Hey, remember ROLLER SKATING????
Today we went to Skate World to attend a birthday party for one of Urban’s friends. The last time I was in a roller rink was when some friends and I went to our high school Christmas formal in 10th or 11th grade—how sad that I can’t even remember which, but in any case, no skating was actually involved. The last time I wore a pair of roller skates, I was probably in 6th or 7th grade! (I was a decent skater, though I always felt more comfortable in ice skates. It’s only been 12 years since I last ice-skated.)
I didn’t actually skate today. Most of the parents didn’t. Our poor babies needed us to be stable on our feet. None of my boys had been skating before, so they needed lots and lots of help. (Urban was so bad at it at first that one of the rink refs came over and offered him a ticket for a free skating lesson!) My helpfulness, I’m sorry to report, was dubious. At one point, Urb lost his balance and grabbed for me, started to fall, and then took me down with him. Ouch! But we laughed. He has a good-sized bruise on his right knee as a result, though.
I have to say that the roller skating rink in my hometown was, at least when I knew it, quite a bit nicer than the one we were at today. But then, the 70s and 80s were kind of the “heyday” of roller skating. Places like Smart Skate could afford coat hooks above the carpeted benches and a real d.j. to play the tunes (and even take requests!).
But some things never change. Today, they even did the “Hokey Pokey.”
Oh, the memories….
Posted by Lisa on January 18, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I never did the roller skating at rinks. I just did mine in my neighborhood. There were a lot more rinks back then. The ones we have now are in a sorry state. I would have to think hard to recall where one is. Too bad. Perhaps more people roller blade now?