unwelcome. When I started skating, I gave up team sports and my grades dropped accordingly. Having become the scum of society, I couldn't he happier. Father, I have sinned. I love skating.

Johnny Marr

Honolulu, Hawaii