ANDY ROY
INTERVIEW BY JAY ADAMS
INTRODUCTION BY JASON JESSEE
PHOTOS BY DAN LEVY
They don't make 'em like this anymore. Andy Roy. Back in the olden days, people only knew people through word of mouth, urban tales and rumor has it. I swear, if you tell someone something, they'll believe it. If you have any credibility, you can have people believe in Jesus. I'm pretty sure that people were telling Jesus that he was Jesus, and turns out he was Jesus, and assuming that role, they crucified him. Well, next to him was another man and it was Andy Roy. - JASON JESSEE
Ding-a-ling-a-ling. Ding-a-ling-a-ling. Say hello, Andy.
[Laughs.] Oh, yes. Hello, Jay. Hello.
[Laughs.] Hey, Andy Roy. It looks like the stars and the moon and everything had to line up perfectly for us to get on the phone together.
Everything finally came together and we got each other on the phone. We did. I'm here. How are you doing, Jay?
[Laughs.] Okay. How have you been?
I've been real good. I've been giving skateboard lessons at the skatepark. I started my own business, got my business license and now I give skateboard lessons.
You need a license to give skateboard lessons?
No. I did it just to be legit.
Are you going to pay taxes on it?
I'm going to have to. I just get the money handed to me, but won't the tax people bust you for not paying your taxes or something?
[Laughs.] Did I dial the right number? This isn't the Andy Roy that I know. This must be Randy Boy or someone else. I think we got the wrong number.
[Laughs.] Oh, what? I'm a model citizen.
[Laughs.] Holy cow. That's unbelievable. You did a 180. Have you changed your life around?
I have. I was messed up on drugs and got in some trouble.
Wait. We'll get to the old Andy Roy in a minute. I want to talk to the new one for a second. I heard you just got married.
I did. I went up to Tahoe with my wife Erin Roy. I owe my life to her. I found my soulmate. She's a beautiful girl. She's awesome. She's my best friend. We went up there with my mom and dad and got married and it was cool. I was a little nervous, but it was all right. My dad started crying as soon as the guy started talking. Then my mom was laughing at him. Me and my dad cried, and Erin and my mom laughed. It was good.
That's the first time you've ever made your dad cry for joy, huh?
[Laughs.] Yeah, that was the very first time.
[Laughs.] You used to make him cry with what a creature you used to be probably.
[Laughs.] That's right. They would cry at night just thinking that they'd get a phone call that I was dead or something. Now that I'm doing good, he got to cry with joy, which is good.
Wow. That's a big change.
Yeah. I've been clean for a little over two years now. I met my wife and she helped me change my life around.
Let me ask you about being clean for two years. Was part of that in jail?
That's what started it.
I did the same thing, but you could have used in jail, so you had to make that choice to be clean in there also.
Exactly. There are more drugs in prison than there is on the streets, but it's a little bit more expensive, and I didn't want to hold myself like that. I was seeing people getting stabbed over it. It could get you in big trouble if you don't pay what you owe someone. I just didn't want to do that.
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