Letting Go
Yahiko was at the end of his rope. He new all he ever wanted now was to skate. He ended up sending any store with the name skateboard in the title a "sponsor me" tape to get some "Hey you are our new AM." Anybody to give him a chance.
He found one.
Kenshin out in California. He said he had potential… now all he needed was to convince his father. He decided to sit him at the kitchen table for a "chat". He new it'd just be another shouting match about how he was going nowhere.
"It's the only way I can get someplace." Yahiko protested.
"I really couldn't give a shit."
"Dad I talked to him. Kenshin says if I win this competition I can prove myself and get sponsored."
"Get sponsored? Who pays your rent and food? We sponsor you."
"That's not the same thing, you got to understand. There has to be a way we can compromise."
"Yeah, you can't go to California and that's all there is to it. That's the compromise."
"Dad, this is my shot, my one chance!"
"I really can care less and don't you raise your voice at me boy."
"Dad just understand what this could mean…"
"John, let him go." Protested Yahiko's mother.
"Now don't you start too. I've had enough."
"Dad, just listen. I have money for the plane ticket. Kenshin will lodge me and feed me. If I get this…" Yahiko started to sound apathetic in his speech "I'll be able to do what I always wanted."
"Skate skate skating! That's all I hear! If this gets you off my case then so be it! Good god I'm tired of all this nonsense."
"Then you'll let me go?"
"On one condition. If you fail. If you don't get this. Promise me you'll hang it up. No more. You'll be a man. Help me around the place. No more skateboarding. Not ever. If you fail."
"Deal."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Why so hasty?"
"I'm not being hasty."
"What if you fail?"
"Thing is dad. I'm not going to fail."
Yahiko left the kitchen and headed for his room. He looked around and saw how little he owned. The posters on his walls were all the cut outs of magazines from Transworld, Skateboarder, and Thrasher hiding his ugly blue paint. His bed was a single in the corner with white sheets. He looked at his bed, he was the only one who ever slept in it. No girl had eevr shared it with him. He longed for something like that but this wasn't the time. He looked down to see in the corner, like some ominous force drawing him, it was his board.
I have to get this.
I can get this.