It’s Friday night. I get an invitation to a private warehouse skate session. Upon arriving I scope out the lot and can see that my connect is not yet present. However, the roll up door is open and the familiar clickity clack sounds coming from inside tell me the session is already on. I grab my skate and head inside. As I approach there is a pause from within the building. Skaters look at me, then look to each other seeking recognition on someone’s face to explain my presences. When there is none an awkward moment hangs in the air until a kick flip breaks the silence and the session resumes. With all the skaters focused on their own tricks I’m left in the doorway with a choice; head to the car and wait for my friend to arrive as proof that I was indeed invited, or simply barge the session.

I’m not the type to sit around when there are ramps to be ridden so I head to the empty bowl and warm up. I stick with my basic tricks, 50-50s, frontside ollies, yada yada. As I loosen up and begin busting a few more tricks out of my bag I can feel that eyes are on me and hear a few skate claps in the background. I get the feeling that even tough no one knows who I am or why I’m here that I’ve earned my ticket in with a few tricks. But the thing is that no one says a word to me. There is no “hello.” No, “my name is.” Not even a what’s up nod from one single person. I think “forget it this private warehouse with its well designed layout, obviously a training facility for a clothing line’s skate team, is too good to pass up.” I’m not about to let some weird vibe rob me of a killer time. So I skate. I skate the bowl alone and then join the boys on the street course. I take turns, follow edict, pull some good tricks, and still not a word. I felt like a ghost. I am somehow accepted but never really acknowledged.

Just then I hear the rumble of my friend’s diesel truck outside. With in seconds he’s inside giving high fives and greeting his buddies. He walks over to me and says, “guys this is Mandy, she rips.” And with that simple statement I receive nods, waves, and a few wad ups. A skater resting near by asks how long I’ve been skating. All of a sudden I’m a human being again. Common courtesy granted now that my homie gave permission. I was now allowed to have conversations with these guys that I’d just spent forty-five min. skating with in silence. Thing is that they all turned out to be really nice people. I enjoyed getting to know them and even went out for drinks with them after words.

What I want to know is what if my buddy never showed up that night? Would I have been ignored all night? What if I was just learning to skate, just starting out? If I was spotted struggling with a kick turn in the bowl would I have been stopped and asked to leave? Why is it ok to vibe people so hard in this sport that I LOVE? Even in a group of nice people common courtesy is not common. Why do we leave our manners at home when we go skate?

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