I received a skateboard for Christmas 1977. Went to the local car park in the snow and off I went. I thought it was great just to be able to stand going down hill. I met Carl a little while later. I built a deck that was about 4 foot long, 2 off us could go on it. It was nice to lie on. Although you had to watch your nose if you crashed. I ended up with a new deck, some trucks & some GT’s. My mom would not let spend the extra few pounds on Kryptonics. I stopped skate board about 1978/9. I skating once more in 2001 when my son was born. Carl came down & we went to a local Skate park in Northamptonshire. It was great I enjoyed watching everyone & wishing I could do that. Going backwards was foreign to me. Having learned to go one way (I struggled with my Cerebral Palsy to go the other). I’m back in South Africa and have not ventured on a skate board again. I realised my limitations (a bit of a shock), and got a off-road bike – much easier to balance on. As Ben (my son) grows he will be given the opportunity to go skating, - of course Uncle Carl will come & visit & show him all the tricks.