as a teen i could surf and skate; do what i wanted.

i was allowed to study whatever, run till the dawn.

as i grew older, the options list grew shorter.

where once as a kid, my toes would be flushed with sand, now hold those friends of mine whose names are written in surf wax under damn near every lifeguard tower from Washington to Australia.

at 12 years old, among friends, we promised to scatter each other ashes if we died.

sadly, at this point it was "if we died", came true.