Skateboard Tough by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online Page A

Weatherspoon’s backyard.
    The brand-new blacktop was terrific to skate on. Brett did a dozen various freestyle tricks while Mrs. Weatherspoon sat on the stoop, watching him. He was alone so far, the first kid ever to skate on her rink, and it looked as though she was enjoying herself as much as he was. Who would’ve known that behind that quiet, solemn face lurked one of the kindest, most generous persons he’d ever known?
    He did a Gymnast Plant on a ramp, then a High Air, launching as high as he could off the edge of the ramp; his landing was greeted by an explosion of sound from the entrance of the rink. Wheeling to a stop, he saw that some of the guys had arrived and were giving him a hand for the High Air.
    He laughed, and waved them in.
    “Hey! This is great!” one of the guys cried, pushing off on his skateboard and going into a trick. Others echoed the cry.
    “Thank that lady over there!” Brett yelled, pointing at Mrs. Weatherspoon. “This is her place!”
    “Thanks, Mrs. Weatherspoon!” the guys all yelled at the same time.
    She just sat there, answering their thanks with a pleased smile and a gentle wave of her hand.
    “Just be careful,” she cautioned.
    “Don’t worry! We will!” they replied.
    Brett wasn’t surprised when he saw W.E. introduce himself to Mrs. Weatherspoon and sit down beside her. No doubt, knowing W.E.’s talkative nature, they’d become good friends in no time.
Mrs. Weatherspoon would probably learn more about skateboarding than she ever cared to,
Brett mused.
    In seconds, half a dozen kids were performing tricks on the blacktopped surface and on the ramps. The sound of their wheels and trucks was music to Brett’s ears, and he wondered if Mrs. Weatherspoon shared his feeling. It certainly looked that way.
    Brett saw a familiar face looking on from the gate that led into the yard. He stopped in the middle of a Kick Turn and motioned to Johnee Kale to come and join them.
    Johnee hesitated for a few seconds, then he put one foot onto his skateboard and pushed off. In no time he was performing wheelies, Ho-ho’s, and Shoot the Ducks.
    “Isn’t this great?” Brett called to him.
    “It’s super!” Johnee cried happily, swinging into a One-Wheel 360.
    Brett grinned as he watched him, then duplicated the move and sprang into another, a two-handed handstand and then a Hand Plant. Then he leaned down, grabbed the ends of his skateboard, and
did a complete somersault,
landing perfectly back on the blacktop without losing his balance.
    Whistles, cheers, and applause greeted him as he pushed off toward a vacant ramp, zoomed up on it, and performed a 360 aerial, a complete spin in the air, similar to the somersault, but much higher.
    Again applause followed.
    Johnee and Brett exchanged a high five, then Johnee’s eyes swept past Brett’s left shoulder. “Hey, look who just came in. Your old buddy.”
    Brett turned. “Yeah,” he said, as he saw Kyle Robinson coming in with his skateboard. “Guess we made so much noise he couldn’t help but hear it.”
    He almost wished that Mrs. Weatherspoon wouldn’t let Kyle in, but she didn’t know him any more or less than she knew the other kids. They were all skateboarders to her.
    “Join in, young man,” she invited him. “Let’s see what you can do. Just don’t do anything too fancy that might get you hurt, that’s all I ask.”
    “Thanks, ma’am,” Kyle said, and pushed off onto the rink.
    “Punk.” Brett snorted, and headed toward one of the ramps. He shot up on it, and landed backwards on the blacktop after twisting The Lizard into a 180-degree turn.
    “Brett!” he heard a shrill voice cry out. “Oh, Brett!”
    “Mrs. Weatherspoon’s calling you,” one of the kids said.
    Brett wheelied to a stop and saw her motioning to him. Wondering what she wanted, he shot off toward her. “Yes, Mrs. Weatherspoon?” he asked as he came to an abrupt stop in front of her.
    She leaned forward and said softly, her voice low