SIGHTS
A large structure consisting of a combination of obstacles and challenges (bowls, quarter pipes, half pipes, walls, banks, fun boxes, pyramids, rails, stairs, benches) that can be rearranged, concrete and wooden construction, a flat deck at the top of some obstacles, a perimeter fence, skateboarders and inline skaters, bikers on BMX bikes, kids on scooters, people standing and watching along the decks, skaters sporting earbuds and various bits of safety gear (elbow pads, knee pads, helmets), long shadows falling into the bowls, graffiti on the walls, plain gray concrete or concrete that has been painted to look like graffiti, lights for night skating, garbage cans, a beginner’s area where new skaters can learn and the obstacles are not as challenging, foam pits for falling into when learning a new trick, landscaping plants and sidewalks around the park, painted lines to demarcate the edges of obstacles, a small building containing restrooms and gear rentals, chain link fencing, skaters sitting on obstacles and watching, concessions or vending machines, riders with cuts and scrapes, a skater tending to a bleeding gash before heading back out again, friends filming a run with a cellphone to upload to social media later
SOUNDS
Rolling skateboard wheels, the rhythmic sound of someone going by on rollerblades, boards sliding along rails and clanging when they touch the ground, rattling wheels, the thump and slide of a rider falling, a clattering skateboard, birds chirping, people chatting, exclamations and cheers when someone completes a difficult stunt, the gritty sound of wheels rolling over sand, a thump-thump noise when skating over a seam in the concrete, nearby urban sounds (cars passing, dogs barking, doors slamming shut), cell phones ringing, music spilling out of someone’s earbuds
SMELLS
Wet concrete, cigarette or pot smoke, sweat, body odor, hot pavement and melting tar, fresh spray paint
TASTES
Gum, candy, cigarettes, water, soda, takeout food
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
The bumpy feel of one’s wheels rolling over concrete, wheels gliding smoothly over wooden sections or thumping over a seam in the concrete, one’s body slamming into the ground, scraping one’s skin on the rough concrete, a board sliding over a metal rail or bouncing down a flight of steps, the stomach-dropping sensation of catching air, gripping the board with one’s shoes, heat rising off the concrete, jerking sideways to avoid another skater, loose clothing catching on an obstacle, wind whipping through one’s hair and pulling at one’s clothing, hair sliding into one’s face, the tight feel of pads strapped to one’s elbow and knee joints, a sweaty helmet, hitching up shorts that are too loose in the waist, adjusting padding that slips, probing painful scrapes or bruises and then taping oneself up for another run
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Physical injuries
Peer pressure
Unhealthy competitiveness
Skating without proper safety equipment
Skating when one’s common sense is inhibited (while angry or frustrated, while under the influence, in the aftermath of a traumatic event)
Using faulty equipment
Skating in a park that hasn’t been maintained
Gang or drug activity at a park
Drug dealers hanging around to befriend impressionable kids
Being stereotyped or treated in a prejudicial fashion
Businesses nearby constantly calling the police or petitioning the city in hopes of closing the park down
Being embarrassed by an overprotective parent
One’s passion for the activity outstripping one’s abilities
Having a friend far more talented than oneself despite being newer to the sport or simply not caring as much
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
BMX bikers, friends, graffiti artists, inline skaters, skateboarders, skateboarding enthusiasts, teens and tweens
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Skate parks have been around for decades and exist in many different iterations. Most are outdoor, but in colder climates, indoor parks also exist and offer more services, such as a concession stand, free Wi-Fi, a merchandise store, and areas for kids’ parties. While the majority of parks are government funded and built according to a general standard, some arise organically, created by skaters within the community out of whatever materials are at hand. Public parks are open to everyone, free of charge. Privately owned venues may charge a fee for admission. All are open during the day but some also allow for night skating.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
Kaye sat on the hot deck, her board braced upside-down across her knees. Behind her, three teens cruised the bowls, their skates rumbling like a hive of metallic bees. She didn’t have to turn around to see what they were doing. She’d been maneuvering the bowls for months. What she hadn’t mastered—hadn’t even attempted yet—was the street course. Her eyes followed a skater sliding along a rail and jumping a set of stairs. She thumbed a wheel on her board, trying to still her nervous stomach.
Techniques and Devices Used: Simile
Resulting Effects: Characterization, establishing mood