Grom Dec. 2021

by Brian Bowes

It was the last day of school and the first day of Summer.

Grom was running to the skatepark with her brand new Slappy skateboard.

Ahead of her, Biff carved down Blueberry Hill.

“That is so cool!” she said. “I’d love to skate like that.”

“Pffft! I doubt you could,’ said Calamity.

“See, skaters like us have a little secret. It’s called talent.

And you either have it, or you don’t...

and you… don’t.”

Grom huffed and tossed her board down. “How hard could it be?”

“AAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” *Skerrrrrrrrrrrckt!*

*SPAAAALOOOOOOOSH!”*

“Ugh,” said a soggy Grom, ‘I wish I knew the secret of skateboarding.” *Floomph* “It’s no secret,” said Slappy.

“Simply start by doing what you can do.

Then you’ll be doing what you couldn’t do.

Until one day, ...

you’ll be doing things that you’ve only imagined could be done.” *Ska-Tact* Slappy hovered in midair.

“Th-that was impossible!” said Grom.

“Th-that’s impossible!” saidwas Grom.

“No,” smiled Slappy. “That an Ollie – an Impossible is a totally “That,” said Slappy, “was an Ollie – an Impossible is a totally different different trick.” trick.”

Then with a wink and a nod, he disappeared.

Grom blinked.

“Yo! That bail was epic!” said Scooter.

Grom blinked again.

“Were you just talking to your skateboard?” asked Knucks.

Grom blushed, “Um, maybe?”

Together they walked down to the skatepark.

“Don’t worry,” said Knucks “we’ll show you around.”

“Try rolling in,” said Scooter. “Just lean forward and...” *Whooosh*

Grom pushed forward...

*ZWOOP-BANG!*

“Maybe lean a little further forward?” teased Knucks.

Grom got up. “I’ll do it this time!”

And she did.

Grom and her friends skated at the park nearly every day.

“Skate-train” shouted Scooter!

“This is like follow-the-leader,” said Knucks, “but cooler.”

Grom’s skating improved with each session.

Grom loved skateboarding.

Autumn was in the air and Grom was feeling a little wild.

“Let’s skate down Blueberry Hill!” she blurted.

“Pffft,” said Calamity. “The day you skate down Blueberry Hill, is the day I’ll eat my shoe.”

Surprising even herself, Grom thrust out her hand. “OK! You’ve got a deal.”

Calamity squinted and frowned as they shook hands.

Grom gulped as she looked down Blueberry Hill.

“What am I going to do now?” *Floomph* Slappy chuckled. “What about doing what you did with your friends at the park?”

As Grom remembered the good times and fun feelings, a big smile grew across her face.

She blinked, pushed forward and howled....

“Yaaahhaaaahhaaaahhooooieeee!”

Below all the skaters were whooping and hollering, except for Calamity who was scowling.

“I don’t need her to make me look like a fool,” said Calamity.

Then he did a most dastardly deed.

“Watch out!” shouted Grom’s friends.

But she was going much too fast to carve around the board.

Grom crouched, and with one fluid motion …

“YO! That was awesome!” shouted Scooter.

“That was radical!” cheered Knucks.

“Th-that was impossible!” spluttered Calamity.

“Nope,” said Grom, “that was an Ollie – an Impossible is a totally different trick.”

“That was so cool!” said Biff. “Will you show me how to Ollie?”

“Sure,” grinned Grom, “but you’ll have to practice.”