I rolled into class with sparkling new skateboard exclusivity. Straight not forward. Hard and soft boiled. No need to give a fuck when you care so much. Somehow, I made sense of all that nonsense.
The Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1mBPjrBxxo), The Misfits, SNFU, The Dead Milkmen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53VTzocyVNc), Drunk Injuns, Screeching Weasel, The Faction (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjPiZ2oHOls), The Adolescents, Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, DRI, TSOL (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpZJLjrb4vU), DI(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ZSxDdENPA&feature=related), MDC… and then there was FDS! Flying Dead Skin and I don't know why(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcYzXcR_XI&feature=youtu.be). I skated and I did my homework. Soft hands and into all that shit. Awkward with the girls, awkward with myself. Totally in control!
We cleaned out the swimming pool at school. We skated it all summer. It didn't matter that we might have to run from the cops. We put hairs in our burgers and made a scene to get new burgers.
I had an art show in the library. Twisted, psychedelic, pop, madness in jarring bold colors and line. Fan of Dada. Fan of the Surreal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd6ahj6k4_4).
While doing my homework in the library the principle swiped the hat off my head. instinctively I swiped it back. He swiped it, I swiped it, and then the pushing began. Outside he apologized. Inside I received a standing ovation.
There were jocks and nerds and punks and geeks and dorks and twerps and skaters and art fags and fags and dykes and posers and losers and dicks and pussy's. Usually you were a mix. When the tag became too unbearable it was pointed out immediately by everyone.
I was a brown kid in a suburban, northern californian, middle class. I read marvel comic books (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmUykVY1ZZk) and painted D&D figures(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31AU2treBQ4). My mom was the crossing guard for everyone I grew up with.
While walking through the quad, after getting kicked out of my math class for helping students, I ran into the new bully. He was big. I'm still 5'7". He said "What do you think you're doing walking through the quad." I said "Ok, you want to do this, let's do this." I took my backpack off and looked at him. He looked at me, he looked at the leader of the football team. John said "I'd get out of his way." The new bully looked at me and stepped aside.
I wasn't very tough. I didn't like to get messed with. I was goofy, silly mostly. My dad was a fireman. He taught me to swim by throwing me in a lake. I still love to swim. I still love my dad. Sure he didn't "Get IT". Sure he wanted me to join the "Military". I worked for the City of San Jose Parks and Recreation. It was fun! I was able to afford new skateboards, rent a practice space, and dye my hair(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R_PXhCv3ws) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nYktHyMKEQ&feature=related).
So, you know… a lot like high school nowadays.
- Joseph Demaree
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