Page 15 of Rebel Heart
Grinning at him, I said, “I did. And I have to tell you just how impressed I am. You’re amazing.”
“Thanks. I didn’t know you were here, but I’m glad to know I didn’t leave you disappointed. This probably would’ve been a terrible experience for you if I couldn’t land a single trick.”
At that moment, the crowd let out a groan of concern. Beau and I both looked toward the stair set, where one of the skaters had just tucked and rolled his body out of the fall he’d taken.
When Beau returned his attention to me, I replied, “I think, if it’s anything like that, it would be you who’d havea far worse experience than me. Gosh, these falls look terrible.”
He laughed. “Yeah, we take some hard slams. But it’s all in good fun, and it never stops us from getting back up and trying again.”
“I’ve noticed that. It’s impressive.”
“Excuse me?” At the interruption, Beau turned to his side and found a teenage boy standing there looking a little stunned. “Beau Easton, you’re my favorite skater of all time. Would you mind signing my board for me?”
“Sure, man.” He took the paint marker and the board from the teen and signed. “How long have you been skating?”
“This is my third year,” the teen answered.
“Yeah? So, you’re enjoying it, then. What’s the toughest trick you can do?”
The boy considered Beau’s question. “Well, I guess it depends on where I’m skating, but on a ledge, a nollie front side nose slide.”
“In three years? That’s awesome. What do you want to learn next?”
“Everything.” The boy smiled. “But I’m really excited to learn both a heelflip front boardslide and a backside blunt slide on a rail.”
Beau smiled and handed the board and marker back to the teen. “Impressive. Well, you keep at it, and you’ll get there in no time.”
“Thank you so much. It was so cool to meet you. Can I get a picture with you?”
“Of course.”
The kid turned, held out his phone, and snapped a selfie with Beau.
After he walked off, Beau returned his attention to me. “Sorry.”
I waved it off. “Don’t apologize. That’s so amazing.”
It was likely those two minutes would have little impact on Beau’s life, but it was clear they meant everything to that kid. The way Beau took the time not only to sign the board and take the photo but to also talk to the teenager about his skating journey warmed my heart.
I’d had some concerns last week about how quick I was to trust this guy, but somehow, he made me feel at ease. Witnessing what I just did, it finally made sense.
Beau was just a good guy.
He was fun and laidback and didn’t look at himself as being too good for those who didn’t have the same level of skill as him.
Apparently, even though I had initially believed based on his outward appearance that there was something that made him seem just a bit rough around the edges, the man he was deep down was the opposite. It made me that much more excited about the possibilities ahead for us.
“I hate to just leave you here like this, but I kind of have to?—”
“Go,” I urged him. “I’m here to watch you skate. We can talk later.”
Beau offered a nod of appreciation in return. “You’re awesome, Jules.”
He didn’t give me a chance to respond before he tookoff. And for the next hour or so, I watched Beau skating with his teammates and interacting with his fans. Surprisingly, the time flew by, and the crowd dispersed as folks made their way over to the tents and displays set up to meet their favorite skaters and get photos or autographs.
I hung back, found a discreet place to sit and watch kids and adults skating around the park, and waited for Beau to have a few free minutes.
It didn’t matter that I didn’t know anything about skateboarding. I was entertained watching others do it, so I never once felt bored waiting for Beau.
