Observe: The Skater

He was skateboarding by himself in the Circuit City parking lot.
I watched him through the passenger window as I was stopped at the red light.
There was something quiet, beautiful, and slightly pathetic about this lone skateboarder. Why was he alone? And in the parking lot of a closed Circuit City, of all places. Where were his friends? Don’t skaters usually travel in packs? I continued to watch him. He didn't notice me staring. He was alone in his own world.
The boy looked like he was lost in his own thoughts. I wondered what might be going through his mind at that exact moment as I stared. I almost wished I was close enough to see his face. What would those eyes reveal? The possibilities were endless. I lost myself in concentration. Who was he? What was he thinking? What was he doing?
Maybe he was having girlfriend problems. That would definitely drive a teenage boy to detach himself from the world for a while. Did she break up with him? Did he break up with her? Maybe it was just a little argument. They'll make up tomorrow. Or maybe it was just not meant to be. This fight will never be resolved. Maybe she cheated on him, begged for forgiveness, and he just needed some time to consider things and be by himself. Maybe.
Perhaps the trouble was a little closer to home. The poor boy had to do something to get some time away from his siblings; a disliked relative was visiting; he needed some peace from the constant noise. The dog chewed up his skating shoes. He didn't finish his homework. His phone fell into the sink and wouldn't work. He woke up late and missed the school bus, causing him to miss (and fail) an important test. Could it be more than that? Perhaps his parents were going through a nasty divorce, or his grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, or his father was laid off, or his youngest brother was in this hospital. Perhaps.
It could be possible the skater was contemplating life in general. What was right? What was wrong? Did it matter? Did he care? Did they care? Was it worth it? What should he do about this? How would he accomplish that? How could he accomplish it? People everywhere telling him he's wrong or not good enough. Not smart enough. Not strong enough. He could be considering running away. He must want to escape the everyday stress and worry that seem to be so standard in our lives. It's possible.
And yet, maybe he wasn't thinking about anything at all. Just the flip of his board or how much air he could get. Landing the kickflip. Seeing just how much air he can catch. Trying that new trick he saw on Youtube. Feeling the sun warm his skin and the wind cooling it at the same time. Completely content and living in that one moment. Maybe he was just there for the ride.
The car in front of me suddenly moved forward, breaking my reverie. The stoplight had switched to green. I stole a last glance before driving away.
He was still skating.