Several weeks before my departure to Thailand Jocko Weyland told me about his project to provide the Gowanus Canal with pools by filling dumpsters with water. The idea was radical in both concept and location. The cost was minimal thanks to contributions to Macro-seas from a construction company with a surplus of dumpsters. Jocko showed me several photos of the pools. They were lined next to a building. One of them low enough to jump into the pool.
"Jocko, can I jump into the pool from the roof?"
"Er, I don't know." Jocko had concern for my possible injury, which was quite touching from the well-known skatebaorder author of THE ANSWER IS NEVER. "I'm not so sure about that, but I suppose it would be alright if you signed a release. When you want to do it?"
"Not until I get back from Thailand." I wasn't threatening my life with a trans-Pacific ticket in my hand. "I don't think anyone else would do it."
"Maybe not." Jocko was a big fan of my quarry diving story THE HOLE OF HEAVEN.
"It's only 15 feet. And there's sand on the bottom. How bad could it be?"
"Er, I don't know." Jocko was non-committal. Skaters are used to falling down hard but not from 15 feet.
"That's the only answer I need for a green light." I was pleased to think that I could jump into the water from a height. Nothing like that in Thailand or the rest of New York, unless it's someone jumping from a balcony in Pattaya or the Brooklyn Bridge. None of those jumpers want to live. Me, I want to live forever.
Go to this URL to read about the Gowanus Pool
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/arts/design/20pool.html?_r=2&hp
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