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ASK
THE
DOCTOR
With Rick Blackhart
A Vallejo sunset silhouettes Shawn Martin's offic to grab
FAMILY UNFAIR
I'm getting real sick of all these skaters
writing in complaining that they're getting
harassed and are thinking of quitting, so
here's a little story for ya. I just got into
skating this summer and, just between you
and me, I ain't the greatest. Still, I keep try-
ing and I'm getting better. I told my dad I
wanted to get a skate and he blew up. He
said if I wasted my money on a "sissy
skateboard" he'd stop giving me any extra
cash I needed, take away the car that he
bought me and throw me out. Needless to
say I was pretty bummed. After some
thought I figured skating was more impor-
tant than money, a car, or a place to live.
So I ordered a set up shipped to a friend's
house real secret-like.
My board finally arrived and I was out
skating when down the road came my
brother's truck. I figured I'd show him my
new "toy." Well, the suprise was on me
because driving the truck was none other
than Mr. Skate Harassment, my dad. He flip-
ped out when he saw my skate.
The doctors say I'm healing fine and
of skating; I ignored them.
I had no money; I got a job.
I liked a certain girl; I asked her out.
My board broke too soon; I bought a
different one.
The police chased me; I ran..
I couldn't dress hip; I dressed stupidly.
The parents said, "No skating without
better grades. I studied.
The above answers to the problems are
not the most original, just the most obvious.
There is no easy way out. If someone has
one, they're lucky. One shouldn't look for
a miracle cure in your articles. If the situa-
tion is unworkable, tough. It isn't really any
of my business, but stupidity bothers me.
Eric "Big Fat Nickname" Reid
Tempe, AZ
should be up and skating real soon. I don't
have as much extra money as before, but
thanks to my mom I still have a place to live.
My brother tells me that my dad may
actually consider acknowledging that I'm
alive sometime in the next year or two. All
in all it's a small price to pay. The moral of
this story is: No matter how rough the
harassment, just keep skating and make
others relate
Still Skating
Johnstown, PA
Well, you went with your gut and ended
up getting punched in it. Maybe you
should invite your dad to try dropping in
on your "sissy skateboard."
PROBLEM CHILD
Stupidity bothers me too, bro,
especially since common sense is so
easy to learn!
I've been skating for a few years and have
been reading your articles for as long. A lot
of people who write in seem to have mega
problems but no common sense. Here are
some solutions I've learned that I'll try to
pass on to your readership.
BREAKLESS ONE
There is a problem thousands of skaters
have that you've never given a clear solu-
tion for. I'm talking about premature board
breakage. If skaters follow these three easy
steps, I guarantee there will almost never
again be a broken deck. Step One: When
doing any kind of jump trick (ie. ollies, airs,
footplants) always land with your weight
equally distributed and your body directly
over the board. Step Two: Land all jump
tricks rolling instead of just straight up and
down. Step Three: Always land with your
feet over the trucks. This is always possible
to do and of extreme importance. So there
you have the only foolproof way of saving
your deck.
Shane Larsen
Santa Rosa, CA
You blew it, Shane. The reason I've
never given a direct clue on how not to
break your deck is because of the pay off
I was receiving to keep it a secret. Some
companies count on board breakage to
stay in business.
No, really, I was counting on most
skaters learning how to stand and land
on their own. Hell, I broke hundreds of
models before I learned how to shoot a
board out of a pool into the spectators
instead of back into the pool.
Thanks anyway, though. You should
also try not to land straight legged. Not
only do you look like a dwid, but you need
to stay crouched to absorb most of the
shock. With bent knees you can leave
your feet wherever you want. Don't worry
about moving them in mid mega-ollie.
The only thing worse than a broken
board is a shabby wardrobe. Stop illin',
get the proven cure for fashion malaise.
Send $10.75 (postage and handling
included) to: Thrasher, Ask The
Doctor t-shirt, P.O. Box 884570,
My peers bugged me about the stupidity S.F., CA 94188-4570.
Steve Douglas
MODEL OUT NOW!
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