Parker Bates: A Character

Parker+Bates%3A+A+Character

Ian Profenno

You can catch him riding around town on a skateboard or driving that signature black car. Parker Bates has been an Ipswich resident basically his entire life. The best way to describe Parker would be unique. Not only is his personality different than his peers, but his wardrobe is too. Parker is a fashion icon in the town of Ipswich, and the community thrives off of it.

Parker runs multiple Instagram accounts for various aspects and subjects in his life. One account is for music promotion for his Soundcloud. According to his fans, his music account is probably his most popular account. He also runs a video game account that has had great success. For his friends, he has personal accounts to showcase things he did that day. For example, he could showcase a flip or new skate trick he learned. When put in his own words, Parker said, “I basically just skateboard, play video games, and hang out with my friends.” Parker lives a simple, but unique life.

In the summer, Parker and his family like to spend time on their houseboat. The houseboat was designed and created by his father Dan. It is a unique design with glass doors surrounding the first floor. A spiral staircase leads to the roof of the “floatel” (houseboat) and a slide is attached to the other end of it. The houseboat is perfect to host summer parties and is equipped with trampolines hanging off the top.

Parker is greatly influenced by his brother Hudson. They both share a brotherly bond that I have never seen before. Hudson and Parker are the definition of best friends. Hudson lives and works in New York City and is off on his own. Parker will visit him on weekends just to hangout for a day or two and then take the bus back to Boston.

Parker’s mother, Kerry, is the heart of Ipswich. She runs all of the festivities and cool things that happen around town, like Ipswich Illuminated. Kerry never stops; she is always trying to find new solutions to problems around town or even with us. Not only does she always find an answer, but she does it in a creative way. Parker stated, “I can’t thank my family and my mother especially for pushing me to step out of my boundaries and explore.” Kerry is all about finding new things and that’s where Parker gets his unique personality.

Parker wants to move on from Ipswich next year, but is thankful for being raised here. His favorite thing about this town is, “the ocean; I like to take my boat out to the dunes and do flips.” Parker is a dare devil at heart. Whether it is grinding a narrow rail on his skateboard or doing a double side flip into water, he is always trying to one up himself. As he has told me numerous times, “The only way to learn is to fail. A fall will hurt for a bit, but if you get back up and keep trying that’s how you get better.” Injured from skateboarding or not, Parker is a kid that will always have a smile on his face.