Today, I had to say a very sad goodbye to one of my all time favorite yoyos…my soda blasted 1Drop Project.
needless to say, I’m not happy about how I had to loose it, and the reality of the situation is still absolutely ridiculous to me still.
So today was the day that my cousins from the east coast were coming for a visit, and we had plans to go visit Alcatraz island in the SF bay. We had enjoyed a fun experience touring about the old island and were on the ferry back to shore. I was throwing a bit on the main deck as the sun was out, there was a nice sea breeze, and my two cousins were having a great time as we just talked randomly. A young boy was watching me yoyo and was looking for quite some time. I smiled at him as I continued to do some tricks, and he approached me.
“I also can yoyo!” He said to me with a heavy European accent. Sounded Russian but I wasn’t too sure. I know of the many younger kids who are total masterminds at yoyoing in Russia, and I was curious if he was one of them. I asked him if he had a yoyo on him, to which he replied that he didn’t take one with him. I offered to let him try my project, which I normally would never do, but given that he seemed like he possibly knew a bit about yoyoing, was ok for me.
Big mistake.
He took the project and immediately put the string on his pointer finger, without a slip knot. He gave it a strange throw that resulted in the yoyo falling off his finger…
and rolling into the small vent that was toward the back of the deck that dropped into the water.
. <
Of all the possible chances of the yoyo oh so perfectly going into that barely diabolo sized vent on the entire span of the deck…in it went.
The boy immediately yelled “IM SORRY!” and ran off somewhere else on the boat.
I am not mad at the boy, I am more mad at myself for being so trusting that just because someone says “they can yoyo” means that they can.
Needless to say, I basically tried not to cry the rest of that boat ride back, it’s not easy losing a yoyo of that rarity, but oh well, I learned my lesson, I definitely won’t be doing that again without making sure.
Let this be a warning to all of you! Don’t assume everyone who says they can yoyo indeed can! To the general public “being able to yoyo” might just mean putting a plastic party favor on their finger, and going up and down. Find out what they can do first before allowing anyone to try your throws. And bring a plastic around with you! I normally have one I bring around for that reason but forgot to have it today.
Here’s to you 1Drop Project…Ill never forget you.
A ding is one thing. A completely lost yoyo of that kind of significance to you is another.
( no, really, sorry for your loss.)