Prior to craft night, Winter and I went roller skating at Happy Wheels. She never turns down an afternoon there, so I knew I had scored big with the roller skating/crafts combo event. Happy Wheels — in all its glory — is probably just what it was a decade ago. Well, at least the mixed tape they play is (with the occasional gross pop-country song thrown into the mix — “Save a horse, ride a cowboy” should never escape the lips of babes). The people are the same — dozens of children growing their skating legs, kid regulars, parents who haven’t skated in years and adults who never stopped skating and can do those amazing dance moves and turns I’m so envious of.
Winter fell among the kid regulars and had a blast showing off her skating skills, making the YMCA letters with her arms during the song, doing the Hokey Pokey and the chicken dance and playing air hockey. She was so busy she had no time to couple skate with me, which left me plenty of time to get myself in trouble with the adult regulars who don’t seem to like you if you wear knee pads and tattoos.
I had to force Winter out of there in order to get to craft night in time. “Just one more song, pleeease?,” she pleaded.
“Sad faces don’t work on me — you know that,” I said. “Get those skates off and let’s go!”
We arrived at craft night a little late, but just in time for guacamole snacks and old-school derby films. I got started embroidering roller skates on a jean jacket and Winter joined Breezey, Maulie McKillem and Slayra in making beaded bracelets.
“What does that mean?” Winter asked as she pointed to Breezey’s upside down R bead in MRD.
“Ah, shit,” she breathed and started over.
(For the record, it’s impossible to get rollergirls to curb their language, myself included. I’ve come to embrace this as decorative speech. Winter is well aware she is not permitted to use said speech until she gets a job, because anyone working for the man should be allowed to curse at will.)
While crafting away watching old-school derby, we laughed at the differences between the staged theatrics of old derby and the now serious sport of roller derby. Winter reveled in the noise and dramatics we created during an otherwise quiet event. I savored her delight in spending time with these amazing women. It won’t be long before she’s one of them.
Insert proud-mother-beaming-smiley emoticon here.