The following two photos were taken in the winter of, I think, 1987 — maybe 1988. You can tell it was winter by the trees in the background, and I suspect it may have been on Christmas Day because we used to go visit my Granny ‘Kracken in Midwest City each year on Christmas Day after we were done opening our presents. Our Astro Van was (I think) a 1986 model, so think I’m pretty close on my timeline.

My sister took both of these photos, although I don’t remember with whose camera. Both pictures came out remarkably clear, considering (A) I was moving, (B) the camera was most likely cheap (probably disposable), and (C) my sister was at most twelve-years-old.

I remember getting that green flannel shirt for Christmas one year, so Christmas Day makes sense. I had a few pair of loose-fitting black jeans that I skated regularly in, and I sure do miss those puffy little shoes … and my old mullet.

This one’s further away, but you can make out the bottom of my skateboard from here. It was an Alva, Fred Smith III (like this one, but red) with Tracker trucks and Slimeball wheels. I don’t know exactly what trick I was attempting here, although it looks most like a Boneless 180.

Many of the houses in the background of this picture were wiped out in the May 3, 1999 Tornado, which went through the middle of my Grandma’s old neighborhood. Fortunately, her house was spared.