All Skate Slowly and Carefully


Songs on the radio fall into four categories: fast skate, slow-couples skate, backwards skate, and all skate.

Since the first job that I had where I actually received a pay check where my first and last name were printed with a computer type machine and not handwritten by my grandma's ball point pen was at a skating rink, I am especially partial to how songs go along with skating speed.

I like to say that I was raised in a skating rink, but that would be lying. My father and mother rarely visited the roller rink for the reason of skating. Usually their visits were derived from my need for a ride home, or for a change-of-clothes delivery so that I could stay after my shift and kick some male, floor guard behind, on backwards skating wearing something other than brown corduroy pants and a brown corduroy vest.

A song like "Dream On" by Aerosmith or "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin is a classic "couples skate" song. I would hold hands with a sweaty man-boy as we dreamily skated around the dim-lit wooden floor all aglow from the shimmering disco ball overhead.

"Enter Sandman" by Mettalica would have been the very best fast skate song. The best. I can almost feel the wind whipping through my hair sprayed bangs.

Backward skate songs need gumption and gusto like, "Rapper Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang. Also, an upbeat Earth, Wind, and fire song would be a fine fit for any backward skater. A very non-typical backward skate song would be anything by Captain and Tenille, or The Carpenters. Sorry Richard and Karen.

Elton John's, "Benny and the Jets" or the Who's, "Who are You" would be a perfect "all skate" pick. These have the perfect amount of sing-along rhythm without having the beginning skaters lose too much concentration.

I miss skating. There's nothing like a little stress release on the roller rink floor, while soaking in the smells of giant dill pickles, soda soaked carpeting, and foot odor spray seeped into the soles of rental skates.

Roller rinks are virtually obsolete. That's sad. I could use a good spin around on the floor.

Comments

Cindy Swanson said…
I was NEVER a good skater, but I had some great times at roller rinks...especially when I was in Bible college, and our college/career class would go. I wish I was better at it...what a great way to get some exercise!

Enjoyed your post. Have a blessed weekend!
Sarah Markley said…
i can SOOO picture you skating.

rink-goddess, you.
Eve said…
This was too funny - I can almost feel the wind whipping through my hair sprayed bangs.

Oh the memories!
Denise said…
what a fun first job!

i got rollerskates (not blades) for my birthday last year (34). i wanted something to bring back the kid in me. i should post the video of me rollerskating in the house on the laminate wood floors in my pink bath robe. it's funny.
the kids loved it!

and it was always fun to skate to "Elvira"...my hearts on fire, for elvira.