My Skating Adventure
This story really starts a couple of weeks ago with a few of my coworkers going ice skating at the Metro Centre and asking me to go with them.
I chuckle and say, “One: I haven’t been ice skating in about 17 years and Two: I don’t own skates.”
I think that settles the matter on this ridiculous notion but no! One of my coworkers chimes in: “I have 2 pairs of skates. I’ll bring a set in and you can try them on.” Seeing as I’m new at the job and don’t want to alienate any of my coworkers, I say “Sure!” thinking she’ll forget and that’ll be the end of it.
She doesn’t. She has a very good memory. Two days after bringing the skates in, she (we’ll call her C), the originator in this plot (K), and I go skating.
I’m a wee bit nervous. I was exaggerating when I said this will be my first time on skates in 17 years. I was 11. I lace up my skates and leave all my coats, scarves and gloves on despite the heat in the Metro Centre. I figure I’ll need all the extra padding for all the falling I’m doing. My only consolation is that C hasn’t been on the ice in a few years so she’s rusty too.
I get out on the ice and cling to the boards for dear life. My body seems to remember how to do this but my mind doesn’t trust my body. Yes, I’m just that paranoid. I keep one hand on the boards as I make my first lap around the rink. To his credit, K is a patient person. He was very understanding and not at all mocking when C and I made our way on the ice. It’s only been about 4 years since C was last on the ice so she catches on quicker than I. It’s about lap 3 that I finally get enough confidence to let go of the boards.
My body wants to skate faster; my mind keeps thinking I’m likely to break a wrist if I fall. My mind keeps winning these arguments. K takes off once in awhile but always comes back to check on us, although C has left me in her dust too. I keep to the outer rim of the rink because the fast, confident skaters are closer to the centre. Even so, some of them venture to the outer rim and ruin my confidence by whizzing by me and weaving between me and the boards.
Those are the people that are going to burn in hell.
So, we’re there for an hour and I didn’t fall! I couldn’t believe it. I’m nowhere near as smooth or graceful as I was when I was younger. Maybe I was never that smooth or graceful when I was younger and only remember it that way. I did end up having fun and I will go back. So I’m glad C and K made me go. But I doubt I’ll ever be brave enough to go towards the centre but it was nice to be back on the ice.
I chuckle and say, “One: I haven’t been ice skating in about 17 years and Two: I don’t own skates.”
I think that settles the matter on this ridiculous notion but no! One of my coworkers chimes in: “I have 2 pairs of skates. I’ll bring a set in and you can try them on.” Seeing as I’m new at the job and don’t want to alienate any of my coworkers, I say “Sure!” thinking she’ll forget and that’ll be the end of it.
She doesn’t. She has a very good memory. Two days after bringing the skates in, she (we’ll call her C), the originator in this plot (K), and I go skating.
I’m a wee bit nervous. I was exaggerating when I said this will be my first time on skates in 17 years. I was 11. I lace up my skates and leave all my coats, scarves and gloves on despite the heat in the Metro Centre. I figure I’ll need all the extra padding for all the falling I’m doing. My only consolation is that C hasn’t been on the ice in a few years so she’s rusty too.
I get out on the ice and cling to the boards for dear life. My body seems to remember how to do this but my mind doesn’t trust my body. Yes, I’m just that paranoid. I keep one hand on the boards as I make my first lap around the rink. To his credit, K is a patient person. He was very understanding and not at all mocking when C and I made our way on the ice. It’s only been about 4 years since C was last on the ice so she catches on quicker than I. It’s about lap 3 that I finally get enough confidence to let go of the boards.
My body wants to skate faster; my mind keeps thinking I’m likely to break a wrist if I fall. My mind keeps winning these arguments. K takes off once in awhile but always comes back to check on us, although C has left me in her dust too. I keep to the outer rim of the rink because the fast, confident skaters are closer to the centre. Even so, some of them venture to the outer rim and ruin my confidence by whizzing by me and weaving between me and the boards.
Those are the people that are going to burn in hell.
So, we’re there for an hour and I didn’t fall! I couldn’t believe it. I’m nowhere near as smooth or graceful as I was when I was younger. Maybe I was never that smooth or graceful when I was younger and only remember it that way. I did end up having fun and I will go back. So I’m glad C and K made me go. But I doubt I’ll ever be brave enough to go towards the centre but it was nice to be back on the ice.
posted by Rienne | 8:02 p.m.
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