Copyright © 2008 Lesley Choyce
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Choyce, Lesley, 1951-
Skate Freak / written by Lesley Choyce.
(Orca currents)
ISBN 978-1-55469-043-5 (bound).âISBN 978-1-55469-042-8 (pbk.)
I. Title. II. Series.
PS8555.H668S49 2008Â Â Â Â jC813â.54Â Â Â Â C2008-903218-7
Summary: Quinn Dorfman is struggling at school and is watching his family deteriorate and, since moving to a new town, has trouble enjoying his passion, skateboarding.
First published in the United States, 2008
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008929088
Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.
Cover design by Teresa Bubela
Cover photography by Getty Images
Orca Book Publishers                               Orca Book Publishers
PO Box 5626, Station BÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PO Box 468Â Â
Victoria, BC Canada                                   Custer, WA USA
V8R 6S4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 98240-0468
www.orcabook.com
Printed and bound in Canada.
Printed on 100% PCW recycled paper.
11  10  09  08 â¢Â  4  3  2  1
For Jody
chapter one
If itâs worth doing, do it. If itâs not worth doing, do it anyway
. Thatâs my motto. It keeps me going.
Leaving Willis Harbor knocked the wind out of me. Moving to the city was not my idea. I liked my old hometown by the sea. I had lots of time to myself. I had the sea. I had my skateboard. I was the only skate-boarder in that small town. And I had the rocks, the Ledges, as theyâre called. At theLedges I pictured myself as the boy with wings. The Wingman.
Thatâs not what they called me in the city. The guys I met at the skate park on the commons tried out a whole lot of names on me. But the one that stuck was this: Freak. Skate Freak.
That first Friday afternoon it was crowded at the downtown skate park. Everybody knew each other. There were kids on Razors, rollerblades, mountain bikes, freewheelers and, of course, skate-boards. The skaters ruled. The other kids were just in the way. And the skatersâwell, some of them were good.
Iâd never skated a real skate park, not a manmade one anyway. Back home, I had the main road, a paved roadside ditch, one church railing andâthe big challengeâthe Ledges. The city had half-pipes and railings just for skaters (unreal!) and more curved concrete than Iâd ever seen. At least Iâd found
something
about this ugly place that I liked.
Skateboarding always made me feel in groove, totally chilled and high-wired at the same time. At the skate park, though, I felt none of that. I slapped my board down, kicked for speed and dropped into the middle of the bowl. Way too many people were zigzagging crazy patterns back and forth. It was madness.
I was getting some nasty looks. But I couldnât leave, even though that was what those ugly staring
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Choyce, Lesley, 1951-
Skate Freak / written by Lesley Choyce.
(Orca currents)
ISBN 978-1-55469-043-5 (bound).âISBN 978-1-55469-042-8 (pbk.)
I. Title. II. Series.
PS8555.H668S49 2008Â Â Â Â jC813â.54Â Â Â Â C2008-903218-7
Summary: Quinn Dorfman is struggling at school and is watching his family deteriorate and, since moving to a new town, has trouble enjoying his passion, skateboarding.
First published in the United States, 2008
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008929088
Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.
Cover design by Teresa Bubela
Cover photography by Getty Images
Orca Book Publishers                               Orca Book Publishers
PO Box 5626, Station BÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PO Box 468Â Â
Victoria, BC Canada                                   Custer, WA USA
V8R 6S4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 98240-0468
www.orcabook.com
Printed and bound in Canada.
Printed on 100% PCW recycled paper.
11  10  09  08 â¢Â  4  3  2  1
For Jody
chapter one
If itâs worth doing, do it. If itâs not worth doing, do it anyway
. Thatâs my motto. It keeps me going.
Leaving Willis Harbor knocked the wind out of me. Moving to the city was not my idea. I liked my old hometown by the sea. I had lots of time to myself. I had the sea. I had my skateboard. I was the only skate-boarder in that small town. And I had the rocks, the Ledges, as theyâre called. At theLedges I pictured myself as the boy with wings. The Wingman.
Thatâs not what they called me in the city. The guys I met at the skate park on the commons tried out a whole lot of names on me. But the one that stuck was this: Freak. Skate Freak.
That first Friday afternoon it was crowded at the downtown skate park. Everybody knew each other. There were kids on Razors, rollerblades, mountain bikes, freewheelers and, of course, skate-boards. The skaters ruled. The other kids were just in the way. And the skatersâwell, some of them were good.
Iâd never skated a real skate park, not a manmade one anyway. Back home, I had the main road, a paved roadside ditch, one church railing andâthe big challengeâthe Ledges. The city had half-pipes and railings just for skaters (unreal!) and more curved concrete than Iâd ever seen. At least Iâd found
something
about this ugly place that I liked.
Skateboarding always made me feel in groove, totally chilled and high-wired at the same time. At the skate park, though, I felt none of that. I slapped my board down, kicked for speed and dropped into the middle of the bowl. Way too many people were zigzagging crazy patterns back and forth. It was madness.
I was getting some nasty looks. But I couldnât leave, even though that was what those ugly staring
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