Real talk with Robert Clark

Boardslide in Durham – Photo by Rails

I first met Robert way back in the day when I was working up at Project 58. He was a young kid who would show up to skate nonstop. He definitely had talent. At one point he got into some trouble and was sent off to prison. I recently caught up with him and asked him how that experience changed his life and also learned more about just what life behind bars consisted of.

I tried to record our conversation but my recorder’s batteries decided to die on me. I’ve had that thing for nearly 7 years now so I can’t really blame it.

You know that point where your talking to a friend and things turn to a more serious tone instead of a joking around happy go lucky tone?

Rails, Robert and I were kicking it up at the Durham Courthouse as the sun set. A homeless guy walked by and watched us skate for a little bit. We were enjoying ourselves for sure. Such a simple device and simple pleasure. A piece of wood with wheels, some waxed up granite ledges and smooth ground. No controllers, no advanced physics (well…), just us young adults living it up.

I tend to take these times for granted, just imagine all the people you’ve skated with and how at some of those sessions you just weren’t having fun. It can be a toss up at times, the ups and the downs. Luckily for most of us we’ve never had to experience a life of seclusion and entrapment. Most of us have enjoyed the freedom of being able to leisurely skate.

I remember when Robert got sent away, it didn’t really affect my life. It was just a friend who you used to see all the time and now he was on his own path. Robert said everything happens for a reason, and thats true. Some of us will go on to do great things, some of us will die young, some of us will outlive the rest, some will succeed, some will fail…

I have to admit, it’s good to see Robert out skating again.

As I asked Robert about prison it was a quiet serious talk. You could hear the tone of his voice change, no laughter really, except for when he told all the people he was on lock down with that he would grind any rail on the property if they gave him a board. I asked him if prison systems would ever allow skateboards, instantly he said nope. Not even considering a skateboard as a weapon Robert let me know people would wreck each other with those things. He said he saw a guy get his face bashed in by a barbell, and also saw a guy get his neck sliced. Prison life ain’t pretty.

I asked him about the food and he mentioned in prison the food was actually pretty decent, a lot better than jail. He said they would get cake with real icing. He mentioned the real icing twice throughout our conversation, just goes to show you how the little things in life make all the difference when the rest are taken away.

While in prison he watched Life with Ryan. I’ve heard so many peoples views on that show and it was nice to hear someone who didn’t critique it but was just hyped to be exposed to some sort of skateboard lifestyle. He said each episode got him more stoked to get out and shred.

In prison there was a fight club. You were given a number and then all numbers were placed into a hat and drawn randomly. Whoever you got matched up with, you had to fight or suffer the consequences of getting bullied around for the rest of your stay. Robert said he fought out of necessity, he had to stick up for himself and show he wasn’t afraid. Luckily he said fights weren’t an everyday experience.

He mentioned he read the Book of John in the Bible but didn’t want to explain his interpretation from it.

It’s good to see Robert back out in the world free from constraint. I just hope it stays that way because when he steps on a board, people take notice.

Robert’s been ripping on the board, let’s hope he can continue to kill it with less legal troubles, and more street destruction.