The Gilded and the Gold - Short Story

DANIEL WAS THE BEST SKATEBOARDER in San Antonio. His knack for smoothness and tendency to rarely fall earned him silent respect at the many spots in the hot area. Being that it was summer, Daniel traversed from schoolyard to what-not throughout the Texas temperatures. He preferred the lonely route.

About halfway through the season, his board got away from him--and he found himself stumbling around the yard, barely trambulatory. Eventually he collapsed on his side on the edge of a basketball court. Daniel's eyes shown with acute fear the whole time, and after 20 minutes he managed to get up. He found his board and made it home somehow.

The next morning he awoke feeling fine, but decided to visit his family's physician anyway. The woman doctor could not detect any faults with Daniel, but he pleaded with her that he needed help--he was afraid for what had happened the day before. Seeing that he didn't smoke or drink, the nurse agreed that there probably was something wrong with the top skater. She sent him to a specialist hospital in the next town. There Daniel underwent numerous tests; they found nothing wrong with him, he was in very good shape.

There was another half of summer to live up to. Daniel ate right and hit the streets, being careful not to get over-heated; this lent to his precision, onlookers agreed. Boink, pop, snap, whip.. the best San Antonio had to offer, better than most foreigners too. The gilded ended up at a small schoolyard near the downtown, finishing up the daylight with activity As he pushed around thinking about nothing, it was the same sort of nausea that began to return. With his sound mind he ignored it until it overcame him ruthlessly, and he fell down for the first time that day.

He lay there for a long time, opening and closing his eyes, breathing slightly. A wan and thin girl named Becky happened to be walking by the yard during Daniel's unwelcome rest. She was on her way to get cigarettes and seeds but changed course when she saw the fallen skater. Having always felt too inferior before his abilities to approach the town's best in the past, she now, with careful steps, was able. She checked his pulse and his eyes opened. They looked hollow. She ran her fingers through his hair, and patted his cheeks--the boy sat up and she started peacefully talking to him.

Becky put Daniel on a bench he had worn out, then went to the store. The summer was an okay time. The two walked to Becky's house and watched a movie starring Al Pacino. He looked like he was feeling better, so Becky asked him a few questions.

"So, skateboard master, what is the matter? Have you been to see a doctor? Is it from the heat?"

"No, not the heat, I keep a low pace. They couldn't find anything wrong at the hospital...they checked my brain, my body, my blood."

"Maybe you should stop skating?"

"No, I just couldn't; it means too much to me. The city would miss me.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"I had one a long time ago, but after that I got into skateboarding. All I do is skate by myself and watch movies."

"I smoke a lot, and plant flowers...and go to stores. Listen, I want to start hanging out with you. I think you need the company. There's something wrong with you, and there's too much at stake here. You're too good."

"Okay, yeah you're right."

The next afternoon Becky enjoys several cigarettes on the playground while she enthusiastically watched a caustic Daniel ride the lot. His precision is renowned, and it really impresses her. She wonders where she has been, now that she's seeing it all close up.

"You're really good," she shouts.

But when he goes for a hairy maneuver he actually crashes. It's bad. She runs over.

"No, it's alright, I'm fine."

She goes back to the monkey bars. But then Daniel doesn't seem in the mood anymore. He coasts around with his hands on his knees, looking to the ground. Becky puts her cigarette out. He steps off his board, and wobbles over to the sand trap.

"Becky, help me," he pleads, reaching an arm out. Becky hugs him and helps him get to the basement of her house. She is out of words by now and tends to him with a warm clothe. He pants on the couch, his eyes half open, his favorite movie playing in the background. Soon an ambulance arrives and the two kids go to the hospital. By the time they get there Daniel is feeling much better, but they go ahead and do some different kinds of tests. Becky tells the doctors what happened, but they confer that his health is above perfect. The skateboarder is discharged.

Daniel sleeps many hours and eats as healthy a breakfast as possible before walking his board over to his new friend's. Becky is glad to see him, and they get to know each other in the kitchen. The air conditioning keeps them in good spirits despite little differences like music and favorite colors. Daniel doesn't really have a way with women, so he decides to just tell her straight out.

"Becky, I've got to tell you, I've just been skateboarding my whole childhood; I've never kissed a girl before."

"Never?"

"No. I'm afraid of love, it can lead to bad things, at least in the movies."

"Love is okay, maybe it can help you."

"Would you let me kiss you?"

She leads him to her room, and they make out casually--then lay around in silence.

"Do you mind if I go across the street to skate?"

"Okay, but be careful. I'll watch you from the window."

The air outside is a little humid, and there are no clouds to see. Daniel sees the state bird on a bough. He goes about mustering up his favorite flatground line, then takes to a bench before settling on making up something new, being inspired. Becky's phone rings. It's Daniel's physician. The news is kind of sketchy Pending all the research and discussions at the hospital, they have concluded that Daniel suffers from a disorder or some kind of malady that is entirely undetectable, and doesn't have a name. "We don't know what's wrong with him, and we may never know, but we'd like him to come in again so we can do a comprehensive study, and hopefully try to come up with a name for his trauma."

"Okay, I'll tell him. Bye."

Becky sighs, checks her pack, and finds none left. She gathers some change and heads outside. Not having smoked in 10 minutes, she hangs her head and rambles towards the store.

COPYRIGHT 2002 High Speed Productions, Inc
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group