CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Local powder-coater, Don Rockdale (41) has today been presented with the rare opportunity to know what he’s talking about.
After an early knock off from the mid-morning shift at Betoota’s Powder And Respray Centre, Don joined his workmates for a tipple down at the Flight Path Tavern on Daroo street.
As the afternoon wore on, the big fella found himself bored nearly to death with the incessant footy analysis and misinformed opinions about the pandemic – although he still considers this to be a good time.
However, it was around the 6th beer mark where Donnie heard the sweetest sound of all.
The sound of titanium trucks scraping the concrete wheel stops of a public car park.
Not even 50 metres from their beer garden table, Donnie spots three teenagers engaging in his favourite past time – the forgotten art of skateboarding.
Although, from what he’s seen in the first few minutes, they aren’t doing a very good job of it.
His coworkers eventually realise that Donnie hasn’t said a word in ten minutes, and has been glued to the activities of the unsupervised juveniles.
“Everything alright Donnie?”
“You look like you wanna get out there and join in”
Donnie, still quite shy about his past life as a wallet-chain-wearing Nu Metal delinquent, attempts to play down his unmatched knowledge of street action sports.
“Nah” he says.
“It’s nothing… Just having a look”
The workmates leave him to it, and continue arguing over whether or not Samoan NRL players should be allowed to play State Of Origin if they choose to represent their mother country in the rugby league world cup.
That’s until they are interrupted by the giggles of the retired shredder, still staring intently into the pub car park.
“Mate are you alright? Leave em alone.. They’re just kids” says another workmate.
Donnie sneers.
“Yeah… Kids alright”
“Trying to nail a variable heel flip without bringing ya knees in. That’s real kids shit”
His perfect assessment of the failed trick draws much closer attention from his puzzled colleagues.
“And trying to land it with the feet bunched up in the middle like that. This isn’t Tony Hawk mate, you need your feet planted square above the wheels when you’re coming back down”
“What are they doing that close to the curb anyway? I reckon we’re gonna see someone puffing on a green whistle here any minute boys haha”
“I spose that’s how it is nowadays, these kids are learning this shit from TikTok, you can tell. Back in my day it was just a pile of Thrasher mags and some bootleg CKY tapes”
“Anyway, where were we… Yeah.. Yeah how bout the footy aye”
