Friday, October 9, 2009

F-Word Friday: Fantasy

I used to roller skate.

Every single weekend at The Rainbo, the most god-awfully decorated (black shiny walls with pink flamingos, it was heaven itself) I'd skate circles around everyone at top speeds.

My friend Dawn & I were demons on 8 wheels apiece.

I can still remember the whoosh of stale air past my face, how the sound from the speakers would ring off the walls, the sound your skates would make as you transitioned from floor to carpet, and how I learned to skate backwards from some very old-school skate-dancers who would absolutely smoke the floor in their sparkly pantsuits.

They were awesome.



I really wish there were pictures of what it looked like in there - it was the darkest, dankest place. Old filled-in brick, neon lights, a big city-scape made out of what I seem to remember as tinfoil-covered corrugated cardboard.

It was bliss.

Our favorite song to skate to? Why Brass Monkey of course. Paul Revere was a close second, but it didn't have that skate-50-MPH beat to it.

I just dated myself, didn't I. *sigh*

Anyway, my point is that had Roller Derby been made available to us back then, we would have kicked ass.

Alas, now I'm old, and delicate of back and bone, and if I tried to do Roller Derby I'd be crippled in a month, but in my head, I hold on to the fantasy of how completely awesome it would be to get in on that action...

I would be a killer blocker now, and my 13-year-old self would have been the queen of the jammers.

I'm just saying.

Out here in Colorado we've got TWO groups (rivals, apparently).



Not sure what happened there, but you know I understand cross-town rivalries, but I'm not local enough to have a preference for one over the other.

I say they're both pretty badass, because they're out there doing what I'd love to be able to do myself.

Have an awesome weekend!

3 comments:

Nova said...

Now you know Janine is a roller derby girl and I have all the info if you want to go sometime!
"Slaughterhouse Derby Girls vs Junction City Roller Dolls" on Saturday, October 17 at 6:00pm.

Event: Slaughterhouse Derby Girls vs Junction City Roller Dolls
What: Sporting Event
Start Time: Saturday, October 17 at 6:00pm
End Time: Saturday, October 17 at 9:00pm
Where: 237 22nd St, Greeley, CO

Julie said...

http://tucsonrollerderby.com/

next time you come visit...Tucson's not big enough for a crosstown rivalry

Elle Bee said...

Oh my gosh, that is too funny!! Brass Monkey & Paul Revere!!! You just brought back some serious memories. The roller rink in our town was called Roller King. It too, was totally dark and dank. And smelled funny.
Elle