I Remember

[ This an old FB post I had written a while back yet around Flints anniversary. Yet again that Time is upon us, so as April 9th appraoches here is another story of a fallen "Board Pilot" known as Flint "Busta" Beck. I hope you like enjoy it.]

So last tuesday I got off of work early, after I parked I noticed this oddly familiar sound. As a few second passed I saw two kids bombing down Academy rd in front of my house. An odd pairing, one on a long board and one on a street board rolling down the center of the street. I stood watching them and the memories rushed back to me of a time long ago now. of a time me and Flint would ride the same street at 4am.

I began to focus on the thought of Flint. How long has it been since he passed on? how much longer had it been since me and him had our last ride, Our last meeting with the glory of stupid kids? I remember riding all over this city, Having conversations with each other to pass the time and distance we would roll. I remember sitting with him at 6am discusing our own warped version of philosiphy at the phillips 66 at Montgomery and Eubank. I remember running from the cops for skating, laughing as we out manuverd police cars on our boards. I remember loving riding from sundown to sun up.

Mostly I remember him. I met him at target skating. He was taken back by me and Chuck cause we were local heroes. He was excited when we cheered when he pulled one of his signature silly, abstract moves. I remember changing the word to song to witty, clever sometimes vulgar lyrics. I remeber being able to sit with him at carrows till close dronkin cokes ,coffee and smoking ciggarettes. I remember him caring about me. Beliving in me as I believed in him.

I remeber his funeral, I remeber my wife hugging me as tears rolled down my cheeks looking at his remains. I remeber people, all kinds of people who came to say good bye.

I remember missing him, but mostly I remember the last letter he sent me. A letter when I was in Kuwait. It was a letter sayin how proud of me he was.

I remember never answering.now its too late. I wish I had, I wish I had said something. Now I cant. I remeber wishing that I could saw "I love you" and that I could thank him for being the person he was.

I stood there as the two kids and their sounds faded in to the darkness of the morning. They faded and dissapeared but my memories of Flint and me rollin down Academy may be faded but its still in my mind. I turned away and walked to my apartment wondering if he still thinks of me.

-B