Story For The Grandkids!

Story For The Grandkids!

I love downtown Columbus. There is always so much to do: you can go to the Short North and find a cute little shop, or you can go out to dinner with friends and family, or you can just walk around and pretend you're in New York City. But my favorite thing to do down there (or anywhere) is go on adventures.
My favorite people to have these “adventures” with, are of course my “sisters”. A while back, my “sisters” and I had this friend (let's call him Spencer). Spencer was a big skateboarder and he pulled myself and the older two girls into it. Was it fun? Yes! Was I any good? Yep, I was awesome! I could do all the really cool tricks… like the “fall on your face”, the “let's ride an old broken board down a steep hill and wipe out”, and my personal favorite, the “that pole wasn't there yesterday!” Guys, I'm lucky to be alive. Anywho, this leads to a very specific adventure.
The older two of my “sisters” (let's call them August and Arden), Spencer, and I decided to go do something one night in November of 2017. We decided to go skateboarding in a big parking garage downtown. Because of my innate “skating skills” and because the girls had not skated in a while, the girls and I brought scooters (you know the little kid ones with handle bars, think Razor). We parked and skateboarded/scooted to the parking garage. We rode the elevator all the way to the top level and my heart was beating out of my chest. The door opens and we enter a vestibule with two glass doors leading the parking area. Spencer walked to the glass door with his skateboard under his arm, turned back to us and said, “You guys ready?” I looked at August and then at Arden. Both girls nodded and we all looked at Spencer, and screamed, “Adventure woo!” We hopped on our scooters, Spencer on his skateboard, and started riding through the parking garage. It was amazing- the cool autumn air brushed against my face, the sound of the wheels on the pavement, and our downward trajectory made it feel like I was on a roller coaster without the scary height part. We made it down four or five levels before security caught us, but we didn't care- it was fun while it lasted.
That story is an example of one of the many adventures that my “sisters” and I have been on. Is it the grandest? No, but it's still important. Lets say, for example, I get married, have kids, they become amazing people, and they have kids. I'm going to eventually get that inevitable question from my grandchildren. “Grandpa, what did you do when you were a kid?” What do you think is a better story: “Well, one time played Fortnite for 24 hours straight! And then another time I watched every episode of Friends from start to finish for the 10th time.” Or “well, this one time my friends and I rode scooters through a parking garage”, “and this other time I played in my Christmas piano recital, dressed up as the Grinch.” I challenge you this week to do something awesome. At this point, I would usually give examples, but it’s entirely up to you what the word “awesome” means. Just go out there, do something fun, and make it a story for the grandkids (but, be safe!).

Have a greattastic day

J.Mitchell Ulibarri