Fred Basset by Alex Graham for April 26, 2023

Make sure you help him up Fred!

Mr. Dear really is good at that.

Have y’all seen any of those practical joke youtube videos featuring an apparently ancient old gentleman who suddenly takes off on a skateboard, doing all kinds of tricks? Pretty funny.

Ouch! Possibly. And if there is an ouch, hope you don’t hear any snaps as in bones. If the ouch happens, at least you’re there to help him feel better. Maybe his old skills will come back and he’ll dazzle.

The skate boards i remember seeing in the early sixty’s were nothing more than a straight piece of wood and metal wheels.

In my youth I had motorcycles. In middle age, none. At that time a neighbor teenager got a brand new mc and smiling asked me if I wanted to try it out. I mounted the Honda and drove away. It was great! I put a mile or so on it. He was so relieved when I returned.

Shouldn’t he be wearing a helmet and knee protectors?

What say you Fred … Give that board a go ?

Impressive, but I would be astounded if he got on the ramps.

One time my husband & I came across some skateboarders. At first they thought we were going to give them a hard time, until we told them that we just liked watching them (they were really good).

More like 50 years ago for me. Once I started driving, I gave up skate boards and skates. Of course, back then, we didn’t have the fancy manufactured boards and fancy roller skates. A piece of wood with skate wheels and tennis-shoe mounted skates with a key were the best we could hope for.

I loved riding a skateboard in my teens. I decided in my late 50s to try riding again. I rode it, but it was nothing pretty. No falls just “old man style”. Slow and easy. Still it was fun to be on one again. I sure wish I could ride one like I did when I was a kid.

Mr. Dear is quite skilled. I bet Fred is very proud of him.

The sketches in the backs of panels 1 and 3 are brilliant!

It’s like riding a bike..it always comes back…

It looks like he’s still got it!

Mine was fiberglass maroon and white also good for you Mr Dear bet Fred would like to give it atry

you show ‘em Mr. Dear!

Very nice of you to let him take it for a spin :-)

Mr. Dear might be a bit of a Deardevil.

Don’t break a hip!

Show them an Ollie!

Grab your board and go sidewalk surfin’ with me

Don’t be afraid to try the newest sport around

Bust your buns, bust your buns now

It’s catchin’ on in every city and town

You can do the tricks the surfers do, just try a

“Quasimodo” or “The Coffin” too, why don’t you?

Grab your board and go sidewalk surfin’ with me…