Dawn with silver moon.
Walked into the skatepark a few minutes before it opened at the official local time for dawn. Of course, a police cruiser rolled by just as I did. It’s weird how even a typical patrol passing when I’m stretching out in the skatepark just a couple minutes before opening can spark anxiety.
For a second, I had to look around landscaping that obscured my view to see if they were pulling into the parking lot to bother me about my early bird-ness. They didn’t, and I’m not sure why they would. What a waste of energy to remind a skateboarder what time the park opens.
And this uncertainty and worry from someone who has never had terrible experiences with police or security. I mean, once back in the day, I got stopped and told to “pick it up” while skateboarding on a downtown sidewalk to a friend’s house, but that’s about it.
Even though it will take a long time for those relationships between skaters, irascible citizens* and the police, I shouldn’t worry about it. Skateboarding is not a crime.
And anyway, do you know anyone who wakes up before dawn to do nefarious things on a regular basis? Asking for a friend.
*Irascible citizens can be described as those who not only tattle on skateboarders but who also argue for or against the oxford comma in that sentence. Really, guys, get over it. English will be a dead language eventually. Just listen.
Average Skater 