"What was that?"
"Fuck"
"Are we running out of gas"
"If we were running out of gas we would probably be done by now"
"Fuck I hope this thing doesn't break down"
put... put ....poof.... put ....put...
We pull of at the Millilani Mauka exit, sweating, hoping the Freestyle will come through. It doesn't. At the light the new company van dies....pooof.
I had just picked up Carl from the airport in my new 89 Ford Econoline. Packed with surfboard supplies and tools we head back to the North Shore, planning a stop in Wahiwa to get blanks for all the orders.
Detour.
"Good thing you put our logo on the van Welzie" Carl says sarcastically as we push the van through the intersection. We realize we can't push it up the hill any further, or was it because I ran the wheels into the curb.
Oops.
Freestyle.
Nothing like being stuck in an un-registerd van, holding up the lane. I'm crossing my fingers, hoping a cop doesn't get too curious. Carl runs off to the nearest gas station. I'm sitting in the van trying to figure out how to turn the hazard lights on.
Holding the gas can over his head like he won the Tripple Crown, Carl arrives with a gallon of gas. We drain the can.
Vaaaaarooooooom...
Carl makes some stupid remark about how I need to keep track of the milage because the gas gauge doesn't work.
No shit.
I had topped off the tank yesterday and only drove to town. She must be a gas guzzler. I give 40$ to the cashier. We pump. Over flow. Turns out there is a gas leak in the tank. It only holds 5 gallons. That's 40 miles.
Freestyleing.
We hit up Wahiwa to see our friend Andy, the coolest blank dealer this side of the Mississippi. We all talk some shit, making fun of each other for just about anything.
I love it. I had called a week or so earlier to see what blanks they got, there wasn't much so we made an order, but it would be a few weeks before the blanks would arrive. I didn't want to tell Carl but I was a bit nervous about the blank situation. Calling a few days earlier, the other worker told me there was 2 longboard blanks, one of which with yellow foam.
Booooooo!
We take the tour looking for anything long and green foam. There is. A bunch of it. So stoked. Had there not ben foam we would have been out of luck. Shit out of luck. No shaping, no glassing, nothing.
No Crows.
We make a huge pile of blanks we need and fill the van. Enough flam-able supplies in the thing to make another crater in the Islands. Highs and lows. It's just how you handle them. Whatever happens at that moment, that's what your doing. Go with it.
Confidence while blowing it.
Comfortably uncomfortable.
Conveniently inconvenient.
You won't have any stories if you don't take a chance. Freestyle or Style Free.
-Nick
